[gadgetfreak2024]

Hi. Does anyone have any recommendations on several levels?

1. Quality detailing shops in general in the Hudson Valley. I'm getting a new X5 in the area and want to get ahead with the right preventative steps

2. I'm leading the car. What do people recommend for preventative care? Can't imagine PPF makes sense for a lease, but do people recommend ceramic treatment?

3. I have a 2011 X5, which I'm going to keep. That baby needs a lot of work. It'll never be new again, and has never been detailed (and rarely washed). It is parked outside. What would people recommend to improve the appearance without wasting a ton of money. Again, is a ceramic treatment warranted?

Thanks for any and all advice on:
- Quality detailer(s)
- Services I should select for the new lease and old owned X5

[cmyx6go]

If you're in the southern portion of the Hudson Valley, go see Phil at Detailers Domain in Norwood NJ. He's right at the NY/NJ border. They do a great job.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

If you're in the southern portion of the Hudson Valley, go see Phil at Detailers Domain in Norwood NJ. He's right at the NY/NJ border. They do a great job.

Thank you for the recommendation.

And in general, what do people do to protect a leased vehicle? Ceramics?

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by gadgetfreak2024

Thank you for the recommendation.

And in general, what do people do to protect a leased vehicle? Ceramics?

I'm sure others will chime in here but check out this forum

https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=954

Good luck.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by gadgetfreak2024

Thank you for the recommendation.

And in general, what do people do to protect a leased vehicle? Ceramics?

I would say most do nothing on a leased vehicle. Ceramic does not protect in the usual sense but rather make it easier to clean, keep the shine, etc. If you want protection from paint chips then you will want to do PPF.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

I would say most do nothing on a leased vehicle. Ceramic does not protect in the usual sense but rather make it easier to clean, keep the shine, etc. If you want protection from paint chips then you will want to do PPF.

Got it. Thanks. I suppose the do nothing option may be ideal.

Now for my old 2011 E70, I have seen what 13 years of do nothing has gotten me. Will find someone to help with a deep clean!

[gofast182]

We financed our '19 X5 but with the amount of rock chips the hood picked up in the first year, I would not want to turn it in in 3 years with triple that amount. PPF, at least on the hood may pay for itself at lease turn-in.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by gofast182

We financed our '19 X5 but with the amount of rock chips the hood picked up in the first year, I would not want to turn it in in 3 years with triple that amount. PPF, at least on the hood may pay for itself at lease turn-in.

I don't think you are charged for rock chips but if you were then just get a paint pen.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by gofast182

We financed our '19 X5 but with the amount of rock chips the hood picked up in the first year, I would not want to turn it in in 3 years with triple that amount. PPF, at least on the hood may pay for itself at lease turn-in.

That's a little of my thought as well. I've never leased before and don't really want to encounter nasty surprises at the end.

[gofast182]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

I don't think you are charged for rock chips but if you were then just get a paint pen.

Specifically you're not; however, there is a damage allotment in dollars that you have a turn-in which is something to be mindful of. We had more chips on our G05 hood in a year than we had on the MDX we traded for it in seven years of ownership. I had the front of the X5 covered in XPEL and it has been worth it.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by gofast182

Specifically you're not; however, there is a damage allotment in dollars that you have a turn-in which is something to be mindful of. We had more chips on our G05 hood in a year than we had on the MDX we traded for it in seven years of ownership. I had the front of the X5 covered in XPEL and it has been worth it.

Thanks. I may do something like that.

[arciga18]

Here is my Random Data Point.

2023 X5 purchased in November. Got Ceramic coating done with paint correction from a nice shop. $2300. (this is a purchase/ finance/ plant to keep for a long time).

Ceramic was done right before Christmas. Picked up from the Shop during the snow storm. Saw the benefits of the coating on the 1hr drive home.

What I didn't expect was to be OCD now on where to wash the thing or who even is willing to wash it.

I was using a shop that was charging around 55 for exterior washes. It is winter. Clean Mitts every car, appt scheduled. They did a fine job.

I would say i got 3 -4 washes then they changed their policy that they are now a "detail" shop only and will not do maintenance washes unless they applied ceramic or PPF .

The only way to get them to wash is to pay for a $200+ detail.

I've reached out to other "detailers" and they want me to pay $100 for maintenance washes. Again the requirement is that I get the Ceramic done there. (I pretended I was a new customer looking for ceramic).

I already thought $55 was ridiculous but chalked it up to this is $100K car. You have to pay to play the game.

There are neighborhood hand car wash places but it is the same dirty mitt all over the car. for all types of cars. The weather is getting betting so I will bust out the foam cannon and buckets.


