Harry Fairbairns dealer prep on new cars?

Picking up my new Midnight Black MINI Cooper in a few weeks and just wondered if anyone knows what the dealer prep at Harry Fairbairns' in Giffnock is like?

I've had cars ruined and covered in swirl marks by poor dealer prep in the past and I don't want this to happen on my brand new Mini - especially with it being a black car.

If anyone has had any experiences, please let me know. If the experiences were bad, I may ask them not to touch the car when it is delivered and I'll just deal with it myself. I'm going to do a full detail as soon as I pick it up anyway, but just want to know if I shouldn't let them touch it in case they're known to inflict swirl marks. I'm happy to use clay to get rid of the factory wax and then apply my own sealant and wax to the new paint.

Thanks for the help :thumbs up:

D

I would say all the dealers I have dealt with don't prep the cars well. If you are happy to do the car yourself, I would ask them not to prep it. :thumbs up:

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Originally Posted by dezzyS

Picking up my new Midnight Black MINI Cooper in a few weeks and just wondered if anyone knows what the dealer prep at Harry Fairbairns' in Giffnock is like?

I've had cars ruined and covered in swirl marks by poor dealer prep in the past and I don't want this to happen on my brand new Mini - especially with it being a black car.

If anyone has had any experiences, please let me know. If the experiences were bad, I may ask them not to touch the car when it is delivered and I'll just deal with it myself. I'm going to do a full detail as soon as I pick it up anyway, but just want to know if I shouldn't let them touch it in case they're known to inflict swirl marks. I'm happy to use clay to get rid of the factory wax and then apply my own sealant and wax to the new paint.

Thanks for the help :thumbs up:

D

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Tell them not to prep it at all and find a good detailer ( detailing world.com ) and pay them to do it right, especially on a black car.

Thanks guys. I'm a pretty keen amateur detailer myself so will just ask them not to prep it then will do it myself. I'm a member of detailing world and have been thinking of buying a machine polisher and attending one of DaveKG's classes . . . although I would hope I don't need to machine polish a brand new car!!

Cheers,
D

You need to speak to the king of shine, nope, not me :D Ian King, you two sound like you'll get on for hours and hours talking about micr fibre cloths and wax and polish and sealant and and :Whistle:

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Originally Posted by The Gismo Man

You need to speak to the king of shine, nope, not me :D Ian King, you two sound like you'll get on for hours and hours talking about micr fibre cloths and wax and polish and sealant and and :Whistle:

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:lol: Yep, I can bore anyone with my detailing chat! hehe

D

Here I am. Hold the phone.

Yeah I would say NO WAY to dealer prep. Ask them not to even remove the plastic film from the roof and bonnet as they can make an ar$e of that as well. All most all dealers are the same.

You will be able to remove the transport wax with a strong mix of autosmart G101 and then a very light clay with the likes of megs clay kit, just use plenty of spray as a lube if you dont intend on machining it after.
With it being new and not having had any treatments before I should think you will want to put a pre wax cleanser on first such as Zymol HD or Dodo lime prime.

Go into the dealer and get them to note down on your order sheet that it is to recieve NO PREP or VALET. That way if they do it you can then tell them that they are to pay for a full detailer at a pro place.

Thanks Ian!

What tips would you give for removing the plastic film? I was going to let them do that but just not prep or valet it. How do they mess up the removal of the film? It surely can't be that difficult?!

Would R222 Autowash suffice instead of the G101 you mentioned? I already have some R222, so would save me buying something else. What do you apply it with for removing transport wax?

I usually use the Meguairs mild clay, but will maybe buy the quick clay kit again to ensure I'm using an even milder clay bar. What do you think?

I'll give Lime Prime a go. The Dodo Juice products are great - I already use Red Mist and it's amazing!

After that, I plan to use my usual sealant and wax, with probably 2 or 3 coats of wax over the space of a few days. Going to seal the wheels too with the usual Poorboy's wheel sealant.

Thanks for the advice :thumbs up:

D

I dont think R222 will be the right thing to disolve the transport polymer.
You could always go on ebay and by a small 1 litre of transport wax remover. I just apply it all over the car with a sprayer and use a wash mitt. However I ensure that the car has been foamed with something first to try and get as much dirt off first.

I suppose they could peel the plastic off but they may be tempted to start doing more prep after they peel it off, if they leave it on then that way you know they have not touched the car.

Yeah I would use a very mild clay as you are not intending using a machine to polish.

Thanks Ian.

D

The gaffer was right, the two of them are getting on like a house on fire :yes nod:

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Originally Posted by Crombers

The gaffer was right, the two of them are getting on like a house on fire :yes nod:

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:thumbs up:

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Originally Posted by Crombers

The gaffer was right, the two of them are getting on like a house on fire :yes nod:

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hehe :D

Just spoke to the dealer this morning and they've emailed me an updated contract stating that they will not do any prep on the vehicle prior to collection. I've allowed them to remove the plastic film but agreed no prep/valet in the contract.

Off to look for transport wax remover . . .

Cheers,
D

I would just buy yourself some G101. Mix it up right strong (as per the directions on the front of the 5ltr bottle) into a sprayer or your foam gun if you have one and use it to de-wax. Then the rest of it is a great product for general cleaning when diluted correctly.

I use it for cleaning under bonnets, in door shuts, under wheel arches, light wheel cleaning, cleaning interiors, bug removal. I would be lost without it.

I wouldn't bother getting them to remove the plastic film to have those valeters all over your car with their rings, watches and zips etc etc scoring the car :eek::eek: just imagine midnight black no way it would be awful.

All my Minis get nothing done to them by the dealers and it's great removing all the stuff inside and out yourself.

Every salesman thinks it weird letting a car go out in that state better that state than what your guys would do it I always say.:thumbs up: