How to choose a professional automotive detailer

Where quality is the thing sought after there is no comparison
Car washes, amateur detailers posing as professionals & express detailing shops offer cheaper prices undercutting a true professional detailer. Master automotive detailers will always have higher prices because they offer premium detailing services.

Selecting a professional detailer is not an easy task
It’s unsettling but true - many may call themselves professionals but they do not stand up to or beyond the industry standards and lack customer commitment. When seeking the services of a Master Automotive Detailer it should be approached no different than if you were hiring a contractor for your house. A vehicle is the second largest investment for most people - a major asset and you don’t want amateur detailers performing work on it. You want a master automotive detailing technician because simply knowing how to make a car sparkle is not enough. If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional detailer to do the job - wait until you hire an amateur! The result can be costly.

Pricing reflects the quality of workmanship
Price is what you pay; the value is what you receive. The result of quality workmanship is not an act; it is a habit that is long remembered after the price is forgotten. A Master Automotive Detailing Technician should:
- Have ethics
- Be consistent
- Offer high quality services/ products
- Offer value for the price
- Possess professional skills
- Possess knowledge about the chemicals they are using
- Have knowledge about and use the proper equipment
- The workmanship should have value for the price
- Constantly update their professional skills, education and training to keep pace with the ever changing technology
- Have technical training and knowledge about the various surfaces of each vehicle because each vehicle is made of different materials. No two cars are the same so each vehicle must be treated accordingly.

A professional detail takes several man hours to complete
In most cases it should take 8 hours to complete an interior / exterior detail but in some cases a detailing specialist may ask to keep the vehicle several days if the work is extensive. The true professional does not put a time limit on quality when it comes to auto detailing; so if you are told that a complete detail can be performed in a few hours be very weary.

It should be noted that even the Master Detailer can sometimes miss something because these are multi-dimensional surfaces. If they do, call them immediately and tell them. A true professional will ask you to bring it back in so they can fix it.

Chemical quality
A master detailer uses the highest quality of professional grade chemicals that are proven to be successful. It is important that the automotive detailer understands that the quality of the chemicals used on your vehicle are just as important as the workmanship that is performed. Quality products make a world of difference. A complete restoration can look good but if the products that were used are low-grade - it defeats the purpose because they have not provided complete protection against the elements. A detail shop using brand name products available at retail stores should be avoided.

Your car care guardian should be committed to customer satisfaction and a superior craftsman
Here are a few more tips to help you when looking for that diamond in the rough:

• Educate yourself - Gain as much information and knowledge as you can about car care prior to consulting any auto detailing services.
• Ask around town - Inquire with friends, family, co-workers and automotive dealerships to find out who is the best automotive detailer in or close to town. Automotive dealerships are your best bet - they are in the business and know the value of a fine detailer.
• Ask questions - Once you have expanded your knowledge you will be able to ask questions. Find out what options are available to you, ask what the differences are between their service and the competitors, ask about their customer satisfaction policy, prices, the benefits and how they define themselves as a professional.
• View a car before and after - Ask the detailer if you may see a car prior to being detailed and again after the work has been completed. Do not go by photos. Ask to see the real deal. It may be a little time consuming because you will have to go to the shop twice but it is well worth it.
• Ask for references - Don’t be afraid to ask a detailer prior to contracting them for several references. If they are unwilling to provide any - stay clear. A true professional has excellent references and is more than willing to provide them upon request.
• Follow through - Before committing to any services follow through on the references. Ask the reference if they were satisfied with the work performed, what type of service they purchased, if they have had any problems - if so, was it rectified in a timely and favorable way. Ask when the work was performed - if it was just performed ask if you can see it.
• Make a decision - It’s now time to make an intelligent decision based on your knowledge.

Remember, basing your decision on pricing alone is not enough

Auto detailing is protection for your asset. In general, prices reflect the quality of workmanship. Lower quotes usually mean lower - chemical quality, care, client satisfaction, craftsmanship and overall knowledge, training and education. A true professional does not reduce prices to compete because the quality of work provided supersedes that of the competitors and is above the industry standards.

