Wash and Detail Your Car Without Causing Swirls

Car care tip of the week. How do you minimize swirls while washing your car? As an Overland Park/Kansas City auto detailing shop we see a lot of automatic carwash scratches and swirls. The local gas station carwash is the car equivalent of eating at McDonalds. Some people are okay with scarfing down some Mickey D’s but even they know that it is bad for their health. So if fast food can be likened to the local car wash, what kind of car wash would organic healthy food be likened to? Well, glade you asked.
There is no way around it. A good hand wash, rinse and dry may be the only way. That seems like a lot of work for some while for others it is a challenge they would gladly take on for the sake of their expensive car. If hand washing your car seems like a major drag to have to do, don’t worry, we have a third option for you. So skip the next few paragraphs to get to the good stuff! If the hand wash route is something that excites you, read through the rest of this article because the third option will be an amazing treat for you also.
A good hand wash starts with a few products. If you don’t feel like having to find and gather up all of the following items, don’t worry because we offer maintenance kits with all of the supplies you will need. Here is a basic list:

  • Two buckets
  • Two microfiber washing mitts
  • PH balanced car soap
  • Hose and water supply
  • Wheel cleaner
  • Wheel brushes
  • Bug and tar remover
  • Two microfiber drying towels

The system is simple and quick once you get used to it. The biggest time consumer is trying to think about what to do next. This system will take the guess work out of the hand wash:

  • Fill up the buckets with water and put soap in one of them.
  • Rinse your car off with water
  • Spray one of the wheels with wheel cleaner, use the wheel brushes to really get the details and then rinse the wheel of with a hose. Repeat with the remaining wheels.
  • Spray the bug and tar remover on the bugs and tar then use your first wash mitt to gently wipe the bugs and tar off. Make sure your not in direct sun while you do this step.
  • Take the other microfiber mitt, dip it in the bucket with the soap water and start washing a top section of your car. Use left-right and up-down motions but do not use circular motions.
  • Once that section is cleaned, take your mitt and clean it off in the bucket that doesn’t have soap in it, ring the mitt out and then dip it back in the bucket that has clean water and soap.
  • Repeat these steps and continue washing your car from the top to the bottom.
  • Now rinse and dry your car off using the microfiber drying towel.

It may seem like a lot of work but if your are doing this on a regular basis you will be able to get your car all washed up in about 15 to 20 minutes.

The other option will be to use a brushless automatic carwash. These work okay if your keeping up on your car. They do use slightly harsher chemicals to get the car clean. Your waxes will have a significantly shorter life span. But that is true for both the brush and brushless car washes. There is an even better way that will excite those who don’t want to worry about hand washing or detailing their car and those who do. Plus, this third option will keep your cleaner in-between auto detailing and car washing.

The third option works great in combination with the first and the and second options. Have us perform our two year anti-static paint coating car detail. This looks like a high-gloss wax but it lasts two years and is not effected by most of the automatic car wash chemicals. That means that this wax-like coating will last two years of brushless automatic car washing and detailing. One of the best parts about this detailing coating is its anti-static characteristics. It seals up all of the pores of your paint and helps to keep dirt from sticking to your wheels, plastic, paint, chrome and rubber. This means that you don’t have to clean or detail your car as often and your car will look freshly detailed for a longer period of time. Plus, it looks absolutely stunning.

Those who like to wash and detail their own cars will often be able to just pressure rinse their car off by themselves and achieve great results. And, it makes hand washing and detailing your car a whole lot easier. And those who don’t have the desire, time or energy to perform their own car detailing and hand wash, this is the perfect option. Save time by not having to go to the car wash or auto detailing shop as often and have your car look absolutely amazing when you do decide to go to the local car wash or auto detailing shop. Plus, this coating increases your scratch resistance by 50%. You will save a ton of time and you will definitely save money by not having to wash and detail your car as often.

