Just say no to free dealer washes....

Recently we have been doing quite a few Opti Coat permanent coating jobs on new cars. Most of these cars have been less than a couple of weeks old with next to zero miles on them. Unfortunately, more than a few of these cars have needed upwards of 5-6 hours of polishing to remove dealer installed damage before we could apply the Opti Coat. Here are a few pics of an Audi we had in last week.

This brand new Audi A4 came in for possibly a light polish and Opti Coat. After washing and stripping the dealer applied fillers, the amount of dealer installed damage was apparent. After trying a few different combinations of pads and polishes, it became apparent the car would need at least a two stage polish at a cost of around $600.

This pic shows how bad the scratching was.


THis 50/50 shows the results after using Megs D300 / 101 on a Megs MF cutting disc via my Griots DA and followed up with Menz RE5 on a finishing pad.


A free wash is no deal if this is the result. Just saying....

 

Yep, it's called DISO, Dealer Installed Swirl Option.:yikes:

 

How much does that option cost? Thinking about it haha

 

I don't under why dealers do this you pay a crap load of $$$$$$ for the car. They trash the hell out of them I fix that crap all the time.

 

We detailers can easily spot problems like with the paint/clear coat, while the average joe might not even know they exist. The cars stand on the lot all day, maybe washed every day with a quick pressure washer beat-down and a quick wipe. They don't take precautions when washing the vehicle, remember they cant spend 1hour on a wash when they got 50-100 cars waiting, so they do it fast and this type of stuff happens. Average Joes see that the car is "looking clean" and that's all they need. Dont get me wrong, im not speaking for every dealer out there, im pretty sure there are some dealers that take great care of their cars out on the lot.

I myself use to wash my car at Quickquack carwash almost daily (had a month membership thing) and it was machine washed, i wasn't into detailing and didn't notice anything wrong, car looks clean, ok cool... know what i mean. I sold that car, if i checked it out now there would probably be a sh*t ton of swirls marks across the entire surface of the car. Now im the only one who touches my car when it comes to washing and cleaning and can only trust myself or another detailer like some of these elite guys on here

 

^ Spot on.

 

Haha, back when I had my 06 Obsidian Black Pearl Subaru, I took it to a machine wash once, and when it came out it had a nice big scuff all the way down the side. I told them, and as I did not care TOO much, I was just letting them know. They got SUPER defensive and swore it was impossible for their machines to do this as it had sensors, etc. They offered to buff it out, to which I just laughed and drove off...Now I realize that it didn't necessarily have anything in it, just the fact that my paint was so soft, the damn rubber things smacking my car scuffed it all on their own!

 

I just got my car back from a door repaint thanks to a lawn mower and work sand blasting the door. After an Issue I had with a dealer washing my STi before and using an acid based wheel cleaner and ruining my wheels/2 piece rotors/brembos, I asked no matter what do not touch it inside or out. They gave me a hard time saying they cant deliver a car to a customer dirty, I said that was fine but if that was there policy and wouldn't follow my (customer) request I would rather take my business somewhere else.

They did follow my request complete with overspray everywhere, polish left on the door and all over the leather. I did get what I asked for and I was much happier spending the better part of a day fixing that then having to deal with a full correction or damage like last time.

 

this is the same thing that happened to me. I went in for an oil change. The guy said "Sorry it's taking so long, your car is being washed now." (this is on friday and planned to do OC this weekend. now completed.) So I freaked out and said "NO STOP!!" He opens the door and I see the guy using a squeegee! The car still had suds and wasn't even close to being clean.... but a squeegee!!!! I threw a shit fit. And got the oil change for free....

 

I let my dealer clean my car once. After that, always refused the free wash after seeing how poorly they cleaned the vehicle.

 

That's an accurate description of what happens at dealerships. I took the picture below at a dealership early in the morning, shortly after they opened. One guy is going around all the cars on the lot (both new and used cars) with a pressure washer, while the other guy is going around with his chamois to dry the car. They were definitely doing this as quickly as possible, so technique was very swirl friendly. The worst part about the chamois drying is that he uses the chamois for more than one car!! :yikes:

 

Haha nice one!!

Damn, at least dry with a new towel on every car.... *facepalm*

 

This is great.

Audi Dealer: "no wash sir?......our dealership does it by hand"

 

I only read the first page, but I have a quick story to share. When I just graduated high school back in 2005, I was working at a golf course, for my dad, and for my neighbor down the street who owns about 20 dealerships in the state of Oregon. I was a detailer. I washed cars mainly, and did a ton of interiors. The wash process was actually pretty good to be honest. When the other guys weren't looking, I would dump the old water out and fill the bucket with new water. One of the guys stopped me in the process and told me not to do that because it wasted time. I essentially told him to get lost and got back to what I was doing,

It was at that point I realized I did not want to be apart of detailing at a dealership and my obsession with paint correction started about a month after. It took me 2 years to get my process and products right and I thank the good Lord every day for that day in my life.

Dealerships = no good.

 

I never allow the dealer to wash my car--as much as I wish I was doing paint correction, at this point I just don't have the funds for the necessary products. Meaning that if the dealership swirls up my paint, I don't have the materials to correct it. I think it was washed once at the dealer before I ever got it, but I make sure every time I go to the dealer that I tell them not to wash it and make sure I see them write it down/put it in the computer. And then I remind them a couple more times before I leave my car with them. But of the several different Volkswagen dealers I've taken my GTI to, most of them don't bother with washing cars in the first place. The BMW dealer always wants to wash my dad's car though, and they must do something pretty awful 'cos his car is swirled as hell. Interestingly enough, the Mercedes dealership my mom takes her Obsidian Black GL450 to actually has a full touchless car wash that they run their cars through. Though this can have a detrimental effect on the wax applied to the car, in the winter when it's covered in salt and grime and we don't feel like washing it, it's kind of nice to just let them do it.

 

Honestly like a few of you said, a lot of dealers go as quick as possible. I was the only detailer while I worked at a Honda dealership, and I honestly had to wash and get the cars out as fast as possible or the salesmen had an absolute sh*t-fit. I unfortunately had to use a 20-year old pressure washer that pulsed and barely worked, with a whole bunch of crummy products (shampoo/non existent microfiber) that the "detailers" before me ordered.

I am sorry for everyone, because the dealers honestly just want to sell the car and get it off the lot.

I did however get one chance at an actual detail. One day I wasn't busy and the service manager booked one in for me, and I actually took my time and did a hell of a job on it. The owners barely recognized the CRV after it was clean and properly dressed.

I suppose I have this site to thank for making me into a much more competent detailer, since I began ordering proper car wash shampoo, water based dressings and achieving an overall better routine. I no longer work at the dealer though. Thank god

 

Random: is that capitol auto mall in san jose?

 

The Benz dealer where I live does a free wash anytime you want if you bought your car there, they even have a drive through. I saw the washing guy at lowes a few weeks ago in full work uniform buying basically brooms, they were synthetic "car wash" brushes.......... I am scared as to what he was doing with them.

 

I think the belt buckle in this situation is worse.

 

hey hey hey. they provide valuable work for us. so they can go ahead and wash cars lol