That's the Diamond Detailing Difference!

Diamond Detailing Automotive Reconditioning Technicians are trained, professional detailers dedicated to art & science of automotive protection. Our professional skills are a result of our professional training, certification and devotion to continued education. Our key to client satisfaction goes beyond that of providing the highest quality service. It is the responsibility of a bona fide professional detailer to educate clients on why it is a wise move to invest in quality, to teach proper care car maintenance and explain the many benefits of automotive detailing.

We want our clients to have the highest expectations and to understand the difference between our services and that of the competitors. Experts agree That it is a combination of the amount of time, care, equipment knowledge, chemicals, skills and training that define and separate the amateurs from the true professionals. A master detailer takes pride in their workmanship and wants their customers to be able to do the same. You have the right to be cautious and should be

Diamond Detailing fixes damage caused by other detail shops on a regular basis - so we have first hand knowledge of the type of poor workmanship out there. We have gained the trust of clients from all over Ontario and the United States because we understand that customers work hard for their vehicles and deserve to have them protected by the highest standards.

To book an appointment please call or visit us at:

Diamond Detailing Guelph's Finest Automotive Reconditioning Technician

355 Elmira Rd North Unit 139, Guelph, Ontario, Canada(519) 824-3915

http://diamonddetailing.50webs.com

April is car care month

April is National Car Care Month! By focusing on your car maintenance you can reduce costly repairs, maintain the longevity of your vehicle, increase gas mileage by as much as 10% and keep your vehicle in safe working condition.
Here are a few car care tips :

Complete Auto Detailing
Interior & exterior auto detailing helps to restore and prolong the lifespan of your vehicle.

- A car should have an engine shampoo in the spring and fall to remove salt residue, leaves, dirt and debris that can work its way into engine parts and cause poor performance.

- Paint decontamination helps to maintain the surface of your vehicle and helps to prevent damage cause by corrosion.

- Wax should be applied to create a barrier between the paint and hazardous elements like the sun.

- Paint sealant aids in the prevention of damage caused by acid rain, ice, snow, sun, accidental spills, bird droppings

- Removal of brake dust aids in better performance of brakes and reduces contamination to paint. Brake dust flies off your wheels onto your paint - the tiny, hot metal pieces embed themselves into your paint and can be the beginning of rust.

- Interior shampoo is essential after a long, snowy, cold winter. A professional interior shampoo will leave your carpets and upholstery looking its best. Shampooing eliminates salt residue, mud, dirt and debris. Salt is enemy number one when it comes to your carpets - if it is not removed properly the damage can be costly.

- Winter is damp and with dampness comes mold. Professional auto detailing reduces airborne allergens and helps to maintain a healthier environment.


Check & Change Lubricants and fluids
- Engine oil
- Transmission fluid
- Washer fluid
- Coolant flush
- Power steering fluid
- Brake fluid
- Clutch fluid

Keeping fluid levels topped and clean reduces damage to internal parts and keeps the vehicle performance at its best.

Windshield Wipers
Replace both front and rear windshield wiper blades to keep them performing at their best and to reduce damage to glass.

Check and replace parts
- Air filter
- Check engine light
- Belts
- PCV filter
- Hoses
- Radiator cooling fans
- Horn
- Mirrors
- Intake preheat duct
- Battery ( cables, clamps, terminals, carrier hold down and charge indicator)
Regular maintenance of parts reduces roadside breakdowns
Replacing air filters is essential as it keeps debris such as bugs, dirt and other objects out of the fuel system air intake. Dirty air filters reduce gas mileage and increase carbon emissions.

Tires
- Check tire depth
- Tire pressure
Low tire pressure will drastically reduce gas mileage and create more wear on your tires.

