Everytime i drive past a Car Wash Cafe i always have a little laugh to myself, some may be thinking what is the problem with a Car Wash Cafe?

Well if you have ever had a Professional Car Detailer work on your car then you will easily be able to see the difference in quality. It may be nice to head down to your local Car Wash Cafe on the weekend and have a cup of coffee while someone washes your car but Car Wash Cafe’s employ cheap labour, usually students or people on a working visa that are just after money and dont care about the quality of work. These places profit from pumping through a high volume of cars everyday.

It only takes a quick search on Google, reviews on TrueLocal, Google Maps etc.. to see how many people are not impressed by the work performed by some of these big Car Wash Cafe’s, infact i dont think i can even find a good review, even my own customers tell me about bad experiences they have had at these places and realise its worth spending that bit extra for quality work by someone that cares about their car.

It amazes me when i drive past a Car Wash Cafe and see a line up of Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Porcshes and sometimes even Ferrari’s and Rolls Royce how someone with such a prestige car could take it to somewhere that clearly does not care about their quality of work.

Rather then taking your car to a Car Wash Cafe giant we suggest getting an experienced Mobile Car Wash business out that takes pride in their work and is not employing cheap labour on working visa’s that have no experience in car detailing.

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A question i am ask quite regularly is will a paint sealant, paint protection or a wax protect my paint work against stone chips, unfortunetly no wax or sealant that we know of offer any protection whatsoever against stone chips; the final thickness of the protective coating of a wax or sealant (even when heavily layered) is always much less than 1 micron thick which equals 0.001mm in thickness, a high speed impact with stones and other road debris will penetrate this easily, and at a thickness of 0.001mm its quite obvious that this protective coating is not going to protect against stone chips.

Your only option for added protection against such damage is to have a clear film covering. These clear vinyl films are several hundred microns = 1mm thick and protect against stone chip damage fairly well, but their qualities are typically poor in terms of reflectivity and clarity, and they are expensive to fit.
Typically it is best to allow stone chips to accumulate over time and have the affected panels resprayed every 18 - 24 months. This is no more costly than having a clear film fitted.

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A common problem that people have after detailing / polishing their car is marring or swirl marks appearing after they have polished either by hand or machine polishing.
This is inflicted during the polishing process as unbroken down abrasive particles in the polish are continually moved around between the pad and the paint, leaving a faint pattern of very tightly defined swirl marks and marring when wiping the polish off.

This problem catches out many novices and there are a few causes, firstly this can be avoided by ensuring that excess polish residue on the face of the pad is brushed off regularly using a stiff brush if machine polishing, or using a fresh applicator pad if polishing by hand. Secondly,  it can be caused by the polish not breaking down and the abrasives are being wiped across the surface. The third cause can be from using a polishing compound that is too abrasive for the job needed. It is best to asess the type or polish needed for the job and starting with one that is less abrassive to avoid any nasty swirl marks or marring which could make the paint work looks worse then when you first started.

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Nearly all Mobile Car Washing business also offer a professional detailing service. These services include more then the normal wash and make your car look brand-new just like it was when you bought it, and if your mobile car wash guy really knows how to detail, your car will actually look better than new; that is to say better and cleaner than when you first bought it.

Having been in the industry for several years I can tell you that there is a big difference between someone that washes cars, and someone who is trained and skilled in the art of car detailing. Far too many mobile detailers are brand new in business. In fact, most of them come and go within six months. And very few mobile detailers stick it out for more than a few years. Having been in the industry for so long i have noticed an increased amount of mobile detailers popping up, alot of these guys have had no prior detailing experience and come from backgrounds other then automotive, not that there is anything wrong with this but do they really have the knowledge and skill to safely and professionally perform the detail your spending your hard earned cash on and performing work on your vehicle which is most likely one of your biggest asset.

Alot of these new detailers have purchased cheap equipment, put up a website and claim to be professional detailers that have been in business for years, infact some are not even properly registered business, and they have only been in business for a few months and they may not understand exactly how to do detailing properly, and if they do it wrong they can burn through the clear coat of your car and permanently damage it.

Always do your research when looking for a Mobile Car Detailer and ensure they have been in business long enough to know exactly what they are doing and have the skill to undertake the job.

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Most of you already know what detailing is, but over time i have alot of customers ask me “What is detailing?”.

Car Detailing is to make your vehicle look like new by restoring both the exterior and interior. It is more than just a Car Wash;  it can rejuvenate and protect your investment while increasing both value and enjoyment of your vehicle. Car Detailing is very time consuming and can therefore be somewhat expensive if you want a professional job.

Detailing your car is thoroughly cleaning it both inside and outside, removing contaminates, swirls, scratches, oxidation and other imperfections from your paint to produce a show-quality level of detail.

Detailing is a changing process because all paints aren’t the same. Car Detailing is an art and a science that demands skill, patience and the best Car Detailing Supplies on the market as well as plenty of money and time.

Carpets, seats, door panels, dash, console, vinyl, leather and plastics are cleaned and dressed. Cars get very dirty inside as well as out, you don’t wipe your feet before going into your car, but you probably will before going into your house so this can end up leaving alot of dirt and stains on the carpets and floor mats.