In hindsight I shouldn't have used the shop 1hr+ away but they are right next door to IND Distribution. IND was installing a painted lip and other items on my car so it made sense because that is where IND washes their cars.

Long Rant Over.

On a Lease I would not get ceramic or ppf based on this experience.

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by gadgetfreak2024

Hi. Does anyone have any recommendations on several levels?

1. Quality detailing shops in general in the Hudson Valley. I'm getting a new X5 in the area and want to get ahead with the right preventative steps

2. I'm leading the car. What do people recommend for preventative care? Can't imagine PPF makes sense for a lease, but do people recommend ceramic treatment?

3. I have a 2011 X5, which I'm going to keep. That baby needs a lot of work. It'll never be new again, and has never been detailed (and rarely washed). It is parked outside. What would people recommend to improve the appearance without wasting a ton of money. Again, is a ceramic treatment warranted?

Thanks for any and all advice on:
- Quality detailer(s)
- Services I should select for the new lease and old owned X5

I simply kept the interior and exterior clean. Barring any accidents or large scrape marks, I kept my leased BMW is good working order, replaced tires if needed, replaced brake pads if needed. The if needed would pertain to either what's in your lease agreement or what your state inspection is telling you. The day my lease was up, they came to my place of work to pick up the car, it was snowing, they verified the VIN, started it up and took a quick look around and off they went, never to be heard from again.
I had the normal amount of front end stone chips and a few on the mirrors, the tires and brake pads were certainly not new. Read your lease agreement for details but normal wear and tear is to be expected. On a leased car, I wouldn't do anything except keep it as clean as you would had you purchased it. Anything else you do to it will not be given back to you when the lease ends.

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

I simply kept the interior and exterior clean. Barring any accidents or large scrape marks, I kept my leased BMW is good working order, replaced tires if needed, replaced brake pads if needed. The if needed would pertain to either what's in your lease agreement or what your state inspection is telling you. The day my lease was up, they came to my place of work to pick up the car, it was snowing, they verified the VIN, started it up and took a quick look around and off they went, never to be heard from again.
I had the normal amount of front end stone chips and a few on the mirrors, the tires and brake pads were certainly not new. Read your lease agreement for details but normal wear and tear is to be expected. On a leased car, I wouldn't do anything except keep it as clean as you would had you purchased it. Anything else you do to it will not be given back to you when the lease ends.

That’s very good advice. The one area I’ll likely vary from that advice is not keeping it as clean as if I had purchased it. Think we wash our owned E70 about once every 2-3 years. I’ll step it up a bit in this case!

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by gadgetfreak2024

That’s very good advice. The one area I’ll likely vary from that advice is not keeping it as clean as if I had purchased it. Think we wash our owned E70 about once every 2-3 years. I’ll step it up a bit in this case!

WHAT?!?!? Hope you're kidding but fear you're not. Mine get washed when they get dirty. I hate to even see it dirty sitting in my garage. Ok, so then as you know, the longer you wait to wash it, the harder it is to get the dirt off. This goes quadruple for dead bugs, road tar, etc. You don't have to go nuts and you can use a...a...well.......I hate even saying this but just thinking about your comment...an automatic car wash once a week or so. Most decent car wash places have a monthly plan where you pay a monthly fee and wash it as often as you want.

Don't you admire and respect the look of a clean car?

[gadgetfreak2024]

Originally Posted by Marty in NY

WHAT?!?!? Hope you're kidding but fear you're not. Mine get washed when they get dirty. I hate to even see it dirty sitting in my garage. Ok, so then as you know, the longer you wait to wash it, the harder it is to get the dirt off. This goes quadruple for dead bugs, road tar, etc. You don't have to go nuts and you can use a...a...well.......I hate even saying this but just thinking about your comment...an automatic car wash once a week or so. Most decent car wash places have a monthly plan where you pay a monthly fee and wash it as often as you want.

Don't you admire and respect the look of a clean car?

Admire and respect? For sure! But for the bulk of the E70’s time with us, it was in Brooklyn and it was just a PITA to take it anywhere to get it washed. And then it almost immediately was a mess again with the grime of the city, particularly in the winter months. So we just kind of got used to it. And you are correct, the paint shows its age and there are some nasty sap and bug remnants that seem to be nearly permanently affixed. That car is in carbon black, so as others have pointed out, it is a color well suited to showing off how grimy it is.

Ironically, the 24 X5 we plan to get (if it ever gets produced) is in Brooklyn Gray, which I’m hoping is easier to keep looking clean(-ish). Ironic also because we are no longer in Brooklyn, so care car will be a little easier to manage on a regular basis.