California drivers are notorious for loving their cars. They install ostentatious, oversized chrome rims, add little devices to improve the performance of their engine, install aerodynamic kits for the same purpose or simply for vanity. And finally California drivers like to show their vehicles by driving around. In the old days they used to cruse Whittier Boulevard to look at other vehicles and show off theirs. Today they are more discreet, but if you get around Wilshire Boulevard around Beverly Hills you will see that Angelinos spend insane amounts of money on their automobiles and they insist on them looking pristine. All car washes and detail shops in Los Angeles are buzzing with activities, especially on a sunny day which only occurs about ninety percent of the time.
According to Wikipedia : Auto detailing is the performance of an extremely thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of an automobile, both inside and out, to produce a show-quality level of detail. It can be practiced for personal satisfaction, and it is also performed to prepare a car for car shows that feature the appearance of cars. Besides improving the appearance of cars, detailing helps to preserve the car, and thus, increases resale value.
Just about every self respecting Angelino when asked if he has a good detailing guy, says: “I have got a guy. He is the best. Make sure you tell him I gave you his number and he will take care of you.”
Most of these guys do not have a business license, but they do have a van or a truck that says “Angel’s Auto Detailing.” The industry is not regulated; anybody who thinks they can do the job can become an auto detailer. So consumer needs to be aware, especially in lieu of the way the modern vehicle paint has evolved in California.
Most modern cars use a clear coat paint system. The pigmented layer of paint, whether a solid color, metallic or pearlescent, is covered with a layer of clear paint to provide a higher gloss and a "deeper" look. Because of the environment and new OSHA regulations today’s clear coat is water based and needs to be treated with special care.
The surface of any paint, even clear coat, is vulnerable to scratches and oxidation. Polish not only gives the finish its gloss, but it feeds the paint with oils to prevent it from drying out. Polymers in the polish fill in minute scratches in the clear coat layer, restoring its clarity.
So how do you know who to trust, especially when it comes to a final finish of your favorite vehicle? Avoid carwashes. They have a lot of vehicles come through, but they do not usually have an expertise or the time to dedicate to detailing your vehicle. On the other hand a detail shop with a location is usually a good bet, because detailing is what they specialize in and since they have a location and a business license they would be more inclined to handle customer’s problems or concerns. If you are going to use mobile guy and a referral from a friend or a co worker, please also use common sense and ask questions to make sure detailer knows what he is doing.
So to conclude this story, as every self respecting Angelino I must tell you: “Do I have a guy for you!” His name is Antonio Aguilar. He used to work for our shop as a paint apprentice for several years. He then decided to branch out and started his detailing business. Antonio works at our shop so you as a customer get double protection; he stands behind his work and so do we. And finally his intimate knowledge of modern paint translates into a professional detail job for you. He does our vehicles and our customers vehicles. So come bye say hello, meet Antonio and see if he could make your automobile shine for this summer.