Lights
- License plate lights
- Brake lights
- Side lights
- Turn signals
- Tail/ Parking lights
- Headlights

How to drive around using water as fuel for your car

Ethanol Causes Global Warming

By Stein X LeikangerFebruary 13, 2008 - 22,727 Views

Politicians around the world were up against the wall. The World Trade Organization (WTO) was slowly picking away at all their fancy ways of sidetracking public funds into hopelessly anachronistic and inefficient agricultural subsidies. And the agribusiness beats the mil/industrial complex when it comes to lobbying skills. Even French politicians, famous for ignoring the plight of their people, tremble at the thought of another tractor phalanx of mad farmers pulling up in front of the National Assembly and launching putrid brie at their doorstep. Enter Peak Oil.
The WTO rulings are in place to regulate reasonable and equal trading practices between nations. But they cannot proscribe internal actions designed to protect the national infrastructure against potential disruptions. Running out of oil is one such potential downer. Enter a substitute that "solved" two problems at once:
1) How to keep moving money to the agribusiness without the WTO getting pesky.
2) Providing a palliative against Peak Oil. "See, we'll be driving on corn on the cob instead. Nothing has to change."
Well, now maybe it will have to. Bioethanol is a wildly inefficient way of propelling anything, whether aqua, auto or aero. Even in the most benign scenarios, the energy efficiency is pretty much 1:1. Add the fact that you're converting land from growing crops for food to growing fuel for cars, and you have a potential problem on your hands. To wit: rising food prices.
Turns out ethanol is bad in so many ways you don't even want to BEGIN thinking about it. Fortunately, we have people who are willing to do both the thinking and the research for us. The journal Science has just published two papers indicating that clearing land for biofuels will aid global warming.
Wouldn't you know it, the very thing that is going to cure us will kill us faster? Researchers from Princeton University, Woods Hole Research Center and Iowa State University (smack dab in the heart of E85 country) have all concluded that over 30 years, the use of traditional corn-based ethanol will produce twice as much greenhouse gas emissions as regular gasoline.
In the words of the report’s lead author, “this is not good news.” Surprise! There are hidden environmental costs to producing biofuels. "The land we're likely to plow up is the land that we've had taking up carbon for decades," Tim Searchinger at Princeton pronounced. "We can't get to a result, no matter how heroically we make assumptions on behalf of corn ethanol, where it will actually generate greenhouse-gas benefits."
Meanwhile, the governementos of the world are sleeping soundly in the knowledge that they have done a good thing, keeping rotting agricultural produce off the Capitol steps and letting people motor as usual.
Over at the Casa Blanca, the chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality isn’t surrendering the federal tit without a fight. James L. Connaughton says biofuels' benefits remain tangible.
"Like any issue, there are ways to do it right and there are ways to do things wrong, and the same is the case to biofuels. We move as rapidly as we can to second-generation [biofuels] because those offer the best opportunity for a low environmental profile."
And the Executive VP of the Biotechnology Industry Organization couldn't agree more. "It is much more logical to produce biofuels that recycle carbon,” Brent Erickson insisted. “Even if a short-term carbon debt is created. Even if it's 167 years, you're still better off than burning oil that can never be paid off."
He could have added that biofuels also offers the best opportunity for an abysmal energy ROI. Kind of like buying Eli Manning out of the Giants because you need someone to throw warmups to your starting High-School quarterback.
Michael O'Hare, who really knows his biofuels, is glum. Yes, another academic, from Berkeley of all places. What does he know?
"The bottom line of these complicated chains of events is that using crops for biofuels anywhere induces land use changes somewhere, and while the effect isn't a simple acre-for-acre replacement, and we don't know exactly how big the land-clearing carbon hit should be for a generic gallon of biodiesel or bioethanol, betting now is that it is most unlikely to be small enough to view crop-based biofuels as green substitutes for petroleum."
Well, doesn't that throw a wrench in the spokes of politicos and car honchos alike? Not to mention members of the green mafia who have been seduced by the notion they were supporting agriculture over oil wars.
It's worth restating. All those of us now alive have enjoyed an extended period with ridiculously effective energy readily available at an unbelievably low price. There are no viable substitutes to the energy efficiency of petroleum, and demand is outstripping supply, and faster than we'd like to think. What next? Sorry, but there is no easy answer.

Article courtesy of The Truth About Cars

Please visit The Truth About Cars website to read viewer comments and see original article : http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ethanol-causes-global-warming/

A look at no touch carwash chemicals

Think no touch car washes are safer for your car? Have a look at this article which explains the dangers of just one of the many chemicals used in no touch commercial car washes.

A deadly rinse: The dangers of hydrofluoric acid

Do its cleaning virtues outweigh its many risks?
by: John Strachan, Associate Editor Professional Carwashing & Detailing

At Harvard University, lab workers aren't allowed near a container of hydrofluoric acid (HF) without donning rubber gloves, goggles, a face shield, rubber apron and a lab coat. Some just don't feel safe wearing anything less than a supplied-air protective suit.

An overreaction? Hardly, when you consider that an HF burn covering less than 2 percent of your body can kill you. And you probably won't even know you're in danger until it's too late.

Two years ago, a veteran New York City sanitation worker was killed when an unmarked plastic container of hydrofluoric acid burst as it was being compacted in a garbage truck. He was splashed slightly on his face and hands, and he breathed in the toxic fumes. He died hours later at a hospital emergency room.

Anyone with a chemical background who's worked around the stuff can tell immediately who's using HF in their pre-soak. They just look for the tell-tale etching of the concrete tunnel floor.

The brittle, discolored fingernails will give away any detailer who's been using an HF solution - without protective gloves - to clean wheels.

HF is not like other highly corrosive acids. Mix it with equal parts of water (as many overzealous operators do when cleaning bay walls), spill a little on your unprotected hand and you won't even feel any pain as it begins to burn through your skin, searching for the calcium in your bones.

Because of the fluorine's numbing effect, it could be a full day before you begin to notice that your soft tissue and bone are being eaten away by this toxic chemical that has two favorite sources of calcium - bones and concrete.

Breathe in just a small amount of that 50 percent solution and you'll be dead - killed by the fumes of a highly toxic chemical that car wash and detail shop operators across the country are liberally sloshing on bay walls, spritzing on dirty wheels and pumping into their pre-soak.

The ultimate rinse

When Bill Consolo warns about the dangers of hydrofluoric acid, you have to remind yourself that he is also one of its major proponents among carwash operators and suppliers for its ability to get cars clean, dry, streak-free and shiny.

"It's some very non-friendly stuff," says Consolo, president of Chief's Manufacturing and Equipment Co. in Cleveland, who uses HF in his own high-volume exterior-only wash and recommends it to the carwashes he supplies.

"But never as a pre-soak," he warns. "If you've got people back there in the tunnel, breathing that stuff in, you're looking at a lawsuit."

Instead, Consolo uses concentrated HF, drawn from a 55-gallon drum and run through a metering pump, as a pre-rinse. He swears by its ability to remove loose traces of foam polish wax, shine glass and chrome, reduce streaking and neutralize the pH on vehicles that have just been through an alkaline pre-soak and washed with reclaim water.

"We use an ounce - maybe 1-1/2 ounces - on each car, and it's going through a lot of equipment," says Consolo. "I'll put my hand right in there and show you, you couldn't even tell it wasn't just water coming through."

Because the solution is not under pressure, Consolo says, there is little danger to workers. "You just don't want the guys mixing it or doing anything with it," he says.

That includes maintenance on the equipment that carries the HF solution.

"If the pump breaks and I have to go in and take it apart, I'd certainly wear some protective gloves," he says. "But that isn't something an employee would be doing anyway. That's a job for management or maintenance people."

A pre-soak mainstay

Although Consolo warns against it, the use of hydrofluoric acid to boost the cleaning power of pre-soaks continues to grow - especially with the number of frictionless automatic washes popping up throughout the country.

Although specific numbers are not available, all chemical manufacturers contacted for this article report "growing pressure" to provide HF solutions to carwash operators.

Without the agitation or friction of brushes, cloth or other type of physical contact, many touchless operators feel that the only way to loosen road film is to use a pre-soak that has been spiked with a healthy dose of hydrofluoric acid.

HF does, after all, have a number of related industrial uses that make it ideal - in lesser concentrations - for carwashers and detailers:

Fulll-strength, it is used to etch glass. In a dilute solution, it removes acid rain spots from windshields and puts a showroom-like shine on glass.

 The electronics industry uses it to surgically clean printed circuits, semiconductors and other high-tech components. Detailers use it to clean and polish chrome and other bright metal parts, especially decorative wheels that have become pitted, corroded or caked with hard-to-remove brake dust.

 HF has long been a cleaning staple at commercial truck washes to get the bright metal parts on the "big rigs" clean and shiny.

"It's the only thing I know of that will clean the fiberglass walls inside most self serves and frictionless washes," says Jeff Rufner, laboratory manager for Warsaw Chemical Co. in Warsaw, IN.

Find another source

Notwithstanding its popularity, the world's largest producer of hydrofluoric acid would be just as happy if the carwash and detail industries would look elsewhere for cleaning products.

"Unless these are trained chemical professionals who understand the hazards and have protective clothing, we really don't want the business," says Tom Crane, director of communications for the specialty chemical division of Allied Signal in Morristown, NJ.

HF, which is created by treating calcium fluoride or fluorspar with sulfuric acid, was intended for industrial use only, says Crane. "It is corrosive, toxic and poisonous."

While the International Carwash Association (ICA) has taken no formal position on the use of HF, executive director Mark Thorsby says the association is still concerned about the safety of carwash employees and customers.

"If you insist on using it," says Thorsby, "use it safely and in the prescribed concentrations."

Even as some creative chemical suppliers begin to offer alternatives, HF continues to find its way into the list of ingredients for car care and even household cleaning products, although Crane says the home-products industry has been doing a good job of reducing its dependence on HF.

"You can hardly blame them," he says of HF's supporters. "Sometimes soap and water just doesn't do it."

Not everyone agrees. One detailing veteran suggests that some operators are relying too much on dangerous chemical technology to do the work they could accomplish a lot more safely with a little old-fashioned elbow grease.

"There is no good excuse to ever use a hazardous chemical," says Irene Bernardo, owner of Top of the Line Automobile Enhancement, a mail-order detailing supply business in Bonanza, AR. "Why would anyone want to work with a liquid that burns the skin, cannot be used without a mask, permanently stains paint, etches glass and destroys spray bottles?"

Wheel cleaners containing less-toxic phosphoric acid are a safer alternative, she says, along with specialized tools for cleaning hard-to-reach crevices in wheels, followed by metal and paint polishing chemicals to remove brake-dust buildup and oxidation.

Key to survival

For some carwash chemical manufacturers, however, hydrofluoric acid may be the key to survival.

Warsaw Chemical Co. has long manufactured an HF solution designed to clean carwash bay walls. But only recently - and reluctantly - did the company begin to add hydrofluoric acid to one of its pre-soaks.

"For a long time we hesitated to do it with products that would go directly on the car," says laboratory manager Rufner. "But because of customer demand we finally had to."

Now, one of Warsaw's concentrated pre-soaks gets an HF boost - no more than 5 percent, says Rufner - and operators generally dilute it 80-to-1 beyond that, making the dilution on the car less than 0.1 percent.

"I warn people that this stuff (HF) is nasty," says Rufner. "I wouldn't use it in my own wash if I were an operator."

Nevertheless, he says, if that's what operators demand, it is what the company will supply.

