New car "protection packages".

[Antg]

My wife and I have just bought a new car and the "ming mole" has stepped up and offered the usual "protection package" for $1800 amazingly reduced from $2200 As I've never owned a car with leather interior I'm wondering about the leather protection and if its worth $695, she mentioned window tinting is worth the same amount but I know for a fact it doesn't cost that much to tint a car, a bus maybe but not a car. I always use a car care product which is owned by a Qld company which bought Dicks touring cars, I think everyone knows who I'm talking about. So do I cough up for the leather pack or use another product from a company I know and trust? Oh and the car is a Ford Focus LV MKII Zetec.

 

[Gerry]

Don't touch the dealer's "protection package".
It's just their way of making the deal more profitable.
The products you refer to would suit you much better.

 

[Bartman09]

My wife and I have just bought a new car and the "ming mole" has stepped up and offered the usual "protection package" for $1800 amazingly reduced from $2200 As I've never owned a car with leather interior I'm wondering about the leather protection and if its worth $695, she mentioned window tinting is worth the same amount but I know for a fact it doesn't cost that much to tint a car, a bus maybe but not a car. I always use a car care product which is owned by a Qld company which bought Dicks touring cars, I think everyone knows who I'm talking about. So do I cough up for the leather pack or use another product from a company I know and trust? Oh and the car is a Ford Focus LV MKII Zetec.

Stick with the car care product you are using and you won't go wrong. Trust me and if not me then XYGTReplica will tell you the same.

Get the "Mother bucket" and it will save you all that money on so called protection that does more harm than good.

 

[Antg]

Thanks guys a little reassurance goes a long way. I was never going to get the paint protection as I am extremely happy with the product I'm using . Window tint I can also get done for nearly half the price and its darker. I had the dealer tint the windows on my Ranger and it is nowhere near as dark as the wife's current car which I paid the same amount for and two extra windows were tinted. Our current car didn't have any of the "protection package" and its been fine except for the rear wing which has oxidized quite badly but apparently its common with the make of car. Our current car is a TL Magna VR-X, its been a fantastic car, definately not worthy of the bum rap the Magna's have copped over the years. Its done over 100,000 km's and we bought it with 12,000 on the clock. The brake pads haven't been replaced and the discs haven't been machined, something I bet Holden and Ford wish they could say with the equivalent model Falcons and Commodores. If the Focus is as good a car I'll be extremely happy and will gladly buy another.

 

[Racin Jason]

Ming moles exist for 2 reasons.

1. to stitch you up.
2. to give the salesman some skirt to chase.

 

[Bigcol]

Window tinting around $200
Rust proofing. Less than $300
Paint protection. You can go the whole hog with the Zymol system which is known as the best in the industry for less than $200. You only have to polish it once a year to maintain it
There are better leather care products availalbe from leading upholsterers and furniture places

 

[Snappa]

Antg I have had several cars with a leather interior and I have never needed a "protection Package " nor used one. as long as you clean the leather every so often and put a half decent protectant on it you will never have a problem with it.

 

[Antg]

Thanks guys, one thing I'd like to know is how often to apply whatever leather care product I'm using? It will certainly be from the company referred to earlier as I said I am extremely happy with their other products I'm using. As I have a 2 year old daughter no doubt there will be spills on the seats from time to time so I want something that will give good protection for the leather.

 

[Nascar12]

Ming moles exist for 2 reasons.

1. to stitch you up.
2. to give the salesman some skirt to chase.

Good call Jason [bw]

Agree with all here. I knocked it back with my last car purchase a few years ago and glad I did, although like you I wanted to make the right choice (they're good at planting the seed of doubt aren't they?).
Clean it regularly with the gear you're using and it will look great all the time.

 

[Gerry]

We used to dip the cattle, in fact still do, to look after the hide! [crackup]

 

[Damo]

The brake pads haven't been replaced and the discs haven't been machined, something I bet Holden and Ford wish they could say with the equivalent model Falcons and Commodores. If the Focus is as good a car I'll be extremely happy and will gladly buy another.

Focus is a good car but they do chew brake discs and genuine discs cost a bomb and rear pads are 3 times the price of fronts. Also check that all the recalls are up to date, there is one at the moment for the replacement of compliance labels which are situated on bottom of rh B pillar, yours may also need inner rear wheel arch modification.

In regards to your other post about the Ranger, no, Valve clearances are not done any more on 20k srv, thay are done at 120k srv and the $600 you paid is pretty much on par for that service. Sounds to me like you have a 2wd low body Ranger due to the fact that they repacked your wheel bearings, if not and its a high body 2wd or a 4wd model id be asking questions because they have sealed unit bearings which are not a servicable item.

Just my 2 cents worth, hope it helps.

 

[Bartman09]

Try these links Ant. Might help you with your problem.

http://www.bowdensown.com.au/node/271

http://www.bowdensown.com.au/node/272

 

[Antg]

Focus is a good car but they do chew brake discs and genuine discs cost a bomb and rear pads are 3 times the price of fronts. Also check that all the recalls are up to date, there is one at the moment for the replacement of compliance labels which are situated on bottom of rh B pillar, yours may also need inner rear wheel arch modification.

In regards to your other post about the Ranger, no, Valve clearances are not done any more on 20k srv, thay are done at 120k srv and the $600 you paid is pretty much on par for that service. Sounds to me like you have a 2wd low body Ranger due to the fact that they repacked your wheel bearings, if not and its a high body 2wd or a 4wd model id be asking questions because they have sealed unit bearings which are not a servicable item.

Just my 2 cents worth, hope it helps.

Thanks for the info Damo, I'll be sure to ask the dealer when the car arrives, inner rear wheel arch mod sounds pretty drastic especially for a brand new car. Yes my Ranger is a 2wd low ride model, I did notice yesterday while giving it a wash and polish there seems to be grease leaking out from under the front passenger side wheel centre cap obviously something to do with Ford Service repacking the wheel bearings will be paying them a visit in the next couple of days.

 

[Car61]

Thanks for the info Damo, I'll be sure to ask the dealer when the car arrives, inner rear wheel arch mod sounds pretty drastic especially for a brand new car. Yes my Ranger is a 2wd low ride model, I did notice yesterday while giving it a wash and polish there seems to be grease leaking out from under the front passenger side wheel centre cap obviously something to do with Ford Service repacking the wheel bearings will be paying them a visit in the next couple of days.

Damo would know... He works in a FORD Service Dept.

 

[Antg]

Good to know someone on this forum works for Ford, if I have any queries about anything I know who to contact

 

[DJRMAD]

Have any of you Queenslanders tried the Bowdens products?
I have had a sample of the car wash and it was great stuff, but i have not tried the polishes etc

 

[Antg]

DJRMAD, I use the auto body paint cleanser, and auto body wax as well as the tyre sheen and bug and tar remover and they are brilliant especially the wax. I've used a lot of products over the years from the old turtle wax to auto glymm and meguires. I have found their products to be the best I've used and no I'm not on their payroll Hopefully their leather care products are as good as the rest of their products.

 

[Bartman09]

Have any of you Queenslanders tried the Bowdens products?
I have had a sample of the car wash and it was great stuff, but i have not tried the polishes etc

Would NOT use anything else and XYGTReplica will tell you the same, but we are a LITTLE biased...

 

[Antg]

Pick up the new car in the morning, can't wait Stopped off and got some Bowdens leather care products this arvo as well.