Should I let my dealer prep my car ??

[CHEKM4TE]

I'm expecting a mid-december delivery of my M4. I've had a few friends tell me to not let the dealer wash and detail my car because they'll ruin the paint with swirl marks and what not.

They recommended I take it to a professional detailer instead! What do you guys think ?? Any stories of your own experiences ??

Also, those dealership badges that they always stick on the back of the cars, do I just tell them that I DONT WANT IT ON MY CAR.

Thanks guys.

[gblansten]

I'm not on an ssri so I would detail it myself or get a pro to do it.

[GOLFFRR]

if you are worried at all just opt to do everything yourself. Besides there is something about peeling off all the plastic makes it feel like christmas

[DarkSide24]

I'd say do it yourself or have it done professionally. I opted for the latter with my last new BMW and my detailer still found swirls and scratches from the prep process.

There was a recent thread on the detailing world forum where a professional prepared a client's car in the BMW dealership and he posted a photo of BMW's wash station...ruined old cloths and worn out kit that would drag dirt all over your car. Not ideal!

[kinimod]

Do not let the stealership touch the paint. It's ridiculous what they do. I even asked my CA to not wash it and they still did.

Be aggressive and tell your CA you will not buy the car if they deliver it washed and with the stickers off. That will make them remember to keep it intact. Otherwise they will forget, and you will get swirls.

[gavinsan]

100%they will ruin the paint with scratches and swirls.
I went to collect a brand new 997 c2s from a dealership in Manchester and the paint was so badly swirled I refused to collect and made them bring in a swisswax detailed to correct before I accepted it. He went to the dealership to do the work.

[CHEKM4TE]

Thank all of you guys a great deal!! will def notify my dealership about a week before delivery!! thanks again!

[mikeyr0x]

Originally Posted by CHEKM4TE

Thank all of you guys a great deal!! will def notify my dealership about a week before delivery!! thanks again!

Def don't let them touch it. I had to have 2 stages of paint correction done by my detailer (before c quartz finest was applied) after my dealership 'new car prepped' my m3!!

I'm currently working on getting the dealer to split the cost with me.

[///M///]

This brings me to the question, what happens when you do PCD? Do they prep and detail the car? Would my car have South Carolina tags even though I live in PA?

Thanks.

[DocWeatherington]

Originally Posted by CHEKM4TE

I'm expecting a mid-december delivery of my M4. I've had a few friends tell me to not let the dealer wash and detail my car because they'll ruin the paint with swirl marks and what not.

They recommended I take it to a professional detailer instead! What do you guys think ?? Any stories of your own experiences ??

Also, those dealership badges that they always stick on the back of the cars, do I just tell them that I DONT WANT IT ON MY CAR.

Thanks guys.

I agree and recommend to go with a detailer, I told them they are not authorized to prep the car, I did allow them to spray wash it if a bird shits on it on but no touch e touch. Also, I told them no stickers and they did just as I requested, no wash e or stickers.

I would only let my dealership prep my car if they had a full on detail shop on site and it wasn't the body shop, but that's rare.

I would get what you want done in writing too, so there isn't any O I forgets.

Good luck and welcome to the club

[damnitBobby]

Originally Posted by gblansten

I'm not on an ssri so I would detail it myself or get a pro to do it.

am i the only one that knows what this guy is talking about

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by damnitBobby

am i the only one that knows what this guy is talking about

Nope

[Vectors2final]

Nothing wrong with it... I'd probably let them peel the tape, vacuum the inside... But I wouldn't let them wash. It would be me or my detailer washing my car.

[BEMR]

Had it happen at my BMW store in 2012, car looked perfect upon delivery then I washed it the first time and saw the most perfect jacked up clear coat swirl marks everywhere.

So sometimes the damage isn't always visible right off, could take a while to see. Dealer insisted they don't apply anything with a Machine application process. Took them 2 days to get the paint right at a body shop.

I told dealer story this time and seems they left the buffer process out, but if I had a choice I'd clean the baby myself as much as possible.

[TTG]

Depends on the dealer.

