Time to pen down my experiences with 3M HSR layout - which has become a my most favourite hangout place in bangalore (or whatever little I've seen of bangalore). Actually, I'm late - but then better late than never. So here goes-
Before I go into the details, here's a short timeline -
18/02/2013: CrAzY dRiVeR relocated to Bangalore.
23/02/2013: I land up in 3M for a small carbon fibre sticker job on my car. Got introduced to Karthik, Krishna, Prince, Vidyut and Aditya. Ended up getting a wash done for my car as well - after seeing all their beautiful cars.
20/03/2013: Back @ 3M showroom with a brand new Fortuner. Got new car exterior paint sealant treatment + underbody coating done.
23/03/2013: Got full exterior detailing done for my BNW Punto.
30/03/2013: Back @3M showroom - this time though with an i10 kappa 1.2, pre-facelift model. Got full exterior detailing + carbon fibre vinyl treatment for plastic parts done.
Thats 4 times in little more than just a month. Just to put things in perspective, the other place i would have visited frequently is Orion Mall - 3 times.
Infact, a friend (from kerala) called up today morning and told - '
I heard you are always in some tuning shop these days!'
Tuning shop? huh! What tuning shop?
You mean 3M?
Ya ya! That one only!
But how did you know? (Thinking whether I've put any FB updates!).
Your wife only complained when i talked to her.
So now - with the details.
1. My Punto - Interior carbon fibre sticker + foam wash.
5/5. Its like OE finish that one best friend missed the changed made in the car. Enough said.
2. Toyota Fortuner. Paint sealant treatment + Underbody Protection.
You dont really recommend your senior manager something, and that too- a shop 30 kms away from his home unless you are really confident. Sidhu made sure I wasn't fired the next day.
![Big Grin](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.png)
5/5
- Foam wash was done first. We were really impressed with their wash jets - which was very powerful, but doesn't even hurt on your hand - forget paints.
- Claying.
- Paint sealant protection. (Pearl White Mica Fortuner - shining away to glory. With a flag added - we would have probably got police escort too!)
- Underbody protection. The main point to note here - Sidhu made sure the owner went under the vehicle body and checked the before and after effect. We were not happy about one particular area (Slightly inaccessible above the silencer pipe) and it was correctly immediately.
And thats not the end of it -
When the car came up to the detailing floor, there were a few marks hidden underneath the side running boards. Although these were not in plain eyesight - he made sure it was corrected to perfection, although it took an additional 45 mins of their time.
From 3M showroom, we went straight to Toyota showroom to get numberplates fixed - and they were like -
'Sir, did you get a polishing coating done?' Done deal - 5/5.
3. My Punto 90HP - Full exterior detailing.
Again 5/5. Not even 1% less than perfection IMO - and my joy was too much. I got the work done same day as my service and RD box installation - so you can imagine the transformation.
4. Hyundai i10 - Prefacelift model. Full exterior detailing + Carbon fibre treatment for the plastic parts.
Here I'll reduce half a point, to be fair. And rate it 4.5/5 which is still brilliant. Deficit of .5 points here only because they ran out of stock for CF films, a bit of a disappointment - although its not the outlet to blame. But Sidhu made sure the plastic parts around the sides and back of the car where the treatment could not be done were restored to perfection, so that they did not stand out as an odd man out.
Again, the transformation from an old car to a shiny new one (If not for the dents acquired thanks to mad bangalore traffic!) was remarkable. Money well spent.
Now here we go with some pictures (Only from mobile cam, hence they dont do full justice to the work done!)-
Now is that all? You would ask - I can get perfection from other detailers too, why should i prefer this particular outlet? I have another 3M closer to my house etc. Right?
1. 3M HSR layout is 31 kms away from my place through the city, and 41 kms away if i take the ORR. I've still went there, and based on my experience, dragged my friends along too, and we returned with a money and time well spent feeling.
2. Initially i went there because of forum recommendations. I really didn't want to compromise on the CF job done. That day I met Krishna, Karthik, Vidyut, Aditya, Prince and Sidhu (Of course!). Its a mini team-bhp meet everytime at the store, specially on saturdays. A good sign - as all of these BHP'ians are very particular about high quality service for their cars.
3. The 3M experience changed the way I treat my cars - specially thanks to the news and advice I got from all the BHP'ians i meet there on a regular basis. Some of them really maintain their cars to perfection - and you just cannot help but fall into that line of thought. For starters, I wipe the dust off my car every night before I park it back (Even if its at 3AM in the morning)- total change in character from my weekly once wash routine earlier.
4. Sidhu (Owner) is BHP'ian, and above that - a petrolhead. The first day - I reached the showroom after working 9 hours at night - and still i was in the showroom till evening 3 pm. Very nice gentleman to talk to, learn tips on maintaining cars, get demo of their products - and trust me - he doesn't try to push unncessary stuff into your job card.
I read on another thread that a member did not get proper attention at the showroom. I just can't imagine what could have gone wrong there, and I really hope that you give it another shot. I, for one, have only found I receive too much of attention there! Never a percentage less.
So, a perfect detailing job for your car, a perfect hangout place for you - while watching the car get detailed to perfection. I mean - what more could a BHP'ian ask for?