Detailing 101: What you should know - Expectations vs. Reality

Although I strive to get every car perfect, that is normally not possible. If you have a vehicle which has been well maintained and needs a deeper clean, chances are we can get it perfect. If your car has some years and some mileage and isn’t cleaned regularly, it may not be able to be perfect. Some cars just cant get that “like new” result for several reasons:

Interior

Carpet: Stains - they are called stains for a reason. Although I have several tricks up my sleeve, I can get a good deal of grime and dirt removed. You need to have an understanding some stains are not able to be removed.

Dash: Some older model cars dash and trim breaks down over time and becomes sticky. You need to understand this is damage and not a cleanliness issue. If your car has a sticky dash (not from spilled coffee or candy etc.), I recommend you contact your authorized dealer to see if your vehicle was subject to a recall.

Steering Wheel: This gets touched every time you drive. Steering wheels are wrapped in many different materials which are easy to clean and maintain. Often, cars which go a long period of time without being cleaned get worn down to where the material becomes damaged.

Leather Seats: Leather is normally easier to clean than fabric seats. Unless you have a high end car, most “leather” seats are not true leather, and also have a protective coating over them. I will do my best to get everything out, but you can only clean leather so much before you wear through the protective coat and cause permanent damage.

Exterior

Paint (especially the hood and behind the wheels): Paint, and specifically the clear coat over it, is designed to take a gentle beating, but it is not invincible. Vehicles which sustain paint chips or rust or other “permanent” imperfections need to be taken to a body shop. Detailing can help restore certain things, but it is not body work.

Wheels/Rims: Wheels or rims which are damaged will stay damaged. Most factory rims (not ones with hub cabs) have a clear coat over the paint. This helps keep the wheel looking great when it is cleaned. Once you run the wheel into a curb or other abrasive object, the clear coat and sometimes the rim itself becomes damaged. It can be cleaned, but it will never look great.