Lifeshine/interior protection

RobNorwichUK

Guest
Hi

I'm on the verge on buying a MK3. Is it worth getting the lifeshine for the exterior paintwork/interior. I've had look on this forum and the concensus from a couple of years ago was not to bother and do it yourself saving £300. Is this still true? If I don't get it done by the dealer and then never did it myself would I see a mega difference?

My now 10 year old Mk1 doesn't seem to have benefitted from its two applications its had in its lifetime.

Many Thanks

Rob
 

Marve

Active Member
Apr 20, 2013
191
9
I'm not really sure where to start with this one. To summarise, no it is the biggest waste of money you can spend.

It is massively overpriced, it doesn't and never will last a lifetime, it is just a load of wax and fillers that will be poorly applied to your car.

If you care about the paintwork of your car to the point of wanting to keep it perfect where you will see a difference in 10 years time, then you will never take it to the £5/£10 hand car wash places, you will never take it to an auto car wash and you will be committing either a lot of your own time, money, or both probably to maintaining it. To have any noticable difference a car needs decontaminating, polishing and waxing probably a minimum of once a year with wax top ups applied inbetween that time. To wash inbetween, you will need to be using good techniques to avoid scratching and swirling your paintwork. This is either a lot of time from you or a lot of money to someone else. Or a combination.

If you aren't interested in keeping your car to that level above, then the lifeshine or equivalent is equally pointless. It will only make your car look superficially shiny for about 6 months maximum and that is if you have it done well. In reality, it will be done as a rushed job by underpaid valeters in your dealership who have no expertise in what they are doing.

The claims salesmen make about these products are a joke and the price they charge is scandalous. If you want to do something to your new car, get in touch with your local detailer and find out more. Go over to detailingworld.co.uk and have a read in the forums there. You will learn lots.
 
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RobNorwichUK

Guest
Thanks Marve for the comprehensive reply, I really appriciate it. I certainly won't be taking up the lifeshine option.

I never realised about hand car washes either, I shall go back to washing the car myself from now on!

Cheers
 

Wimbledonian

Active Member
Aug 31, 2010
667
3
milling around
If you can get them down to £100, then that's closer; it is fairly labour-intensive if they do it properly. My dealer did the Supagard treatment.It lasted about 18 months. Now I give it an all-in-1 cleaner and nano sealant once a year.

These paint treatments can make getting sap, tar and birdsquit off a little easier, but don't have any effect on the real damage - stonechips, rust and people opening doors into you in Sainsburys.
 
Feb 25, 2009
957
0
Rotherham/Leeds
Marve's reply is fantastic advice, and even for £100 you can get yourself a hell of a lot of good detailing products that will do a far better job than Lifeshine, as long as have a bit of time to invest!
 

AndyG_TSi

Active Member
Nov 1, 2011
1,174
6
East Manchester
Fantastic reply from Marve...deserves REP points.

Buy your new car, then use the £300 the dealer wants to charge you for 'lifeshine' products in some decent quality car cleaning kit

What you want, to name a few things:

2 buckets (for 2 bucket method hand washes)
Mircrofibre wash mitt(s)
Microfibre drying towel
Car Shampoo

Claybar kit
Polish
Wax (or Sealant)
Tyre shine
Tar remover

various Applicator pads/Polishing pads etc

When you 1st get the car, regardless of how 'clean' it is....

Rinse off

Wash (2 bucket method)

with the car wet, Clay the car to remove any ingrained contaminents in the paintwork (this stage will leave you car's bodywork with a surface as smooth as glass)

rinse off again

Dry with a microfibre

apply polish & buff off

apply wax & buff off to seal in the polish

top up the wax every 6th wash

do a complete 'clense' twice a year (EG From claying stage)

Should keep your car's paintwork in tip top condition

here's my stuff: i'm a bit of an Autoglym fan :lol:

picture.php
 
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bigbadjay

Active Member
Jul 16, 2011
1,670
26
North Manchester
Dont do it. Please.

I did but got a refund because i was mis sold it and also i pointed out its a bag of w@nk

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Tapatalk 2
 

Dsgfr11

Active Member
Mar 30, 2012
463
0
Northamptonshire
Used to apply it at the dealerships the stuff was like £29.99 and they were charging 300 quid for the pleasure I wouldn't bother as it's not great products either. I use dodo juice and for £300 you could include a dual action polisher with the products and machine buff your heart out.
 

kugaman1

Active Member
Mar 6, 2013
226
0
Aberdeenshire
^^^^ what he said.

When I collected my Leon, I found they had supagarded it by mistake. I had a bag full of the extra bottles and sprays in the boot also.

The valeter had done the wrong car! I wouldnt have paid £30 for it, let alone £300!

First thing I did was wash the car and claybar it, so stripped the polish off anyway.

I then applied a layer of lifeshine and 2 layers of collinite.

I will clay it and machine polish it again before winter and then add more collinite.

Job done.;)
 
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RobNorwichUK

Guest
Many Thanks to all for the replies and advice especially AndyG for the car care list!

Cheers
Rob


Fantastic reply from Marve...deserves REP points.

Buy your new car, then use the £300 the dealer wants to charge you for 'lifeshine' products in some decent quality car cleaning kit

What you want, to name a few things:

2 buckets (for 2 bucket method hand washes)
Mircrofibre wash mitt(s)
Microfibre drying towel
Car Shampoo

Claybar kit
Polish
Wax (or Sealant)
Tyre shine
Tar remover

various Applicator pads/Polishing pads etc

When you 1st get the car, regardless of how 'clean' it is....

Rinse off

Wash (2 bucket method)

with the car wet, Clay the car to remove any ingrained contaminents in the paintwork (this stage will leave you car's bodywork with a surface as smooth as glass)

rinse off again

Dry with a microfibre

apply polish & buff off

apply wax & buff off to seal in the polish

top up the wax every 6th wash

do a complete 'clense' twice a year (EG From claying stage)

Should keep your car's paintwork in tip top condition

here's my stuff: i'm a bit of an Autoglym fan :lol:
 

Benzy

Active Member
Jan 30, 2010
1,220
3
Rob drop me an email when you get a moment regarding a really excellent product to use on the car. I can't PM you on here (assuming you don't have a high enough post count yet)

[email protected]

Thanks
 
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