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Beninscotland
Posts: 98
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:52 pm

Post by Beninscotland »

I was going to post this as a new thread but then recalled this conversation, so...couple of questions perhaps some of you may be able to assist with....

My Skoda dealer successfully upsold me the AutoGlym Lifeshine paintwork protection thingy-ma-jig for £200. Ive never bought a new car before and it Seemed to make sense...is it worth the £200?

Also, I want to keep my Enyaq (when it eventually arrives) looking decent inside and out. however I do not get any major personal satisfaction out of spending hours on a Sunday hand washing and valeting my car. I have 2 kids and a full on job with irregular hours and fairly high stress at times, so my time at home is precious. For me, I know that cleaning my car is not something I will do to a regular and good enough standard that I would like. Absolutely no shade on those who do spend a lot of time looking after their car, I wish had the time and discipline to do so....so to the question, there are mobile valeting companies out there who seem to offer quite good services. Any tips on what to look for with these services or what to avoid?

Freshcarvaleting.com , whom I've used before on an ad hoc basis, offer a £45/month valet and paintwork package which seems reasonable. Any thoughts, comments or experiences with these guys?

I'm in Edinburgh so if anyone has any experience with valeting and cleaning companies in this part of the world then please let me know.

Thanks in advance

Ben
Sportline
Ordered: 28/07/2021
Start Build: 13/09/2021
Status update "awaiting parts": 02/11/2021
Left factory: 14/01/2022
Departed Emden: 19/01/2022
Skoda email "Your life Electric is about to begin": 20/01/2022
Collection: 30/01/022

pmuir
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 9:04 am

Post by pmuir »

Hah, I was thinking just the same this evening!

Likewise, I also find cleaning the car a chore, would much rather be doing something else, and would happily pay for a regular clean. If there are recommendations for such in the Guildford/Godalming area I'd happily take them :-)

My dealer tried to sell me a Gardx package, which I went away and did some googlingon before signing. I'm no expert but based on my conclusion was that (just like painting and decorating) almost all in the prep and attention to detail, and that dealers were very hit and miss as to how well they applied it.

I am considering getting a ceramic coating done by a local specialist though (which interestingly is more than twice the price, which does make you wonder about what the dealer is offering). Interested whether people think it's worth it?
metalmadhammer
Posts: 228
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:44 pm

Post by metalmadhammer »

I was going to post this as a new thread but then recalled this conversation, so...couple of questions perhaps some of you may be able to assist with....
My Skoda dealer successfully upsold me the AutoGlym Lifeshine paintwork protection thingy-ma-jig for £200. Ive never bought a new car before and it Seemed to make sense...is it worth the £200?
Also, I want to keep my Enyaq (when it eventually arrives) looking decent inside and out. however I do not get any major personal satisfaction out of spending hours on a Sunday hand washing and valeting my car. I have 2 kids and a full on job with irregular hours and fairly high stress at times, so my time at home is precious. For me, I know that cleaning my car is not something I will do to a regular and good enough standard that I would like. Absolutely no shade on those who do spend a lot of time looking after their car, I wish had the time and discipline to do so....so to the question, there are mobile valeting companies out there who seem to offer quite good services. Any tips on what to look for with these services or what to avoid?
Freshcarvaleting.com , whom I've used before on an ad hoc basis, offer a £45/month valet and paintwork package which seems reasonable. Any thoughts, comments or experiences with these guys?
I'm in Edinburgh so if anyone has any experience with valeting and cleaning companies in this part of the world then please let me know.
Thanks in advance
Ben[/i][/i]

Beninscotland/Pmuir,

I am a big fan of AutoGlym products and I expect Lifeshine will be a decent (even though the name is very misleading) coating and will last a matter of years but...