KC Detailing is the choice for auto detailing in the Kansas City, Leawood, KS, Overland Park, KS and surrounding areas. There isn’t anyone else offering this service so setup your appointment today. Go to our youtube channel to see some of the cars that we have performed this service on! KC Detailing Youtube Channel

The Acura NSX: Forgotten Roads

Even as Overland Park’s top auto detailing shop, at KC Detailing, we don’t see too many Hondas or Acuras among our performance car customers. Other than the brilliant S2000, Honda has mostly stayed away from rear-wheel-drive, high performance, and super-cars. Of course, they’ve always been very reliable, the Civics, Accords, and TLs, but Honda hasn’t made so much that might require the one, two and three thousand dollar detailing services. This wasn’t always the case.

Honda once made a super-car: the NSX. We know it here in the States as an Acura, but that company doesn’t really seem to exist in the rest of the world. So in 1990, they got the Honda NSX, and we got the Acura NSX. This was something that might require car detailing, indeed. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for twenty to thirty hour auto detailing projects to take place on the old and beloved Honda super-car. The V6 was in the middle and it could get to 60 in 5 seconds, faster than a Ferrari 348. The braking system allowed the car to come to an immediate halt. This did make for a lot of brake dust, which definitely added to the time it took to detail the car. It enjoyed a strong running of 15 years, but was discontinued in 2005. We thought we had seen the last of the Acura NSX.

But now, Acura has a new one. Straight away, it looks very cool, something a car detailing expert would willingly spend Christmas cleaning. Aside from the still goofy Acura beak, it presents quite a picture. Yet underneath lies a detail you might rather not see. Instead of a sharp-tuned V6, it has a hybrid powertrain. Yes, the Insight people set up shop at the track. It’s not RWD, either, but AWD. Worst of all, they’ve replaced the six-speed manual with a flappy paddle auto box.

No, it’s not the original. All appearances indicate a bankruptcy of soul, a pedestal for the politically correct. But we still hope we get to see one here in Overland Park, KS. Honda is capable of soul. They just need to look to the past.

We’d Love to Detail a Falcon F7

Auto detailing has its perks.  Not the least among them is the ample face time a detailer gets to spend with gorgeous exotics.  Here at KC Detailing, we’ve experienced the pleasurable company of everything from Porsches to Bentleys to Maseratis while serving the Overland Park, KS area.  But there’s one super car we haven’t had the opportunity to detail, or even see yet, and that’s because it’s still too new to have shown up in Overland Park, or anywhere, for that matter.  It’s the Falcon F7, and it’s positively breathtaking.

When first you see it, you don’t want to know.  You’ll only want to look.  It is super car styling perfected.  Every angle is a razor dividing the beautiful and the common.  It’s how you always wanted a super car to appear.  But eventually you must get to the little power detail.  Not to worry, though.  It has the same heart as the Corvette Z06, cranking out 620 hp and 585 lb-ft of torque.  Weight is another detail you won’t want to ignore, since the whole package tips in at just under 2,800 lbs.  That means you’ll get to 60 in just 3.3 seconds.

Unfortunately, Overland Park residents might balk at the price, which isn’t as light as the curb weight.  If you want one, you’ll need to hand over at least a quarter million bucks.  For an LS kit car?  Please.  It’s a sad day for the detailer.  But who knows?  We’ve seen beauty in the area at similar prices, so the auto detailing buff might get his date, after all.

Yes, auto detailing does have its perks.  Hopefully, the Falcon F7 will eventually be one of them.  If you get one, and need a detailer, let us know.

Paint: The Skin of Your Car

 

Just like your skin, your auto paint is organic.  In fact, it has pores just like your skin.  The pores get clogged with contaminants and they will not be removed by simply washing your car.  Even if you do a very good job cleaning your car, they are still left clogged. The standard issues can be from industrial fall out, acid rain and minerals from water.  However, there are a lot of other possibilities.  The minerals from rain and un-purified water will go a step further and actually etch into the surface. That is where auto detailing comes in.  Though 99% of the shops in Kansas City do not use this process, a truly professional detailer always will. There are two stages involved in the removal of those contaminants.  If you do not decontaminate the your paint before you wax, wax will actually cause damage and seal the minerals in.  Proper hand washing and decontamination is vital to maintain the skin of your car.

So what do you do? Well, glad you asked.

That is where professional auto detailing comes in.  Though 99% of the detail shops in Kansas City do not use the process necessary to remove these damaging issues, a truly professional detailer always will.  But don’t worry, there are some Kansas City auto detailing companies that will go through the arguas yet rewarding process.  Still haven’t answered your question fully yet?  Do you want to know what each stage is and how it actually helps that auto of your?  Since you must know, here are the two stages.

