paint and plastic protection

(24-11-2011 04:07pm)Big G Wrote:  Is this really the case - am I being too anal and should I just do this myself?

Possibly, but I have also been talking to a local detailer and his advice is also that the garage do not valet the car. On his website he has photographs of brand new cars which are covered in swirl marks (micro scratches). This obviously makes his job a lot more time consuming (and therefore expensive) as he then needs to polish these scratches out before he starts to apply any of the detailing products.
In my case he has already spoken to the dealer and they have agreed not to touch the car. He will then go in and do the treatments ready for me to collect.

(24-11-2011 04:07pm)Big G Wrote:  Was going to get my RRE a CQuartz detailing treatment after purchase. Spoke to the detailer and he's advising that I contact the dealer to stop them from valetting the car before I take delivery as this is what causes all the squirls, holograms appearing.

Is this really the case - am I being too anal and should I just do this myself?

Site is at http://www.spiritdetailing.com

A big factor is colour. On a grey/silver/white car its more difficult to see the marring that poor washing will cause. On a black or dark blue car it's another story - as Range Rover paint is soft and fine scratches are easily introduced and visible in sunlight on darker cars. If you're having a cquartz (or gtechniq C1) type protection applied then the less the dealer touches the car the less work for the detailer to correct it before applying the coating.

VERY importantly - make sure they don't remove the white plastic from the pillars as the gloss black paint on these marks incredibly easily!

Having mine detailed by a local lad next weekend, ask for a winter paint protection and a wheel protection, not sure of the actual products he will be using but will update when done.

A big factor is colour. On a grey/silver/white car its more difficult to see the marring that poor washing will cause. On a black or dark blue car it's another story - as Range Rover paint is soft and fine scratches are easily introduced and visible in sunlight on darker cars. If you're having a cquartz (or gtechniq C1) type protection applied then the less the dealer touches the car the less work for the detailer to correct it before applying the coating.

VERY importantly - make sure they don't remove the white plastic from the pillars as the gloss black paint on these marks incredibly easily!


All modern water based paints are soft in comparison with acrylic based paints of a few years ago.
However, the dealer prepped cars ready for handover / collection always look gleaming and well detailed.
The issue is this, they tend to use reasonable products like 'Autogleam' and others but these polishes contain a high proportion of filler to mask any swirls or marring that is put into the paint /clearcoat during dealer preparation.
It is not until you first wash the vehicle that you get chance to look at the body panels with greater detail and notice under certain lighting that there are these light swirls or scratches.
They were more than likely put there by the dealer and your shampoo has disolved some of the polish that contains the filler(maybe over a few washes), although you will have doubts in yor mind that you put them there.
This doesn't seem so apparent when a protective sealant is used. But at the end of the day the quality of the first prep is key to a mar and swirl free paintwork.
You will not get a better finish on any new vehicle unless you are prepared to put in the effort like a professsional detailer does.

i came accross another fuji evoque last night. its was parked just 3 spaces up from me, and it was then i really noticed the difference that detailing makes.

my car has not been washed for a week, it has been raining here a bit, but my car still looked like it had real life to it.
the other evoque was already looking a bit dead and flat under the street lights. i noticed it mainly on the wheels and the plastic, there was just no richness or sparkle there.

i am now very happy that i invested some time and money in learning how to clean and preserve my car. and i would defiantly recommend Gtechniq C4 and C5 for the plastics and wheels. the C5 is a lot of work for prep, but the C4 is quite easy, but seeing how the fuji shape is brought to life by the contrast's in the design. i would say look after them plastics.