Anybody work at a dealer? Is the detailing stuff they use any good?

ZV · 10-05-01, 04:08

I will admit, when I pick up the Bimmer (they wash and detail after a service) it looks damn good, looks better than when I've spent the whole weekend detailing it myself. The car is shiney, the tires are completely blk and shiney. I'm sure most of my elation comes from not having the car for a couple of days, but it
looks good. My question: Is shop/detailing stuff really good and of a better quality than consumer detailing stuff, or is it designed to look good INITIALLY (the time it takes you to pick up your car)
but fade quickly and not provide the long term protection desired?
In the past I worked at a Ford dealership (service writer) and sometimes detailed my car with the dealer stuff. It came in huge
drums but worked quickly and effectively. The tire stuff was great.
Can consumers buy this type of stuff? Is it standard, or vary from dealer to dealer? Seems like you can't see what kind of stuff they use, like it's a secret!

Jngrbrdman · 10-05-01, 09:32

I worked at an Acura dealership for about a week before I realized that I could make more money (waaaay more) on my own. The stuff they use isn't much different from what we can get. They just get it in bulk. That's why you never know what brand name it is. Depending on the dealership you get higher quality stuff. Acura got pretty good stuff. I'm sure that BMWs is even better. I am pleased to say that I can still get a car cleaner with my trunk full of supplies than they can at Acura with an entire shop full.

waxingfool · 10-05-01, 10:25

been reading the threads for about 3 months now and finally thought i could give some info about a subject. i worked for a dodge dealership in lexington,ky.for about a year detailing used cars,getting them ready to go on the lot. at the time being fairly new to the field but a real fanatic about having the best looking car an 18 year old could have. i thought the stuff they used was great. we used a brand by the name of pro.[url=prowax.com] before that i had been shopping at the local advance auto. The only stuff we really used was a cleaner wax and the tire dressing. the cleaner wax lasted until the next car wash(because they used a pressure washer and car wash that was very cheap(not pro) and would take the wax off). The tire dressing was a silicone based product that was the least expensive stuff Pro sold in a 55 gallon drum, very glossy and lasted 2 weeks or so. That was six years ago and now after trying klasse,pinnacle and any other wax/sealant that would make my wife cry when she saw the price. I still use the pro yellow wax over klasse. i haven't used blitz yet but plan on it after my pro was runs out.

YoSteve · 10-05-01, 10:59

When my brother got his Alero the Olds dealer gave him a bottle of this cleaner wax an sealant. It looks sorta like makup it's a fleshy tone. It was called Classic Cleaner Wax and Sealent (I believe). It retails for something like $100 a bottle. Before I found Klasse I used it extremely thin (on accident cause I only had 3 oz of the stuff) which lasted me a year. It was actually good, sorta a beefy version of AIO, cleans, protects, and shines. Its actually the reason why my car was kept good for a year, before I discovered Klasse.

He put 1 coat of AIO on his car for kicks. I noticed a considerable difference (he didn't have any of the other wax so I couldn't compare) but the AIO seemed to make his car shine.

Scottwax · 10-05-01, 02:41

I think it depends on the dealer. Mercedes house wax is made by Meguiars, but many dealers use stuff like Auto Magic, which is great stuff if you like white crap left on the emblems and between body panels.

While not a dealership, a body shop I refer my customers to uses 3M products almost exclusively, which is one of the reasons I send people there--not to mention the downdraft paint booth, Spies-Hecker paints, and his ability to match the factory orange peel on repairs and nearly non-existant orange peel on repaints.

fiveohhh · 10-05-01, 03:32

I used to work at a ford dealer and personally not sure what they use, they seem to do an allright job. Its the application technique I'd worry about though. Normally the detailers arent very knowledgable.

BW · 10-05-01, 03:49

By BMW dealer sells and uses Klasse and BMW (repackaged Meguiar's or P21S, except for the Gummi-Pflege) products.

I believe Audi dealers use Eagle One.