Perfection Plus Auto Detailing and Ceramic coatings Redmond Oregon

Protecting your interior

• Park in the shade. It is the easiest form of protection. By avoiding direct sunlight, you’ll help keep your dash from drying and cracking. If it is safe to do so, open the windows a crack to help lower the interior temperature and equalize the air pressure.
• Use a windshield sun protector. It’s a great way to keep your car cool and prevent sun damage. They may look a little cumbersome at first, but they are really quite easy to use.
• Wipe dash with a microfiber cloth. Dust and dirt can cause tiny scratches that can become worse over time. Wipe down the dash frequently to remove all particles. A low-gloss detailing product will also protect it and reduce glare.
• Install seat covers. They not only protect leather and fabric seats, but they also help keep them cool.
• Protect leather seats with a conditioner. The sun and heat can really do a number on them. To help avoid cracks or tears, keep seats clean, and apply leather conditioner often.

Tips for the exterior

• Wash and dry often. Sun and heat can fade and crack the paint. Frequent washing and hand drying help remove dirt and dust particles that can cause micro scratches and dull your car’s finish.
• Wax your car. A layer of wax between your car’s finish and the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a great way to help protect it. How often a car needs a wax job varies, but it is best to do it on a regular basis.
• Check tire pressure. Hot pavement and underinflated tires can be a dangerous combination, and may lead to a blowout. Even good tires can lose about one pound of air pressure a month, so it’s really important to check often when it’s hot. Make sure you follow your vehicle’s manufacturer recommended tire pressure.

Cleaning your vehicle’s carpet may not seem as important as maintaining your car’s engine and other mechanical parts. However, cleaning the interior of your vehicle can certainly be the difference between a bad looking car and a well-maintained and loved vehicle. Cleaning the carpeting of your vehicle is easy and does not take very much time at all. The reward of peace and cleanliness that a clean car interior provides is far greater than the little time it takes to carry out this simple task.

Admit it, sometimes we love our pets more than we love people. There’s a reason they call dogs man’s best friend. Who can go past their soft coats, wet nosed kisses and energetic wagging tails, not to mention their undying loyalty? If you’ve ever owned a pet, you know that no matter what kind of day you’ve had, your furry friend will be thrilled to see you when you get home and that’s enough to melt anyone’s heart.

So we make them a part of our families and families travel. To the park, to the beach or to the bush; every man, woman, child and dog piles into the car for the trip. The memories we make with our pets last a lifetime. And, unfortunately, so does the pet hair wedged in the car upholstery. If dogs have a downside, it’s shedding their coats frequently! Removing pet hair from your car’s upholstery can be a laborious and painstaking process but we’ve compiled these tweezer-free tips to get rid of the pet hair in your car and to protect your car’s upholstery from pet related incidents and accidents.

Cleaning Tips

Tip 1: Blow up a balloon and make some static. Static electricity attracts pet hair, so take an inflated balloon and rub it on your car upholstery to help lift away the pet hair.

Tip 2: Use a pair of rubber gloves and water for even more electrifying results. Wearing rubber gloves, spray your upholstery lightly with water and sweep vigorously with your gloved hands – pet hair should collect on your fingertips.

Tip 3: Another ‘spray and wipe’ style tip – mix a few teaspoons of fabric softener with water and lightly spray your upholstery with the mixture. Wipe with paper towel. Ingredients used in fabric softener loosen hair, making it easier to remove from creases in fabric. Leave your upholstery to dry and vacuum up any leftover pet hair.

Tip 4: Speaking of vacuums, many vacuums have small rubber bristled brush attachments specifically designed for collecting hair. The rubber brushes work in the same way that the balloon and rubber gloves do by harnessing the power of static electricity to help remove pet hair.

How To Properly Care For Your New Car – Detailing 101

Buying a new car can be intense; there are so many choices and you want to make sure you get the best deal possible. Then there is all of that paperwork before you can get the keys and drive it home. Then what?

