# To all London based car owners who care about their paintwork.



## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Hi all,

Just writing on here because I visited a new car wash yesterday due to a recommendation I saw in another thread about the ace cafe - can't find it now.

Wanted to share my experience with other Londoners so that they can benefit from what I did!

I had my car (not GTR) detailed some time back at significant cost to me and since then I have not allowed anyone to wash it other than me unless they are a detailer, which none has been.

Sadly I have had no time with the pressures of family life to clean my car myself, other than the twice I managed.

This means my car stays mostly filthy. Even when I do clean it, I don't do a great job as I lack the skill equipment and patience, but at least I know it stands a chance of getting cleaner without putting back the swirls I was so keen to have removed.

Anyway, the thread pointed me to Over the Rainbow car wash in park royal next to the Ace Cafe on the north circ. which is about 15 mins from my office.

My car was filthy for obvious reasons, so I left work early to give it a go.

I drove straight in (luckily) and met the guy who owns the place (Alfie) who immediately started work on my car. 

He is clearly a car enthusiast and I asked him why start up a car wash that offers the features of things like snow foaming and two bucket washing as well as uses mitts, proper microfibre cloths, synthetic chamois and detailing products, and his answer was perfect. He didn't want to run a place that he wouldn't bring his own car to.

The long and short of this story was that he spent two hours cleaning my car for the bargain price of £10 inside and out.

It has basically been given a mini detail to maintain the work previously done and obviously you can tell I am ecstatic with the results.

Apparently the £10 price is an introductory offer, and I don't imagine the owner has time to spend 2 hours on every car, but we were chatting. The two cars that were behind me overtook mine but still got a decent hour spent on them for the same £10. I'd have been happy paying £30 for the treatment my car got and the peace of mind I get knowing that if a cloth touches the floor it goes in the wash.

It's not right next door to me, but I now have a car wash for life (if they stay in business!) as there's no other conventional paid car wash I can think of that offers these facilities, never mind the price.

I know this sounds like an advert, but I have no connection whatsoever with this company, I just found them as a result of reading this site, and wanted other owners in London, regardless of their car, to benefit from this find.

It goes without saying that when my next GTR comes I'll be going to these guys, especially if the new black is as soft as the old black, but in the meantime, any car I drive, including the wife's CRV will be getting some decent treatment from now on.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Found the link: http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/148723-sorry-about-asking-ace-cafe-london.html#post1426027


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## RadoGTST (Jul 5, 2010)

Looks like there's gonna be quite few of us going there now, I'm there every sunday, Vinay (R32 R32) took me there and never went anywhere else since.
We could actually set up a sunday meet there


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## Mouton45 (May 19, 2010)

*Yep - agree - first time yesterday in GTR*

I went there yesterday in the MY2011 after meeting them at Magic at the weekend.

They will be my regular carwash now:thumbsup:


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## sumo69 (Mar 31, 2008)

I think a 20 minute drive awaits in the next couple of days - thanks for the report.

My car will test them - it has 4 months grime as well as track day residue from Snetterton!

D


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I don't think it will be a test for them at all.

I think I am overly happy about a fairly insignificant thing.

I can only tell people on the forum as they seem to be the only ones who appreciate it. My wife thinks I am nuts to care about finding a carwash for life!


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## andrew186 (May 3, 2010)

i really wish i had something like OTR near me

used them once before when i was in london attending the acecafe meet .. would be there regularly if i was staying in london


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## manjit (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks for the info, will give them a try


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## Audinut (Aug 11, 2009)

Since I found out about this place, I have stopped cleaning my car. I was the one that brought Alfie down to Robbie's meet, and the biggest compliment Alfie could receive was from Robbie himself. 

My car was detailed by Robbie in April last year, and he himself was amazed as to how the car still looks, not a single mark is on the Kuro black paint-work. Credit to both Robbie for the initial protection and to Alfie for the regular maintenance.

£ 10 per detail is a bargain, which includes heated snow foam to start the wash process.


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## _shaun_ (Jan 16, 2007)

Was at Alfie on Saturday and was even running a bit late - so called him up and he waited for me! Top guy.....I think I have convinced him to get a R35 now....especially after he went out in the demo one at Robbies meet!


