A detailer may have damaged my car

SNO · 06-07-2017, 10:30 AM

Hi all,

I got my car detailed by a local company - did a clean, polish and wax of the outside and a clean of the inside. Within a few hours and since I noticed that at certain times of the day (when sun low in the sky), there were fine scratches/swirls over the instrument cluster plastic which is enough to send my OCD wild. I'm convinced that this damage was caused by him as it is the kind of thing I definitely would have noticed before. When I was inspecting the car I mentioned there were a couple of marks on the cluster (large pieces of dust ? due to the static) and watched him use a microfibre cloth wiping firmly over the instrument cluster. I'm not sure if it was this or what happened before. Now i'm livid because i've spent best part of £100 getting the car perfect and now to me it's tainted.

I have spoken to him and he says a microfibre could not cause damage to the glass. I mentioned it was plastic and he said it's not possible to cause this damage with a brand new microfibre which he says he used.

1. Could this have been done by a microfibre and if so, can I polish this out and 2. Whether it is worth making a complaint, it may be difficult to prove that he did it of course.

Thanks for your help!
Andy

Aaaaaaaaa · 06-07-2017, 11:42 AM

The instrument cover plastic has to be the softest plastic on earth. I'm convinced the only way to not scratch it is to not touch it with anything. You'll have to find some really fine polish to remove swirls from it sorry man.

Draper · 06-07-2017, 12:06 PM

Tint your windows to avoid direct sunlight?

mrduder · 06-07-2017, 12:25 PM

Everyone that has one of these cars that has cleaned that even once will all have swirls. He didn't damage it.

jfritz27 · 06-07-2017, 01:08 PM

Agreed, that plastic is super-soft. A MF could definitely do it, depending on kind/quality.

Good news -- you can fix it with this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Follow directions; start with the #2 and follow with #1. If not enough, then use #3. The above kit comes with special little towelettes to use, should be more than enough for the cluster

SNO · 06-07-2017, 01:14 PM

I'm sure the damage was new as I have always been OCD about the instrument cluster in all my cars, any dust etc. These swirls are really noticeable in the right light. Thanks for the tips I may have to get a professional to do it as would be worried about making it worse! Good to know it is fixable though, BMW have quoted me £1000 ($1300) for a new instrument cluster!

f83woody · 06-07-2017, 01:24 PM

Where in the world did you think you were getting quality work for an interior and exterior wash, polish, and wax for only $100....

SNO · 06-07-2017, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f83woody

Where in the world did you think you were getting quality work for an interior and exterior wash, polish, and wax for only $100....

Lesson learned!

jfritz27 · 06-07-2017, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNO

I'm sure the damage was new as I have always been OCD about the instrument cluster in all my cars, any dust etc. These swirls are really noticeable in the right light. Thanks for the tips I may have to get a professional to do it as would be worried about making it worse! Good to know it is fixable though, BMW have quoted me £1000 ($1300) for a new instrument cluster!

Trust me, try it yourself first. As long as you use the included cloths (can also buy extra Novus ones dirt cheap from Amazon just in case) and follow the directions, you can't make it worse. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

SNO · 06-07-2017, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfritz27

Trust me, try it yourself first. As long as you use the included cloths (can also buy extra Novus ones dirt cheap from Amazon just in case) and follow the directions, you can't make it worse. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'll give this a go thanks, as long as there's no risk of me making things worse! How long does it take, do you apply a lot of pressure?

jfritz27 · 06-07-2017, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNO

I'll give this a go thanks, as long as there's no risk of me making things worse! How long does it take, do you apply a lot of pressure?

5-10 minutes tops. Just light pressure.

Luminous · 06-07-2017, 03:15 PM

Yes a microfiber can definitely scratch the instrument panel plastic, I learned that the hard way!

