Before booking
Straight answers,before the first visit.
Plans, prices, payment and coverage. Where something has not been decided yet, it says so.
How does the maintenance plan actually work?+
The first visit is a Premium Setup Wash, which brings the car to a clean, protected baseline. We then return weekly, fortnightly, every three weeks or monthly to hold it there, on your driveway. Frequency and price are agreed up front, and there is no fixed term.
Where is Clayton's Autocare based, and where does it cover?+
Lambourn. The core recurring route is Lambourn, Eastbury and East Garston. Nearby villages and towns are accepted selectively, depending on the postcode and whether the visit fits the existing route.
How much does it cost?+
A Premium Setup Wash is £100 for a small car, £120 medium, £145 large and £175 for an XL vehicle, 4x4 or van. Maintenance runs from £30 a visit weekly up to £70 a visit monthly, by size and frequency. The tier is confirmed from the make and model before booking.
Why is monthly more expensive per visit than fortnightly?+
Four weeks of road film, mud and interior use takes longer to deal with than two. Fortnightly costs less per visit because the car never gets far from where it was left.
What is included in the Premium Setup Wash?+
Decontamination, a thorough exterior clean, a full interior clean and a paint sealant. That sealant is the paint protection: it is not a ceramic coating, and it is what makes water bead and dirt let go more easily between visits. The Setup Wash runs longer than a maintenance wash because it sets the baseline every later visit holds.
What is included in a maintenance visit?+
An exterior wash including wheels, an interior vacuum and wipe-down, and glass. Anything beyond that scope is quoted separately as an add-on.
Do I need an outdoor tap or a power socket?+
It varies with the vehicle and the job. Tell us about the parking, the surface and whether there is an outside tap when you ask for a quote, and we will confirm the location works before booking.
How long does a visit take?+
The Premium Setup Wash is the long one: a good part of a morning or an afternoon, depending on the size and condition of the car. Maintenance visits are much shorter, because the car starts from clean. We confirm the timing for your car when we quote.
Do I need to be at home?+
Not necessarily. For the exterior we need to reach the car and, ideally, an outdoor tap. For the interior it needs to be unlocked or a key arrangement agreed, which we settle on WhatsApp before the visit. Many customers are at work and come home to a finished car.
Does it have to be a driveway, or will a road or shared car park do?+
A driveway or private space is best. A quiet road outside your house can work if the car parks safely off the traffic and we are not blocking a pavement. Shared or managed car parks depend on the owner's permission and access to water.
Do I have to pay by subscription?+
No. A recurring card payment is offered first because it removes the admin for both sides, but you can pay per visit instead. Nothing is taken through this website either way.
Is there a minimum term?+
No. Stop whenever you like. If that ever changes it will be said plainly before you agree to anything, and never applied to an existing plan.
Can I have more than one car on a plan?+
Yes, and it costs less. Two cars done at the same address on the same visit receive 10% off; three or more receive 20% off, because there is no travel between them.
What happens if the weather is bad?+
Light or changeable weather usually does not stop a visit. Strong wind, heavy rain, freezing conditions or an unsafe surface may mean rearranging, and we will contact you directly if so.
What should I send when asking for a quote?+
The make and model, your postcode, how often you would like the car maintained, whether there is an outdoor tap, and anything unusual about the condition. Send a photograph if there is heavy mud, pet hair or a stain you want dealt with.
Can you come and look at the car before quoting?+
Yes. Choose that option in the quote form or say so on WhatsApp. It makes most sense for several cars at one address, a car that has been let go, or anything easier to show than describe. For a single car well outside the regular villages we may ask for photographs first.
What times and days do you work?+
We work 7am to 7pm, any day of the week including weekends. The time depends on what else is booked in your area that day, so we agree the slot with you.
Is there anything you do not offer?+
Odour treatment, because it needs equipment we do not have yet. We do not apply ceramic coatings, and we do not machine polish or carry out paint correction, so a car with swirl marks or scratches in the paint wants a specialist rather than us. Every Setup Wash does include paint protection, in the form of a sealant: it is not a ceramic coating and does not last as long, but it is what makes rain bead and lift dirt off instead of holding it. Everything else on the add-on list is available now: glass sealant, pet hair removal, stain and spill removal, leather cleaning and conditioning, fabric protection, headlight restoration, engine bay cleaning and winter protection.
Next step
Get a price for your car.
The quote builder works out indicative pricing and hands you a message to review before it is sent.
See what it would cost