To educate users to the dangers of hydrofluoric acid, Warsaw packs the requisite Material Safety Data Sheet with its products that contain HF. For a substance as potentially deadly as hydrofluoric acid, it's the MSDS equivalent of War and Peace.

"It's probably one of the longest ones you'll find because it's got the strictest guidelines," says Rufner.

Taking a different tack

Lon Swinehart chuckles as he reads the dire safety warnings on an MSDS for a popular carwashing product containing hydrofluoric acid that is produced by a leading supplier to the industry.

"We all know these are scan-read at best," he says. "For most operators it's just something to keep on file in case the EPA or OSHA stops by."

The president of S/S Car Care in North Canton, OH, Swinehart heads a company that three years ago began removing HF, bifluorides and caustics from its pre-soaks, tire and wheel cleaners - gambling its future on a line of cleaning products developed through polymer technology.

The decision, he says, was prompted as much by fear as it was altruism.

"I got scared to death about liability," says Swinehart. "We're a small company, and this continual proliferation of HF and bifluorides in cleaning products is a time bomb in the back room, just waiting to explode."

Swinehart says that over the past five years operators have been relentlessly upping the ante for chemical manufacturers, pushing for continually higher concentrations of HF in all wheel and tire cleaners, pre-soaks and other cleaners.

"The mentality is that harsher is better," says Swinehart. "We're trying to get across the point that milder and safer is better."

The routine use of HF in the cleaning process just feeds the perception of a large segment of the population that carwashes are not safe for cars, Swinehart says.

"We're in an industry that tells people to get their cars washed to protect them from acid rain," he says. "So what are they doing? They're putting hydrofluoric acid on the damn cars."

Bud Abraham, who operates Detail Plus Car Appearance Systems in Portland, OR, says he's more concerned about the damage that HF-containing products can do to an unwitting employee of a carwash or detail shop.

"It's scary," says Abraham. "I think there are a lot of honestly ignorant detailers and carwash people out there that don't know the danger of it."

In what he describes as one of the most frightening experiences of his life, Abraham was working with a group of islanders to set up a detail shop in the Caribbean several years ago. While pressurizing a tank that contained HF, a hose popped off.

"My God, the stuff was flying all over and it was getting all over everybody and everything," he says. "They didn't know how dangerous this stuff was. I just started shooting those guys with a water hose."

The jury, meanwhile, is still out on Swinehart's decision to spend what he calls "a ton of money" to develop the new polymer-based products that he claims are the future of the carwash chemical industry.

The response by operators, he concedes, has been encouraging, but not overwhelming. "It isn't like people are beating a path to our door to buy as much of our product as we can manufacture," says Swinehart.

But Andras Nagy, the polymer chemist and Ph.D. he hired three years ago to develop the products, says it will take time to win converts.

"I would compare it to the days when people believed that food was good only when it was hot and spicy and salty," Nagy explains. "How many years did it take people to realize that you could cut back on salt, it was better for you and you could still enjoy your food?"

Buying a new car before you do read these money saving tips

Proper car care is a financially rewarding experience regardless of the age of the vehicle; but for those who are buying a new car I have added some car care tips to help you keep your vehicle looking new and to protect its value at resale time. New car owners should be aware that the resale value of a vehicle depends on two things: mechanical and cosmetic appearance.

Tips to save you money before you buy:

* Do your research on the latest technology before you buy. Especially, when it comes to things like automotive accessories, window tint, vehicle protection systems or paint, fabric, vinyl, leather & rust protection packages.

* Ask the dealership you plan to buy from how much the package will cost prior to making an offer. It is important to note that most automobile dealerships offering accessories, window tint, paint, fabric, vinyl, leather & rust protection packages sell these upgrades, services and installations at a premium price and in most cases do not even perform the work in-house themselves. The work is usually subcontracted to auto detailing shops.

* Call around to professional detail shops who offer the upgrades you want - many times you can get the same product or better for less cost. Find out which detail shop the car dealership sends cars to and call them for pricing.

