Paint protection and detailing recommendations please

[notax]

I am about to collect my new Aston Vantage V12S and am keen to have it detailed and PPF'd. Can anyone recommend a firm in the Southampton area and does anyone have experience of Auto Protek in Ascot or Chipguard in Waterlooville? Thanks

[DarkMatter]

YHM re paint protection film.

[notax]

Thanks Any other feedback appreciated

[Speculatore]

Get hold of Paul Harrison at 'Paintguard'. He has looked after my DB9 for 3 years and XKR before that.
[e-mail]
07519 140508

http://paintguard.co.uk/
http://www.hampshirevehicledetailing.co.uk

[C5RagTop]

I would have no hesitation in recommending Paintshield (www.paintshield.co.uk)

They are quite away from the South being based in Peterborough, but they design the wrap on a computer with no knives allowed anywhere near the car. Their product is superb.

They have done my Corvette and the only way you can tell it's protected is because there are absolutely no stone chips.

If you're serious then it's well worth the journey.

[notax]

Thanks chaps, I was seriously considering Paintshield and their reviews were second to none, they were also very accommodating on the phone, but the logistics for me were a nightmare, hence looking elsewhere...

[Stuart J]

If your getting it PPF'd unless ithas serious issues and if that bad you would reject it you are waisting good money getting it detailed PPF is the finish and it will hide minor issues. I thought this was total twaddle until a contact who owns a firm who do Ppf told me. His own cars aren't detailed just filmed , mclaren, gt3rs etc . He did my Alfa 4c without it being detailed and it looks stunning

He's not local but I suggest you do some research for yourself. Your money's better spend paying for it to be transferred in a covered truck from dealer to Ppf when new and asking them to reject if it has issues.

Then once it's PPF'd get a good detailer to look after it

Edited by Stuart J on Tuesday 21st June 06:48

[doorman]

Steve at www.paintguard.co.uk is very local, and would recommend him 100%..

[notax]

Stuart J said:

If your getting it PPF'd unless ithas serious issues and if that bad you would reject it you are waisting good money getting it detailed PPF is the finish and it will hide minor issues. I thought this was total twaddle until a contact who owns a firm who do Ppf told me. His own cars aren't detailed just filmed , mclaren, gt3rs etc . He did my Alfa 4c without it being detailed and it looks stunning

He's not local but I suggest you do some research for yourself. Your money's better spend paying for it to be transferred in a covered truck from dealer to Ppf when new and asking them to reject if it has issues.

Then once it's PPF'd get a good detailer to look after it

Edited by Stuart J on Tuesday 21st June 06:48

Thanks, that is very interesting - as only one company (chipguard.co.uk) has mentioned that to me. I have to say that I saw the new car myself at Aston Martin under fluoroescent lights and the paint looked good to my novice eyes. I think I'll have it professionally waxed before the film is applied but I'm not now intending to spend the £800 some detailers suggested!

[notax]

doorman said:

Steve at www.paintguard.co.uk is very local, and would recommend him 100%..

Thanks Doorman!

[SpikeBmth]

I'd contact the film company before waxing the surface to be protected, as they may need it unwaxed

When I had a car paintsheilded after a respray, I had it transported there on a transporter, with a car cover on it. Paintsheild did a perfect job on the car, and used them twice in the past.

[notax]

Thanks, they suggest waxing is ok - even encouraged, but not application of ceramic coatings etc as the film struggles to stick then apparently

[Speculatore]

notax said:

doorman said:

Steve at www.paintguard.co.uk is very local, and would recommend him 100%..

Thanks Doorman!

Its the same one that I recommended earlier. Paul Harrision used to run his own detailing company (Hampshire Detailing) and now works for the Paintguard set-up. He details the cover first then they apply the product all in once place.

[Stuart J]

notax said:

Thanks, that is very interesting - as only one company (chipguard.co.uk) has mentioned that to me. I have to say that I saw the new car myself at Aston Martin under fluoroescent lights and the paint looked good to my novice eyes. I think I'll have it professionally waxed before the film is applied but I'm not now intending to spend the £800 some detailers suggested!

