Ever detail for free? Just as a challenge?

**MaThGr82** · 03-14-2005, 08:51 PM

A very good friend of mine just bought a black 98 VW Passat that is swirled and oxidized like crazy. When I found out he got a black car, I was very excited and wanted to go to his garage immediately to check out the paints condition. When I saw the paints condition, I told him immediately that I wanted to detail his car for him and try to see how good I can make it look. He asked me how much I wanted to be paid, and being a good friend to him for a long time, I told him that all I want is 10 hours with the car on a Saturday sometime and some of his help and a case of beer for us to split during the loooooonnnnggg day.

I am in the middle of moving to a new home right now so I won`t be able to do his car until April but I am already thinking about how I am going to try to make his car look black again. I really think that this car has the potential to be an extreme detail contest entry.

So, have any of you ever offered to detail a car for literally nothing just because you think it will be a challenge to bring the paint back to life? Or do you all think I am crazy?

**imported_Sullybob** · 03-14-2005, 09:32 PM

I don`t think you are crazy at all. I have detailed my my families cars for free as practice.

**ntoddalbert** · 03-14-2005, 10:13 PM

I have detaild for fun many times, in fact I have only charged one or two people in my life. I have also made some interesting trades...... lets just leave it at that

**thinksnow** · 03-14-2005, 10:17 PM

I have three female roommates (no knock to the ladies) who could care less about their car`s appearance. I use their sleds as mules for various products because I know there is no chance of testing interference.

That`s 30% of it. Mostly, I just can`t stand seeing cars nicer than mine in such bad shape.

I also maintain my parents` fleet but when you factor in my undergrad tuition, I`m paid pretty well for those jobs

**White95Max** · 03-14-2005, 10:21 PM

I maintain my mom`s Concorde, and I`ve done my neighbor`s cars for free, even though they insisted on giving me $40 each for my work on them.

**JaCkaL829** · 03-14-2005, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by thinksnow

I also maintain my parents` fleet but when you factor in my undergrad tuition, I`m paid pretty well for those jobs

plus a car and insurance payments; i`m indebted to detailing my parent`s cars for quite a long time.

I detail family/friend`s cars for free or next to nothing. I guess thats what seperates us amateurs from the pros who run businesses.

**Scottwax** · 03-14-2005, 11:56 PM

I take care of my parent`s cars for free, even though they do try to pay me.

**SpoiledMan** · 03-15-2005, 12:06 AM

I give away details to people that I know for special occasions to bait them in. It works most of the time that they decide to spoil themselves and kiss the local tunnel wash goodbye.

**Accumulator** · 03-15-2005, 12:35 PM

I always did cars for my family for free, and I`ve done a few for friends too. They`re never all that bad though.

But the real "back from the dead" details are the ones I`ve done for EuroCar Service in Norton, OH. I like the family that runs the place, so a few times I`ve done an extreme make-over job on Audi loaners that I felt sorry for. They`ve done right by me, so I figure it`s the least I can do.

I did do a real bang-up job on the Cadillac rental we had after Accumulatorette`s S4 got rearended. But that was a purely selfish decision, I just wanted to do their White Diamond paint

**audio1der** · 03-15-2005, 02:53 PM

I`m doing free and heavily discounted details right now while I`m learning the finer points of the PC.

Even made a trade for an OBDII scan- pretty good deal.

**boywonder** · 03-15-2005, 04:50 PM

Both of my Extreme Detail entries were "practice" cars.

**imported_Sullybob** · 03-15-2005, 05:06 PM

PrinzII, after those "practice cars" you should be ready and able to tackle anything.

**seracis** · 03-16-2005, 12:34 AM

The Camaro I posted as my first "click and brag" was for free just to see what I could do with black paint. I tinted a car tonite for some friends at church. The whole time I was tinting, I was thinking about what pads and products to use on their 2002 black Accord, whose paint has been severely neglected. I almost polished the car just so I didn`t have to look at the water spots, swirls, light scratches, marring, and otherwise chalkboard-appearance any longer.