* The average cost for a paint, fabric, rust and leather/vinyl protection package at a dealership costs between $800-1200 but when you factor in the interest the package ends up costing well over $2000.00. By cutting out the dealership as the middleman and going straight to a professional auto detailer to get the protection package you can save yourself $400-$1200.00.

* If you are offered a warranty of any kind read the fine print. All warranties look great at first sight but once you have a true understanding of them many fail to meet your expectations.

Tips for sale contract:

* Find out where your car will be detailed prior to delivery. Many car dealerships do not perform the detailing in-house. Instead, they subcontract it to professional detailer's. Do your research to find the most reputable detail shop and if the dealership you plan to buy from does not use the detailer of your choice make it a part of the contract. Many people are unaware of the fact that they are paying an administration fee for this service which is to be of the highest standards; yet many of the detail shops fall below this standard and the end result could be costly. A new car must be prepped properly to remove glue from the paint. Adhesive that is left to remain eventually gets baked on by the sun and etches itself into the paint. A skilled professional detailer can provide the best care for your car and ensure that it is prepped, cleaned and that any protection packages you purchase are applied correctly whereas an amateur or low cost detail shop may fail to follow correct procedures or use low grade retail products. For more information about automotive detailing see the following article:Everything you need to know about automotive detailing - Guelph automotive detailing expert Diamond Detailing

Tips for car care:

* New car owner's should always buy extended service or warranty plans. Regular service checks should be performed at approved dealers and maintenance should be followed as per the manufacturers recommendations. It is always wise to keep all receipts and records of maintenance - this is proof to potential buyers that you have taken excellent care of the car and that it is in good mechanical condition.

* Paint touch up stick that matches the paint on the vehicle. You may purchase this at the dealership where you are buying the car or if you are good at making deals you may be able to convince them to throw one in with the sale (but add it to the contact). The paint stick will allow you to touch up small stone chips. Stone chips are the result of a hard impact usually by gravel or other debris on the road which causes the paint to become damaged. In some cases it may become cracked or may actually take a piece of the paint off the car. Left untreated the unprotected spots will collect moisture and will lead to rust or what is better known in this industry as cancer. Therefore, it is imperative that you keep up with the stone chips so that your car does not become damaged. If you are not inclined to do the touch-ups yourself get a professional detailer to do them for you.

* Stone chip guard has become a necessity these days. Modern vehicles seem to have become more prone to stone chips for many reasons including but not limited to the body styles, road debris and the types of automotive paint being used. Scratch proof or stone chip vinyl films are the leading protection method available on the market and can prevent damage caused by scuffs, stones and scratches. Many new cars do come stock with this vinyl film applied to the vulnerable parts of the automobile but for those that don't it is highly recommended that you purchase a kit to protect door handles, fenders, bumper, mirrors, door ledges, hood or other parts that may be susceptible to chips. Most dealerships offer these kits and installation but the buyer should do some research prior to buying. Ask the dealership how much the package will cost prior to making an offer then call around to professional detail shops who offer the service - many times you can get the same product or better for less cost.

* Paint Protection, fabric protection, vinyl /leather protection and rust protection are an absolute must have when it comes to complete automotive protection. Vehicles that are left unprotected will become damaged and in some cases the damage can be quite costly. For more information about protection packages see the following articles:
Guelph Automotive Fabric Protection - Guelph Auto Detailing Expert Diamond Detailing

Guelph Automotive Leather Protection - Guelph Automotive Detailing Expert Diamond Detailing

Guelph Automotive Paint Protection - Guelph Car Detailing Expert Diamond Detailing

Guelph Rust Proofing - Platininum Protection Electronic Rust Modules

Follow manufacturers car wash tips or have a skilled professional detailer perform your car cleaning services to eliminate damage to paint, rims, tires, moldings, plastic...

Chrysler suggests you "Wash your vehicle regularly. Always wash your vehicle in the shade using a mild car wash soap, and rinse the panels completely with clear water…. Avoid using automatic car washes that use acidic solutions or harsh brushes that may damage the wheel’s protective finish."

