After we have valeted the car, the inspection it's self can take
as little as twenty minutes if you have read this guide and prepared
yourself -- it may take a little longer if you wish to ask
lots of questions not covered on our FAQ. The
whole process normally takes between 1½ to 3 hours,
so you may want to go into town or back to work for some of this time.
We are just 5 min walk from the town centre and there is plenty
to do in and around Chelmsford.
When you
come back later allow yourself some time for things to be explained
to you.
If you require more than the included Lease Return Valet because
your car is especially dirty, please let us know when you call
us to book, this will take anything from 2½ hours
up to a day depending on the kind of valet.
If you bring your car to us early, you will have a few weeks
to rectify any damage found before your car goes back to the lease
company.
You may also wish to have any work quoted while you are at Clean Image. You will be given a report that you can take with you so you will have a chance to think about things... but don't think for too long! Don't leave things to the last minute, repairs can take time to do and at certain times of the year there can be lead times of a week or more.
Please bare in mind that we can't do everything...
nor should we! It is often the case that we find damage which is due
to manufacturers faults, in which case you should take your car back
to the dealership if it is still within the warranty period (which
in it's self is reason to prepare your car early!). Your lease company
will not accept damage even if it is a design fault, they will hold
you responsible, so you must hold your dealership responsible. We recommend
that you check the internet for known faults on your car.
The same goes for poor bodyshop repairs, incorrectly fitted replacement
windscreens etc. This is more common than you might think, just because
a repair centre is approved by the lease company, does not mean that
their work is an automatic pass.
If your tyres are unacceptable, then you may need to visit a tyre
centre. There is one 50yrds from Clean Image... if you have tyres as
part of your lease contract, and need to go to an approved centre,
there are several in Chelmsford including Kwik-Fit and Formula-1.
You can find more useful information about having your car prepared
for return on our Lease car guide.