Many people think that because their car is new they don’t need to do anything yet. WRONG! You just paid a lot of money for that car and if you want to keep it looking new, just like anything else, you have to take care of it! A new car is not immune to the harsh environmental elements and the clear-coat is not the shield that protects your car, it’s just clear paint and it needs to be protected.

For me, I didn’t even let the dealership wash my new car before I drove it home for fear of scratching my black paint. It even had the white adhesive plastic still on the car from the transport from the factory to the dealership. The car was still in the back and had not hit the lot yet and my words to the salesman were “Do not wash it!”. He said, “But it’s dirty, don’t you want us to detail it for you?”. I then politely responded “No thank you, I will wash it when I get home”.

Proper Car Care From The Beginning

The time to start proper car care is when you drive home and pull into the driveway. When I got home with my new Camaro I parked right next to the hose and went and got my wash buckets, car wash shampoo, wash mitt and microfiber drying towels before I even pulled into the garage.

FIVE STEP CAR CARE

Many think that all the steps are not necessary on a new car but your long term protection depends on properly preparing and protecting your car. You wouldn’t want to put your paint sealant over bonded contamination or get a less than perfect shine would you?

This article will help you understand the importance of each step in the five step process to care for your car, even if it is not so new anymore.

Step 1 – Washing Your New Car

Wash – Thoroughly wash your car to remove loose dirt and grime.

The first thing you need to know is that the car washing procedure is the number one cause of swirl marks! Don’t worry, this can be avoided by using high a quality car wash shampoo, wash mitt and microfiber drying towels. Using two buckets – one for your car wash solution and the other for rinsing your mitt is also very helpful when it comes to avoiding swirl.

With high quality products and a little education your car wash procedure will not only be safer, it will be easier and you will achieve much better results.

For more information on how to properly wash your car read our Detailing 101 – How To Wash Your Car Article.

Step 2 – Claying Your New Car

Clean – Clean your paint with detailing clay to remove bonded surface contamination that is stuck to the paint and is not removed with normal washing.

Most new cars owners think that a new car does not need to be clayed. This is not necessarily true! Contamination doesn’t care if your car is old or new. Even though your car is new it has been subjected to many types environments. Your car started at the factory, sat on a lot waiting for transport via ship, train or truck or a combination of transports, then it may have sat on the lot waiting to be bought for who knows how long. During this time, who knows what was floating around the air on the long journey between the factory and your driveway?

Claying your car with a detail clay or using the Ultima Elastrofoam Cleaning System is not a substitute for polishing your paint, it is a process to be done prior to the polishing process to remove surface contaminants that make your paint rough. When your paint is rough, dirt and grime tend to stick and build up creating even more problems. The simple task of claying will remove the contamination and prepare your car for the polishing and protecting steps.

For more information on properly claying or how to use a Clay Mitt, read our Detailing 101 – How To Detail Clay Your Car Article.

Step 3 – Polishing Your New Car

Polish – Remove defects in your paint, staining and enhance overall shine.

More than likely if your car is new you won’t need to remove defects unless your car has been on the lot for a while and been stricken with that dreaded swirl from poor washing procedures by the dealership. This can also be created by dealership detailers who use machine polishers incorrectly.

If your paint is free of defects you will still want to use a pre-wax cleaner like Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion to enhance the shine and prepare your paint for paint protectant. This product can be safely and easily applied by either hand or machine.

For more information on properly polish your car read our How To Polish Your Car Article.

Step 4 – Protecting Your New Car

Protect – Protect the paint surface from harsh environmental elements and prevent premature aging with a car wax, paint protectant or paint sealant.

Many new car owners look at the clearcoat as a protective layer that shields their car against harm. This is simply not true. The clearcoat is a tough clear paint that is there to protect your color coat and add depth in shine. It is not a super high tech protectant, it is just clear paint and needs to be protected just like the older single stage paints.

Car waxes, paint protectants and paint sealants all fall into the same “paint protection category”. Although some do a better job than others, they all protect against and help prevent premature deterioration caused by the onset of oxidation. With modern technology, a car wax would be “old school” and be less protective than the more advanced paint sealants.

For more information on properly protect your car’s paint read our How To Wax Your Car to Perfection Article.

Step 5 – Maintaining Your New Car

Maintain – Maintain your paint with normal washing and quick detailing in between washing.

Quick detailers are also known as waterless wash and are commonly used by detailers and car enthusiasts to put the finishing touch on a freshly detailed vehicle. Quick detailers quickly and easily remove fresh water spots, streaks, dust and other light contamination. It is also a good idea to keep one with you for those dreaded bird bombs for a quick cleanup to avoid permanent damage.

Quick Detail Sprays are a special formulation that evaporate quickly to prevent further spotting, lubricate to prevent scratching and contain gloss enhancers to refresh your just waxed shine. For the car enthusiast, a quick detailer is more than just a convenient time saver, it is a necessity when it comes to keeping your finish looking great.

For more information on properly quick detail your car read our Detailing 101 – How To Quick Detail Your Car Article.

Article from Autopia.com

Here in our beautiful high desert area of central Oregon , we have amazing views , outdoor areas and around 300 days a year of sunshine! One thing a lot of people don’t realize is how bad an area this is for vehicles. From the sunshine to the snow , our environment is wreaking havoc on your vehicle.

First lets touch on the obvious , winter time here is brutal on vehicles . We all know that . We have cinder , de icer , snow runoff , freezing temperatures , water , and other pollutants tag teaming your vehicle 3-4 months out of the year . That’s why every time we get a sunny day you see the local car washes packed out to the street with filthy cars waiting to get rinsed off, but is a simple wash enough? For the most YES…. unless you haven’t waxed or had your vehicle detailed prior to winter. I say this because wax isn’t just to make your vehicle shiny, it protects your vehicle from all of the above. Simply washing your vehicle year around isn’t enough and is probably inflicting more damage to your paint than good. I recommend waxing your vehicle at least 2 times a year. Ideally 3-4 times . There are products out there now days that make washing and waxing your vehicle a breeze.

Now lets touch on spring and summer time . Even though there’s not harsh chemicals on the ground there is still lots of environmental things impacting your vehicles finish , the biggest is the sun . The suns uv rays are harsh on your vehicles paint and can cause fading and clear coat breakdown. Then there’s tree saps , bird droppings  , bug acids , road construction pollutants . All of these play a major part in breaking down your paints clear coat system . Again keeping your vehicles washed and protected will go  a long way in keeping these harsh environmental hazards at bay! We carry a full line of products or i’m sure any parts store or shopping center will carry them as well.

We have all seen those cloudy , yellow looking headlights that just dull any cars appearance. I often wonder when i see really bad headlights how the people can even see at night. There are a lot of places offering headlight restorations and all kind of do it yourself kits for the consumer. In this article im going to elaborate on those methods and about the best method I have found to restore headlights back to like new condition and keep them that way for years!

Most places offering headlight restoration are doing it this way , sanding the oxidation off the headlight then polishing the lens to make them look good , if your lucky they might throw some wax on them to protect them for a month or two . This is the same for the DIY kits that can be bought . While this method restores the clarity of the lights , it does not protect them from the source of the problem : the suns uv rays. In fact using this method has actually damaged the lens more , by sanding and polishing them out you are actually removing any remaining uv protective coating that might have been on there so the lights are going to re oxidize even faster than before .

My method of choice is similar but with one big difference . I start by sanding the lights to remove the oxidation and any other imperfections, I then re apply the factory clear UV protection to the lights. This method is from my research the way to get the longest lasting protection for your headlights.

While the first method might be cheaper , you will be having it done or doing it yourself every 3-6 months . What a pain ! My chosen method of sanding and re applying the factory UV coating will get you at least 2 years if not more and the cost difference is not that big .  Keep your ride looking good with nice new looking headlights and keep you and your family safe while night driving.

