sac73

Did my first annual DMV inspection and 1 year Service A today on my 06' E55(MB of Manhattan), the car went in spotless, the car came out a ton worse than going in.... water marks all over the windshield/windows, lube cream or something brown on the driver side door (2 straight lines, freaked me out at first as it looks like a scratch), water spots all over the body. Didn't see any actual body damage, so I drove home, did a quick detailing job, and called it the day.

So do you guys have better or worse experience at your dealer (can't imagine to be much worse than mine)? I have learned my lesson.... won't let them touch my car again with their fancy "hand wash"

Kev04C320

I always tell them don't wash my car. Hell, I even have a laminated placard that reads "don't wash please" that I put on the windshield everytime I take it in to service.

SSM AMG

I go to MB of manhattan also and they do wash the car but they do a good job. The car always has the plastic on the seats and they remove them infront of me. The only problem I have is if I want something installed. The SA always says he needs to ask the tech and will get back to me, which he doesn't.

jangy

NO!!! I'm almost positive I read somewhere that nano-paint is allergic to soap

Kev04C320

Jangster,

Do you want to take over Rock and become the funniest person on the board?

Torquey55

Nobody washes my car except me or my Detailer (usually him).
Ever see the goons that drive customer cars around the dealership lot?

I am going to make a placard too, that's brilliant.

Kev04C320

I'm very careful with who touches my car but I'm still getting tiny swirls on the Mocha Black paint. I think it's time to find Kar_Don and ask him get some Zaino on my car.

Someone on the W203 forums taught me about the placard technique. I really hate those water marks so I'm pretty **** about not letting the dealer wash my car.

Torquey55

My detailer uses a deionizer for spot free drying. It saves him a lot of time & he thinks worth every penny. They have one at Costco.com for $400, I may just get it for myself.

sac73

plastic on the seats?? there was nothing on my seat, no paper floor mats, zippo. the little cone with numbers on it leaves dirty circle marks on my windshield, interior wasn't vacuumed (maybe that's not part of the service), and I just shook my head and drove away. Maybe you are a better customer than me so you get the special treatment!

sac73

Kevin,

Thanks for the brillant placard idea! I will definitely do that next time. I have tiny swirls on my obsidian black paint too.... I have been the only person who washed my car since I got it so far, so obviously that's my fault, but a black car is definitely a tough color to main perfect paint job. Too bad that Premier Group isn't on the east coast or I would have them wrap my entire car with film so I won't have to worry about things like that anymore.... been following your car's recent event and hope you will get back your baby in great shape soon!!

Kev04C320

Thanks. It's slowly getting fixed right now and it will only come back as a better car with the new trunk spoiler, CF lip, CF rear bumper cover, black chromed emblems, and throw my 19" Maya STM back on.

SSM AMG

Really Make sure that when you take it in you tell the SA to have the guys take care of your baby. Don't be a di*k about saying it. After that it come back with the plastic and stuff.

dsc

I used to have them wash it when it was stock. But after I got CCW wheels they washed and ruined the finish after I told them about the wheels. All of the wheels had to be polished. So now I don't have any Dealers wash it.

DarkStar

I do. Nano paint does not suffer. Isn't nano standard now?

Yacht Master

Never in a drive thru machine car wash, and Never let dealer hand wash car it only takes one time to ruin the paint. And most are required to recycle cleaning water, so it stinks as rancid water will. This in turn makes your car stink inside and outside. If that is not reason enough why would you entrust your car to a $7.00 Hr person that claims to know how to wash a car? The truth is they don't know how to wash a car, the ones that do have been at it years and charge $125.00 and it takes 3-4 hours. Full detail $500.+ 8 hours.

Sorry I am a bit past neat freak

Torquey55
A deionizer is a good thing for salts mostly, and unless it is a dual bed the minerals remain. I have found that a high quality water softener serves to provide spot free air dry on a black car. Location Citrus county FL on a 200Ft well (read really hard water H2O+14). Don't know how far that would be from you. The link below is the one I use, but others can be found that are not as expensive.

http://www.kinetico.com/Kinetico/EN/...+Series+2040c/

Torquey55

This is the Deionizer similar to what my Detailer uses. It's the shnit, absolutely no waterspots whatsoever.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...opnav=&browse=

A little pricey...

joemoney415

Would you guys recommend a good coat of wax on our cars or do you stay away from it. If the answer is yes, I would love to know what the best brand out there would be. I have a very young black car and am looking to keep it shining and clean with as little swirl as possible.

BigApe

Just got my car back last week from the dealer after a new TC and Radiator. Came home and detailed it to find all kinds of scratches on it I called the SA and took it in. I'm dropping it off on Monday to have their detail shop take care of all of their F'ups!

I've always asked them not to wash it and this time I went against my better judgement. lesson learned! I'm laminating my "please do not wash" card tonight!

2K6E55

They are fighting for the MAIN TITLE.

JLP

I only let the dealer wash my car when I don't have a rock-filled wash cloth lying around!


Seriously the detail department at most dealerships is a joke.

Can Drive 55

J 2OOI

I am reminded of a complaint that I made about my local MB stealer in a previous post...

"...My only complaint would be that they would have ran the car through their on-site carwash if I wouldn't have lucked out and caught them when it was in line. I say complaint because I had just spent the weekend before completely detailing the car. Their 2minute wash would've just left water spots all over my recently detailed car..."

So, to answer your question, NO!


Yes a good coat of wax is a great idea to protect the clear coat and keep the car shining. Just be sure that the car is absolutely clean when you apply it and don't wax (or wash) in direct sunlight. Also, be sure the terry cloth that you use to "buff" out the wax is completely clean and do not set it on anything where it might pick up any tiny rocks. Seems obvious but one microscopic rock will scratch your car to helll. I like Zymol the best as far as brands go. They have really expensive stuff, but the "Cleaner wax" works great. Smells good too. It's a light blue color. You can get it at Wal-Mart, etc.

Oh and I think I read somewhere to NOT use fabric softner on towels that you will be drying/buffing your car with. (Not sure where I read that)

BMWEATR

HELL NO! i always tell them don't do it, have you seen them cleaning cars in the back ? yea its not a pretty site!!

abalto

Add me to the "HELL NO" group...

You would have to be crazy to let those idiots wash you car...

W Cole

Werd, add me to the HELLLL NO club haha..

The dealer (fletcher jones) destroyed the paint on my old C Class - swirls and scratches everywhere. They would wash it regardless if I pleaded with them not to, nothing worked.

You guys are way too kind with the laminated placards. I wrote with blue tape all over my E with large 3 foot letters on everyside that say "no wash". Hopefully they get a little negative publicity out of it.