You may think that having your car washed at the local drive through car wash a few times a year is all you need to keep your vehicle looking good. But there are some items to consider, especially if you want to keep your vehicle feeling, looking and smelling new for the long term. There are going to be times when the drive through wash is just not going to give your vehicle what it really needs. Let’s discuss a few of the common things…
The obvious is the protective coating you want to keep on the vehicle. Some sort of wax, sealer or ceramic coating is required to fill microscopic cracks in the paint and provide a protective barrier to the harsh elements. Oxidation, bird droppings, dust, dirt, hard water, acid rain, pollution, fuels and other airborne or road derived contaminants should be kept of the painted surfaces. These contaminants can cause temporary or even permanent damage to your paint, even if left on for a short period of time. Some contaminants can eat through the paint if left for even a short period of time. A protective layer must be applied and maintained on a regular basis to keep your finish healthy and looking great for years to come. Modern science has brought us advanced new chemicals and techniques to seal your paint. The days of straight Brazilian Carnuba plant based waxes are gone. Enter new synthetic nano coating polymers and ceramics to the equation and you have a modern solution to an old problem. Todays engineered material often can blend synthetic and natural materials for an outstanding looking finish that will last longer on your vehicle and hold up to the elements much better. Some of these products are great at protecting those plastic and rubber components as well. At Immaculate Auto Detailing, we use a combination of these products to enhance the beauty of your vehicle and provide lasting protection. Depending on how you maintain your car, and what products are applied, a protective coating should be applied several times per year, on average.
Your headlights need protection too! How many times have you seen or experienced cloudy or faded headlight lenses on a vehicle? Modern cars have plastic lenses on modular headlight assemblies. These lenses are manufactured with ultraviolet protection built into the materials, so they tend to last a while before the damage appears. The same elements that attack your paint will eventually do the same damage to your headlight lenses and require a preventive measure to slow the destructive process, or a corrective measure to restore them to new. Once the headlights become cloudy, they can become a safety concern as well as an eyesore. Nighttime visibility is greatly reduced and your headlight brightness as seen from other cars is diminished. Immaculate Auto Detailing can perform a headlight restoration by utilizing a seven step sanding and polishing process, followed up with a protective coating. We will have your headlamps performing and looking new in short order!
Your vehicles interior requires some special attention as well! How often do you wash your clothes or your bedsheets? Now imagine how much time you spend in your car and the last time any of the fabrics have been cleaned inside! The upholstery and soft touch materials inside the vehicle need periodic deep cleaning and protection too. Your carpets and seats will often see the worst accumulation of body oils and fluids, food, drinks, and other things you probably care not to think about. Periodically, you should have a full sanitizing and cleaning performed as well as an ozone treatment to kill off any bacteria in the vehicles passenger compartment. Immaculate Auto Detailing has many processes we can perform to rid your vehicle of bacteria and contaminants such as superheated steam cleaning, chemical cleaning as well as ozone treatments. We will be sure to rid your vehicle of visible and invisible contaminants and leave your vehicle as clean as humanly possible. When we are done sanitizing and cleaning the interior, we will apply a protective coating to all of your interior materials and surfaces to resist the contaminants, just as you would protect your exterior. You will be breathing better and feeling better after our Immaculate Interior Cleaning Package!
The easiest part to overlook on your vehicle is under the hood. The engine compartment of your car has some of the most expensive components and gets the least attention. Your engine, transmission, fuel injection and electronic components are all located in the engine bay. These components are not isolated from the road and have to perform under the most rigorous circumstances! Extreme temperatures, road kill, bugs, road debris, road salt, rain water, oil and fluid leaks and many other items enter the engine bay from underneath the car and through the front grill. These contaminants can clog radiators cooing fins, condensers, air filters and other components. They corrosive nature of these items can cause rust and deterioration of your most vital components. You should have the engine bay professionally degreased, cleaned and protected on regular intervals. Immaculate Auto Detailing can provide this service to you, keeping your vital engine components working as intended for as long as possible. Your mechanic may very well thank you as too!
The obvious choice here is to have these common areas and items attended to at some regular intervals. Some of these items you may be capable, and willing to perform on your own, while others require professional attention using high quality products and equipment. Or course, Immaculate Auto Detailing recommends you save yourself the hassle and let our professional technicians come to you while you relax at home, spend time with family or even get some work done at the office. A small investment in the appearance of your vehicle will go a long way towards how you feel about your car and how your car makes you feel.