The good and the bad

MJFitzy

The bad experience. I paid a small fortune to get my car valeted. It was supposed to be one of these triple wax, showroom condition things. It was late and the car was inside when I collected the car. I gave it a quick look over, the interior had been cleaned and the out side looked alright, parted with the cash and drove, this was on a Friday, by Sunday I had noticed a build up of white, un-buffed wax, along the top of the door, around the rear window and in other places. I also noticed, minor scratches that where supposed to be removed by this valet, where just as prominent as always. I went back on the following Monday and complained and they took the car for another afternoon to rectify it. This time when I collect the car, there was no wax residue but the scratches where just as visible. Within 4 or 5 days, the car looked just as shoddy as it had before the valet. I’ve had ‘mini’ valets done and got the same results for a quarter the cost. I feel I have to name and shame. It was Donnybrook ever-ready car valet. I work in the area and pass there a lot, they get a lot of return business so I recon if they don’t know you they’re not that interested in doing a good job. So if anybody can recommend a good valet firm, I’d be interested.

The good experience. It’s so rare these days you get value for money I thought I’d give this guy a plug. The car I have had a few of those car park dents, the golf ball size dents, not big enough to go to a crash repair but big enough to annoy. I spotted one of those paintless dent removal vans and called the number. The job was done, done well and at what I would consider, a reasonable price, considering. The firm was dial-a-dent.

Ernie Ball

I have found that paying for valeting is just a giant waste of money. For the price of one valeting, you could buy all the gear, including a buffer and pressure washer and do a much better job yourself.

The valeting I had done lasted about 2 weeks before it looked awful again. The valetings I do myself last a lot longer than that, particularly after claying the car and putting polish and sealant on it. Then a little Meguiar's Quik Detailer now and again and it looks great for weeks.

Dades

Quick semi off topic - are electric bufferers any use?
Do they actually remove marks you can't or just take the elbow work out?

CHEERS for the heads up MJ.

mike65

Was the deal to get rid of the scratches? I just mention that cos a polish can be of two types - filler/gloss which just makes the car shiny and abrassive/cutting, which will lessen or remove surface abrassions and light lacqur scratches. Some scratches will never be removed short of a compete rub down and respray.

Mike.