Life Shine/ Auto Gaurd..biggest scam going?!

[Jane_i10]

As some will know im getting a new car (already ordered) but went round about 6 dealerships before i settled on my choice but there was in particular, Kia who kept throwing this Life Guard in my face.

The whole spiel of 'Well if you spill anything on the seats it will just wipe clean and the body work will be protected for the life of the car' oh and it will cost you £350...what utter codswallop. I used to work for Ford in the valeting bay and its just a crap sealant on the paint that doesn't get applied with any care what so ever, the aerosol that sprays the seat just like a hair spray.

I understand they have to offer it but the cheeky sod added it to the bill without even asking me and then frowned upon taking it off, that and another error of bare faced lying lost him the sale but what fool goes for this.

Save yourself £350, go buy a sealant for about £20 and im sorry there is nothing other then teflon coating that would save the seats.

[BossFox]

I agree.

It's got such a big mark up on it car dealers are usually very keen to add it to your bill.

What did you order in the end?

You did mention an i10, was that the final decision?

[KenONeill]

Sort of off-topic, but since you're on a rant too - My sis drives a Honda Jazz; it might have been a Nissan Micra, but the Nissan dealership couldn't even make and keep an appointment for a test drive.

[rover220]

dont bother.

take it to russ at midlands car care and get it protected properly before you let a dealer touch it

[Jane_i10]

I agree.

It's got such a big mark up on it car dealers are usually very keen to add it to your bill.

What did you order in the end?

You did mention an i10, was that the final decision?

Yeah i10 was the final decision, many reasons but mainly because it was the cheapest deal with the smallest deposit and it boasts a 4pot rather then a 3

Sort of off-topic, but since you're on a rant too - My sis drives a Honda Jazz; it might have been a Nissan Micra, but the Nissan dealership couldn't even make and keep an appointment for a test drive.

Yeah my partners dad went to test drive the new Range Rover, prebooked the appointment, turned up and there was no car to test drive and the sales man that he was dealing didt even show his face, to their credit though they have rung him back and given him the car for 24hours so all is well i suppose

[threadbear]

April last year my partner bought a nearly new Yaris from our local Toyota franchise and tried to flog her Lifeshine and I said it was "only good as the person applying it!" Which infact the salesman agreed with!

So I said Id do it myself. Since then its had 3 coats of Autoglym SRP, couple of Collinate 476s coats and some AG Extra Gloss protection.

[Coops]

Totally agree - for the price they are flogging it at you could get a pro-detailer to do a full detail session and it will last longer. Failing that buy some products and do it yourself.

Thing is there is very little margin in car sales these days and it is these areas where the dealer will make some profit - local servicing offers, Lifeshine etc.

[James I]

I called the dealers bluff with life shine, he explained all the bull and I asked if the showroom car had it done, yes he nodded, at this point I stood up with the coffee he made for me and walked to the car, opened the door and went to pour coffee on the seat. I was stopped, when I mentioned that it would simply wipe up as he had told me, he said no it won't...

I have to agree, money for a few autoglym products in a bag.

[Fitz323]

I'd have stopped you as well, lifeshine or not.

[Longdog]

This has been a hot topic on a few forums, I had lifeshine thrown in as part of the deal when I bought my car last year and I have to say that I think it's an excellent product - can't really say if if it's worth the asking price but my car, inside and out, still looks great after every wash.

[devonutopia]

So I said Id do it myself. Since then its had 3 coats of Autoglym SRP, couple of Collinate 476s coats and some AG Extra Gloss protection.

and the above kicks ass of any kind of "lifeshine" offered by dealers.

[littleade]

Good decision IMO. Far better to save the money and do it yourself using top grade 'usual' stuff. It's just another way for the dealer to increase their profit as far as I'm concerned.

[littleade]

Good decision IMO. I agee with you-it's far better to save the money and do it yourself using top grade 'usual' stuff. It's just another way for the dealer to increase their profit as far as I'm concerned.

[clarkey1269]

the product is pretty good in its self but the way its applied by the dealers is what lets it down.

in short don't bother save your money and buy it for <£20 on Ebay and do it yourself

[Jane_i10]

the product is pretty good in its self but the way its applied by the dealers is what lets it down.

in short don't bother save your money and buy it for <£20 on Ebay and do it yourself

Agreed although they are missing a few stages, theres no precleanse of the paint and nor does it have a second coat.

Although one sad thing that used to happen to all the cars that i got showed how to do is (this was the directions given by the man training me) Only do the wing mirrors, the top half of the door and a 'band' around the car that reaches hand height, very limited people actually touch test the car to make sure it has been done but they will only touch the part of the car closet, so the roof, bottom of the doors and the bumpers dont actually get done.

This may just be at the valet bay i was working at but i highly doubt it.

Thing is though when a car is waxed/polished any water will bead as you know, well it would only bead where it has been applied..how dont people notice this?