Cleaning my car before getting it serviced
Discussion
So I have my car service an main dealer on Monday, they will no doubt give my car a clean as part of the service. Now I am in two minds as to whether to give it a wash and clean before the service or to just leave it messy and get it back nice a clean. Some may think I'm crazy for even considering cleaning it myself but I have two reasons for doing it..
- A couple of years ago a main dealer 'cleaned' my car but in the process added some lovely scratches to my side skirt. In the end they got it resprayed (just the side skirt) but since then I try and avoid anyone cleaning it but me.
- Secondly and probably the main reason I do it.. There is a small thought in my head that if I give them a lovely clean and tidy car, then subconsciously they will do a better, more thorough service because it is in such lovely condition.
What are your thoughts? Am I stupid for putting the effort? Am I the only one who thinks the service will be marginally better because of the condition it is in at the start?
- A couple of years ago a main dealer 'cleaned' my car but in the process added some lovely scratches to my side skirt. In the end they got it resprayed (just the side skirt) but since then I try and avoid anyone cleaning it but me.
- Secondly and probably the main reason I do it.. There is a small thought in my head that if I give them a lovely clean and tidy car, then subconsciously they will do a better, more thorough service because it is in such lovely condition.
What are your thoughts? Am I stupid for putting the effort? Am I the only one who thinks the service will be marginally better because of the condition it is in at the start?
nixon1 said:
detailingworld.co.uk had some downloadable signs for exactly this purpose 
Here : http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.p...
I know what you are saying though. I always clean my car before the MOT as I think that they will think a clean car is well looked after therefore the test is just a formality.(doesn't work) Same with a service. If it's clean, then they will look after it (and hand me a massive bill)
I had an Audi dealer clean my car when it went in for a repair, it came back with a huge scratch on the boot lid that unfortunately, I didn't spot until I got the car home.
From then on, I've asked every time my car has been in to a garage to specifically not wash it to save any scratches or damage.
A VW dealer also must have put their jetwash a bit too close to some stone chips on my pops' Golf, reult, loads of paint flaked off the raised moulding on the front bumper, (mk5 Golf) Again, we didn't notice until we got the car home.
From then on, I've asked every time my car has been in to a garage to specifically not wash it to save any scratches or damage.
A VW dealer also must have put their jetwash a bit too close to some stone chips on my pops' Golf, reult, loads of paint flaked off the raised moulding on the front bumper, (mk5 Golf) Again, we didn't notice until we got the car home.
This 'cleaning' thing at servicing time is fine for 99% of Joe Public.
If, however, you're a polishing and bodywork freak like me, then it's a no-no.
When I bought my Porsche 911 for instance, I spent many hours and lots of money and time on getting the bodywork to a glass-like finish that I was careful to maintain using decent proprietry detailing products.
On the few occasions I had it serviced or work done at garages, I always went to great pains to ask them to be careful of the paint when working on the car, and under pain of death DO NOT wash it or clean it in any way.
However, I had a gearbox fault which entailed taking it to an automatic transmission specialist to rebuild my Tiptronic box.
As it was immculately clean when I took it there, I didn't think to give them the usual request. However, once they'd rebuilt the box, they took it on a lengthy road test, on dirty and wet roads.
So because they'd got it dirty, they 'cleaned' it for me.
I reckon they got their most useless, unsympathetic mongaloid apprentice to wipe an old, grit-filled sponge over my car, using a filthy bucket full of dirty pond water!
I arrived to collect my repaired car, to be greeted with bodywork that had the most hideous swirly damage, with a complete covering of fine scratches all over!
The paint was a dark metallic blue, so it showed up and stuck out like a sore thumb. I went immediately bananas, but they just couldn't see what I was talking about - to them, it was fine. It was only once I'd explained in detail about how the car used to have a glass-like finish, and pointed out exactly how they'd buggered it up, that they sort of understood what they'd done.
Even then, I'm sure they thought I was a bit mental.
In the end, it cost them over £300 to pay a bodywork detailer to go over the whole car and correct the paint back to the previous finish.
So if you value your paintwork - ALWAYS go to great lengths to stop garages going near your car with a sponge!!!
If, however, you're a polishing and bodywork freak like me, then it's a no-no.
When I bought my Porsche 911 for instance, I spent many hours and lots of money and time on getting the bodywork to a glass-like finish that I was careful to maintain using decent proprietry detailing products.
On the few occasions I had it serviced or work done at garages, I always went to great pains to ask them to be careful of the paint when working on the car, and under pain of death DO NOT wash it or clean it in any way.
However, I had a gearbox fault which entailed taking it to an automatic transmission specialist to rebuild my Tiptronic box.
As it was immculately clean when I took it there, I didn't think to give them the usual request. However, once they'd rebuilt the box, they took it on a lengthy road test, on dirty and wet roads.
So because they'd got it dirty, they 'cleaned' it for me.
I reckon they got their most useless, unsympathetic mongaloid apprentice to wipe an old, grit-filled sponge over my car, using a filthy bucket full of dirty pond water!
I arrived to collect my repaired car, to be greeted with bodywork that had the most hideous swirly damage, with a complete covering of fine scratches all over!
The paint was a dark metallic blue, so it showed up and stuck out like a sore thumb. I went immediately bananas, but they just couldn't see what I was talking about - to them, it was fine. It was only once I'd explained in detail about how the car used to have a glass-like finish, and pointed out exactly how they'd buggered it up, that they sort of understood what they'd done.
Even then, I'm sure they thought I was a bit mental.
In the end, it cost them over £300 to pay a bodywork detailer to go over the whole car and correct the paint back to the previous finish.
So if you value your paintwork - ALWAYS go to great lengths to stop garages going near your car with a sponge!!!
Most garages will take more care over a clean car than a filthy one. It's not a deliberate act but if you have made it clear that you keep your car like a pigsty it can't be a surprise if everyone else treats it the same.
If at the other end of the scale you are a mental detailer strong warnings in advance is the only way to go.
If at the other end of the scale you are a mental detailer strong warnings in advance is the only way to go.
Telling them they'll do a s
t job of washing their car is the wrong way to go about it, simply ask them nicely ffs.
These detailing twonks are getting worse.
I'll always blast my car off first, it's common courtesy. (I must point out here, that prior to this the car is a health hazard, and I normally find enough money for a dirty takeaway) (or indeed actually find a dirty takeaway)
t job of washing their car is the wrong way to go about it, simply ask them nicely ffs.These detailing twonks are getting worse.
I'll always blast my car off first, it's common courtesy. (I must point out here, that prior to this the car is a health hazard, and I normally find enough money for a dirty takeaway) (or indeed actually find a dirty takeaway)
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