- Sarah J.
1. Think auto detailing is a luxury service? It's actually preventative maintenance for the interior and exterior of your car. Failure to properly maintain your vehicle could lead to paint oxidation/fading, clear coat failure, faded trim, and even faded and/or cracked interior plastics and leather surfaces. Regular detailing ensure that these parts don't break down over time, which keeps your car in great condition for years to come.
2. Clean Interiors Are Healthier
What people don't realize, the average person spends 2.4 hours or longer in their car a week. When your interior is not cleaned on a regular basis, dust mites and other allergens can develop quickly. A detailed interior promotes a healthier environment for you and your passengers.
3. Certified Detail Technicians Do It Right
When you have a problem with your car, you take it to a mechanic because they know cars and have the proper tools to make the repair. It's the same principal when having a certified detail tech detail your car. We have the right equipment, products, and knowledge needed to do the best job and to do it correctly.
4. Higher Resale Value
Look at it from a different point of view-- Would you buy a dirty car? Not likely! A thorough auto detailing service before selling your car increases your chances of it selling quickly, and at a higher price. The extra money could be used towards the purchase of your next vehicle. This also helps when turning in a leased vehicle. If your car is left in bad condition when turned in, you will more than likely be paying a hefty cleaning fee from the dealership.
Professional detailing performed on a regular basis is a great way to keep your car looking great and feeling like new without spending new car money! It's the next best thing without spending the money on a new car!
This quote, pulled from an issue of Entrepreneur Magazine couldn't explain it better. "To many, the appearance of a clean, well cared for vehicle, dictates the projections of the owners own personality and upkeep."
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Q: What is Automotive Detailing?
A: Detailing is a labor and time-intensive deep cleaning of the interior and exterior of a vehicle. The goal is to restore the vehicle back to its once new look and feel. When this is performed on a regular basis, a vehicle will look and feel brand new.
2. Q: I can just take my car to the automatic car wash for a fraction of the price, how do you compare?
A: There really is no comparison in terms of the quality of service. While low-priced express car washes are volume-focused, Mr. Detail Auto Salon in Seattle is quality-focused and takes pride in properly caring for our clients' vehicles.
There are essentially two different types of express car washes - automatic and touch less which are outlined below. While both are convenient, they both have their own set of drawbacks.
> Automatic Car Washes
Almost everyone has gone to an Automatic Car wash at least once in their day. Automatic car wash use sponge-like cloth strips that drag across the horizontal surfaces of your car while other cloth strips spin at a high rate of speed across the vertical panels. When you consider the hundreds of dirty vehicles that go through that same car wash day in and day out, you get a sense of how damaging automatic car washes can be. It's almost like throwing a towel in the dirt, then trying to dry your car! How often do those cloth strips get cleaned free from all of the dirt and debris they've collected over time? Well, those cloth strips do not get rinsed-free from dirt and debris after each wash, they continue to be saturate with dirt and debris. Finally, because automatic car washes must wash all types and sizes of vehicles, they can't clean every area of a vehicle, especially hard to reach areas.
> Touch less Car Washes
While some might think that going to a touch less wash is the answer to the problems outlined above, they too have their own pitfalls. The only way to remove dirt from the exterior of a car is to use a quality wash mitt in conjunction with a quality shampoo that is formulated with lubricants and conditioning oils. The lubricants help lift away dirt without inducing scratches and swirls into the paint. Conditioning oils maintain, or even enhance the shine, without removing the wax that may be present on the paint. Given this fact, touch less washes cannot remove all of the dirt particles and other contaminants that have bonded to the surface of the vehicle. To make up for this, touch less car washes use harsh chemicals to aid in the wash cycle. These harsh chemicals will remove any existing wax or sealant that is supposed to be protecting the car.
3. Q: My dealership offers "free car washes and details at half price," how do you compare?
A: Many dealerships, like BMW and Mercedes, offer a free car wash service to their customers. However, these car washes are typically no better, and are sometimes even worse than automatic or touch less car washes. Why? Well, the vehicles will be washed by either their own automatic or touch less system or they will have one or more employees using improper washing techniques to do the job. Just because they advertise "hand wash" doesn't mean it is a quality hand wash. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. You cannot expect the same quality of service from any one of these volume-focused services that you would from a quality auto detailing service such as Mr. Detail Auto Salon in Seattle. We are trained professionals and we specialize in automotive detailing.
