Valeting at car dealerships
Discussion
If you care much about how a car is cleaned/looked after, frankly, your best option is probably to specifically instruct the dealer to not prep it. Very, very explicitly, proper "do not do anything at all, in any way, I really bloody mean it", and get a positive acknowledgement that they've heard and understood the instruction.
I don't think the OP is unreasonable in what they would like (a decent chunk of money spent on a car meaning it's nice and clean when you get it), but I do think they're under some illusions as to the capabilities of a dealer in that regard, and their margin in terms of both time and money to do a decent job.
I don't think the OP is unreasonable in what they would like (a decent chunk of money spent on a car meaning it's nice and clean when you get it), but I do think they're under some illusions as to the capabilities of a dealer in that regard, and their margin in terms of both time and money to do a decent job.
InitialDave said:
If you care much about how a car is cleaned/looked after, frankly, your best option is probably to specifically instruct the dealer to not prep it. Very, very explicitly, proper "do not do anything at all, in any way, I really bloody mean it", and get a positive acknowledgement that they've heard and understood the instruction.
I don't think the OP is unreasonable in what they would like (a decent chunk of money spent on a car meaning it's nice and clean when you get it), but I do think they're under some illusions as to the capabilities of a dealer in that regard, and their margin in terms of both time and money to do a decent job.
You’re right in that if you really care you don’t want the dealer going anywhere near it. I’m not particularly fussy, but I give very clear instructions at a main dealer service for them not to clean the car in anyway. Otherwise it always comes back in worse condition than it went in. I don't think the OP is unreasonable in what they would like (a decent chunk of money spent on a car meaning it's nice and clean when you get it), but I do think they're under some illusions as to the capabilities of a dealer in that regard, and their margin in terms of both time and money to do a decent job.
InitialDave said:
If you care much about how a car is cleaned/looked after, frankly, your best option is probably to specifically instruct the dealer to not prep it. Very, very explicitly, proper "do not do anything at all, in any way, I really bloody mean it", and get a positive acknowledgement that they've heard and understood the instruction.
I don't think the OP is unreasonable in what they would like (a decent chunk of money spent on a car meaning it's nice and clean when you get it), but I do think they're under some illusions as to the capabilities of a dealer in that regard, and their margin in terms of both time and money to do a decent job.
Yep this all day. They won’t do the job to the standard I demand so I will deal with it when I own it. Cleaned and vacuumed fair enough, but if they do anything else it will all have to be done again by me.I don't think the OP is unreasonable in what they would like (a decent chunk of money spent on a car meaning it's nice and clean when you get it), but I do think they're under some illusions as to the capabilities of a dealer in that regard, and their margin in terms of both time and money to do a decent job.
The Rotrex Kid said:
Most dealers are chasing max profits wherever they can. Lots of valeting now carried out by external contractors on a fixed £ per car (variable rates depending on the work required) so they get churned through as quickly as possible.
There was a time when the last place I worked had a team of 8 Valeters, preparation was superb. When I left, it was 2 contracted in Valeter’s doing the same (or more) workload, the quality was obviously not the same standard, but it was cheaper.
I'm surprised to hear this - I thought pretty much all valeting had been contracted out for years.There was a time when the last place I worked had a team of 8 Valeters, preparation was superb. When I left, it was 2 contracted in Valeter’s doing the same (or more) workload, the quality was obviously not the same standard, but it was cheaper.
I did 9 months valeting at a Ford dealer in 2005. I loved the job (what 18 year old being trusted to drive Fiesta ST's around site wouldn't??) but being a subcontractor meant no holidays or rights and I knew I couldn't live my life like that indefinitely, so I asked the boss if they'd consider taking me on the books, but he couldn't get his superiors to agree to it. He liked me as well, all the previous valeters had let them down regularly but I never missed a days work, so I know he will have tried.
It's a shame because you can have everything in place to deliver a great customer experience but if the valeting is poor it lets the whole thing down. I
Two thoughts:
(1) We are PH and hold much higher standards than for people in the real world
(2) Covid (remember that?!) led to a massive drop in standards as many dealers retailed any car in any state because there were too many buyers and too little decent stock. How many ads do I look at where the interior looks like a week old jizzfest.