1. It will only last if it was applied correctly. In order to apply it correctly the car MUST be fully decontaminated using Fallout Removers, Tar Removers and Clay bars. I think my car may have come with this as it was beading/sheeting when I got it from Lex autolease but it was removed by decontamination processes and a new "Half" ceramic applied. I personally DO NOT trust dealerships to apply anything correctly. I don't even trust them to clean a car correctly so I place notices inside the car telling them not to clean when it goes for service. I would ask the dealer to state what preparation they will be doing before applying their coating and go take a look at their wash bay - If you see dirty buckets, sponges, large mops etc I would run a mile.
2. It will also only last if it is maintained correctly. Any coating can be removed easily with harsh chemicals (such as TFR's - Traffic Film Removers) which can often be found in public car washes. Also harsh wash medium such as a dirty sponge can effect the longevity of the coating.

I totally get your position on spending your precious time on other things rather than cleaning cars. I am passionate about it and dedicate much of my spare time to either cleaning, enhancing or watching Youtube vids / reading books on the topic (I know how sad that sounds :lol:) and I have been on a few training courses (mainly polishing courses). If you do get some time and want to learn I would recommend the Forensic Detailing channel vids - but don't let my rhetoric make you feel bad that you don't wash your car so much - I know i'm different (special :lol: ).

I don't know Freshcarvaleting so can't comment but I would persist in finding a recommendation. Obviously £45 is a fair amount of money for a monthly wash and presumably an initial deep clean but it should cost that much for the job to be done properly. I spend approx 3 to 4 hrs on a good maintenance wash. Its worth asking them about the process and chemicals they use to wash the car and what methods they use to prevent marring, swirling or any other damage to the paint. A good valet business will use the methods and similar products to that of the above video.

I can only recommend that you do it yourself after learning how. A good time (& water) saver is to learn how to do a "Rinseless" wash which consists of leaving wash medium (I use about 8 to 10 16" x 16" microfibre cloths) in a bucket of solution and simply wiping down the car on a regular basis. If done properly its a very safe and easy method.
Enyaq 80 Suite, Race Blue, Panoramic Sunroof, 20" Vega Alloys and a silly overpriced rubber mat for the boot.
jamest
Posts: 115
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2021 3:50 pm

Post by jamest »

I was also wondering about this kind of thing.. there is already enough to do that takes away from spending time with the kids without having to regularly wash the car as well. So if that can be outsourced for a reasonable price I'm interested.

When I did some brief research a few months ago I came across some detailing companies near Guildford who are highly rated on Google, e.g. here or here. They do paint protection coatings as well as valeting. I've stopped short of actually talking to them until my car arrives though.

A valeting service that comes to me would be more convenient, so I'd be interested to hear any experiences from people who have used those services. If there a mobile valeting person who is as passionate about it as metalmadhammer then that would be ideal :)

Maybe we should rename this thread to make the subject clearer, or people might miss it.
Ordered 17th March 2021, delivered 17th November 2021. Enyaq iV 60 Suite, Moon White Metallic, 100kW, Comfort Seat Package Basic, Family Package Basic, Convenience Package Plus, Drive Sport Package Basic, Assisted Drive Package Plus, Parking Package Plus.
Goaty
Posts: 1576
Joined: Sat May 22, 2021 3:27 pm

Post by Goaty »

/\ @ those in / near Guildford. I’ve always found the team on the Woking Road at that garden centre really good. ( (I think it’s called Sutton Green garden centre). Sometimes they take ‘too long’ as I need to get back for a call ! ( i.e. they are very thorough).

I find that the team in Clay Lane just want to get you in and out as quickly as possible.

