Auto Detailing Questions | I can’t get rid of water spots on my car’s windshield. What should I do?
February 23, 2010
Just about a week ago I had a client call me saying she had a similar problem. She had been trying to take good care of her car & had purchased some concentrated product including something for the windshield. Unfortunately, after using it she says it developed spots across the entire windshield. Honestly, I’m not quite sure how this happened, since I never saw the windshield in question or the products that were used to clean the vehicle. However, since she said she had been cleaning her glass regularly & had not seen any spots previously, I was fairly certain this was not a really bad case.
Depending on where water spots are on a vehicle, you may have precautions, product types or environmental concerns you want to avoid, but this will be covered under a future topic. Here we will deal specifically with the front windshield. I suggested a couple of retail glass polishes, one from Walmart & another from City Mill. Suffice it to say, she picked up the polish available at City Mill (and a number of other locations) & it worked out great for her.
I recommend a glass polish for the front windshield because I have had detailers develop problems with a chemical or acid based water spot remover when the front glass has been etched by the grit from the windshield wipers.
The basic procedure with this type of product is as follows:
- make sure your glass surface is clean, removing any grit from the surface. Soap & water, glass cleaner or even a damp chamois will usually suffice. It’s probably also a good idea to perform this procedure out of direct sunlight, as most of them recommend not allowing the product to dry on the surface or inhaling fumes given off by the product. Chemical reactions tend to speed up with heat, so its a good idea to do this in the shade, & again, make sure the surface you will be working on is cool to the touch. Also, if your windshield is chipped, it would be a good idea to get the glass repaired first. I have heard of a crack spreading from a chip when a detailer perhaps applied a little too much pressure while polishing the glass.
- take a small, clean terri-cloth, fold it in half, then in half again. Ball up the majority of it in your fist with enough left over to cover your knuckles. (feel free to use alternate methods if this is not comfortable for you.) Place a small amount of the product on the terri & use your knuckles to rub the terri & product on the glass. As you rub in a circular motion, you should have a gritty feel at first which should smooth out as you continue to rub. If you are only using a small amount of product, you should be able to see the spots actually being removed. Usually only about 4lbs of pressure is needed. Too much pressure with certain glass polishes could actually scratch the glass. Also, some products will suggest you use a damp terri to help lubricate the product.
- When you are done, wash the windshield with soap & water or a glass cleaner. If you are not done, but are being called away for a while, I suggest at least wiping over the area with a damp chamois (make sure to rinse out later).
If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at (808) 222-8000 or by email: gavin@autodetailaces.com.
Best wishes & happy detailing!
Auto Detailing Questions | How often should I get my vehicle detailed?
February 16, 2010
In Hawaii, a sunny climate is usually taken for granted. If you work or play or volunteer your time outdoors, it’s a good idea to put on protective sunscreen lotion. If you don’t & stay out too long, there’s a good chance you can get burned. You should think about your car in the same way.
Have you ever noticed the cars driving around with large dull patches on their hoods, trunks &/or roofs? These are often because the “clear coat”, that protective clear layer of paint covering the “base coat” or color of your vehicle has worn through. The best line of defense against sun damage is, of course, to keep your car in the shade (like a covered garage) during the day. However, this is not practical for the great majority of us here who rely on our vehicles to get to work or school or one errand or another throughout the day. Therefore, the next best alternative is to keep a good protective coating on your vehicle. If I don’t put on sunscreen, I get burned. It’s the same with my cars paint. It’s a good idea to replace a premium carnauba wax within every 3 months under normal conditions if your vehicle is out in the sun every day. On the other hand, if your car is garage kept almost all the time during the day you can probably go as much as 10 months to a year before having to replace that same premium wax.
Have you ever noticed the cracks that develop in the dash of some vehicles? It’s a good idea to keep your interior surfaces protected as well. Regular applications of conditioner & protectant can help to keep your leather & vinyl from drying out & cracking. For your carpeting, pockets, vents & interior crevices, how often you would like to have your car detailed will really depend on your lifestyle & how important it is to you to maintain a great looking vehicle.
