Technical
Without going into too much detail here is an outline of what we do and the processes we use to keep our customers cars in tip top condition. If there is any further information not listed here please contact us for a more in-depth explanation.
A DEEP CLEANSING OF YOUR CARS PAINTWORK
When we wax or seal your car (usually every 3-6 months if your car is on one of our Care Plans) we take a great deal of care to ensure that your paintwork is properly cleaned prior to our application of a protective wax or sealant.
OUR TYPICAL DEEP CLEANSING PROCESS LOOKS LIKE THIS:
Pre-foam car with snow foam to loosen dirt and grit particles, allow to soak and rinse off.
Carefully wash car with a high quality shampoo and lambswool wash mitt then dry with microfiber towels.
Use a decontaminant to remove iron deposits from vehicle paintwork-wheels seen below: this changes colour as the chemical reaction occurs and is 100% safe.
De-tar the areas susceptible to tar build up and allow to dwell, remove gently with a very soft cloth and then rinse car.
Clay-bar car to remove bonded-on contaminants.
Wipe car down with isopropyl alcohol to remove clay-bar lubricant or any shampoo residue.
Apply a paint cleanser to the car and buff off. Then, when we are 100% happy that your cars paint is clean, we apply a protective wax or sealant.
Please note that with cheaper valets you will often only have the wash part of this process included. And quite often de-tarring is an extra.
Please keep this in mind when comparing what we do with other valeting companies.
SNOWFOAM
This is basically a high cling mousse that cleans and lifts dirt/road grime off the vehicle which we use prior to washing, it reduces the likelehood of inflicting swirls and scratches to the paint and is an important stage in the cleaning process.
DE-TARRING
This is another important step in the cleaning process we apply a paint friendly solvent to the bodywork, this is our preferred method of tar removal and probably the most effective and can reach areas that a clay bar our other method cannot reach.
The other thing to remember is that tar if left on bodywork can and will do some degree of harm to the paint.
CLAY-BAR
We use clay-bars with a special lubricant to remove all manor of foreign bodies which attach themselves to your vehicles paintwork these typically being tree sap, overspray from bodyshop work ,tar ,even particles of metal which come from various sources ie train station car parks when trains (remember they run on metal tracks) when they stop brakedust gets released into the air which is very hot and can burn into your vehicles paintwork but can come from various sources ,industrial estates airports etc,
The clay bars we use come in different grades some are harsh which we use for removing overspray and some very mild which are the ones we use nearly everyday and remove the problems we have mentioned above.
Clay bar after a door panel on a Jaguar XJL .
PAINT CORRECTION
The term paint correction is used to describe a multi stage polishing process that removes defects in vehicle paintwork those defects being mainly scratches ,swirls or cobwebbing, holograms or buffer trails , oxidized paint.
.Scratches - these can be caused by hedgerows –vandalism etc
Swirls / cobwebbing – this is usually caused by automated car washes or/and dirty sponges brushes etc more noticeable in direct sunlight or petrol station lights at night.
Holograms/ buffer trails – these are usually caused by valeters or bodyshops polishing the paint with compounds and not allowing the polish to break down properly plus other factors like to higher polisher speed etc. can be easily rectified.more noticeable on dark colours .
Oxidised paint- caused by uv rays in sunlight more noticeable in solid reds usually tends to go pink .
Bird strikes – although they sing very nicely mostly and look cute , bird droppings are a menace to vehicle paintwork especially in hot weather and can eat right through vehicle paintwork in some cases- can in the main be removed fairly easily….
CAR SIZES- DEFINITIONS
SMALL - MINI- MICRA- SMART –CORSA –KA- ETC
MEDIUM - FOCUS –ASTRA-AUDI A3- BMW 1 SERIES-ETC
LARGE -MONDEO –VECTRA- AUDI A4-5- MERCEDES C CLASS
EXTRA LARGE- ESTATES – 4X4’S- RANGE ROVER SPORT/DISCOVERY- TOYOTA LAND CRUISER- AUDI A6-8- MONDEO ESTATE - ETC
When we decide that this is the only course of action to rectify defects we set to work with our PDG (Paint depth gauge)and take multiple readings of the paint thickness per panel then it is out with our machine polisher and different grades of pads/polishes, but our first priority is to make sure we take the minimal amount of clearcoat off to achieve the required level of correction, for this we start off with a least aggresive pad polish combination and work up until we acquire the desired result.