I’m referring to washing and vacuuming, not full detailing as such.
iV80 Loft, Black, 21” Betria, 125kW, Climate Plus, Asst Drive Basic. Tethered PodPoint. Ordered May 2021. Delivered Nov 2021. Regrettably returned Jan 2024 (Company car. Changed jobs).
Beninscotland
Posts: 98
Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:52 pm

Post by Beninscotland »

MetalMadHammer....thanks so much for taking the time ro post such a detailed and thoughtful reply, it is appreciated. You clearly have a lot of knowledge in this area and after watching the videos you posted it further highlights to me how little I know about vehicle detailing...my poor, soon to be replaced, 2013 Insignia with 110,000 miles has never been treated so kindly. I am determined do keep my swanky brand new Sportline looking good. There seem to be various mobile car valeting/detailing companies I and around the Edinburgh area, including one (edinburghcarvaleting.co.uk) with 380-odd 5* reviews on Google, which is a good indicator.

I will also speak with the Skoda outfit here and get more details as to their process with the Autoglym package. Thanks for the heads up on that. Glad to hear that autoglym is a good product, if applied correctly.


Thanks again

Ben
Sportline
Ordered: 28/07/2021
Start Build: 13/09/2021
Status update "awaiting parts": 02/11/2021
Left factory: 14/01/2022
Departed Emden: 19/01/2022
Skoda email "Your life Electric is about to begin": 20/01/2022
Collection: 30/01/022
metalmadhammer
Posts: 228
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:44 pm

Post by metalmadhammer »

Noticed the wax that I installed and later topped with an Sio2 spray on/rinse off product wasn't beading as it should so gave her a coat of Car Chem "Hydrocoat Hybrid" yesterday.

20211114_161227[1].jpg

Its a very inexpensive SIo2 Sealant that is applied like a wax where you work one panel at a time, apply like a wax, wait 5 mins to haze over then remove with a soft microfibre. The car was not prepped as it should be for a sealant (Clay Bar / Fallout removal) as i didn't have the time. The car was deep cleaned and was only decontaminated in August so should be fine.

Made it look nice and glossy, will have to see how long it lasts - I would expect 2 months or so this time of year, maybe 3 to 4 months in summer with a good prep.
Enyaq 80 Suite, Race Blue, Panoramic Sunroof, 20" Vega Alloys and a silly overpriced rubber mat for the boot.
metalmadhammer
Posts: 228
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:44 pm

Post by metalmadhammer »

If anyone is looking to buy some car cleaning stuff, Car Chem is decent especially their 1900:1 shampoo, their Iron detox fallout remover, the G&T glue, tar/bug remover and their snowfoam is pretty good. They always do an incredible Black Friday offer, often with up to 70% off.
https://mailchi.mp/de2e9ab15c14/blacktr ... b9b40ab918
Enyaq 80 Suite, Race Blue, Panoramic Sunroof, 20" Vega Alloys and a silly overpriced rubber mat for the boot.
orrery
Posts: 375
Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2021 3:22 pm

Post by orrery »

I've had these treatments on new cars before, until I realised that they have no real value. The story is always that it "enhances the value of your car" but when you come to trade it in, no-one ever asks.

In reality, these are generally insurance products what pay high commission. Oh, and you get a free pack of cleaning products and a free premium wash to start with.

The last car I bought, I declined it on the basis that it has no value to me. The salesman immediately reduced the price of the car by the price of the treatment, so he still got his commission.
iV80 Lounge, Heat Pump, 125kW charging, Tow bar
Previous EVs: Leaf 40 (x2), Leaf 30, Leaf 24. EVing since 2014.
metalmadhammer
Posts: 228
Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2021 12:44 pm

Post by metalmadhammer »

Obviously looking after your car well will help it sell but won't increase the value much if at all. Having a history of professional detailing will be useful on collectable cars but not so on mainstream ones.

As said previously, I simply don't trust dealers to instal these products properly anyway and they wont achieve the rated longevity as a result so not worth doing in my opinion.

There are nowadays some really good spray on rinse off products that really do work (such as https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/turtlewa ... -552777351) and are so easy to apply and very good value. I recommend these to the weekend warriors to enhance the gloss and repel water.
Enyaq 80 Suite, Race Blue, Panoramic Sunroof, 20" Vega Alloys and a silly overpriced rubber mat for the boot.
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