I would say 8/10 people who call me to inquire about having there vehicle detailed , the first question they ask is “how much”.  I understand that cost is a factor but I do believe that quality of work should be equally important , in this blog im going to attempt to explain why not all vehicles are the same price.

First there are several factors to consider , the size of the vehicle is one important factor . Should a mini cooper cost the same as a suburban? NO , the suburban is much bigger and going to take longer to clean , simple as that.

Next is the condition of your vehicle, we could be detailing two of the same exact vehicles and each are going to have its own set of stains, paint defects , etc. All these factors are why we give a ballpark price  over the phone . The detailing industry is very similar to auto body and collision repair. Just like them we must assess the damage before we can give you an actual price.

Another factor is my customers concerns . Maybe he/she only is concerned with the kid messes in the interior but could care less about the exterior or vice versa .

Please dont focus solely on price either , cheap does not equal good and good work should not be cheap. A good detail should be 300-500.00 most of the time . Also inquire what type of products they use then research those products. They might be using the same products that you yourself could by at walmart or your local auto parts store . These types of products are consumer grade and not very long lasting . I would encourage anyone interested in having a vehicle detailed to inquire more into the training and products a detailer has rather  than just solely focused on price!

Happy Detailing !

This is a great article from Washos blog:

What is Car Detailing?

Simply put, getting your car detailed means a top-to-bottom thorough cleaning of your vehicle using specialized tools and products. Normally, a detailer will also perform some light cosmetic touch-ups, but the process does not include paintwork or body repairs.

Car detailing involves cleaning and reconditioning the interior and exterior of the car. The aim of this is to restore the paintwork by eliminating scratches or swirl marks to make the car look almost brand new like it did when you first drove it out of the shop.

A simple car wash gets rid of dirt on the outside of your car, and if you clean the interior you might catch some of the grime with a vacuum, but car detailing takes this process much further. Every car we detail has every last imperfection buffed, polished, or vacuumed out, leaving it fit for display in any showroom.

Since there are no set guidelines, you will see a great variety in terms of the services included in a complete detail.  our detail consists of an exterior detailing using  and high-end wax, an advanced interior cleaning with stain removal and leather treatment as well as dressing on all the plastics.

What are the steps in Auto Detailing?

A thorough car detailing consists of two main phases: interior detailing and exterior detailing. We are going to break down each phase so you know exactly what to expect when you get your vehicle detailed. Feel free to ask your technician if you have any questions about the process, as most of them love to share their art of detailing with others.

Exterior Car Detailing

We begin with an exhaustive exterior wash to remove as much dirt as possible. By allowing the soap to foam, dirt and mud are softened and lifted off the surface.

Next, using special brushes and wheel cleaning products, the detailer takes off all the dust and filth from the wheels; brake calipers, lug nuts, etc. The wheels are usually the dirtiest parts of the car!

After the wheels have been cleaned, the paintwork is washed and dried from top to bottom using washing mitts and soft microfiber towels. The paintwork is then clayed using automotive clay bar that removes the tightly bonded dirt of the surface of the car, which is your car’s clear coat.

If required, the paint is polished to eliminate any light scratches, oxidation, and swirl marks. The paint can be polished by hand or by a polishing machine. This can be the most time-consuming part of the detailing service depending on the car and the state of its paintwork.

Finally, the paint is waxed to give it an additional protective layer using high-quality carnauba based paste wax. This added protection results in a noticeable shine too, the kind that you saw when you first bought it!

The remaining exterior parts, like the windows and other rubber parts, are then polished and methodically cleaned, adding the finishing touches in all the corners of the car’s body and exterior trim to make the entire car sparkle.