This is a labour intensive and time consuming excersise and typically to do a full car and achieve correction usually takes around 1-2 days machining some times more and we would recommend this for prestige high end vehicles that aren't used daily for daily driven vehicles we would recommend our PLATINUM DETAIL
CAR CARE ADVICE
Just a little advice from us to help you keep your car in good condition..
If you require further info please contact us.
The following is a list of no no's if you want to keep your vehicle in tip top condition.
Automated car washes -these can and regularly do damage to the clearcoat or wax/sealant layer you or we so lovingly put on the previous week and will scratch your car.... we have seen brand new cars paintwork requiring correction work after just 2-3 washes using these .... you have been warned.
Hand car washes , most of these use TFR which is a caustic cleaner, great for cleaning the sides of lorries but can and WILL stain plastics/chrome/paintwork on your car, usually used by side of the road hand washes or dealership courtesy valets. WE DO NOT USE TFR.
POLISHING
Most people think that their car needs polishing every week/month truth is with proper care and correct wash technique your car shouldn’t need polishing more than once a year in general but people think that polishing is the same as waxing in truth polishing removes oxidisation- scratches- clearcoat and improves gloss, waxing seals that shine in and offers long term protection. There are what we call AIO (all in one) polishes waxes- which do both at the same time they have polish particles and wax at the same time but these generally do not offer any real long term protection weeks generally.
Polishing per se will offer a few weeks protection but applying more polish the week after is futile. What do we mean by this? If we valet your car and put on a layer of wax/sealant to protect your paintwork polishing will remove it... best to apply a wax or a Quick detailer this adds to the protection and waxes/sealants can be layered usually 3 coats of wax/sealant is enough as after 3 coats aesthetically you won’t notice any difference. Also a wax should always go on top of a sealant-polish apply a wax first and a sealant will not adhere to the oily nature of the wax always wax over polish or sealant.
HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT WON’T HURT YOUR VEHICLE
Power washing- does not harm your vehicle unless you get too close we recommend not getting any closer than 12-18 inches from paintwork.
Snowfoam- this is a foam that is sprayed onto the car with a foam lance and has deep cleaning properties yet is soft enough to not strip your wax protection we leave this to dwell on the vehicle to lift dirt and carry it away minimising the chances of wash marring from wiping dirt into the paintwork causing scratches.
Wash and wax shampoos- these are safe and add to protection also.
Quick detailers are used as a quick wax top up they add gloss and protection all be it for a few weeks…
A BASIC WASH GUIDE
WHAT WE RECOMMEND
1-2 Buckets 2 is better lambswool washmitt , not a sponge, hosepipe preferably with a sprayer/jet nozzle attachment- car specific shampoo/wash wax- soft bristled wheel brush- car glass cleaner- wheel cleaner- microfibre drying towel( not a chamois)
We recommend washing if possible out of direct sunlight fill both buckets with luke warm water and add shampoo solution to one of the buckets
if using pressure washer/hose jet loose dirt off starting at the top and work down
Then dip the washmitt in shampoo solution and starting at the top with the roof work flat panels first ie roof- bonnet- boot- wash panel then dip washmitt in the bucket with just water inside and remove and dip into the shampoo solution , wash another panel dip washmitt in non shampoo solution rinse then repeat process etc until all the car is washed.
Then using a sponge or old cloth wash wheels with solution or wheel cleaner. spray on wheel cleaner wash and rinse off clean all wheels and wipe dry with cloth or kitchen towel.
rinse off whole vehicle with open ended hose or jetwash.
then dry vehicle with microfibre drying towel don't forget doorshuts.
Then clean glass with car specific glass cleaner and hey presto clean car ..