Again you will sadly be wasting your hard earned, if done properly whoever puts the PPF on will wax it afterwards, as spilebmth pointed out this may actually make it harder to put the film on

You are really best paying for a covered truck to move it from the dealer to the person doing the film. My Alfa came from HWM who are also an Aston dealer, prob not the same one you are using but they have their own person to transport cars, if you can get a dealer truck provided & it arrives at the PPF company with any scratches its all the dealers responsibility. I had mine done here but possibly a bit to far for you, http://cgperformance.co.uk/services/paint-protecti...

If you have any matt surfaces on the car Matt film is available, The current piccie on the web site is my car & its at the wrong angle to tell but the windscreen pillars which are matt black have a matt film on them. Headlights etc are also all filmed , The carbon fibre tub inside & all the cills are protected.

Someone else has said film is computer cut, that it is on popular models but if they don't have patterns its down to the skill of the fitter so worth checking that as well. There were no patterns for the Alfa so it was all cut as required to fit the car.

Its good your doing your research as Ive had some awful jobs in the past, its all down to the fitters skill & quality of the film used. And Ive found its very much a case of you get what you pay for

Also check the warranty given, Ive got lifetime of ownership

[notax]

Thanks for all your feedback. The car is now booked in to Steve at Paintguard as many of you have suggested - and it was he who first suggested that having the car fully detailed prior to applying PPF would be a waste of time. I am buying from Newport Pagnell, so a long drive and am collecting the car in person. I'll do me best to avoid stone chips on the way back and may even use A roads rather than the motorway. I'll ask Steve whether it is worth me sticking some temporary film on it for the journey home - it will look st but not my main concern!

I have to say , that with the saving on the detailing and his price on the PPF, I am saving almost 50% compared to Paintshield and Topaz. All bar one review of his work has been very positive and I know someone who is trusting his Ferrari to him imminently. Let's hope this is one rare case where you get more than you pay for!

[DarkMatter]

notax said:

.... The car is now booked in to Steve at Paintguard as many of you have suggested ....

Hope it works out well for you!

[notax]

DarkMatter said:

Hope it works out well for you!

Thanks, fingers crossed! He's about to be trusted with the only brand new supercar I've ever bought. In fact it is the only brand new car I've ever bought...

[Stuart J]

notax said:

Thanks for all your feedback. The car is now booked in to Steve at Paintguard as many of you have suggested - and it was he who first suggested that having the car fully detailed prior to applying PPF would be a waste of time. I am buying from Newport Pagnell, so a long drive and am collecting the car in person. I'll do me best to avoid stone chips on the way back and may even use A roads rather than the motorway. I'll ask Steve whether it is worth me sticking some temporary film on it for the journey home - it will look st but not my main concern!

I have to say , that with the saving on the detailing and his price on the PPF, I am saving almost 50% compared to Paintshield and Topaz. All bar one review of his work has been very positive and I know someone who is trusting his Ferrari to him imminently. Let's hope this is one rare case where you get more than you pay for!

As for temporary film I would, you'll feel a complete ****** if you get a chip, see what he says, you might get away with bubble wrap & some tape, rolls of bubble wrap are rather cheap, just take care if you wrap it around the inside of the bonnet etc which is easiest it isn't touching anything hot, also consider driving when the roads are quiet, its light for hours at the moment so you can leave after 8 & still get home when its just light. Personally I would go on the motorway & take it easy, they tend to be pretty stone free & you don't have to worry about anything thrown up by cars going in the opposite direction

[notax]

Thanks Stuart - I called the guys at Paintguard and they suggested using masking tape which seems a very sensible idea. It reminded me of the way some people use duct tape to protect their cars at the Vmax events. I popped to my friendly bodyshop and picked up a couple of rolls. The car will look dreadful and I fully expect Aston to be horrified, but there you go! I think I'll cover the whole painted front bumper, leading edge of the splitter and of the bonnet. May do the mirrors and rear arches too. I'm hopeless at posting pics but if someone can give me an easy method then I'll put some up when I get back on Friday

[doorman]

notax said:

doorman said:

Steve at www.paintguard.co.uk is very local, and would recommend him 100%..

Thanks Doorman!

You certainly won't be disappointed with the result. Once set, you can happily polish/wax on to the film with great results. I love demonstrating the versatility of the product, to the horror of onlookers, by throwing coins across the hood (bonnet) with total resilience to marking.