Lambos (both regular and I believe even an SV), Ferraris, AMG Black Series Benz, V10 Audis..... they have all visited Alfie!

The facebook page is cool as alfie posts up pics of the various cars that come in throughout the day!

He even has a special detailer spray to aid drying for the GTR as he gets so many!


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## mags993tt (Feb 3, 2011)

sumo69 said:


> I think a 20 minute drive awaits in the next couple of days - thanks for the report.
> 
> My car will test them - it has 4 months grime as well as track day residue from Snetterton!
> 
> D


Sorry for off topic but was that you at Snett on Monday driving the silver GTR? I really enjoyed watching it go round. Meant to come over and say hello but had a lot of testing to do, too little time and there was a lot of traffic ( I was in the pearl white R300 with black cage and black wheel arches). First time I see a GTR on track as normally do Test days only but was very impressed by how it was getting round the track. :thumbsup:


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## sumo69 (Mar 31, 2008)

mags993tt said:


> Sorry for off topic but was that you at Snett on Monday driving the silver GTR? I really enjoyed watching it go round. Meant to come over and say hello but had a lot of testing to do, too little time and there was a lot of traffic ( I was in the pearl white R300 with black cage and black wheel arches). First time I see a GTR on track as normally do Test days only but was very impressed by how it was getting round the track. :thumbsup:


Yes that was me :wavey:

Didn't we have a little duel for a few laps?? I recall chasing you down and getting past and then having a cool down lap when you went past?
If so you were the quickest of anyone (other than me!!).

D


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## RadoGTST (Jul 5, 2010)

_shaun_ said:


> ...
> The facebook page is cool as alfie posts up pics of the various cars that come in throughout the day!



Remember him taking a picture of my car, so it should be there. 
What's the name of facebook profile?


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## mags993tt (Feb 3, 2011)

sumo69 said:


> Yes that was me :wavey:
> 
> Didn't we have a little duel for a few laps?? I recall chasing you down and getting past and then having a cool down lap when you went past?
> If so you were the quickest of anyone (other than me!!).
> ...


LOL :wavey: I have some video if I could ever work how to post it...GTR just tears up the straights (also eclipses most of the track / spinners etc if you're in a Caterham behind it). If you want to see it let me know and please tell me how to put it up.:thumbsup:


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## sumo69 (Mar 31, 2008)

Try looking at some of the "stickies" here:

Pictures and Video gallery - GT-R Register - Official Nissan Skyline and GTR Owners Club forum

If that doesn't work, PM me and we can sort something aswould like to see your video!

D


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## ragt20 (Jun 28, 2003)

had mine cleaned there as well, they do excellent work for the price...


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## Jakdaw (Mar 29, 2010)

Just been today - fantastic value!


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## Wolwo (Aug 8, 2011)

Just been today - 1st time. Great service, unbelievable value for money and the car looks awesome. I will not be washing my car anymore


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## David.Yu (Jun 28, 2001)

£10 for an hour's wash? That's crazy! But equally, I don't generally want to hang around for an hour whilst my car's being cleaned, although if it was near me I would be tempted.


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## pwpro (Jun 6, 2009)

never heard anything but good things about Alfie 

so much so i recommend him to all my london based customers 

just a few weeks ago i had a chap call me who was very frustrated at paying through the nose to a detailing company to maintain his car and doing a very poor job 

i suggested he visit over the rainbow

both he and alfie have since been in touch to thank me for the referral and suffice to say the owner wont be going anywhere else now 

kudos to the good guys i say


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## C2 VXT (Feb 28, 2009)

Paul

What we need is the same service and price, in the midlands


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## pwpro (Jun 6, 2009)

C2 VXT said:


> Paul
> 
> What we need is the same service and price, in the midlands


tell me about it i dont get time to clean my own some weeks


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## Sinth (Sep 26, 2010)

Damn this is on the other side of London


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

It's a good 15 mins from me but I take all three cars there. No one else comes close, and that's before the fact that it's only £10.

Alfie has the best attention to detail of any detailer I've used.


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## alloy (Apr 29, 2005)

Alfie's the man, great service, great price it's a complete no brainier....plus he's a top guy as well!


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