Should I trust the dealership detailer or take it to someone else?

[Jreepers]

Finally got my new car. Unfortunately, there are some marks and imperfections on it: a couple of scratches, a small chip, and what looks to be a "permanent" smooth smudge/scrape in/under? the clearcoat.



The dealer said these are there because I told them to skip the detail, which would involve a polish. Maybe, maybe not. Dealer said that their detailer can fix everything at no charge. Given the general reputation of dealers, even though it would save me $150+ vs. going to a non-dealer-affiliated detailer, I hesitate to take him up on the offer for fear of them screwing things up even further.



Any advice? Do I take them up on the offer and worst case scenario they do a bad job I just take it to someone else to fix it? Or should I avoid them like the plague even though they apparently have a full time detailer who details all of their vehicles?

[tom p.]

Jreepers, I think you already know the answer to this question.



What kind of car did you get?

[Scottwax]

You couldn`t pay me to use a dealership detailer.

[Jreepers]

Yeah, probably. ;)



It`s a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Here are some pictures showing what I`m talking about (ignore everything but the scratches and scuffs -- the other weird looking, oddly colored stuff is reflections, and obviously there are water spots too):



http://i.imgur.com/k9nRJ6W.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9QkDfm6.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/VGCelQ4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/n1PDwbD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qjtFBly.jpg



How serious is the damage from an ease-of-removal-by-most-detailers standpoint?



By the way, if you`re wondering why I accepted the vehicle with those issues: there are a lot of reasons: Mainly, they`re much less noticeable in real world outside lighting conditions, and most only noticeable when you`re looking for them up close. These pictures were taken inside under a powerful light. Also, at the time I wasn`t sure I felt comfortable with the dealer doing the work (especially since one of the workers in the shop area was pretty rude in a passive way) -- I was afraid they might make it worse, or just do a half-assed job and use products that hide the issue rather than fix it. And, I`ve waited long enough for this vehicle; I could`ve asked for another one or looked elsewhere but who knows how long I`d have to wait, as this model year was just released. I don`t think I would be able to get as good a deal elsewhere either. Finally, it`s going to get scratched and marked up anyway. These are the sort of things that bother you when you first see them or they first happen, but then you learn to forget it -- which is the healthiest way to be, in my opinion.



But all that being said, since this is a new vehicle, I would like to get all of that stuff corrected. ;)

[Richard Grasa]

Dealership detailer usually means wool pad on a rotary, heavy filling glaze and looks pretty good until the glaze washes off. Then you see the buffer trails and swirls they installed and it looks worse than before. Once in a while you will find a decent dealership detail dept, but it`s not the norm since their job is get the car in and out as quick as possible which means hide the defects with a glaze, high speed rotary because it does the job quick to apply the glaze. Usually they don`t even realize they are swirling it up because the glaze hides what they did as they`re doing it.



My advice is bring it to a good detailer, have them do a one-step and spot compound those areas with the deeper defects. My rule of thumb, without measuring thickness of the paint is, if you can`t catch a fingernail in it, it will come out. If you can catch a fingernail in it, it`s too deep to come out, or it may come out but will thin the clear so much it`s better to leave it.

[tom p.]

Usually they don`t even realize they are swirling it up because the glaze hides what they did as they`re doing it.







+1. This is my thought process, too. There are way too many horror stories posted here about those times when the dealer was given a chance "to make things right". Save yourself the aggravation, Jreeper.

[IHA Mark]

Yeah I echo the opinion of others here, avoid the dealership at all costs. This vehicle is a big investment, pay the money and take it to someone who knows what they are doing. There is a 95% chance you WILL regret it if you take it to the dealership.

[Nth Degree]

I agree with everyone else here with one exception: the issue that you cannot identify. They are saying it can be taken care of by a detail, but if you take it to someone else and it cannot be removed they will claim it was the detailer`s fault. I would find a good detailer to do an inspection and measure the paint, particularly that spot. Have them give you a quote for the whole job and take their advice on that spot. As a detailer, if you brought it to me and I had any uncertainties about that spot I might recommend you have the dealership fix ONLY that spot and insist on monitoring the work. This would at least prevent the dealership from claiming the damage was made worse by the detailer and refusing to fix it.

[BladeX10]

I`m a detailer at a dealership and i`ll be the first to admit, I wouldnt take my own car there. There are some good detailers that work at dealerships but thats not usually the issue, its the products used. Every detailer knows that no 2 car finishes are the same and need its own combination of products and pads to bring it to perfection. At dealerships, nobody does test spots and sees what product and pads combo works. They just slap on a cutting pad and some low end meguiars product and go at it. They dont use DA polishers, which IMO are needed for a perfect finish, especially with the products i like using.



Then you have the dumb detailer who you`d think was trying their hardest to burn off the paint.

[C. Charles Hahn]

Frankly, this is one of those situations where "if you have to ask, you already know the answer." Finding a reputable professional and paying their rate for a proper detail is unquestionably the way to go.

[brownbob06]

^^^^+1.



When I was looking into a detailing spot at a dealership I was told their "best guy" could do a full detail (wash buff wax) in an hour... Anybody who`s ever taken the time to even properly wash a car knows this is right in the range of impossible.



Their job is to make it look good on the lot, not worry about actual correction or long term effects.

[Guitarist302008]

NEVER let a dealer touch your car. Look around here for some good detailers local to you

[LilJayV10]

I`m a tech at one of the best dealerships in the area. Our service department is great our detail department however is not. They hire mainly kids who don`t know and don`t care about proper detailing. They use and reuse old dirty micrfibers. They drop them on the ground, pick them up and go back to washing/waxing the car. My bays are right next to detail so I see what they do. It`s not the kids fault they don`t know any better.



Dealerships are about quantity not quality. If I get a chance to by a new 5.0 this summer for my wife I`m not letting anyone touch it. After it gets unloaded from the trailer I will be the only one in it.

[Jreepers]

I e-mailed one local detailer, told him the situation, and he said I should take it to the dealership and have them make it right since it`s a new car. He politely said he won`t get in the middle due to liability concerns.

[brownbob06]

Look for other detailers then...



The dealership is literally just going to put a glaze on it with a rotary. It will look amazing when they`re done, not so amazing when the glaze washes off.