  • The first stage to detailing the car and getting it ready to receive the wax will be to clean out these pores.  There is a specific product used in the auto detailing industry by all of the worlds best detailers.  The product is called a clay bar.  The clay bar is a soft clay that you glide over the surface.  As the clay glides over the trouble areas, it will grab the dirt from the paint and leave your auto’s surface very smooth.  You will be shocked to find that even new cars are in desperate need of this.  Take a look at our Before And After auto detailing pictures to see how dirty the clay bar gets.  In fact, the black SUV in that picture was a fairly new car.  All of the dirt on the clay that you see in the picture is from clay bar detailing just one door.
    • *Note: This is a very careful process and you can damage your paint if you do not know what you are doing.  However, there is enough information out there that if you really want to learn how to clay bar your own car you will be able to yield great results.
  • The second stage is called a pre wax cleaner.  The pre-wax cleaner picks up where the clay left off. Again, there are not a whole lot of Kansas City auto detailing companies that will do this process.  So what does the pre-wax cleaner do?  Glad you asked! The pre-wax cleaner cleans every thing that is left.  Such as the light lubricant that is left from the clay bar process and the oils from your hand that may have found their way onto the car from the clay bar process.
  • What you are essentially doing is preparing your car’s paint to receive the wax.  With nothing in your pores and nothing on the surface, the paint is unhindered to make the perfect bond.  So why is that important?  It is very important when you think about the durability of the wax, the gloss level and the longevity of your car’s paint.  If an auto detailing company tells you they are using a six month synthetic wax but they are not going through this process, you are really getting about a month or two out of that six month wax.  If they tell you it is a two month wax, you can expect three weeks out of the detail. The results that come from not going through this process that you are locking the contamination into your pores and diminishing the durability of the wax.  In so doing, you will actually cause damage over an extended period of time.

 Call Us Today To Setup Your Appointment – 913.548.1396

The 411 On Auto Leather

There are few things in life like brand new soft and supple leather.  The smell, the feel, the look…  it is a thing of beauty.  Billions of dollars are spent every year on skin care products, yet barely anyone thinks about taking care of the skin in their car.  Leather is skin but it is skin that no longer produces its own oils.  Your auto leather is depending on you detailing it to keep it soft and supple.

Your leather was a living membrane at one time. The tanning process prevents decomposition by infusing preservative chemicals into the oil glands, and then fatliquoring (injecting oils and fats into) the hide to replace natural oils that were lost. While fatliquoring keeps the leather soft for quite some time, it is not permanent.  Make sure to use a high quality auto detailing leather conditioner because there are many leather conditioners out there that will cause long term damage to your leather.  We have done extensive research to insure that our company is only using the best leather conditioning products available.

Feel free to call us with any questions you may have on our auto detailing processes.

Auto detailing in Kansas City just doesn’t get better.

Call Now: 913.548.1396

The Difference Between a Carwash and an Auto Detail

A call comes into the KC Detailing shop. “Thank you for calling KC Detailing. This is Tim, how may I help you?”

The caller, with an excited voice quickly responds, “I live in Overland Park, KS and I’m interested in a auto detail.”

Tim replies, “Sounds great! What kind of car do you have and what package are you interested in?” “Well, I have a 3-series BMW and I want the full deal. Inside, outside, wax, shampoo… the whole 9-yards!” “Great! If you want the six month wax you will be looking at $325 and we will throw a free leather conditioning in for you.”

“WHAT!!! YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS! I used to have a guy come by and detail my car for $90 and he did a great job. He went out of business though. Shoot, the local car wash will clean the inside, outside and wax the car for $50. How complicated can an auto detail be? Wash the car, wipe down the dash, vacuum, and put some tire shine on the wheels!”

“Well sir, there is a reason why a BMW costs more than a Kia.”

Without letting Tim finish his sentence, the man hangs up.

Melody asks Tim, “Who was that?” With a discontented face, Tim replies “Another person who will be calling us in a month to have us take all of the swirls out of his car.”

Melody laughs a little bit and says “Another guy who wants a $90 dollar auto Detail for his $50,000 car?” “Yep.”

