new car and fell for the enviroguard protection?

Thank you for the several responses, awesome advise and taking the time to explain your rationales. I wish I had seen these replies BEFORE I visited the dealership today to have the EnviroGuard treatment applied to the exterior and interior (leather seats and carpeting.



This is what happened...

The tech did a VERY sloppy job as there were dirty areas still on the van, obvious missed spots, drip marks everywhere, swirl marks with debris. I pointed out to the sales kid all of the places I had concern (there were many). So, they touched it up. Upon a 2nd inspection, I noticed that they didn't apply the protectant to all painted surfaces. When I asked the sales kid about this, I was told that wasn't necessary because it's really all about the warranty. Plus, they don't treat painted areas like the edge of the wheel well area because it's prone to paint chips from rocks. Later, when at home, I noticed that the very center top of the van had been missed as well as water drip marks were obvious.

The interior was a sloppy mess with drip marks and, although I can't prove it, I'm certain they didn't apply the product on every surface. In fact, when I sent the van back in to be re-done I mentioned that the driver's leather seat was dirty (they never noticed when applying the treatment) and they "attempted" to clean it-not very well because it was still dirty and has an ink stain (from me). The sales kid told me to call EnviroGuard to have it cleaned under warranty.



So, I decided to call the company and find out what areas should be treated and what is the proper procedure. Well, I was told that the product is suppose to be applied to ALL painted areas, not just certain surfaces. EnviroGuard is calling the dealership to make sure they are applying their product to all surfaces correctly on ALL cars and to contact me so I can come in AGAIN to have the treatment re-applied.



So, now to my new questions/concerns ....



Given the sloppy application and lack of thoroughly cleaning the exterior prior to applying the product, I'm wondering:

1) If the surface was properly prepped PRIOR to applying the protectant. Does this matter?

2) What needs to be done to "correctly" re-apply this product so that my vehicle is protected inside and out?

3) Does the van need to be prepped in a specific way PRIOR to reapplication (i.e., take the original coating off, then reapply, etc.)?

4) Should I ask the dealership to treat the car with an additional product?

5) Or, should I just try to get my money back or part of it due to the crappy job they did ... ugh!



Thanks for any help ...
 
I'd try to get your money back and then spend that money with a reputable detailer and ask for an exterior coating and interior protection. The result will FAR surpass anything you'll get from a hack dealership.



Find a detailer that posts their work on here so you know they do a good job, imo.
 
I found this thread trying to see if waxing an external-coated Enviroguard-coated car would detract from the protection of the Enviroguard. I did some reading when I had it done (2012 for a 2013 Mini Cooper) and weighed the pros against the cons and had it done. I know my opinion differs significantly from the consensus here, but I don't regret it at all -- it takes me 3 hours to wash my car and I am not trying to spend another 2 hours waxing it. I'm a 51-year-old female whose muscles don't store glucose and glycogen very well. My brother told me not to use soap when I wash my car. And the car's care instructions say not to use a pressure water hose to wash it -- so no "Quik Car Wash Stops" for me like most people use if they don't wash it at home.


 


But the main reason I don't regret the Enviroguard is because in Florida, there is are two seasons of swarming bugs called "love bugs" -- May and September are when they usually swarm. The swarms are thick, and the bugs are "everywhere" during those seasons that last for about 4-8 weeks. If the bug parts and splatters aren't removed immediately from your car after you run into a gazillion of them -- like as soon as you return from whatever errand you were on -- they will mar the paint surface to no repair. My car has a black roof and a white body, both of which would readily show marring by love bug splatter.


 


The Enviroguard has not allowed my car's paint to be ruined by love bugs splatters. Additionally, any other bugs that get plastered to the front bumper and mirrors wash off with no marring as well. In fact, on some rainy days, the rain washes off the bug debris and splatters before I get a chance to wash it off. I've lived in FL 48 of my 51 years and I've never seen anything like that before!


 


I can't say the Enviroguard is worth it for everyone else, but for keeping love bugs from destroying the finish of my brand new Mini, it was worth it for me. This is a pic not of the bugs (because they are black), but their "bug juice" -- and everywhere it dries for any period of time, it removes the clear coat in that area when the juice is washed off.


 


LoveBugCar.jpg



 


And no -- I do not work for a car dealership (never have), don't get anything for plugging Enviroguard. I just have owned 3 cars before my Mini - all purchased new -- and have loathed every love bug season since my first car in 1980. My Mini has weathered 2 love bug seasons without a mark.


 


I just wanted to know if it was OK to have someone wax my car with the Enviroguard on it, or if the wax would detract from the Enviroguard's protection, because wax does not protect from love bug damage.
 
Not long ago, the owner of this car came by from Alabama for a consultation to repair the damage shown in the video. He paid a small fortune for the "coating" the dealership installed. This is how it looks after less than a year.


 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_r403dIrU0
 
Awful! Those look like bad swirl marks -- is that what they are? And some spots of marring that may have come from bug splatters or sap or something?


 


That's why I wanted to check this board about adding wax to my car, because I don't want it to contribute to marring the coated surface by changing the coated surface itself.


 


My neighbor offered to wax my car for me but he has swirl marks on his Lexus so I don't think I'll let him do my car. But then I started thinking that waxing might contribute more of a detriment than a benefit anyway, so I wanted to check.
 
We moved to Florida a year ago. When I bought my car in February, I fell for the paint protection scam because of the love bugs. The bugs are every bit as bad as we'd heard. Unfortunately, either the protection they applied is worthless (Cilajet) or they didn't apply it properly. In May I made a drive across the state and the love bugs were unbelievably thick. The bugs were washed off less than two hours later and already the paint was marred. Tried claying to no effect so it doesn't seem that it was just something on the protection or paint. I complained to the dealership and they offered to reapply. I declined - what's the point of having more bad product on my car?


I wish I'd known about products like OptiCoat a few months ago...
 
Reapplication isn't fixing the paint that is damaged that requires a respray. You paid good money for a warranty product that is supposed to prevent this type of thing from happening. It obviously didn't and the warranty will cover whatever it takes to fix. 


 


Opti-Coat is bulletproof when it comes to love bugs. (I lived in FL for 6 years) Check out this test thread I did and go to page 2 where you can see what it did against love bugs:  http://www.autopia.org/forum/topic/112725-grand-finale-optimum-opti-coating-durability-test-review/
 
David - I agree with you regarding the warranty. My concern is that warranty work will be done by the dealer. I'd rather pay someone else to do it right than let the dealer work on the finish. I'll take it up with them to see what they have to say.


The good news is that my trip across state was to a very good film/tint shop. I had an appointment for window tint for heat rejection. They washed off the bugs and pointed out the etching. They ended up putting a clear bra on for me. It hides the etching so at least I don't have to see it until I get it fixed properly. And while they worked on my car, I got to oggle the 458 and R8 they had in the shop that day for paint protection film (along with my lowly car).


I'll definitely have a look at the Opti-Coat thread you linked. Thanks.
 
Alfisti said:
Why do you want to wax it?


Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Thanks, Alfisti.


 


I don't want to wax it -- that's my point. :D I asked about waxing it because people keep telling me I need to wax my car once or twice per year. I don't want to wax it if waxing it will screw up the Enviroguard coating. i am not a detailer so I don't know what waxing will do for a special coating when I was told that I wouldn't have to wax my car, but "people" keep telling me I need to wax it.


 


I haven't waxed it yet and I will have had it for 2 years in October. I plan to have it a long time and want to make sure I'm taking care of it properly. If I need to wax it, fine -- I will. But if waxing it will mess up the coating, then I won't wax it.


 


Thanks.
 
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