On average, I’ve noticed that guys tend to care more about the exterior of their cars, women tend to care more about the interiors. Not true in every case I’m sure, but just something I’ve noticed more often than not. Something to keep in mind if you’re trying to do something special for your significant other.
Auto Detailing Questions | How much is this going to cost?
February 9, 2010
Your detail could vary widely depending on the style of detailing & experience of the company or individual you have working on your vehicle.
You can segment the business into about four basic categories:
- The detailing industry in general has low barriers to entry & their are often hobbyists or a neighborhood kid who wouldn’t mind making a few exra bucks. Obviously this is hit & miss & you will often end up having to look for someone else as your detailer moves on to other pursuits. Likely cost: $0 -100
- The drive through car wash & vacuum. Often as cheap or cheaper than the hobbyist, this is an assembly-line style operation. Quick & dirty, but very inexpensive. Some of these operations will have full service operations available also. These operations will often do more than 300 cars on a bad day. Likely cost: $7-30
- The volume full service shop. These shops will often be able to offer just about everything under the detailing umbrella, but operate under the principle of business volume. They’re usually more concerned with getting cars in & out than getting every nook & cranny, but may be what you’re looking for if you’re not too picky, if time is a priority & as they are generally less expensive than a high-end detailer. Likely cost: $20-200 for listed packages. Possible price tag of $400-600 depending on additional services.
- High-end or top-service detailers usually are more concerned with the quality of the job & therefore do a much lower volume of cars per day. They are often able to do jobs in a short period of time if required, but this is not where they prefer to compete. If your primary priority is the meticulousness of the job or the quality of the product or result & time is, at least to a degree secondary, than the high-end detailer is for you. Package costs could be anywhere from $25 – $1,000 with add-ons like tint, bedliners & minor paint repairs possibly bringing it up another $120-500. Likely cost: $150-400
- Besides the four categories above, we can add a qualifier of sorts; Mobile, Shop or Both. Many shops also offer mobile(or on-location) as well as pick up & drop off service. There are also a few established businesses that are mobile only, though the majority of mobile businesses (that do not have a fixed location) are self-employed individuals. These detailers make convenience a priority. Depending on their experience & equipment, they may be able to do anything that could be done at a shop. A cautionary note, however. There are certain procedures (e.g. like removing hard water spots) that are best done under cover. If the material your detailer is working on is hot, they could run into trouble quickly if they are not used to working under those conditions & are not familiar with the necessary precautions, at the very least it could add considerable time. Of course rain could be another factor. If you are getting a bumper corner repainted, there is a much bigger likelihood of getting contaminants in the paint than if it was done in a paint booth. Still, for most people it’ll look just fine…as long as you’re not doing a whole hood or similar panel that will be right near face level. If you are receiving pick up & drop off service, or even if you are dropping off your vehicle at a shop & just want to be cautious a good question to ask would be, “Do you have a garage policy?” You are asking if they have insurance…just in case.
Thank you for your attention. As always, you may contact me directly if you have any questions.
Auto Detailing Questions | What is automotive detailing?
February 2, 2010
The general definition of Auto Detailing is an extremely thorough cleaning of your vehicle. It’s usually more than a wash, wax & vacuum, though most detailers will offer this bare bones service. Your detailer should be able to offer to remove any hard water spotting that does not come off when you wash the car, & remove other contaminants such as paint overspray, industrial fallout, tar, tree sap & light cement. They will also likely be willing to polish out scratches or scuffs that have not gone completely through your clear coat (the clear protective paint covering the colored paint of your vehicle). They are also likely to be able to deal with mold, mildew, crayon melted in the carpeting, construction style dirt, sand, pet hair & red drink stains. Obviously to varying degrees of success, depending on the amount of actual damage involved in your particular case, as well as their experience & equipment, techniques & solutions used.
Other services they are likely to be able to offer are window tinting, pin striping, paint chip repair, paintless dent repair, headliner replacement, & upholstery repair.
Even if your detailer does not offer the particular service you are looking for, if it has to do with the appearance of your vehicle and they have been in the business for a reasonable amount of time, they are likely to be able to point you in the right direction.
If you have any questions, or if I may be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me directly at gavin@autodetailaces.com or call me at 222-8000.
