[x5mad]

First off this is not about naming or shaming a particular dealer. So some information is vague intentionally.

Dealer had to apply paint protection to part of the car due to numerous errors on their part.

I have a dashcam. Steps involved:
- wash and dry
- dude applies product on bumper. 4 mins
- returns after a few minutes
- product wiped off. Done!

Now that same part took me hours to do correctly.

Rinse, foam gun, rinse, shampoo, clay bar, alcohol wipe down, machine polish, alcohol wipe down, paint protection applied etc etc....

Why in Australia do they charge thousands of dollars for that amount (lack) of work? Absolute rip off.

I didn't have to pay for it but moral of story is don't have it done by the dealer!

[Steven1077]

Yeah I paid for this and both my BMW's, don't think I'll bother next time

[Saphirschwarz]

shocking

[Dan_335i]

Maybe that dealer is just that pro

[Alamat]

I sadly paid for it when I got my car though I did that because it was packaged with the tire/wheel protection. Kind of figured it was a scam as the car came back and she was still wet in some places. How could you apply something to the exterior when its wet or not even dried up afterwards? If anyone knows better, please enlighten me.
Maybe its how they look for stuff to do on your car's exterior, basically them looking for work they can charge for.

[ft1330]

Maybe that was just a paint sealant and not a more durable protection like that quartz thing or the opti-thing. Anyway, you have just learned that dealers are not detailers. And that most detailers are not even close to the high standard that was set by US-based high-end detailers via Internet forums/YouTube. I think these guys have really set our expectations high on what a detail means. Not that it's a bad thing but most other detailers haven't got the memo yet. And dealers even less so.

[EJL]

Ah, I expected this to be about paint protection film. I know a lot of dealers around here use the same guy I would go to for paint protection film. I would never trust a dealer to detail my car though

[puma1552]

Agree with sentiments above, dealers know how to sell cars, NOT detail them. As a heavy detailer myself, if you want to see how bad dealers are, go look at any of the used cars in the sun or under the fluorescent lights at night - you will see - on virtually ever car - long trails of holograms left by a rotary in the hands of someone who has no idea how to use a rotary - probably the 17 year old kid they hired off the street. They probably do that to every car, whether it needs a polish or not; when they are done with it, it definitely needs a polish. You'd also be shocked how many freakin' body shops have no idea how to finish down with a rotary, but that's a story for another time.

For this reason I will not let a dealer even touch my car cosmetically. I'm there when it comes off the truck, and I take delivery of the car covered in plastic and dirty from transport. I wash the car myself at home. I shudder to think of them running the car through the nasty touch wash (dealers rarely if ever have touchless washes because they need to get the cars clean for delivery, and touchless car washes simply don't cut it), or washing it themselves and dragging nasty filthy rags across it…they certainly aren't using quality Korean microfiber, I guarantee that.

Also anyone paying $500+ for paint sealant is really getting ripped. All a sealant really is is a (usually) synthetic/acrylic type of wax that lasts a little longer than regular wax. It's applied the exact same way as a wax, and comes in a bottle like a lot of liquid waxes. It also will wear off after X months just like a regular wax and need to be redone periodically. I use Chemical Guys Jetseal, a bottle costs $40 and I can do multiple coats with care over an afternoon and do WAY better of a job than any dealer will do.

I would expect the OP's experience to actually be the norm.

*jingle* "The more you know." *jingle*

[Tommy_hf]

as a pro, do you have any experience with Modesta bc-05?

[puma1552]

I wouldn't say I'm a pro per se, but just a heavy heavy amateur. I haven't used Modesta bc-05, but why not go with tried and true Opticoat?

[Tommy_hf]

seems like a good option as well :-) Gotta try some paint correction first though, I have some light bird poo etching in the clear on my roof :-(

I did get rid of the delivery detail swirls from the dealer, that looked like a quick non DA Rotary job :-(

[FC4]

Is this really a surprise to anyone? These sorts of things have always been a scam.

[Alan_NJ]

Originally Posted by puma1552

... probably the 17 year old kid they hired off the street. They probably do that to every car, whether it needs a polish or not; when they are done with it, it definitely needs a polish.

Hey I was a damn good detailer when I was 17
But I never used a wheel when it didnt need it.
And when I did use it I never left holograms.

