Professional valet/detail/etc

[StuBeeDoo]

I really can't be bothered to do any more than what I consider the bare essentials to any of our 3 cars these days. Although I have plenty of "potions and lotions" in the garage, there are times when I think to myself "I really should wash the car" but it just seems too much of an effort - particularly because I know that in 24hrs or less it will be covered in a layer of dust, at the very least.

When I waterless washed F25 last week, it occurred to me that I've had the car over 4 years and it's not been polished in all that time. There are some small blisters appearing, mainly on the tailgate and doors, but none have (yet....) broken-through. Bearing this in mind, and also that it's coming-up for 10 years old, would you bother getting a decent valet done on it? I'm thinking machine polish, glaze, under-bonnet, detail the plastics, etc., etc.

I'm not planning on changing it just yet, but once the blisters start to break-through I probably will - simply because after the let-down I had 15 years ago with my E30 I'll never bother with another respray.

Thoughts, please, O founts of all knowledge....................

[X5Sport]

I guess it will depend upon costs. The last time that I looked at this (five or more years back - a full detail on the X6 was about £800 inside and out. Mine is kept outside all year and with harvest season in full swing it goes from spotless the potato patch overnight! I use the Autoglym Polar Clean system - two snow foams and a wet applied hydrophobic treatment and that seems to do a pretty good job. I use the same on the E46..now 17 years old. Leather gets cleaned annually but that’s all.

I’m hoping that small son will take over duties as he gets older, but I suspect teenagism will have other impacts!

[jaynana]

I still detail my cars once a year. It’s a full day routine per car. Routine is:
1. Wash with snow form
2. Clay bar to remove any tar etc
3. Polish any scratches out
4. Swirl treatment to clear all washing and wiping swirl marks
5. Wax to seal off

Soft top needs another day of treatment

[sapphireblack]

Effort required is determined by enthusiasm is it not. My X6 is currently cocooned in the UK as it is every summer. The older car I have here was washed Monday evening and I was pleased with the results, initially. Yesterday morning I popped out to it to see water ringlets everywhere. Car washing here is a nightmare it drys so quickly. So yesterday morning I set to with an aqua wax type liquid (forget which, it's trade stuff) in a trigger gun and a hand polishing pad, and for a seventeen year old car it looks good again. It has a few marks courtesy of narrow roads and overhanging olive trees. And the infamous Greek method of close quarters parking.

The X6 on the other hand is cosseted too much probably and it's garaged when possible. That requires two persons though as its like most garages today, its not really intended for a vehicle Its used so little it's had one machine polish shortly after I bought it, and never needed more than a wash and aquawax since.

I confess though I do have age related lack of enthusiasm compared to my younger years. The E53 era saw me washing and detailing pretty much every weekend. That car was black and I was in my sixties, add ten years and I have become my father

[StuBeeDoo]

Effort required is determined by enthusiasm is it not........
...........I confess though I do have age related lack of enthusiasm compared to my younger years. The E53 era saw me washing and detailing pretty much every weekend.

Ah yes, enthusiasm. I remember that. 20-odd years ago I was washing our cars every weekend. Then we moved here (not my first choice, but wife loved it). The only place the cars can be washed with hose and buckets is on an unsealed surface. Any water runs down the lane, meaning it has to be driven-over as soon as the job is done.
Despite advancing years, I would have a bit more enthusiasm if the cars didn't get dirty literally as soon as they were clean. When I did the waterless wash on the F25 last week, the car was stood on the road about 200mtrs from the house. Apart from brake dust on the wheels, it still looks OK-ish today.

Getting back on-topic, I've e-mailed a local valeting firm for a quote.

[sapphireblack]

Not a BMW but we're talking cleaning here. Not bad for a seventeen year old after the recent attention it's had. And my reward for effort too

[jaynana]

Last picture is best

[StuBeeDoo]

The only place the cars can be washed with hose and buckets is on an unsealed surface. Any water runs down the lane, meaning it has to be driven-over as soon as the job is done.

This is the access to the rear of our gaff. It's not very clear, but there are multiple places where any water pools. We're not just talking puddles, more like small, muddy, ponds - some 15cm deep. .......

IMG_0001.JPG (301.84 KiB) Viewed 1486 times

Slightly more room outside the garage door (mine is the green one), but barely enough for neighbours from further up to drive past if I'm washing/cleaning.......

IMG_0002.JPG (274.17 KiB) Viewed 1486 times

A couple of better shots of the gradient down to the street.......

IMG_0003.JPG (295.98 KiB) Viewed 1486 times

IMG_0004[1].jpg (340.3 KiB) Viewed 1486 times

[StuBeeDoo]

I'm about to set-off for the detailer's. I'll update later with what is done, cost, my thoughts, etc.

[StuBeeDoo]

I doubt a picture would do it justice. The car now has more shine than before, and the surface of the lacquer is much smoother.

He washed, decontaminated, washed again, machine polished, detailed the plastics, and finally hand polished with ceramic wax. £85 was the bill. I'm happy with that. For another £45 he would have finished with a glaze - I might go for that next time.

[sapphireblack]

This may be the way forward for us older chaps.

[StuBeeDoo]

This may be the way forward for us older chaps.

I'll definitely be having it done again, at some point - probably in the Spring.

[X5Sport]

That’s about 10% of the last quote I got, and even then I had to drive the car to the detailer (somewhere about 80 miles away ISTR) and leave it with them for a few days.