Author Topic: DIY or Pro?  (Read 6455 times)

Offline spills

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DIY or Pro?
« on: 16 June 2018, 13:47 »
With the arrival of my new GTI end of next month, do I detail it myself or get a professional to do it?
£300 for the pro to do it, or buy all the products and do it myself?
I don't really want the dealer to do it, so that's a no go. I am a bit obsessed when it comes to cleaning and I can practice on my wife's Fiesta in the meantime.

What products will I need for the initial clean?
I'm looking to ceramic coat it too, including the wheels. Any recommendations?
Hmmm help!

Offline Watts

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #1 on: 16 June 2018, 16:31 »
It's entirely up to you of course. To consider is your confidence, experience and ability. If you are confident then by doing it yourself you'll have the benefit of satisfaction in your own efforts (unless of course the confidence isn't backed up by ability :laugh:). If starting from scratch then cost wise there won't be much in it except in doing it yourself you'll have all you need to maintain your car for a few years barring consumables. If you have a pro do it then you'll know you have a near perfect base to maintain.

Above in this section are guides to what you need and how to do it such as http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=277318.0

Also you might what to consider what facilities you have available to you, what space you have and it's suitability.

Still, whatever you decide, what a nice dilemma to have :smiley:
2019 Oryx White 5dr TCR.

Was - 2015 Tornado Red 3dr GTI PP, manual, Santiagos, Audi short shifter.

Offline hog_hedge

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #2 on: 16 June 2018, 17:34 »
Just remember to buy a least a litre of Iron X/Korrosol etc because you’ll have a lot of fallout to shift. Even though the car travels with wraps I found that I still had a lot of fallout especially on the flat lip in front of the boot.

Offline spills

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #3 on: 16 June 2018, 18:37 »
It's entirely up to you of course. To consider is your confidence, experience and ability. If you are confident then by doing it yourself you'll have the benefit of satisfaction in your own efforts (unless of course the confidence isn't backed up by ability :laugh:). If starting from scratch then cost wise there won't be much in it except in doing it yourself you'll have all you need to maintain your car for a few years barring consumables. If you have a pro do it then you'll know you have a near perfect base to maintain.

Above in this section are guides to what you need and how to do it such as http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=277318.0

Also you might what to consider what facilities you have available to you, what space you have and it's suitability.

Still, whatever you decide, what a nice dilemma to have :smiley:

Thanks Watts 👍🏻
Top info there.
I'm gonna have a good read and decide.

Offline dubber36

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #4 on: 16 June 2018, 21:15 »
I think that if you have to ask the question at all, the answer is to use a pro.
Red Mk6 gone replaced with a white Mk7 which has gone too. Green Mk2 here to stay.

Offline hog_hedge

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #5 on: 16 June 2018, 23:47 »
I think that if you have to ask the question at all, the answer is to use a pro.

You’ve got to start somewhere and anything is better than the savages at the dealership.

Offline Booth11

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #6 on: 17 June 2018, 13:56 »
With the arrival of my new GTI end of next month, do I detail it myself or get a professional to do it?
£300 for the pro to do it, or buy all the products and do it myself?
I don't really want the dealer to do it, so that's a no go. I am a bit obsessed when it comes to cleaning and I can practice on my wife's Fiesta in the meantime.

What products will I need for the initial clean?
I'm looking to ceramic coat it too, including the wheels. Any recommendations?
Hmmm help!


I think it’s commendable your considering doing it yourself.  Nothing wrong with a Pro detail to give the car a great start the car out in life, and many many do it,and benefit from a car that’s pretty easy to maintain, but that’s all achieveable DIY if you have a mind to, the right basic tools, a bit of skill, the time and the will.  And if you enjoy it then it all adds to the ownership of the car. 
Black Beauty: MK7 R 5dr DSG, DBP, 19" Pretoria, DCC, Vienna leather, Keyless, Dynaudio, DNS Pro, Rear camera, HBA
2012 MK6 GTI DSG
2008 MK5 GTI DSG
2005 MK5 GTI Manual

https://www.flickr.com/photos/booth11

Offline Jeff Wood

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #7 on: 17 June 2018, 22:28 »
I'm going to buy a meguiers clay starter kit tomorrow and also some g3 body prep shampoo.

This is for my month old red mk7.5.

Then I've got some poor boys red wax to go on

Hope this set of products is the way to do it..

I've bought everything else, 2 buckets with grit guards, lots of nd cloths and even a fantastic fur polishing cloth


2018 Golf GTI. 3 Door. DSG. Tornado Red.
Eibach Pro Kit. OZ Hyper GT HLT Wheels. (18x8, ET50).
Forge 11mm spacers on rear wheels. 5mm on fronts.

Offline Watts

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #8 on: 18 June 2018, 08:24 »
Sounds good Jeff, are you going to use some IronX before claying? There could be quite a bit of bonded contamination from transporting the car.
2019 Oryx White 5dr TCR.

Was - 2015 Tornado Red 3dr GTI PP, manual, Santiagos, Audi short shifter.

Offline Jeff Wood

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Re: DIY or Pro?
« Reply #9 on: 18 June 2018, 10:45 »
arrrr is that another product to buy ???  :sad:

 :grin:
2018 Golf GTI. 3 Door. DSG. Tornado Red.
Eibach Pro Kit. OZ Hyper GT HLT Wheels. (18x8, ET50).
Forge 11mm spacers on rear wheels. 5mm on fronts.