The detail shop I worked for did customer cars and had accounts with multiple dealerships where we set up an onsite presence.
We never did a bad job, per se, but as far as we ever went was to use a quality product on the tops only.
The sides only got a spray wax, but thats all the dealership wanted.
(which is still more that some dealerships do!)

Nowadays though, I dont know why the dealers dont just invest in a spray on paint sealant (Blackfire Crystal Seal for example).
I mean seriously, they could get 40 cars out of a $20 investment, even more with bulk purchase, and it would take like 20 minutes to provide a GREAT value to the customer.

But hey, who am I to expect a decent detail from a luxury brand, Im just a customer.

[x5mad]

I used 22PLE glass coating. Long story short they had to replace my entire bumper due to stuffing up big time. This meant also replacing my paint protection.

I just didn't have the time to redo it myself so asked the dealer to do.

The dashcam unfortunately just confirmed my suspicions that they do not know how to detail. I too am a professional amateur so know what steps should be involved.

The splitter which is painted gloss black shows product left over and not removed properly.

[snj49er]

Originally Posted by x5mad

I too am a professional amateur so know what steps should be involved.

That makes perfect sense because in the northern hemisphere we seem to have a lot of amateur professionals.

Modern coatings are pretty tough remove once they cure...were you able to get the stuff off your splitter?

[x5mad]

Originally Posted by snj49er

That makes perfect sense because in the northern hemisphere we seem to have a lot of amateur professionals.

Modern coatings are pretty tough remove once they cure...were you able to get the stuff off your splitter?

Been so busy didn't even think about that. Crap.

Thanks for reminding!

[x5mad]

Originally Posted by FC4

Is this really a surprise to anyone? These sorts of things have always been a scam.

I don't think anyone is surprised but I now have actual proof of what actually happens.

[Tommy_hf]

Wait, so you now tell us your car was already treated with coating, but had the front bumper repainted? Then I'd understand the dealer for just applying it to the bumper as the rest of the car already had the coating on it.

What happens when the coating is on and you need to repaint things? No touch up/spot repairs possible? Just whole sand down and paint?

[x5mad]

Originally Posted by Tommy_hf

Wait, so you now tell us your car was already treated with coating, but had the front bumper repainted? Then I'd understand the dealer for just applying it to the bumper as the rest of the car already had the coating on it.

What happens when the coating is on and you need to repaint things? No touch up/spot repairs possible? Just whole sand down and paint?

I applied the 22ple glass coating myself. Took me a good 2 days to do properly. (And I did say in my first post only part of the car)

They stuffed up a repair job and in the end had to supply, fit and paint an entire new bumper. As I had paint protection I did not think it unreasonable for them to put paint protection on it, which they did not argue with.

I weighed up them reimbursing me a new bottle so I could do myself or let them apply their own paint protection. I just did not have the time or energy to do the bumper again so decided to let them do it.

Obviously I made the wrong decision. But this is the same paint protection (their product, procedure and all) they apply to the whole car and charge thousands for. It should not take 10 minutes to do the front bumper.

Black is an unforgiving colour, there were scratches everywhere as well as product not wiped off completely. The paint was still contaminated as they did not use a clay bar. This had to be done after at least 6 weeks due to it being new paint, so the paint protection could not be done immediately.

Hope this is a bit clearer.

[Tommy_hf]

Ah ic, yup they charge a lot for coating. All of those coatings arent that expensive to buy, it's just labour charges of course. My last car was midnight black metallic, I started to hate it because of getting dirty and swirly that easily that I took the hit and traded it in after 11 months adn got me imperial blue. Even though it's dark, it does make a difference :-)

[JJS]

Originally Posted by puma1552

Agree with sentiments above, dealers know how to sell cars, NOT detail them. As a heavy detailer myself, if you want to see how bad dealers are, go look at any of the used cars in the sun or under the fluorescent lights at night - you will see - on virtually ever car - long trails of holograms left by a rotary in the hands of someone who has no idea how to use a rotary - probably the 17 year old kid they hired off the street. They probably do that to every car, whether it needs a polish or not; when they are done with it, it definitely needs a polish. You'd also be shocked how many freakin' body shops have no idea how to finish down with a rotary, but that's a story for another time.

I was horrified to see in my local BMW dealership a chap dry-wiping new cars in the showroom. Not surprisingly, they were mostly covered with swirl marks. I swear if they ever wash my car despite my explicit instructions never to do so, I'll blow a fuse.