Interior Car Detailing

All of the upholstery inside the car is thoroughly vacuumed and shampooed to remove stains and dirt. If the car has leatherwork, this is often conditioned and scrubbed to remove dirt that is deeply ingrained. Plastics and vinyl are also properly cleaned and dressed.

Lastly, the interior glass is also cleaned and polished.

An Important Optional Step

Cleaning the engine bay is an important step but a lot of people simply don’t do it. The reason for this is probably that some people don’t care what their car looks like under the hood, or that they think only mechanics should venture to clean anywhere under there.

Having the engine bay cleaned can make identifying any engine problems easier and faster. Mechanics love working in a clean engine bay, and if the car owner is having the car detailed before selling, a clean engine bay can make a big impression on how well maintained a car is. Anyone that purchases a used vehicle will likely glance under the hood, and a clean engine bay can only raise the value

However, there are steps you can take when you have your car detailed to protect some components from wear and tear. The detailer cleans the engine bay by lightly spraying it with water, and then wiping it down with a degreaser before rinsing everything clean. Once properly dried, all silicone, plastic and rubber components should be properly dressed to protect them from cracking. This is a simple process that ultimately serves to protect the car from everyday problems of wear on rubber and silicone.

 What are the benefits of getting your car detailed?

A complete car detail will bring your car to its best condition. You can then perform mini details to keep your car looking as good as new.

Protection

Another benefit of auto detailing is the added protection against the elements. When a wax coat is routinely applied to the exterior painted surface, it protects the finish from contamination and oxidation (rust).

Attention to Detail

Since detailing is an incredibly thorough process, you can expect the detailer to meticulously assess every crevice of your car to suggest customized solutions. You will not get this kind of personalized service at a car wash.

How to Choose a Car Detailing Service?

Now that you’ve decided to get your car detailed, and you know roughly how much it’s going to cost you, you will need to do some research to figure out where to take your car. The quality and experience of the detailer makes all the difference here.

I recently had a customer post a review about my customer service , basically saying that i was trying to up sell him the whole time . This wasn’t the case , I did up sell him on a ceramic coating via messenger but that was it. He contacted through messenger and  finally on the phone . I asked him different questions about the  vehicle and his concerns, Im assuming he gave me his best answers. His vehicle was a mid size pick up with light branch scratches and some interior work needed . This was his description.  The day of his appointment he shows up with the vehicle and it was in lack of other words , not as he described.  Not to say that he was lying or down playing his vehicle but consumers dont see vehicles the way detailers do . His vehicle did have branch scratches and while they were light on the surface they covered the entire vehicle . Also his interior needed more work than the interior detail package he wanted. So after talking with him , I tried my best to explain to him that based on the vehicles condition it would require more work , this happens from time to time.  I explained to him different levels of paint correction and why i thought he needed a better package to achieve the results he wanted. At the time we rescheduled the detail and he seemed to understand , a day or so later , I get a review saying that i tried to up sell him and that he took his vehicle to multiple shops and no one was even close to my prices. These points to me are irrelevant, Had i saw the vehicle up front like the other shops got to , my estimate would have been higher than just talking through messenger. Also it does not matter what one shop vs the other shop charges. You dont go to a steakhouse order a burger and then ask them to match McDonald prices . Not all detailers are the same and we dont charge the same rates.

Over the phone and via messenger , I did the best i could to give and accurate quote based on this customers description , no pics , no prior inspection like the the other shops had.  Again had i seen the vehicle in person in the first place my initial quote would of been about what my second quote was. Please give your detailer as accurate info and pics as you can . I  gave him  a quote that ended up being inaccurate for the reasons stated above . At the same time my mistake was not making it clear to him that pricing is subject to change upon inspection , lesson learned.

The point to this is , without seeing your vehicle there is no way to know exactly whats needed to detail your vehicle . There are also things that consumers dont think of or know how difficult they are to remedy . Please be open minded and if the pricing isnt what your looking for go to a shop that fits your budget. This customer came to me because he wanted a steak house detail , but in the end wanted it at a McDonald price.