Any good or bad experience of servicing with Inchcape?

[Booth11]

My BMW was perfectly washed by the dealer FOC.

My Mk6 GTI was also washed well (FOC) by my dealer until the last time before it went, when they gave it a makeover with a goodbye swirly present.

My R will probably be detailed at some stage, that is if I can be bothered. My view is that if a car looks ok from a distance of 10 feet, it is good enough.

You have had the good fortune to find a rare dealer who is capable of washing your car without making it look like it's survived Attack of the Brillo Pads (well apart from that last time).

I myself wouldn't risk it.

[am1w]

BMWs have to be washed in accordance to a specific and strict factory menu. Took them around 1.5 hours for a spruce.

No such luck with most VW Dealers.

[monkeyhanger]

My supplying dealer (Durham Pulman) has an auto car wash. 

They will be under strict instructions not to put the R through that for PDI. Previous cars bought from Pulman Sunderland (they have no auto car wash) have always been well cleaned following delivery/warranty work/service.

[Jackie Treehorn]

BMWs have to be washed in accordance to a specific and strict factory menu. Took them around 1.5 hours for a spruce.

Sounds like complete B*****cks to me

[Booth11]

My supplying dealer (Durham Pulman) has an auto car wash. 

They will be under strict instructions not to put the R through that for PDI. Previous cars bought from Pulman Sunderland (they have no auto car wash) have always been well cleaned following delivery/warranty work/service.

My local one doesn't have an auto but I've watched their guys washing other cars and    I wouldn't let them within Asker's 10 feet of my car.

Getting my R from JCB Medway and don't know what the car wash set up is there but, even though my car is months away from delivery, my dealer has already been told I don't want it washing, just the stickers removing.

[Booth11]

BMWs have to be washed in accordance to a specific and strict factory menu. Took them around 1.5 hours for a spruce.

Sounds like complete B*****cks to me

Be interesting to know what the "specific and strict factory menu" says 

[am1w]

BMWs have to be washed in accordance to a specific and strict factory menu. Took them around 1.5 hours for a spruce.

Sounds like complete B*****cks to me

Most un-ladylike.
Had a bad day?

[Jackie Treehorn]

  Bit patronising? 

I assume you have read my user name and thought...

Is your name Am1w?

 Jackie Treehorn: see sig, nothing to do with women

2 BMW dealers I know have a few min wage Europeans washing with some kind of TFR they strips every piece of wax or sealant off the car in 30 secs they then dry the car off

On the subject of looking for a good dealer.

If you intend to keep the car, and I mean keep the car for 8-10 years then sure look after it, and search for a good dealer.

If like many on here though you intend to get rid of it, on or before the end of the PCP/lease 2-3 years, why does it matter?  Life's too short to worry about swirls added to the paint randomly, or whether they will drive your car for 5 miles on a test drive after a service. Your get the GFV and more when you roll into the dealer in 2 years time when you are bored anyway.  i'm sure the dealer won't care if only other dealers have washed it and it has a few swirls.  The market value and GFV will dictate what its worth. They will be looking for tread depth, stone chips, the sort of things that hit the profit for the future sale.. Your not sadly passing the keys onto like minded VW enthusiasts, for them to look after your pride and joy, your dumping it at the dealer and picking up the new car and not looking back!! 

So why should you care what it is treated like for such a short period of time?  Unless of course you are keeping it for 10 years 

I understand the pride in peoples cars but some seem to keep them such a short period of time 2-4 years i don't see the point in having high levels of OCD.

[mcmaddy]

As an example you take two cars into a dealer and both are the same age, model etc. Car one looks a total s4itter with paint swirls, chips and generally untidy bodywork. Car two had been looked after with spotless paint and it's clean. Which car will get the higher trade in price? That's the reason why some of us like our cars detailed and clean no matter how long they are kept. I haven't decided what I'm doing with mine yet come end of pcp but if I keep it I know the paintwork is nice 

[Booth11]

Agree with mcmaddy, and of course not everyone leases and may well sell privately, in which case the condition of the car does have a bearing on the sale value.

Additionally, for some of us it is a pride thing and a desire to keep our cars in good order and state of repair, regardless of the length of ownership, as futile as that may sound to others.  It's what we might do with any of our possessions.  It doesn't matter to me if I have a car 6 months or 10 years, I'll still look after it in the same manner.

Strange analogy perhaps but if I was getting a pet with a limited lifespan, I wouldn't treat it like a piece if sh!t because it might die in 3-4 years!

And then there are those amongst us that like detailing, but that's another story.