4. Q: I was offered a 5-year paint sealant from my dealership. They told me I wouldn't need to wax my car for 5 years, is this true?
A: If you have purchased a new car over the past few years, you may have been offered a 5-year paint sealant package, or something similar. The package comes with a hefty price tag though, ranging from $500 to more than $1500. They claim that after this product is applied to the vehicle's paint, it does not need to be polished or waxed for five years. The truth is, there is no product on the market that can stand up to these lavish claims. Not even newer cars with a clear coat paint layer - sprayed on at the factory - can resist scratches or degradation over this period of time. If there was such a product, believe us, we would offer this service to you.
5. Q: Is there an extra fee if you come to me?
A: Not in Seattle! There is typically no fee associated with Mr. Detail Auto Salon car detailing specialists coming to you. Although, if the distance is outside from Seattle, there will be a small traveling fee added. If we are unable to perform our services at your location, we offer a pick-up/delivery service.
6. Q: What if more time is needed to detail my vehicle than what you told me prior?
A: Unfortunately, this happens from time to time. If we need an extra hour or so, we will inform you right away. If you absolutely need the car within a certain amount of time, we will continue where we left off at a later date but this is never the case.
7. Q: What happens if it rains on my appointment day?
8. Q: Tell me about your UV Germicidal, Sanitizing and Disinfecting treatment?
A: Mr. Detail's new UV germicidal, sanitizing and disinfecting machine seeks out living carbon based molecules and cells residing in vehicle passenger compartments and building interiors. Smoke residues, bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, fungus and VOC's (see below) are targets. Harmful remnants from saliva, urine, feces and blood are also destroyed.
> How does it work?
Mr. Detail's sanitizer and disinfecting appliance utilize FDA, EPA and OSHA recognized technology to destroy the cell walls of harmful microorganisms by oxidizing them. Exclusive, proprietary quartz crystal UV lamps splits oxygen (O2) molecules into (O3), producing a third "rogue" atom that attaches itself to living organisms and many VOC's. This "radicalized, super-charged" oxygen is circulated at 34 cubic feet per minute. Within moments, our appliance generates ten times more UVO3 than is required to kill e-coli bacteria, and disinfects 3000 times faster than chlorine.
> Are the claims true?
Yes. Occasionally, pre and post treatment samples have been collected by a Certified Microbial Investigator (CMI) and sent to a laboratory that is ISO 17025 compliant. This accreditation that analyzes can be performed once and the results are accepted everywhere.
> Can other machines make the same claims?
No. Mr. Detail's UV germicidal, sanitizer and disinfecting machine is unique and exclusive. Similar products cause corrosive conditions (although they claim not to) and/or introduces chemicals to integral interior components such as carpet, leather and rubber seals. Appliances using "corona discharge" for O3 production generates dangerous nitrogen's. These nitrogen's become corrosive nitric acids upon contact with moisture. This is of particular concern during humid conditions. Our appliance UVO3 is nearly nitrogen-free and does not leave caustic by-products or corrosive results behind.
> Does your machine remove stains, dust and debris?
No. Mr. Detail's machine is effective in destroying microorganisms and the odors they cause, but does not remove the microscopic carcasses. Our Interior Detail Package is recommended after the procedure is completed.
> Is your machine harmful to humans, pets and plants?
Only if they are inside an interior area while the appliance is running. UV generated O3 reverts back to natural, harmless oxygen (O2) within twenty minutes after treatment. There are absolutely no safety concerns whatsoever after the twenty minutes has expired.
> Is your machine recommended for new cars?
Yes. The automobile manufacturing process produces dangerous VOC's and requires hundreds of people to handle and assemble each and every component of a vehicle. Sneezing, coughing and touching contaminates the steering wheel , shift lever, instrument panel, console, seats, carpet and headliner. Dealership employees also have close contact with new vehicles prior to delivery.
> What are VOC's?
Volatile Organic Compounds. Car manufactures and home builders are concerned about, and admit that toxic VOC's such as formaldehyde and styrene ooze from plastics, glues and a myriad of other substances. That " new car smell" and "new home smell" is toxic to humans. Although VOC's continue to "gas out" for months, Mr. Detail's new UV germicidal, sanitizing and disinfecting machine gives new and used car owners a fresher start than ever before.