BUYING A NEW CAR
We can offer advice on buying a new car from our point of view and yours ie:
If you have pets or children or both its probably best to buy a vehicle with leather interior if the budget allows and get us to protect not just the exterior but interior as well reasons for this are:
DOGS
No matter how hard you try dogs get dirty, as do children and some adults but bruno likes jumping in rivers rolling around in allsorts (cow dung if my parents dog is anything to go by) and then they get in the back of your car shake themselves down (they tend to wait till they do this until they are in the car) but also you have mouth/nose mucus, mud etc so with leather it's easier to clean a quick wipe with a soft cloth/ warm water usually suffices.
With dogs we would advise a dog cage or at least a bootliner as this helps keep bruno's mess to a minimum.
CHILDREN
Children on long or short journeys tend to get bored quite quickly and so maybe some pens/pencils/crayons and a colouring book will entertain them? Yes they do but be aware that pen in the most part will not come out of interior fabrics or even leather if not spotted early enough call us as soon as you spot pen on leather as early detection increases the chances of removal....
How about sweets ? yes but little johnny doesn't want to eat all the sweets he wants to put them in places like seatbelt locks and under seats, on seats, in door ashtrays rear heater vents, childrens imagination can be very inventive when bored and when they are half eaten boiled sweets on upholstery and in confined places can be tricky to remove. With leather it's much easier to remove usually a wipe with a soft damp cloth will suffice.. But be warned by far the worst sweets are smarties they will stain leather and upholstery: we are in no way smartie-est so please do not phone the sweet police but they do stain and it won't as a rule come out and is very difficult to remove ....BE WARNED.
ADVICE ON BUYING A NEW CAR FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW
We would always advise getting the car protected from day one but would also warn against the overpriced dealer protection packages if you can get them for free great but they will and do charge anything from £200-£450 for these G3Valeting can offer you a significantly large discount on these price Usually dealerships claims of 5 year guarantees are inflated and they are selling kits that are old technology polymer based coatings, we can offer far superior protection that lasts years not months ...See our new car protection detail in Exterior Valeting.
If scratches/swirls/dirt easily annoy you then buy a silver or light metallic colour car it hides a multitude of sins and won't look dirty as quickly as say black or dark colours.
Multispoke wheels look nice but trap dirt easily and make it ny on impossible for us to clean the insides of them without taking the wheels off ...which is time consuming and also costly.
As said earlier if budget permits specify leather,much easier to keep clean and with proper maintenance will last years,upholstery starts to look shabby after 12-18 months use.
If possible always get either rubber mats or good quality carpet alternatives.
Last but not least have your car valeted regularly ...
FINGERMARKS ON YOUR BODYWORK?
These are in most cases suncream although sweets or soft drinks ie: coke,or mechanics oily fingerprints can also be the culprit, these can sometimes be polished out by hand for no extra cost, but because they usually eat into the clearcoat of your vehicle they usually in most cases require machine polishing out....
FAQ’S
HOW LONG BEFORE YOU CAN VALET MY CAR
This is usually around 10 days-2weeks due to the fact that we are very busy and booked up with regular customers although this can vary either way and if we can help we will so give us a call.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Typically for a car the size of a mondeo around 3-5 hrs for our gold valet plus full interior although depending on condition of vehicle could take longer.
WHY CHOOSE G3 VALETING?
For a start we don't just do a quick wash and hoover we do a THOROUGH CLEAN and we use car friendly products from suppliers such as Mitchell and King, Collinite, Zymol ,Poorboys, Zaino , Gtechniq,Wolfs chemicals- well known manufacturers of highest quality car care products to name just a few . The products we use are sourced from around the world with total car care in mind, from our carnauba waxes to our paint sealants and interior dressings of which all are designed to offer your vehicle total protection from the elements whilst making your vehicle gleam. We pride ourselves in offering the best car care in the south west of England and beyond, with total commitment to customer satisfaction.
WHAT IS A DETAIL?
