[SteveGiant]

I expect my X5 to arrive at the dealer in a couple of weeks, and since I am an amateur detailing nerd, I want to be sure that it’s delivered with no dealer-installed scratches.

What do I ask the dealer so that the car is delivered without the potential for paint damage?

Also, if they don’t wash the car for delivery, how can I best inspect the paint for issues if it’s still dirty from shipping?

[Pheonix]

I would ask them to skip the Delivery Prep for the exterior since you are going to do the paint correction/detailing yourself any way. Some dealerships outsource the detailing and usually use the cheapest sources possible.

[tracer bullet]

Agreed to ask. I mentioned it to my sales guy when I got my Z4, and I'm not sure what they did or didn't do, but it came to me perfect. I was ready for all sorts of work to be needed and had nothing. I think a lot of it depends on the dealer. Some will be freaks in a good way, some may not give a crap at all.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by SteveGiant

I expect my X5 to arrive at the dealer in a couple of weeks, and since I am an amateur detailing nerd, I want to be sure that it’s delivered with no dealer-installed scratches.

You can ask the dealer to skip "delivery prep", but that doesn't guaranteed scratch-free car. Do realize that all non-X cars were shipped by boat, had protective vinyl applied and then pealed from the paint. Cars have been sitting in tight confines of the ship, then at the port of entry, then on a truck while being transported to the dealer. Plenty of opportunities to pickup scratches, even if the dealer doesn't add any new ones!

Originally Posted by SteveGiant

Also, if they don’t wash the car for delivery, how can I best inspect the paint for issues if it’s still dirty from shipping?

You really can not.
You should pretty much expect that someone will wash the car, likely adding clear coat scratches, before it gets into your hands. Which is OK, your detailer will polish out those scratches.

Originally Posted by Pheonix

Some dealerships outsource the detailing and usually use the cheapest sources possible.

Every dealer I know just peels the protective vinyl (on the outside) and plastic (on the inside) and then runs new cars through a drive-through wash before delivery.
Outsourcing to the lowest bidding detailer is too slow and too expensive for them!

YMMV,
a

[86Zed]

While not commonplace, I am guessing dealers receive a number of these requests for enthusiast cars. A fear years back, delivery of our ND Miata.



Another of our cars was received with a large crack and scratch in the plastic (painted) rear valence, likely from the tow truck tiedown straps. We mentioned it, and it was replaced at no charge once the component was available a few months later.

[BWBike]

Talking with your sales person might not be enough. Might have talk with the service manager and have it documented what you want or don’t want when the car came in.

I had asked my sales person to omit the tire shine crap. But when the car rolled out, it had tire shine on it. Thankfully, my particular car did not have cobweb scratches on the paint or shiny black plastic bits.

The sales person is likely too busy to address every customers’ wishes.

[Mech Spec]

My sales guy (or whatever you call them these days) received a few texts from me explicitly stating that they were not to prep or touch the car. It came to me unprepped and untouched.

Mind you, I had never met any of these people or set foot in the dealership.

Just be clear with what you expect and enjoy driving your dirty ass brand new car home.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BWBike

Talking with your sales person might not be enough. Might have talk with the service manager and have it documented what you want or don’t want when the car came in.

Every dealer is different, at my dealer the new car prep is located in the same building where their showroom is located and not at their service department which is about 1 mile away so talking to the service manager won't help.

I have a great salesman and if I tell him not to prep the exterior I am sure the request will be honored.

[SteveGiant]

Thanks for all the replies — I really appreciate the input.

I don’t want to be a pain with the dealer, but I keep thinking about my neighbor’s experience. He got his X5M (Marina Bay Blue Metallic) from the same dealership mine is coming from. When he brought it home, it looked amazing in the sunlight — super clean and shiny — but later we noticed it had a lot of spider-webbing and swirl marks.

I’m guessing that was caused by the dealer’s prep work, right?

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by SteveGiant

I’m guessing that was caused by the dealer’s prep work, right?

I would agree with you and assume that the dealer prep work was the likely suspect.

[JoeyO]

My local BMW dealership had several new BMW’s on the lot which had some serious fish scaling on the clear coat. Fish scaling is the result of somebody who doesn’t know how to use an orbital buffer. Darn shame. They’re also known as holograms.

[egparson202]

Do it yourself. The dealer will be happy to accommodate, but you need to follow up before during and after because this is not their norm.

[M3Sleeper]

When i ordered my M3 I asked them not to touch the car.

They kept the window sticker on the car, all stickers on the interior and exterior.

The only issue was the tech got their dirty greasy hands on my interior which was cleaned up when I got home.

I did not have anything removed including the white plastic and door protector until I took it to PPF and tints a couple days later.

NEVER let the dealer wash your car under any circumstance especially when its new with 0-20 miles on the ODO.

[IDBGOD]

End of the day it really doesn’t matter what you do.

If you ask them not to touch the car, it will still be dirty and likely still need paint correction. It’s not perfect, even from the factory.

If you let them wash /prep the car, guaranteed some swirl scratches. Some dealerships are better than others on detailing. Some, just basically run it through an automatic wash and dry it off.

If you saw your neighbors car after delivery, and you are taking delivery at the same dealership, then simply ask them not to clean it. You will have more control making it look better yourself.