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

Very interesting insight Ron and understandable considering each dealer is trying to make a profit. Perhaps this is why I've never had a problem with a dealer complying when I require that I be present when they remove the transport film and that they do not touch the exterior beyond that--less work for the dealer.
 
AI also did a nation wide, series of morning classroom and afternoon "hands on" training, across Canada for Chrysler Canada, produced laminated wall charts showing step by step process.

Two wall charts, one for New Car Prep, the other for General Detailing.

The products are called Master Prep by MoPar, for Canadian Chrysler dealers only.

The process charts are basically the same the AI provides for users of their ValuGard products in dealership, detail shops etc and other brands of vehicles.

However, if the "supervisor" does not make the employee adhere to the processes/product usage, and few do, the end results are "hacked" up vehicles.

I see that ValuGard is still producing and providing these two charts, as they are mentioned in the Mazda manual.

I figured that since these are not cheap to produce, and most operations don't follow them, that they were discontinued.

The problems, I have found regarding the finish concerns that many new vehicle and used vehicle buyers face, is due more to a "management" problem. They hire people at low wages, don't train them, don't make them follow procedures, buy the cheapest equipment and chemicals they can and when a problem comes to surface, "Throw it in the big bucket" is their answer.
 
Shane.belzers said:
Man you guys are brutal. Im a "dealership" detailer and I could fix all that and not make anything worse so i wouldn't assume everyone in dealerships is a hack...
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Hi Guys! I am back after a few years of not posting.





Shane,

There are dealerships that have detailers that care and do a decent job. It's just that they are not the norm.



Derrick
 
shane.belzers- Well, we're not lumping you in with the hacks :grinno: Yah know, WAY back in the day, I did (proper ;) ) detail work at a dealership too, and one guy at my Audi dealer was good enough that I let him do my, and my father's, cars with no complaints at all. But "few and far between..." sure applies.



Eh, I can't remember the last time I saw a dealership vehicle in a condition that I'd be satisfied with, and that's including brand-new stuff that's nearly fresh from the wrapper. It's usually so bad that I don't even window-shop when I'm at my dealers because it's just too [darn] depressing :sadpace:
 
Hey guys,



Thanks for all of the insight. I haven't decided yet, but will do so soon. Anyway, I took a fingernail to some of the scuffs today, and noticed that the scuff in the very last picture, and the scuff in the first picture, seemed to be removed at least a little bit with my fingernail. I was thinking about putting some 97% isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip and rubbing those areas lightly and seeing what happens. Good idea or no?
 
Looks like those areas are scuffs/marring Jreepers, don't think a alcohol wipe would do anything to it but remove any sort of protection on the paint. Where are you located, I would guess that there is a reputable Autopian in your area that can help you fix this problem safely and properly.
 
From my experience, a local Detailer would be the smarter choice and may cost a little more, however, i'm not saying that a dealer is a bad idea, I've seen some very impressive work from them as well.
 
Everyone here was right! I wanted to at least give the dealership a try, so I took it to them and long story short they did a terrible job on the few issues they even bothered attempting to fix. I finally convinced them to pay for me to take it to a detailer of my choice. Can anyone recommend me some good ones in the greater Philadelphia/Lehigh/Montgomery/Berks region?
 
Jreepers said:
Everyone here was right! I wanted to at least give the dealership a try, so I took it to them and long story short they did a terrible job on the few issues they even bothered attempting to fix. I finally convinced them to pay for me to take it to a detailer of my choice. Can anyone recommend me some good ones in the greater Philadelphia/Lehigh/Montgomery/Berks region?
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Good thing it's on the dealership's dime, any pro from here you take it to will be charging double now!
 
Ron Ketcham said:
That's a mighty big paint brush you use to paint car dealers.

Gee, guess they are all the same, right?
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There are ALWAYS exceptions to every rule... unfortunately in some cases those exceptions are few and far between.
 
C. Charles Hahn said:
There are ALWAYS exceptions to every rule... unfortunately in some cases those exceptions are few and far between.
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Agreed. I was supposed to Opti-Coat a brand new Audi A6 tomorrow, but the check engine light came on last week soon after the owner picked it up. He took it back to the Audi dealer for warranty repairs (sensor of some sort went bad) and when he went to check on it today, it wasn't being kept in the shop as previously agreed upon, but sitting out side in the elements. It was filthy and they not only scratched the rear bumper (pictures make it appear as if its into the primer) but something got on the hood and may have etched it. Stuff like that is so sadly typical, even at higher end dealerships.
 
Our local Audi dealership is notorious for hacking the living snot out of cars. Its beyond embarrassing and I have had multiple people express pure digust with them. I put a video up on youtube after a customer picked up his A8L from this dealership just so that it could be found by people researching.



Their job isn't to to keep vehicles' appearances pristine. Its to get paid to make them continue to run (after good or bad diagnosis) and keep the number on the bottom of the paper as large as possible.
 
I gave a quote on a Bentley Continental today to fix damage done by the dealer's detailing dept. when it was brought in for service. Customer requested them to not touch it but they did and it looked like someone took a brillo pad to the hood. Shows that it doesn't matter what kind of dealership it is, they can hack a car with the best of them. Of course there are exceptions like Shane, but they are so far and few between.
 
Heh heh, one of the primary reasons why I patronize the shops that I do is that they don't inflict cosmetic damage. Hey, most anybody could service the Tahoe and the Crown Vics (maybe not the older Audis...), but finding a shop that'll do it without messing up my paint....that's another story.
 
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