| Why should I detail my car? |
| Possibly one of the least understood and most valuable services you can have done to your vehicle is a detail. You have a serious investment in your vehicle, and keeping it looking like new protects that investment. New and used car dealers have known for years the value of cleaning up a vehicle before showing it to a prospective customer. The better it looks, the more likely it is to sell. You see a great looking car and assume it has been maintained well. On average, the resale value will increase by $500.00 to $1000.00! Or saved when you return a car from the lease period. This is a great return for a small price, not bad considering the cost of our service. By now, you have probably found out that the many claims regarding "Permanent Glaze" and "Lasts Forever No Wax Shield" are simply not true. If you are serious about keeping your car beautiful, increasing the longevity, and commanding the HIGHEST POSSIBLE RESALE OR RETURN VALUE, then professional detailing is the way to go! |
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| My automobile has a clear coat finish, does it still require waxing? |
| Absolutely!! Clear coat finishes need to be waxed, not only for protective qualities and added shine, but also for the mar resistant benefits. The biggest problem with clear coat finishes today is mar(scratch or scuff) resistance. These new finishes resist weathering better than ever; however, abrasive soil, sand, dirt, road debris, and other sources of abrasion can leave a clear top coat looking very dull in a short time. Waxing leaves a smooth film which helps prevent these minor abrasions from occurring. |
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| How can I remove water spots from glass and paint surfaces? |
| Most common water spots are caused by mineral deposits. Vinegar and water does a great job at neutralizing these marks. We also recommend the use of the Clay Bar for a safe and thorough method in removing water spots. It is also very important to wash off water spots as soon as possible. If the vehicle is left in the sun for prolonged periods of time (4 days or more), there is a good chance that the water spots will actually etch into the clear coat. This makes it very difficult, sometimes impossible, to remove the water spots if they have been on the paint for long periods of time. For the hard water spots the best solution is buffing and polishing of the car, which is done by our specially rained professionals. Buffing is also safe to be used on glass or painted surfaces. |
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| What is the difference between a wax and a polish? |
| The terms wax and polish are used interchangeably today. Most waxes and polishes contain some mild cleaning agents (safe for clear coat finishes), which remove old wax, minor scratches and everyday oxidation. However, if your vehicle requires stronger cleaner, we recommend using a polishing compound (contains stronger cleaning agents) prior to waxing. |
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| What is overspray? |
| Overspray occurs when paint is being sprayed in the same area as your car. The paint is carried by the wind and lands on your car. Normally, this is something you can see right away, usually speckles of color on your car that will not rub off. Sometimes, you may not notice until you try to wash your car, or try to use your wipers and you notice something stuck to the glass like little sand speckles. Many cars are damaged by overspray consistently from painters working on larger buildings and the winds carrying the paint. The longer the overspray stays on the car, the harder it gets and the more damage can be done. On today's clear coated cars the overspray can actually sink into the finish as it dries on. There is a chemical reaction that occurs, as the paint gets harder. This can cause the surface to have small indentations where the paint was. The Sooner we can this off the surface, the less damage to the finish. Our method of overspray removal is the most complete and least detrimental to your car's finish. We physically remove the overspray, rather than just flatten it by trying to buff it off the paint. |
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| Can you remove pet hair from the interior? |
| Many of our wash packages include vacuuming carpets, mats and interior cleaning. Our attendants make every effort to remove as much dog hair as possible; however, dog hair is especially difficult to remove from fabric seats, carpets and mats. We have Special Services available to remove dog hair and other elements from headliners, seating, door panels etc. See our Detail Services for information and pricing. |
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| Will my vehicle shine if it is waxed? |
| YES, if your vehicle's finish is in good condition, our wax services can make it shine. However, if your finish is dull, streaked and "spotty", then more than likely the paint has begun to oxidize. This occurs when the paint ages and deteriorates from exposure to sunlight, heat, road oils, and other contaminants. This process can be slowed down by washing your vehicle often by a professional car wash and applying a coat of good quality wax at least twice a month. If the finish has already begun the oxidation process, a professionally applied (buffing) cleaning-polishing compound can remove most of the damage and then a coat of wax will usually render a glossy shine. Visit Auto City Car Wash ' Detail Center for an estimate. You'll be amazed at what we can do! A professional detail will increase the value of your vehicle as well as making it look great! |
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| Will the wash remove egg, overspray, or bird droppings? |