Basically it is a very thorough clean of your vehicle which is much much more than just a general valet .A detail involves multi stage cleaning/polishing processes with strict attention to detail (pardon the pun) often involves engine detailing- wheels off –wheelarch detailing –intricate interior cleaning with various brushes- fabric roof cleaning/protection-interior dressings- 2-3 stage machine polishing-clay bar- and much much more ….
HOW MUCH IS A VALET?
This is our most asked question and one in which we cannot answer until we have inspected the vehicle as there are too many variables such as customer requirements condition of vehicle, size of vehicle, what protection level you require daily driven,etc etc so to meet with you is our number one requirement to best ascertain your requirements although prices quoted on the site are for cars in relatively good condition.
DO YOU COME TO US?
Yes we do we are fully mobile with our own power and water on board all we need from you is the keys to the car so that we can clean windows fully if electric, and a cup of tea an a hob nob. (please note hob nobs are optional ).
We also have our detailing unit situated in Middlemarsh in Dorset near Sherborne for us to work in a controlled heated environment enabling us to work to even higher standards…Bookings by appointment only.
DO YOU?
JUST DO WASHES ? no CLEAN FARM OR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ? no VALET INTERIORS ONLY ? only full interiors . OFFER A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND GREAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL ? YES WE DO AND OVER 80 OF OUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS AGREE.
CAN YOU STILL VALET MY CAR IF THE WEATHER IS BAD?
We unfortunately cannot work in heavy rain as waxes/sealants cannot adhere to vehicle paintwork.although we may be able to offer a mini valet service in light drizzle. Freezing conditions tends to make water freeze on impact on car bodywork and trying to remove this dirty frozen water can cause scratches,as well as the health and safety issue of ice on the ground, ( unfortunately up until now we are not famous enough to be invited to appear on dancing on ice and get skating lessons with torvill and dean).We can however valet your car at our fully insured premises in Middlemarsh Dorset..
If there is no shelter at your premises then unfortunately in these conditions we would need to re-book your appointment at a mutually agreed time.
WHEN BUYING A NEW CAR SHOULD I GET THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED SEALANTS?
A question we get asked more than you would think ,in answer to this we would say yes as long as it is free , in our experience this can happen but rarely does, but be aware that the 3-5 years they claim it will last, in our experience never does most sealants last a year tops and require regular maintenance. . Dealerships usually charge around £200-£450 for their sealants which are vastly overpriced and costs a fraction of this price, and takes around 2-3 hrs to apply, so worth a think.
New cars in our experience are never in as good a condition as you would expect they usually come with swirls inflicted by the dealership prep some covered in fallout and worse incorrectly applied paint protection systems to name a few.
We offer a new car detail which is much more in depth than just applying the product.... it is a total deep clean of the car that dealerships would struggle to achieve, plus you the customer can watch us apply the products safe in the knowledge that your vehicle has the best start to it's life.
DO WE TAKE SUGAR IN TEA/COFFEE
None in tea one in coffee and milk in both thankyou.
WAX/SEALANT PERFORMANCE
First thing to note is we use a variety of waxes and sealants that have various characteristics ie: looks,durability or both.
Also these have been extensively tested by customers/professionals alike and are renound for their capabilities. As a general rule of thumb a sealant will last longer than a wax but will not add depth to the paint although the gap is getting smaller. Waxes are renound for their gloss and depth making paintwork look almost wet.
COLLINITE MDE---WAX 6 MONTHS -BRONZE VALET/GOLD VALET.
COLLINITE INSULATOR WAX 6 MONTHS -BRONZE VALET.
RACEGLAZE 55 WAX- 4-6 MONTHS- GOLD VALET AND ABOVE
WOLFS HARDBODY- SEALANT- UP TO 24 MONTHS PLATINUM VALET
ZAINO Z2 PRO- SEALANT - 6 MONTHS+ - PLATINUM VALET
GTECHNIQ C1-EXO-NANO SEALANT-24 MONTHS + NEW CAR PROTECTION DETAIL
MITCHELL AND KING INTRIGUE- WAX – 6 MONTHS -PLATINUM DETAIL AND ABOVE