Professional Car Detailing demands that supplies be top quality as well as the right product for the right task. A variety of shampoos, cleaners, degreasers, protectants, polishes, clay bars, and waxes have developed over time to suit various demands of consumers and professionals.

Polishing generally is the single most time consuming step in an exterior detail. Polishing refers to rejuvenating the paint surface by mild abrasion process to remove any scratcs and chemical reaction to restore gloss, this is then followed by a wax to protect the paintwork.

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Machine Polishing / Buffing - How much car polish to use?
When polishing and one of the most common mistakes people make is the amount of product they are using per working area.

Polishes are made up of micro abrasives that are designed to even out the dips and valleys of your clear coat.  When you apply more product than needed, the abrasives in the polish never fully get broken down.  When the abrasives don’t completely get broken down, you can be left with marring in your paint since you stopped polishing when the abrasives were not at an ideal size.

The more product you apply, the longer you have to work the polish into the paint to properly break it down and you do not want to spend more time then you have to breaking the polish down to get the desired finish.  Some polishes do not have long work times and it can turn into a dusty mess or make removal of product a chore.

A general rule of thumb to follow when it comes to the proper amount of polish to use is somewhere between 3 to 4 pea sized drops for a working area no larger than 18″ x 18″.

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Are you looking for Car Detailing in Sydney?

Well you cant go past Sydney’s Leading Mobile Car Detailing Specialist “Superior Shine”!

Superior Shine specialise in the following types of services:
Car Detailing | Paint Protection | Paint Correction

Superior Shine come to you Sydney-Wide, unlike most detailers - Superior Shine bring their own Power and Water, so no matter where your vehicle is located, wether it be in an underground car park, at your home or work, you can have the pleasure of Superior Shine coming to pamper your car.

Their attention to detail and meticulous technique will ensure that your vehicle will shine like new. Superior Shine only have a selected amount of product suppliers, ensuring they are only using Premium Car Detailing Products to ensure their clients cars are always kept in the best possible condition.

Superior Shine - 1300 859 259 - http://www.superiorshine.com.au

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Below are a list of useful Tips & Facts when it comes to using a clay bar:

A Clay Bar service can be performed by any good professional car detailer.

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Overview
Carnauba Waxes are a great way to protect your vehicle against the elements. Carnauba waxes often offer stronger protection than sealants do, but will not last as long. Waxes typically last 3 to 12 weeks, where a sealant can last up to 12 months. Carnauba waxes often bead water better than sealants, which makes your vehicle easier to maintain. Carnauba waxes are what you want to use when you want the absolute wettest finish possible.

Layering and Curing
Some waxes can benefit from applying multiple coats on your paint. Waxes with no cleaners in them typically will layer on top of each other. The most important thing to note is that when you want to apply more than one coat, you have to let the previous coat fully cure. Typical bond time is between 12 to 24 hours for most carnauba waxes. This means that you apply and remove your first coat, wait 12 to 24 hours, then apply your next coat.

Application
When it comes to applying a carnauba wax, we find it easier to use a hand application instead of using a buffer.
Step 1: Using a clean foam applicator pad, gently wipe it across the paste wax
Step 2: Fold your applicator pad in half and rub the two halves together to evenly dispense the wax
Step 3: Outline your working area, since your spreading the product as far as possible, it can be as large as a panel
Step 4: Gently apply the sealant thinly and evenly over your working area
Step 5: After a panel has been applied, remove the wax residue with a plush microfiber towel
Step 6: Repeat steps 1 through 5 until your entire vehicle has been waxed

For application of a Carnauba Wax or Paint Protection in Sydney visit Superior Shine.

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Overview
The primary purpose of a sealant is to properly protect your vehicle from the elements. Sealants are designed to bond to your paint and provide roughly 3 to 12 months of protection, which is significantly longer protection than what a carnauba wax offers. The barrier of protection that sealants provide help minimize contamination from embedding to your paint and makes maintaining your vehicle significantly easier. Another benefit of a sealant is that it will enhance the look of your paint by giving you sharper reflections and more depth and gloss. Sealants can be topped with a carnauba wax to get the best of both worlds in terms of looks and durability.

Layering and Curing
Some sealants can benefit from applying multiple coats on your paint. Sealants with no cleaners in them typically will layer on top of each other. The most important thing to note is that when you want to apply more than one coat, you have to let the previous coat fully cure and bond to your paint or previous coat. Typical bond time is about 24 hours for most sealants. This means that you apply and remove your first coat, wait 24 hours, then apply your next coat.

Application
When it comes to applying a sealant, it can be applied either by a random orbital buffer with a soft pad or by hand application. The key when applying a sealant is to stretch the product as thin and far as possible.
Step 1: Dispense about 2 pea sized drops in the center of the foam hand applicator pad
Step 2: Outline your working area, since your spreading the product as far as possible, it can be as large as a panel
Step 3: Gently spread the sealant as thinly and evenly in your working area
Step 4: Using a as little pressure as possible, work the sealant into the paint using overlapping motions
Step 5: Using a clean microfiber towel, remove the worked in sealant from the paint
Step 6: Repeat steps 1 through 5 until the entire vehicle has the sealant applied

For application of a Paint Sealant or Paint Protection in Sydney visit Superior Shine.

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