Delivery wash issues

[yomny]

Hello to all;

I've been reading about all these issues about swirls or scratches after the call has been washed at the dealer, is it really that bad?? How is the car supposed to be washed?

[jeff@autocouture]

My dealer washes by hand, never had an issue, you can always tell them not to wash it

[yomny]

So if its washed by hand then it should be any trouble? I'll keep that in mind and ask them not to if its done other wise.

[gthal]

Originally Posted by yomny

So if its washed by hand then it should be any trouble? I'll keep that in mind and ask them not to if its done other wise.

Not necessarily. Most dealers do not follow proper hand washing techniques (lots of info on two bucket wash around if you are interested). They will use the same rags and mitts on a bunch of cars, dirty water, etc. All of these things contribute to marring the paint.

If it were me, tell the dealer to NOT wash the car, do some research and do it yourself.

[yomny]

K i guess to be safe i'll just take it to a personal friend with a mobile car wash and get that job taken care of!! Any other crazy crap i should be concerned or try to avoid before taking delivery of my car. Thanks

[jms_w]

Don't let them do it!! When I ordered an E46 in Orient Blue the dealer washed it before delivery and it had swirls all over it. I was soooo pissed but they were like, what, your not gonna take it, after waiting 2 months for it? From that point forward, I requested they don't wash the car when I took it into service. Who knows how many times those rags have been used picking up dirt from other cars. Just my personal experience.

[yomny]

Damn really didn't think it was that bad. I've had cars washed by service dept. before but never these issues with them damaging the paint. I certainly don't this on my Jerez metallic black.

[Race_Doc11]

DON'T LET THEM WASH THE CAR.... you won't be happy if you see how they do it.....

Originally Posted by yomny

Hello to all;

I've been reading about all these issues about swirls or scratches after the call has been washed at the dealer, is it really that bad?? How is the car supposed to be washed?

[IFX]

wash your car yourself. seriously.

[yomny]

Point taken, I was planning on talking to the sales rep and asking him to make sure to use clean rags, that I'll be inspecting the paint. They should be responsible for delivering a perfect, brand new car and providing good customer service, any damn dealer could place an order or take cash for a car. They have to install a front splitter and tints so taking the car all dirty would suck, I know taking it all scratched up would suck more but they would surely be held responsible for this, specially if they're warned before.

[yomny]

That my plan, I'll make it very clear that if that paint has a single swirl scratch I'm not taking delivery, they need to learn how to do their damn job right. Thanks guys for your replies and advice.

[dirtyfreebooter]

I requested no wash, even though I saw the cleaning bay beforehand and I thought it was nicer than I imagined. I didn't want swirls on day one for whatever reason. By the time m3 arrived, I cared less about a clean car filled with gas and more of just leaving the dealer in the m3! I was tired of awaiting ;-)



http://roback.cc/tmp/nobackup/m3/

[MuttGrunt]

^ that's the way it's done!

OP: if you think it's the dealerships job to make sure the car looks perfect, you're sadly mistaken. It's their job to sell you a car and to get you off the lot. It's not even BMW's responsibility to give you a perfect car - it's to give you a new car.

Anytime you give your car to someone else and trust them in making sure your car stays swirl-free, you're setting yourself up for failure. This is especially true if their specific job isn't making sure YOUR car stays swirl-free. The kid making minimum wage driving cars around the dealership and wiping them down is not to blame - the owner is. The chances of anyone knowing proper washing techniques, tools, equipment and using them on your vehicle are slim at best.

Welcome to the .01% of the population that knows, seeing, and understands swirls and detailing: don't expect the other 99.99% to cater to your needs. Congrat's on the beautiful new car and have fun doing plenty of research on these boards, in past threads, and in the stickies learning and understanding proper car care to make sure you're car looks better than new for years to come

[Georgeair]

I've got several "Do not wash, please" pre-printed signs in the trunk storage area to toss on the dash at every service visit. Also tell them to put it on service order. No problems yet!

[dirtyfreebooter]

Yea, I also keep a "do not wash" paper in the glove box that I put on the dash when I have to go in for service ;-)

[yomny]

well luckily my dealer also retails rolls royces and bentleys so the service dept is exceptional, they washed the car even though i requested it not to be washed and everything came out ok.

[MuttGrunt]

Rolls Royce and Bentley dealerships don't know what they're doing either. Folks that sell cars specialize in selling cars. High end places have nicer touches in some of what they do, but they can be just as inadequate when it comes to proper washing.

All-in-all I'm glad you're happy how things came out and I hope you've been enjoying the new ride!

[yomny]

Well even though i requested the car not to be delivered with a wash they insisted on washing it. Ariel my salesperson was confident that after washing veyron's and rolls royces they wouldn't have ant trouble washing my jerez black. I'm really happy with the service given at this dealer, will continue to do business here!!

[yomny]

Thanks alot, iam enjoying the ride, breaking it in properly and taking it easy around town, pushing the turns and twists!!

[edu09]

Originally Posted by yomny

well luckily my dealer also retails rolls royces and bentleys so the service dept is exceptional, they washed the car even though i requested it not to be washed and everything came out ok.

is it Braman? just to know if I should let them wash my car when it is being serviced

[yomny]

Yep, Braman it is. Didn't have a single scratch or complaint about the service.