Doing your own "dealer prep"

[ApolloWar]

Help please especially for those of you that didn't let the dealer do the first wash.

In a couple of days I will take delivery on my Black 2SS. I'm convinced by you guys on the Zaino products so an Ultimate Protection show car kit is ordered and on the way. I've read all the how to posts and probably viewed an hour or so of youtube instructional videos. Thanks a bunch for those.

Is there anything special that the make ready shop at the dealership would do above and beyond what I'm goint to do? Anything special with removing the white tape that it's shipped with? Anything?

Thanks!

[OUR72GTO]

Plain water removes the glue from the window stickers. The rest just pulls off. Do not use anything sharp to remove any plastic seat covers. The chalk marks on the wheels just wash off.

Have fun.

[SSOOCH]

I personally think it's silly to not let your dealer prep your vehicle. What happens when you get it home and there are scratches on it that you could not see when it was dirty?

[OUR72GTO]

I hand washed mine at the dealer........then you will find stuff you will never see just walking around.

[ApolloWar]

Thanks for the help.

As far as me being silly here's why.

I've seen and touched the cars that have come in from the truck after they've ridden the rail lines. Amazing how much substance is on them and I'm not just talking about dust.

Watch the make ready departments and how they work. They quickly put a sponge to your car and I believe are rubbing in the "stuff" into your paint.

Bottom line, the vehicle is black, it's mine, and I will do a better job because I care more.

[OUR72GTO]

The steel from the RR car wheels is like grafite when the unload it. I did not want some 16 YO with sand in the bottom of a bucket washing my car. Of course there is always the brush on a stick they use to wash your wheels.

[ApolloWar]

[drtwo]

Wow...it's just a car... Someone wants to wash it...LET'm!

[acatlover13]

Originally Posted by OUR72GTO

The steel from the RR car wheels is like grafite when the unload it. I did not want some 16 YO with sand in the bottom of a bucket washing my car. Of course there is always the brush on a stick they use to wash your wheels.

I agree...I've seen the detail crew at my dealership and WOW...let's not go there.

Also, the "dealer prep" costs $299....do you know how much wax/sealer/polisher/buffer/car wash I can buy for that??????

[formulahawk]

Originally Posted by SSOOCH

I personally think it's silly to not let your dealer prep your vehicle. What happens when you get it home and there are scratches on it that you could not see when it was dirty?

I would rather remove all the plastic myself and hand wash at home. This is what I did, wash, clayed, two coats of Zaino Z2 with detailer in between. I didn't want some employee of the dealership washing the car with a dirty sponge or mounting the front licence plate bracket.

Should you find anything major, that you missed at the dealership, you still have a three year warranty.

[Nexus6]

Originally Posted by SSOOCH

I personally think it's silly to not let your dealer prep your vehicle. What happens when you get it home and there are scratches on it that you could not see when it was dirty?

Because some people(including myself) think it's silly to let the dealer put swirl marks in to their paint.I did my own "dealer prep" and when i left with it,my salesman told me to call him if i find anything..If you really want to know the paint on your car,the best way is to detail it yourself.You can miss things by just walking around and looking at it.This way,you will find every little defect if there are any.

[Coop]

Just had to say the dealer prep is crap. My car was washed but had waterspots all over it. Are they suppose to wax it cause I know they didnt?

[fmdog44]

Um-m-m-m-m, call me old school but I make them prep BEFORE I hand them the check. Then I walk the ride and if and only if I (the f'n customer) am satisfied then I hand them the check. I can understnad the uneasiness of some of you guys but come on if they (a auto dealership) can't wash a car without getting complaints then I would have to consider another dealer. My last ride I bought around 6 PM and told them to prep it and call me the next day and I will come in and give it the once over. If you can't do that then simply say you want to watch. Do you think they would refuse and lose a sale?
Maybe times have changed but I still insist on getting my way when I am fixing to hand someone $30,000-$40,000 !!!!!

[Paperer]

My dealer had my cleaned twice. Grade A job on it too. It was funny because he was giving a walkthrough on the inside of the car and he accidentally made the wiper squirt and smudged up the window so he had it cleaned. And there were water spots from having tint put on and he had it cleaned then as well.