As odd as it may seem that someone would take their $50,000 BMW to a $90 auto detailer or to the local automatic car wash, this kind of call is part of the daily routine for the crew at KC Detailing. Most people think “What is the big deal? Everyone in the neighborhood brings their car to the local car wash.”

Tim Dodd, the owner of KC Detailing, explains the difference between car detailing and car washing.

Recently, we had a customer who brought us his 2008 5-series BMW. It was a beautiful blueish black color. Amazing car. He had just purchased it but was pained because it was covered in automatic car wash scratches. The gentleman quickly called a local auto detailer in Overland Park, KS. The detailer charged him $150 and was done in three hours. The car looked great but within a few weeks, the wax wore off and the damage reappeared.

Not only did the previous scratches reappear but now there was new damage caused by the previous auto detailer’s buffer. Shortly after that, the BMW owner found us on the internet and called us. He thoroughly looked through the website and was impressed but still a little hesitant because of his recent experience with the local car detailing shop.

Desperate, he called us and we were able to stop by his location within a few hours of the call to inspect the damage. It was bad. The former auto detailer might as well have written his name on the hood with his buffer. After inspection, we quoted him $900 to remove 90% of the damage or $1200 to remove 100%. We explained that bringing the car’s paint to 90% will make the car look a whole lot better than when the car first rolled out of the dealership. Our customer quickly had us out to fix his paint. After a twelve hour day of work, the car looked better then new. With a smile on his face, the client said “Now that is the way a black car should look. I don’t even want to drive it now. LOL” The sad thing is, a lot of the prior damage was probably caused by the auto dealership’s car wash and detailers. Even Ferraris come out of the dealerships needing a significant amount of buffing and polishing.

With the vast number of car washes and car detailers in the Kansas City area, there are probably under ten people who could actually be called professional detailers. That is ten people not ten shops. Tim explains “We have connected with a lot of automotive paint shops and auto detailing shops in the Kansas City area. Without exaggeration, there has not been one shop that knew how detail on a truly professional level. Not one. Though we do know of a few individuals who do”

Luckily, there are guys out there like Paul Dalton in the UK, DJ Mayo, Todd Cooperider in Ohio, and KC Detailing in Overland Park, KS who really know what they are doing. Though few and far between, there is a network of top-notch detailers that are working together to change peoples understanding of a car detail. In conversation with Tim, Todd Cooperider said, “I just had a guy out to inspect my A/C and swap out the filter at my house. The guy charged a competitive $130 for the work. It took him twenty minutes Tim. People want us to spend twenty hours on their $100,000 cars for $130. Where is the disconnect? We need to show people that $1000 plus details should be a normal thing to do if you have a nice car.” After spending time with the crew at KC Detailing, I know understand that most auto detailers are nothing more than glorified car washers. Though formally in ignorance, I now realize that todays $20 car wash and $150 buffing job becomes tomorrows $1200 repair. Recently I spotted a Bentley at the local gas station car wash. As one of the kid was drying off the car, he dropped the drying towel on the ground, quickly picked it up and continued drying the car. It was now clear to me that there is a major difference between a car wash, a $90 detailer, and a truly professional detailer. Though I only have a $15,000 Acura, never again will I trust my car in the hands of amateurs. KC Detailing’s slogan is “Delivering The Details” and the do just that.

KC Detailing Launches New Air Division

The Overland Park based auto detailing company, KC Detailing, has officially announced the launching of their new Air Division services. The company, which often caters to high-end and exotic cars in the Kansas City area, has opened their doors to clean anything from “jets and piston-poppers to helicopters.” Owner Tim Dodd explains why the company has decided to venture into the world of aircraft; “We had clients keep telling us they couldn’t find anyone to detail their planes like we were doing with their cars. We saw the need and decided to seize the opportunity.” Finally, after months of preparation, KC Detailing’s Air Division is ready to hit the ground running.