| Usually not unless you get to the car wash before it dries. If it occurs, flush as soon as possible with water. Egg is highly corrosive and MUST be removed immediately. Corrosion damage to your finish begins almost immediately. If it has dried, get to our Detail Center as soon as possible and speak to one of our professionals. Bird droppings are also very harmful and must be removed quickly before they damage your finish. Left on too long, they can result in permanent damage. Overspray from paints or other chemicals may come off in the wash, depending on how long they have been present. If the overspray does not come off in the wash, our Detail Center can assist you in removing it. Stop by and have one of our Professional Detailers give you an estimate. The longer it is left on, the harder it is to remove. |
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| Will the wash remove road tar or tree sap? |
| Usually not. There are specific products for removing these pesky elements. Some road tar will come off in the wash and we try to get as much off as possible. However, if it is extreme, our Detail Center can give you an estimate for removal. |
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| What does a Professional Detailer Do? |
| A professional Detailer works with the customer to determine the results that you are looking for. We then combine the Equipment. Our Detail Process and our Knowledge in order to satisfy their customer’s expectations for their vehicle. |
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| What is Detailing? |
| Detailing is defined as a process to clean, rejuvenate and protect the various surfaces of a vehicle. |
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| What is Rejuvenating? |
| Rejuvenating is a process to restore your vehicle back to or as close to the original condition. There are many levels and steps that are used for rejuvenation. All are determined by the customer’s expectation and condition of the vehicle or area being rejuvated. Rejuvenation usually involves equipment and products such as polishing machines, compounds, polish, cleaner waxes and detailing clay. For more information check out our Detail Centre. |
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| What is protecting? |
| Protecting is a process used to protect the surfaces that were cleaned and rejuvenated. After the cleaning and rejuvenating process you must be sure the area has a product applied in order to protect your work. You must also protect your finished are from the outdoor elements such as: S unlight, rain, dirt, tree sap, bird droppings, etc. Example would be protective waxes; paint sealants, protective dressings, leather conditioners, fabric and carpet stain protectant and other type of protectants. |
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| When I get the vehicle back, will it still be wet? |
| If you leave your car for the day, your carpets will be 99% dry when you pick your vehicle up. We ask everyone the refrain from putting you floor mats back for one day. This is precautionary, so we do not trap any moisture between the floor mat and the carpet. |
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| Why does the rubber, vinyl, or plastic look dull? |
| The exterior rubber, vinyl, and plastic deteriorate much the same as the paint surface and in some cases at a faster rate. We recommend frequent cleaning and applying a high quality protectant to shield it from the elements. Auto City Car Wash has just the service to either correct or improve the condition and protect it. Check out our detail services for Exterior dressing (may be included in some Detail Services Packages). |
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| “IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CARS PROTECTION” |
Many people assume, they do not need to wax the car's paint. That is not true at all. Your car has to endure the elements: snow, sand, acid rain, bird droppings and constant UV rays beaming down on your car's finish. All of these elements will damage the paint if it is not protected.
Oxidation: Paint becomes dull and has no luster. Oxidation occurs because the paint is not protected. A good comparison is your skin. Just as keeping your skin moisturized to avoid drying out and peeling, waxing your car will keep the finish from fading. Oxidation is the drying out and fading of a vehicles clear coat. This is cause by the lack of i.e. waxes or paint protection or sealant. The cure for this and or prevention for this are the regular polishing and waxing of your vehicles clear coat.
Surface scratches: A good gauge to find if a scratch is too deep to be buffed out is to run your fingernail over the scratch. If you can feel the scratch then most likely it will not come out. Most surface scratches can be removed with a high speed buffing which also removes any wax, so a new application of wax must be applied.
Swirl marks & High speed buffing: Swirl marks are the C or O like scratches you see in painted surfaces. They are result of miss use of professional polishing equipment or poor product selection. These generally occur when an individual tries to remove paint imperfections with the wrong product and or polishing equipment. The solution to this problem is a swirl remover to remove the actually C scratches that are in the painted surfaces, Instead of a polish. (Most polishes are filling in glazes not swirl removers). Using a high speed buffing machine can help remove light oxidation, light surface scratches and light paint defects by using compounds and polishing. Upholstery stains: Once the fiber on the carpet, mat or door panel has been stained, it is very difficult to get it back to the original color. This is why we cannot guarantee to remove the stain 100%, but we will guarantee to get the dirt out and try everything possible to get the stain out. |
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