[blaz]

Looks like I've had this thrown into my M340i deal

I checked the swirls / detail / ceramic coating thread

Has anybody experienced this 'Auto-Glym exterior & interior protection package' pls?

[Jim_330e]

Originally Posted by blaz

Looks like I've had this thrown into my M340i deal

I checked the swirls / detail / ceramic coating thread

Has anybody experienced this 'Auto-Glym exterior & interior protection package' pls?

Also known as Lifeshine.

If it's applied by the dealer, I'd avoid it. They generally don't have the time or skill to detail a car correctly.

[Beemer5to3]

As above - find yourself a good local detailer who will do a better job for probably half the price.

[Amos91]

Thrown in... I'd throw it straight in the bin. Waste of time.

[blaz]

Thanks all - have asked how much for taking it out of the deal. Let's see.

[Funboy78]

Originally Posted by blaz

Thanks all - have asked how much for taking it out of the deal. Let's see.

They added it into my price, £399 for body, £99 for alloys. Told them to remove it as I would be stripping it off when it got home and doing it properly.....

By properly I mean myself and own kit so take with a pinch of salt, either way not them rushing it on. I find the new Turtle Wax Hybrid Sealant Hydrophobic Spray is amazing! Beats my mcguiars ultimate paste wax hands down imo.... give it a good clay bar, then wax, better than anything BMW can offer imo.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Jim_330e

Also known as Lifeshine.

But only if your left expectancy's very short!

The reality is they just use the sort of Autoglym products you can buy and apply yourself so for me it's a rip-off. If you're happy with Autoglym buy the stuff and do it yourself, if you want protection to last more than a few months put the money towards a proper detail and ceramic coat. All IMHO of course!

[Funboy78]

This is interesting -

Never had it myself, not sure on what either are like in the real world or over time?

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by Funboy78

This is interesting -


Never had it myself, not sure on what either are like in the real world or over time?

It's really good, but only if you are prepared to wash the car yourself using 2 bucket method etc. I had it applied to my Q7 and after 4 years, the paintwork still looked amazing. Had the odd few stone chips you'd expect after that time, but from 10 yards away, it looked like new.

I had an X5 before that, no coating, only washed by the local hand car wash and after 4 years it looked awful.

[Jim_330e]

The main issue is not the products they actually use as AG do some decent products. It's the prep before they apply the product and how they apply them. Detailing is a very time-consuming job and dealers want to do everything in the shortest time as its a labour cost - even more so if they've chucked it in for free.

But yes, as srbs73 says, it depends on how you plan to keep it clean. Unfortunately almost every hand car wash will use harmful products that cause damage to any protection that's been applied to your car. Most TFRs will strip off your wax in one go which is what they spray on your car while you wait in a queue for your free swirls.

[del82]

Originally Posted by Jim_330e

The main issue is not the products they actually use as AG do some decent products. It's the prep before they apply the product and how they apply them. Detailing is a very time-consuming job and dealers want to do everything in the shortest time as its a labour cost - even more so if they've chucked it in for free.

But yes, as srbs73 says, it depends on how you plan to keep it clean. Unfortunately almost every hand car wash will use harmful products that cause damage to any protection that's been applied to your car. Most TFRs will strip off your wax in one go which is what they spray on your car while you wait in a queue for your free swirls.

Totally agree with this. All about the prep. If the car isn't prepared right then all that happens is that the product is put over the top and highlights any imperfections.

When I brought my first ever new BMW, I was sucked into this kind of package from dealer. It was just applied by the dealers car wash team in a matter of hours.

Looked awful after a few days and could see where they had gone over the non paint parts of the car with the wrong product so had white smears. Plus it lasted 4 weeks!

For me it's totally not worth it. If you care about the paint work, then have it prepped and ceramic coated and then wash it properly. It costs if not DIY but lasts many years and makes washing easier.

If you don't care and just take it to a car wash place then getting the dealer package is a waste of time anyway!

Either way avoid, avoid, avoid. Not just because it's a waste of money, but if not applied by someone who knows what they are doing it's worse than none at all!

For the OP's reference: my ceramic coating on this car took 3 full days, wheels, underneath, glass and interior all coated and inside and paintwork looks new after 6 months. Cost £850 but if BMW charge £500 then it's better value IMHO. At least that's my man maths...

