{"id":15461,"date":"2015-02-10T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2015-02-10T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/?p=15461"},"modified":"2015-02-12T11:13:30","modified_gmt":"2015-02-12T16:13:30","slug":"get-to-know-your-ask-a-pro-author-eric-schuster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.detailedimage.com\/Ask-a-Pro\/get-to-know-your-ask-a-pro-author-eric-schuster\/","title":{"rendered":"Get To Know Your Ask-A-Pro Author \u2013 Eric Schuster"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hey everyone the guys from DI emailed me and asked me to take part in a series in which they will be interviewing each author. They asked me to provide you with a little information about myself along with answering a few detailing questions they provided.<\/p>\n

1. How did you get started in detailing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This one is a long story, but I’ll keep it short.\u00a0 Back in 2004, I realized I loved keeping my car clean and people wanted me to maintain their own car as good as I kept mine.\u00a0 After dabbling in the volume end of detailing, the wash and wax jobs, full interior jobs, etc, I started to get into the paint correction game and I have never looked back!\u00a0 It took me only my first 3 step correction to get myself hooked on the best possible final outcomes I could produce!\u00a0 Detailing to me is so much more than waxing a car, it’s completely turned my business around!\u00a0 Looking back 10 years, I wouldn’t change a thing (well, almost\u00a0nothing)!<\/p>\n

2. What is your favorite car that you have worked on?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For me, this is a tough question.\u00a0 Is it the black Ferrari 458 spyder, the 35 hour M5 Correction, or the 55 Bel Air I spent 40 hours on trying to get the paint glowing after a so-so triple black paint job.\u00a0 I have a tendency to gravitate to any of the black cars I have done corrections on as my favorite.\u00a0 If I had to single one out, I would have to go with a\u00a0job that I did on the Ferrari 458. It was a HUGE turn around and the owner was extremely satisfied with the end result! Its those types of jobs that keep this business interesting for me!<\/p>\n

3. What is the longest and most challenging detail you have ever had?<\/strong><\/p>\n

About 5 \u00a0years ago, a kid called me up asking me to take a look at his Audi A4.\u00a0 Apparently his friend washed his car for him to be nice and used a Brillo pad you would normally find in a kitchen sink.\u00a0 Yes, you read that right!\u00a0 I looked at the car and estimated a 4 step process would do the trick…8 steps later after 27 hours, the paint was as good as it was going to get as there were spots of primer showing.\u00a0 He later turned in the car as it was on a lease!\u00a0 To say I saved him 1000’s in damage payments would be an understatement.\u00a0 Worst part about it, I severely under charged.\u00a0 The best part about it, I definitely over delivered!\u00a0 It wasn’t the longest, I have had\u00a0quite a few\u00a040+hr jobs, but it was honestly the most challenging I have had to deal with ever as it was strictly for the paint correction, no interior, no engine, no wheels.<\/p>\n

4. What is your least favorite area to detail, if any?<\/strong><\/p>\n

For me, its the side skirts on cars that are low.\u00a0 Polishing on the ground is never fun. Even with a lift, the results just aren’t as drastic considering the texture all side skirts have for increased protection from rock damage.\u00a0 I can get them looking good and new, but the texture kills the WOW factor for me.<\/p>\n

5. What was the best and worst customer experience you have had?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Best customer experience I have had was recent.\u00a0 Guy dropped off his M3 for a certain agreed upon process.\u00a0 Once I got started on the car, It turned into a whole different process as the damage was more severe than we thought.\u00a0 I called him up and expressed my opinion and told him it would be another day on his car.\u00a0 He was thrilled\u00a0I was going the extra mile for him and said whatever it takes.\u00a0 He then told me I would be compensated for my time which I told him is unnecessary since I am the one that quoted the price based on looking over the car with him in the first place.\u00a0 At the end of it all, double the original bill was given and a HUGE thank you was thrown my way!<\/p>\n

My worst customer experience would have to be when I received a bounced check from a regular customer.\u00a0 I knew they were good for it so I called them up, told them it bounced, and they paid in cash and covered the charges…apparently I haven’t had too many bad experiences with clients (very fortunate).\u00a0 I guess the only other bad experience is when potential clients try to talk down in price knowing the quality I give and compare it to the local cheap mobile detailer doing things for $100 for a FULL DETAIL and then bad mouth me for trying to charge them a reasonable $200 for a basic detailing.\u00a0 I do not operate a volume based business but rather more upscale and higher end so I cannot compete with the lower priced services, but I should not have to received bad mouthing for it.<\/p>\n

6. Imagine that you awoke on a magical detailing island and a VIP client is having their vehicle flown in but you have no idea what it will be.\u00a0 The island has a wash bay, water, hose, two buckets and electricity.\u00a0 What 10 individual products would you want Detailed Image to ship you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would like to have the following products:<\/p>\n