New Toyota Auris Being Detailed As I Type

[on board training]

Hi,

I got my new Black 5 door Toyota Auris delivered by the dealer yesterday and overall the car appears as it should be and is running well.

However, several panels including the bonnet and nearside doors of the car have been left wit what appears to be marks caused by poor polishing done by the dealer in preparing the car for me.

Before the car arrived a good friend offered to properly detail the car using detailing clay with spray, polish and wax. I obviously took him up on the offer and quickly persuaded him to also do my wife's new car (V/W Golf GT TDi in red) in June, my brother-in-laws car (Black Passat) next weekend and my son's car (Fiat Grande Punto in Black) the week after - and my sons are going to help him with the latter two.

He started at 12pm today and has just phoned to confirm that almost all panels have the marked paintwork but he reckons it is coming out with the polish using the Meguiars new dual action polisher and is really excited at the finish he may achieve having done only half the bonnet to get an initial comparison.

This is the first time he has used a polisher and I should have said when he offered to do the cars i came to the agreement that I would buy the new polisher and a range of polishing and waxing pads which he could keep afterwards as long as I could borrow them again. Pretty good deal for both of us.

What are your thoughts?

[T600]

I think we should introduce a special bravery award for you.

The G220 is a great machine, but personally I'd be very wary of using it on a new car without a LOT of practice unless you really know what you're doing which I guess your mate does.

When I got mine I was able to try it out on our scrap corolla which had exactly the same paint as my MR2. I'm still frightened to use it on our other car though which I think will be somewhat easier to damage.

I'd also have referred the problems with the paintwork back to the supplying dealer rather than fixing them myself or getting someone else to do it.

But I'm glad it has worked out for you!

[on board training]

WOW! What a difference in depth and shine of the black paintwork.

All dealer induced swirls and scratches removed using:

A quality shampoo woolen & synthetic mitt wash

Meguiars Quik clay & detailing Spray Kit

Poorboys SSR1 Polish followed by a wash,

then Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax, the latter applied by warm hands and both machined off using Meguiars Dual Action Polisher.

Not me in the pictures but my friend Alex who now has a new toy and spent 9 hours today detailing the car!

Clean car but no real depth or quality shine

Swirl marks like this on the bonnet were apparent on most panels of the car!

SWIRL MARKS GONE AND WHAT A SHINE!

[T600]

Very nice finish indeed. Certainly better than I've managed so far, though my car has some scratches that are slightly too deep to polish out without thinning the paint too much.

Now you've got that standard of finish from day one you can hopefully keep it that good just by taking care when washing, and applying the wax on a regular basis. Result.

Interesting that he used the Meguiars on the Wax. Opinion seems to be divided on whether it's beneficial. I've not tried it but maybe will give it a go next time I wax the car.

[*Tracy*]

That's a nice finish!

I have had the same issue with the dealer giving me my new yaris in a not so clean condition, but I complained.

I will be cleaning mine again once they've sorted it.

Tracy

[on board training]

Hi,

Not long back from garage. Last night I discovered that the garage had put my private plate on the car but had not dealt with the Retention Certificate and documentation properly as I discovered the car had an '08' regn. no. on the tax disc!

So back home with normal plates on and dealer has to sort out the mess the salesman has left the private plate paperwork in. Should have ben really easy, brand new car and I hand delivered the Retention Certificate to the before they even took delivery of the car. It beggars belief.

I also told sales manager that I was not impressed with the predelivery preparation of the car and as I had already arranged proper detailing of the car I was happier getting the swirls and marked paintwork worked on myself. He did say he would take it up with valeters to minimise it happening to someone else.

[on board training]

Well this is the first time I've had the level of detailing done to any of my cars and I can certainly say that this is making it so easy to keep the car in good clean condition.

Due to my recovery from a leg operation my sons have been tasked with washing the car and he is saying it is easy to clean. he is actually enjoying it.

Each time he is foaming it with Meguiars Hyper Wash using the Gilmour Foamaster II Foam Gun used with a standard garden hose, then rinsed, foamed again, then using Meguiars Shampoo Plus in bucket wash with two other buckets to rinse the wool mitt (so maintaining a 3 bucket wash). He then dries the car off with a poorboys waffle weave drying towel. The finish is just amazing each time and well worth the initial effort.