(1) We are PH and hold much higher standards than for people in the real world
(2) Covid (remember that?!) led to a massive drop in standards as many dealers retailed any car in any state because there were too many buyers and too little decent stock. How many ads do I look at where the interior looks like a week old jizzfest.
GolfDragon said:
It’s like when you buy GardX or Lifeshine (or whatever paintwork protection) from a car dealer.
Spend £200-300 on a product but whether it’s applied correctly I highly doubt. They throw in a kit to make it look like it’s great value for money.
GardX etc probably works quite well if applied correctly but when it’s thrown in for the salesperson’s commission and they are desperate for you to purchase it, I don’t think they apply it correctly. I’d rather spend said £200-300 on a detailer properly cleaning and polishing it with the correct equipment.
Apologies gone off on a tangent, but in a word No. It’s just done as long as the car is presentable and not muddy etc.
I bought a CX5 from Carshop (1st mistake) for nearly £20k and they literally spend hours trying to get me to take GardX, additional warranty and god knows what else. They ended up adding a couple of hundred £ onto the price of my part ex to cover the price of the GardX, that supposedly had yet to be applied. Sure enough, when I collected the car, there was still the same bird muck on the roof that had been there on the test drive, so it hadn't even been washed, let alone any GardX applied. The inside was the same, with at most, a spray of silicon wafted over the dash. The filthy headlining that I mentioned on the test drive hadn't been touched either. As I was by now in a rush to leave, I just took the car (and left them a bad review, which got an apology and the offer of a free MoT). I am particularly anal about car cleaning, but it took me a good couple of weeks of weekends and the odd spare evening to get the car up to my standard. Spend £200-300 on a product but whether it’s applied correctly I highly doubt. They throw in a kit to make it look like it’s great value for money.
GardX etc probably works quite well if applied correctly but when it’s thrown in for the salesperson’s commission and they are desperate for you to purchase it, I don’t think they apply it correctly. I’d rather spend said £200-300 on a detailer properly cleaning and polishing it with the correct equipment.
Apologies gone off on a tangent, but in a word No. It’s just done as long as the car is presentable and not muddy etc.
joropug said:
I had the same thing recently similar value car, it had their snake oil applied FOC in lieu of being unable to discount the car any further:
- Touch ups were still wet when I collected it at 9am and didn’t even last the way home
- The bonnet was resprayed (did a great job actually)
- The snake oil was allegedly applied after the bonnet job - which is funny as there was masking tape residue on the bonnet …..
- I assume the snake oil wasn’t applied but can’t prove it - doubt it does anything anyway
- Virtual dash during test drive was covered in grease from dash sprays - I cleaned it before buying it to make sure it wasn’t damaged !
-Windscreen was covered in valeting gunk - took several rounds of polishing for the wipers to work
- Tyre gel absolutely coating the tyres has turned them brown - luckily need replacing soon.
I honestly don’t know who they get to valet cars at dealerships!
Here’s a cracker :
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6W00VgxJwv/?igsh=c...
Almost certainly how mine ended up as bad as it did.- Touch ups were still wet when I collected it at 9am and didn’t even last the way home
- The bonnet was resprayed (did a great job actually)
- The snake oil was allegedly applied after the bonnet job - which is funny as there was masking tape residue on the bonnet …..
- I assume the snake oil wasn’t applied but can’t prove it - doubt it does anything anyway
- Virtual dash during test drive was covered in grease from dash sprays - I cleaned it before buying it to make sure it wasn’t damaged !
-Windscreen was covered in valeting gunk - took several rounds of polishing for the wipers to work
- Tyre gel absolutely coating the tyres has turned them brown - luckily need replacing soon.
I honestly don’t know who they get to valet cars at dealerships!
Here’s a cracker :
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6W00VgxJwv/?igsh=c...
What I don't understand is if that's the standard why not just use the local automatic car wash. An account with them won't cost more than a few pounds per car and it would do less damage.
GolfDragon said:
It’s like when you buy GardX or Lifeshine (or whatever paintwork protection) from a car dealer.