Usually (like 99% of the time) I would not let anyone touch my car.

Inspect couple of the cars they have that have been already prepped by them and judge them yourself at the expense of the others.

I recently did let Audi dealer prep my wife's SQ5 and I was truly impressed by their work. Detailing is my hobby and I am very picky. It all comes down to how good their detailing department is.

[JoeFromPA]

Originally Posted by CHEKM4TE

I'm expecting a mid-december delivery of my M4. I've had a few friends tell me to not let the dealer wash and detail my car because they'll ruin the paint with swirl marks and what not.

They recommended I take it to a professional detailer instead! What do you guys think ?? Any stories of your own experiences ??

Also, those dealership badges that they always stick on the back of the cars, do I just tell them that I DONT WANT IT ON MY CAR.

Thanks guys.

What color is your car? Have you looked at a dealer prepped black car at your dealer?

My dealer does a nice job and uses the best tire shine I've ever experienced. It's not all the same everywhere.

FYI one of my co workers got his e350 detailed by a local professional. Looked good delivered. Once the polish and fillers wore off it's the worst I've ever seen. They swirled the entire black car with an orbital polosher

[m3bs]

Originally Posted by dsm918

This brings me to the question, what happens when you do PCD? Do they prep and detail the car? Would my car have South Carolina tags even though I live in PA?

Thanks.

PC preps the car when you opt for PCD. I had no issues with either of the cars I've picked up there. No stick-ons, and your selling dealer never sees the car until you take it I for your first service.

You will need to arrange for your own plate before delivery. SC requires at least a temporary tag, generic dealer tags won't work. My dealer sent me one prior to delivery.

[///M///]

Originally Posted by m3bs

PC preps the car when you opt for PCD. I had no issues with either of the cars I've picked up there. No stick-ons, and your selling dealer never sees the car until you take it I for your first service.

You will need to arrange for your own plate before delivery. SC requires at least a temporary tag, generic dealer tags won't work. My dealer sent me one prior to delivery.

Great. Tx.

[///M5ForWin]

@dsm918. I picked up my car at the PC. It was an awesome experience. The PC had prepped the car and I had no issues. No dealer stickers, no front license plate bracket. Although, I made it very clear to the dealer I did not want the front plate bracket installed. A few days before I traveled to the PC, I stopped by the selling dealer and they gave me the temporary tags for the car, which the PC put on for me during delivery. While the PC representative (who also happened to be one of the driving instructors) was going over my car with me, he casually mentioned my car had been kept inside pending delivery. Not sure if they do this with all M cars, but I doubt all dealers could or would do that. I hope to have ED on my next M, but the PCD is surely the next best thing.

[NickRac]

Make sure they don't put that fugly front license plate frame on the front of the car!

[EdR]

Originally Posted by dsm918

This brings me to the question, what happens when you do PCD? Do they prep and detail the car? Would my car have South Carolina tags even though I live in PA?

Thanks.

FWIW I did PCD on 8/20. My MW M3 looked pristine and I cased it over pretty good. No swirl marks or anything. They got almost every bit of cosmoline off.

[cougs99163]

Originally Posted by CHEKM4TE

I'm expecting a mid-december delivery of my M4. I've had a few friends tell me to not let the dealer wash and detail my car because they'll ruin the paint with swirl marks and what not.

They recommended I take it to a professional detailer instead! What do you guys think ?? Any stories of your own experiences ??

Also, those dealership badges that they always stick on the back of the cars, do I just tell them that I DONT WANT IT ON MY CAR.

Thanks guys.

I specifically said do nothing but put gas in it and take it out of shipping mode.

It was the first M3 they had so they parked it front and center despite being covered in muddy plastic and dirt all over it.

I (the girlfriend actually) peeled the plastic off the hood and the roof, got her home as fast as I could, hit it with wash, clay bar, sealant, carnuba and a dual action polisher then got it tinted. She had a long day but the paint is immaculate.

I doubt they would of put swirls in it right off the bat but knowing it was done right the first time is very satisfying.