Recently got a new car (2004 Subary Liberty GT) and want to give it some TLC.
The paint is generally is good condition, no peeling but it's faded and has swirl marks/small scratches. The interior needs a detail and the tint needs to be replaced on one of the windows.
Does anyone have a recommendation for a company that is good at doing all of this? Tonnes of these on Google but want some first hand experience from people.
I'm in Sydney. (West)
Cheers.
Edit: not after DIY :) thanks
Good point. Updated.
DIY
It will take a weekend and probably as many $$$ if you have no gear but the sense of accomplishment will be worth it.
I don't need the sense of accomplishment for this nor the time :)
DIY! After washing, hit it with Meg's Ultimate Compound using this https://www.repco.com.au/en/car-care-panel/power-cleaning/po…
Follow up with sealant/wax of choice e.g. Turtle Wax Seal n Shine.
This car will need a clay bar or something more than just this. 18 years old, it's faded.
To DIY wash / clay / cut / polish / wax, would probably set you back $2-300 in tools and materials, and at least 2 days of work, likely more if the car has a hard clearcoat (a Subaru probably doesn't). Sure it can be satisfying but I totally understand not wanting to do it yourself, it's a lot of hard work.
Yeah. Been there, done that. I don't have the time to spend 2 days doing that or the inclination. I'd much rather pay someone else to do it :) I value my time more than a few hundred bucks.
that's only around 100 bucks less than a decent detail, if you counted your own labour / time it would actually be cheaper to get it done professionally.
Correct. Of course, it'll be a lot cheaper to do it again once you've got the tools (maybe $50 of consumables each time), and if you're fussy, doing it yourself means you can be 100% sure it's done how you want it.
My 2c, but not sure that paying for detailing over DIY really makes any sense for an 18yr old Subie.
I'm a big Subie fan but even I wouldn't pay for one that age to be detailed unless it was a Liberty (TunedbySTI/imported S'series') or an STI wrx (or other imported/limited edition)
Your time might be more valuable than a few hundred bucks but the car certainly aint. (The additional value/cosmetic appeal isn't worth the money paid IMO).
Subie paint is kinda shit (esp if its aged and already faded) so the actual benefit you get from a detailing job now won't be outstanding (esp if you pay for it).
Give it a frequent bucket wash (with some nice wax additives) and clay bar, and call it a day if you aren't bothered to put in the additional effort of detailing yourself.
Put the money for detailing towards your next car, and hopefully one that will respond well to a professional detailing job
As you're on OzBargain, of course the majority are voting to DIY as it's the cheaper option. You've clearly stated that you just want to let a company handle it and that's a completely valid choice.
I'd probably get the tint done first and replace all of it in one go but I can't give any recommendations as to which company in your area you should use sorry. Try calling a few places, say what you're trying to achieve and compare their responses.
Hopefully you can get the car looking as good as you want it.
Thanks mate. Good suggestion re the tint
gumtree and facebook marketplace
Didn’t you get ceramic coating and tint from the dealer?
What dealer? When it was new 18 years ago?
No use giving you a good car detailer in Woollongong if you're in Broome.