Spend £200-300 on a product but whether it’s applied correctly I highly doubt. They throw in a kit to make it look like it’s great value for money.
GardX etc probably works quite well if applied correctly but when it’s thrown in for the salesperson’s commission and they are desperate for you to purchase it, I don’t think they apply it correctly. I’d rather spend said £200-300 on a detailer properly cleaning and polishing it with the correct equipment.
Apologies gone off on a tangent, but in a word No. It’s just done as long as the car is presentable and not muddy etc.
I bet most don’t even apply it. I caved in to Diamondbrite protection once and now I’m a bit more into car cleaning there’s no way it had been done, the car looked dull when it should’ve been shiny metallic blue. No beading either.Spend £200-300 on a product but whether it’s applied correctly I highly doubt. They throw in a kit to make it look like it’s great value for money.
GardX etc probably works quite well if applied correctly but when it’s thrown in for the salesperson’s commission and they are desperate for you to purchase it, I don’t think they apply it correctly. I’d rather spend said £200-300 on a detailer properly cleaning and polishing it with the correct equipment.
Apologies gone off on a tangent, but in a word No. It’s just done as long as the car is presentable and not muddy etc.
I bought a TT from a Vauxhall dealer a couple of months ago, the car had clearly been looked after by the previous owners but hadn’t been vacuumed by the dealer and the car wash on collection wasn’t very good. There was no point causing a fuss and I cleaned it a couple of days later and put more effort in than they ever would. It would be great if dealers would valet them properly but seems to be getting rare.
I think I'm safe to say this as it was 19 years ago. About 6 months into my short valeting career I was asked to apply GardX/Diamondbrite (or whatever it was called at the time) to a dark blue Ford Mondeo. I'd had no training but assumed it must be straightforward so went and asked my manager where I could find the products, only to be told I'd have to wait until tomorrow.
I never asked why but when I came in the next day there was a grubby, half empty bottle of Auto Glym Extra Gloss Protection in my cupboard. It stood out because all the other products I had were unbranded and supplied by the agency I was on the books of. When I asked my manager about it he said it was his bottle and that's what they used for the paint protection package!
I never asked why but when I came in the next day there was a grubby, half empty bottle of Auto Glym Extra Gloss Protection in my cupboard. It stood out because all the other products I had were unbranded and supplied by the agency I was on the books of. When I asked my manager about it he said it was his bottle and that's what they used for the paint protection package!
vikingaero said:
We are PH and hold much higher standards than for people in the real world
If you look at the state of some of the cars in the customer parking area you'll see why people aren't that fussy. Most people are quite happy driving around in something that is bordering on being a bio-hazard
James_33 said:
So a couple of days ago i purchased a (new to me) car 21 plate from a very well known car dealership where they have a few of them scattered around the country, now when you are spending the best part of just over £20k on a car you'd expect that the valeting side of things would be very good, I'm not expecting perfection but cleanliness is up there for most people i would assume.
Having turned up to it sat on the forecourt for handover yesterday to find that there was still polish that hadn't been buffed off, alloys looking dirty and someone with a slap dash method of applying tyre black, wipe marks all over the dials and screens and not buffed off, crumbs in crevices everywhere, yet when i mentioned about it they kinda looked at me as if this was normal? Do these things not get checked off?
As someone who's new to this game, especially buying from car dealers, is this the same for everyone else who's bought a near new car or are they simply sent to the nearest wash and scratch before being stuck outside?
Pretty much par for the course these days, had the same on a £50k car.Having turned up to it sat on the forecourt for handover yesterday to find that there was still polish that hadn't been buffed off, alloys looking dirty and someone with a slap dash method of applying tyre black, wipe marks all over the dials and screens and not buffed off, crumbs in crevices everywhere, yet when i mentioned about it they kinda looked at me as if this was normal? Do these things not get checked off?
As someone who's new to this game, especially buying from car dealers, is this the same for everyone else who's bought a near new car or are they simply sent to the nearest wash and scratch before being stuck outside?
Best advice is don't buy a black car just because it will look that much worse.
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