Ford suggests you "Wash the vehicle frequently…rinse the vehicle with clear, cold water…. Do not wash your vehicle with hot water. Also do not wash your vehicle while it sits in direct sunlight or while the body is hot…do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners, fuel, or strong detergents…. These can damage your vehicle’s protective coating and paint…. Tire brushes used in automatic car washes may damage the painted finish on your aluminum wheels or wheel covers. Before going to a car wash, find out if the brushes are abrasive."

Mercedes Benz suggests you "Do not use hot water or wash your car in direct sunlight. Use only a mild car wash detergent…. Thoroughly spray the car with a diffused jet of water. Direct only a very weak spray towards the ventilation intake…. If the vehicle has been run through an automatic car wash…re-wipe the recessed sections in the tail lamps…if necessary.

Infinity suggests you "Clean the vehicle thoroughly using a mild soap…mixed with clean, lukewarm (never hot) water. Do not use strong household soap, strong chemical detergents, gasoline or solvents."

Ferrari suggests you "Make sure that the paintwork is not directly sprayed with a high pressure jet, as damage may result. Wash all the paintwork using…ample quantities of water and a neutral shampoo…. We recommend not having the car washes by [those] automatic washing plants which…employ very aggressive detergents."

General Motors suggests "The best way to preserve your vehicle’s finish is to keep it clean by washing it often with lukewarm or cold water…. Don’t use cleaning agents that are petroleum based, or that contain acid or abrasives…. High pressure vehicle washes may cause water to enter your vehicle…. Don’t take your vehicle through an automatic vehicle wash that has silicon carbide tire cleaning brushes."

Season car care tips and maintenance schedule

A vehicle doesn't stand a chance unless it has been professionally treated. Each season brings new challenges but a well protected vehicle has a fighting chance.

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

* Wash every 2 weeks
* Exterior detail every 30 days - 90 days
* Vacuum every 2 weeks
* Shampoo and detail interior every 30 - 90 days
* Have paint chips touched up as you notice them
* Seal the paint with wax every 60 - 90 days

FALL & WINTER CAR CARE - Canadian winters can take their toll on your vehicle. Protective barriers applied to your paint, tires, glass, plastic, carpet, upholstery, vinyl, rubber, plastic and metal arm it against salt, sun, gravel,ice and snow.

Regular washing & waxing protects the vehicle's exterior from corrosion, fading, peeling and scratches. If moisture penetrates the paint it will expand and contract from thawing and freezing - weakening the paint. Ultraviolet light and environmental pollution can then penetrate the clear coat. The result is oxidation; a dull or hazy appearance. All colors are susceptible to oxidation but dark color paints are at greater risk because these color pigments tend to absorb more UV than light colors. Oxidation can be fix but it costly. The process involves decontaminating and removing the top layer of paint through a compounding process and high speed polishing. In severe cases wet sanding is required.

Exterior Detailing - To prevent etching, erosion, cracking, fading and corrosion additional exterior detailing should include proper cleaning and protective treatments to tires, paint, rims, wheel wells, chrome, glass, plastic, vinyl and rubber surfaces.

Interior Detailing - Interior detailing reduces damage and erosion that can occur to carpets, vinyl and upholstery. During the winter high levels of moisture are accumulated in the vehicle causing mold and mildew - creating an unhealthy environment and deterioration. Regular shampooing, vacuuming and treatment the various surfaces with protective coatings protect the interior of your car from moisture, salt, allergens and debris.

SPRING & SUMMER CAR CARE is essential in the protection against extreme heat, industrial fallout, acid rain, hail, bird droppings, humidity, road dust, debris, sap, bugs, road paint and road oil. Follow the same schedule as winter to prevent rust, peeling, flaking, cracking, fading, etching and erosion. Special attention should also be given to your leather and vinyl interiors.