[Osxboy]

My wife’s A4 Avant has this thrown in and it was actually applied by a specialist detailing company as the dealer had no capacity to do it. It’s obviously not as good as a full ceramic product but given it was free and applied by someone who knows their trade it’s OK IMHO. Would I pay for it? No.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Funboy78

This is interesting -

Never had it myself, not sure on what either are like in the real world or over time?

It is an interesting topic but the ultimate solution - which sounds like protective film with a ceramic coat on top - can get pretty expensive! For example, if you want all the paintwork covering with Xpel on a car the size of a 3-series it's circa £5k and then you've got the cost of your ceramic coating to add to that. Ok, arguably you could restrict the film protection to just the more vulnerable areas (front bumper, leading edge of the bonnet, etc) but even then you're probably talking circa £1k plus the ceramic coating.

My car's booked in for a GTechniq new car detail the week after next and that's going to cost £495. That's for a ceramic coating plus interior and wheel protection and, while not cheap, I reckon it looks a bargain compared to the £399 plus £99 for wheel protection quoted earlier in the thread for the Autoglym solution from a BMW dealer!

That said, there is a school of thought that conventional waxing is better in at least some situations; the chap in the video below explains although as he's CEO of Swissvax he's arguably not entirely independent!

[Funboy78]

Originally Posted by JNW1

That said, there is a school of thought that conventional waxing is better in at least some situations; the chap in the video below explains although as he's CEO of Swissvax he's arguably not entirely independent!

Interesting video that!
I never keep my cars long enough, I’m lucky not to change every 6 months if I even make it that far! Will stick to wax for now, but I do like the idea of Ceramic! Maybe my 340i after this one later in the year

[srbs73]

Given it's raining, here's a top view of the difference in hydrophobic properties - hope this is visible on the compressed photo!

My wifes 118i (left) was delivered beginning of June and had the Autoglym Lifeshine thrown in. Mine came a couple of weeks after and has Gtechniq Serum light with Exo.

The water on the touring forms into bubbles and then slides off the car.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Funboy78

Interesting video that!
I never keep my cars long enough, I’m lucky not to change every 6 months if I even make it that far! Will stick to wax for now, but I do like the idea of Ceramic! Maybe my 340i after this one later in the year

Change every 6 months? Unless you do a really high mileage you must only be getting the car run-in for the next owner! I also assume they're company cars and not privately owned - buying new and getting rid after 6 months sounds a very expensive way of running a car!

However, on that sort of timescale I agree a ceramic coat wouldn't be worth the money...

[blaz]

yay found it itemised at t £549

They haven't got back to me yet.

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by blaz

yay found it itemised at t £549

They haven't got back to me yet.

£549 for Lifeshine is a joke IMO; you can get a detail including a ceramic coating on a new car for less than that!

[srbs73]

Originally Posted by JNW1

£549 for Lifeshine is a joke IMO; you can get a detail including a ceramic coating on a new car for less than that!

I just checked my order and they were trying to charge me £200 before I got it removed. They added it without me requesting it or discussing. Looks like they also have variable pricing.

[Funboy78]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Change every 6 months? Unless you do a really high mileage you must only be getting the car run-in for the next owner! I also assume they're company cars and not privately owned - buying new and getting rid after 6 months sounds a very expensive way of running a car!

However, on that sort of timescale I agree a ceramic coat wouldn't be worth the money...

Haha.... you would think so!
No all my cars are privately owned and purchased. I don’t need a car, I barely drive so it’s just a toy. My RS5 I purchased in November new, I covered 2,000 miles when I traded it in 2 weeks ago for my 330i.
Yes I waste loads of money on cars, I know, can’t help it, get bored quickly I suppose

[hamera]

Originally Posted by Funboy78

Haha.... you would think so!
No all my cars are privately owned and purchased. I don’t need a car, I barely drive so it’s just a toy. My RS5 I purchased in November new, I covered 2,000 miles when I traded it in 2 weeks ago for my 330i.
Yes I waste loads of money on cars, I know, can’t help it, get bored quickly I suppose

I think I must be doing something wrong. I need to find a different job

[Vossy]

Originally Posted by hamera

I think I must be doing something wrong. I need to find a different job

That’s a very expensive 2000 miles!