SNO · 06-07-2017, 03:28 PM

Thanks for your help guys

06-07-2017, 10:30 AM	#1
SNO New Member 25 Rep 29 Posts Drives: 2016 AY BMW M4 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Halifax iTrader: (0)	A detailer may have damaged my car - advice needed! Hi all, I got my car detailed by a local company - did a clean, polish and wax of the outside and a clean of the inside. Within a few hours and since I noticed that at certain times of the day (when sun low in the sky), there were fine scratches/swirls over the instrument cluster plastic which is enough to send my OCD wild. I'm convinced that this damage was caused by him as it is the kind of thing I definitely would have noticed before. When I was inspecting the car I mentioned there were a couple of marks on the cluster (large pieces of dust ? due to the static) and watched him use a microfibre cloth wiping firmly over the instrument cluster. I'm not sure if it was this or what happened before. Now i'm livid because i've spent best part of £100 getting the car perfect and now to me it's tainted. I have spoken to him and he says a microfibre could not cause damage to the glass. I mentioned it was plastic and he said it's not possible to cause this damage with a brand new microfibre which he says he used. 1. Could this have been done by a microfibre and if so, can I polish this out and 2. Whether it is worth making a complaint, it may be difficult to prove that he did it of course. Thanks for your help! Andy __________________ Current - AY 2016 BMW M4 Previous - BMW M135i, Audi TTS
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06-07-2017, 12:06 PM	#3
Draper Brigadier General 3460 Rep 3,995 Posts Drives: M4 Comp / Macan Turbo Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Denver iTrader: (38)	Tint your windows to avoid direct sunlight? __________________ Current: G82 M4 Comp xDrive // Frozen Deep Grey Current: 95B.1 Macan Turbo // Dark Blue Metallic
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06-07-2017, 12:25 PM	#4
mrduder Captain 472 Rep 787 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	Everyone that has one of these cars that has cleaned that even once will all have swirls. He didn't damage it.
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06-07-2017, 01:08 PM	#5
jfritz27 Major 1107 Rep 1,301 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 CS Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: New Jersey iTrader: (0)	Agreed, that plastic is super-soft. A MF could definitely do it, depending on kind/quality. Good news -- you can fix it with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Follow directions; start with the #2 and follow with #1. If not enough, then use #3. The above kit comes with special little towelettes to use, should be more than enough for the cluster
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06-07-2017, 01:14 PM	#6
SNO New Member 25 Rep 29 Posts Drives: 2016 AY BMW M4 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Halifax iTrader: (0)	I'm sure the damage was new as I have always been OCD about the instrument cluster in all my cars, any dust etc. These swirls are really noticeable in the right light. Thanks for the tips I may have to get a professional to do it as would be worried about making it worse! Good to know it is fixable though, BMW have quoted me £1000 ($1300) for a new instrument cluster! __________________ Current - AY 2016 BMW M4 Previous - BMW M135i, Audi TTS
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06-07-2017, 11:42 AM	#2
Aaaaaaaaa Banned 7559 Rep 5,056 Posts Drives: The other M3 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: So Cal iTrader: (0)	The instrument cover plastic has to be the softest plastic on earth. I'm convinced the only way to not scratch it is to not touch it with anything. You'll have to find some really fine polish to remove swirls from it sorry man.
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06-07-2017, 01:24 PM	#7
f83woody Second Lieutenant 40 Rep 247 Posts Drives: It's a car Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Central NJ iTrader: (0)	Where in the world did you think you were getting quality work for an interior and exterior wash, polish, and wax for only $100....
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06-07-2017, 03:15 PM	#12
Luminous Captain 743 Rep 893 Posts Drives: 2019 M5 Competition Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Westchester County, NY iTrader: (2)	Yes a microfiber can definitely scratch the instrument panel plastic, I learned that the hard way! __________________ 2019 SG M5C 2015 SO M3 6MT 2015 BSM M235xi
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06-07-2017, 03:28 PM	#13
SNO New Member 25 Rep 29 Posts Drives: 2016 AY BMW M4 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Halifax iTrader: (0)	Thanks for your help guys __________________ Current - AY 2016 BMW M4 Previous - BMW M135i, Audi TTS
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