It may be something most people don’t think about, but it’s something every pilot and aircraft owner knows first hand – the more your plane is out of the hangar the dirtier it gets. There’s no way around it. How dirty can a plane get? You’d know if you had one. On the outside bugs, exhaust, grease, dirt and oxidation will tarnish the beauty of every aircraft over time. On the inside leather fades, carpets get stained and odors increase. As innovative as mankind is, we still haven’t built a plane that cleans itself. Somebody’s got to do it – and chances are the owner doesn’t have the time. Procrastination is an unaffordable habit with such a valuable investment. If the wear and tear is not addressed on a regular basis the aircraft owner can lose significant value in their investment. The old saying rings true, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you’re not so great at thinking long term, a more immediate incentive for aircraft owners is the all important “self image.” Would you want to show off a dirty plane? Fly your clients and employees on stained seats in your multimillion dollar jet? Most likely not.

One common complaint among aircraft owners is that their usual detailers are often booked months in advance or not answering their phones. This often happens because many aircraft cleaners work with a crew of one. That may be a problem if you need your jet detailed by the end of the week. KC Detailing’s new Air Division provides a fully trained team to do a quick turn on your aircraft. No delays. No worries.

Whatever the reasons for detailing your plane, KC Detailing’s Air Division will save you time and make your life easier. From full interior and exterior detail packages to a la carte opportunities you’ll find whatever it is you’re looking for. Aircraft owners will be especially excited to hear that Air Division is offering scheduled detailing programs with discounted prices and priority scheduling. And the best part – they’ll let you put together a tailor made package that’s just right for you.

Kansas City aircraft owners – there’s a new airplane, jet and helicopter detailing company in town.

Kansas City Auto Detailing Company Hosts Fundraiser to End Modern Slavery

Kansas City auto detailing company KC Detailing is helping raise awareness of modern day slavery. “Being in business is more than making money,” comments owner Tim Dodd, “it’s about using what you have to help people.” Though by and large unspoken of in American society, modern slavery is still very prevalent in many countries today – including America. Different forms of prostitution, child soldiers and forced labor are all part of a global multimillion dollar industry plaguing millions of people across the earth. And it is growing every day.

KC Detailing decided they had the means to make an impact on modern day slavery and used what they had to help. To raise awareness and contribute to the ending of slavery KC Detailing partnered with local Kansas City non-profit organization Exodus Cry by providing the manpower, equipment and product for a fundraiser event. The Overland Park Kansas based company, which specializes in detailing automotive, boats, RV’s and aircraft in the Kansas City area hosted a car wash fundraiser in south Overland Park October 22-23. Utilizing their mobile auto detailing services a fully equipped car wash was set up in the parking lot of Culver’s restaurant at 135th st. and Antioch. Car owners could have their auto’s interior, exterior or both detailed on the spot by a professional crew and their equipment – all for a good cause.

To man the event many of KC Detailing’s staff, including owner Tim Dodd, spent their weekend volunteering at the event. However, the bulk of manpower came from more than thirty others who volunteered their time to help raise funds. Spirits were high early Saturday morning as crew leader Melody Powell gave a crash course in auto detailing to the new crew of volunteers. In a matter of hours the volunteer crew was utilizing KC Detailing’s professional equipment and the best products available to provide excellent on the spot service.

Those passing by along with a handful of KC Detailing’s regular clients pulled in to Culver’s to enjoy a full service wash and clean. Participants were able to sit down and enjoy the sunny afternoon while their cars were hand washed and dried, tires were dressed and their interior was cleaned and vacuumed. To top off the experience they could rest assured that every penny would go to a good cause. “You don’t think about it that much,” says KC Detailing employee Isaac Anderson “but just two years ago there was a huge human trafficking ring busted right here in Kansas City. We really are making an impact.”

When all was said and done, much more was accomplished than detailing a long line of cars. Every participant – both volunteer and patron – was reminded of the very real and unspoken problem of modern day slavery. Relationships were made between participants from Exodus Cry and those who shared similar passion to end human trafficking. And of course, money was raised to help those in need. Participants will likely never see the faces of those they endeavored to help. Yet somewhere, someone will reap the benefit of the work done those afternoons.

KC Detailing hopes to utilize it’s fully equipped mobile auto detailing services for many more fundraising events in the future. The company provides high-end work to many luxury cars in the Kansas City area including Overland Park, Leawood, and Hallbrook. They’ll also take care of your boat, RV or personal jet. But that won’t stop them from getting down and dirty with some genuine volunteers for a good cause.