1 – PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT:
You may be buying a brand new car or a used car and that was money hard earned money spent. Some people save for a car for years, maybe even decades so having your car regularly detailed is a great way to keep it looking as good or better than the day you bought it. Detailing is like any other maintenance on car, it is done to prevent the breaking down on the clear coat on your car, prevents plastics from fading prematurely, keeps the car looking its best and minimizes interior wear. Just like anything else you maintain it will last longer and have more value when it is taken care of. Preserving the car’s appearance and resale value:
Having the car on a regular detail schedule or doing it as a hobby is a great way to keep the car looking newer longer. Using proper techniques and quality products will ensure that the car is being protected. Using a quality wax, sealant or coating on the exterior surfaces will help preserve the paint underneath. Not only does the wax, sealant or coating protect the underlying surfaces from the sun’s UV rays, it also makes washing the car much easier and the paint stays glossy. When the paint has some sort of protection on it less dirt and buildup sticks to the actual surface of the vehicle. This means that it’s less likely to develop heavy scratches, swirls or marring of the paint from excessive buildup of surface contaminants. The exterior plastics will not fade as quickly when protected and the rubber seals will remain soft and hydrated to they will not dry out as quickly. Interiors greatly benefit from regular detailing. The plastics need to be protected from the sun as well. Make sure any product you or your detailer use has some sort of UV protection. This can prevent cracking and fading of the dash, door panels, center console and rear deck lid area. If you have leather be sure a good conditioner or coating is applied regularly to prevent drying out and cracking. If a coating is applied to leather it will help prevent dye transfer from clothes onto the seats and makes clean up very easy. Cloth seats and carpet should be regularly vacuumed to prevent the cloth from becoming matted down. This will also prevent buildup of odors or dust in the car.
2 – RESELL VALUE:
When it comes to selling the car there is no doubt that a properly cared for car fetches more than one that just had the bare minimum to keep it going. When a prospective buyer comes to see your vehicle and it’s been properly detailed they will more than likely know you have cared for the car they are about to buy. It gives them a boost of confidence in the purchase. This also will deter tire kickers and low balling from happening when it comes to price. Clearly you cared for the car and it can’t be compared to the condition of other vehicles on the market. I find car washing as a therapy and stress reliever so set aside a few hours a month to keep your vehicle clean. It will pay off when you resell the car.
3 – SAFETY:
Safety isn’t something that immediately comes to mind when you think about detailing but there are some safety benefits in detailing. Glass coatings can drastically improve driving in wet weather. The water will bead off the glass at speed making visibility much higher. The glass will remain cleaner as well since less dirt and contaminants will stick to it. The wipers will also perform much better on a coated windshield. Headlights tend to fade over time and depending on where you live this is hard to prevent. UV coatings on the headlights wear off or yellow over time causing the lenses to become cloudy. This limits how much light they emit when they are in use. A headlight coating or restoration can improve nighttime driving safety. Cloudy headlights also take away from the overall look of the car. At a fraction of the cost of a new set of headlights this is a very beneficial service.
4 – PREVENT INTERIOR ODOR:
Interior odors can be caused from a number of things.. Lotions can be transferred from skin to interior surfaces, dust from outside and eating in the car seem to be the main cause of odors. Most of these causes are unavoidable. Running errands, driving to work, road trips and keeping the kids happy are things that happen in everyday life. Even being as careful as possible remnants will remain and over time can make the car smell. Getting these particles out of the car as quickly as possible is the best way to prevent odors from becoming hard to remove. A regular vacuuming and wipe down will aid in the prevention of odor buildup. Always be sure that the area under and next to the front seats since dirt, food and dust loves to hide in those areas . Anything on your shoes or clothes will also be transferred into the fabric and can cause odor. This again is why regular cleaning is so important. Fabric coatings can aid in preserving the interior as well. They make spills easy to clean up and prevent staining. Some odors are harder than others to tackle even with regular maintenance. Smoke odor is extremely hard to prevent from soaking into the interior surfaces. Most people who smoke don’t notice it as they are accustomed to it over time. If you do choose to smoke in your car it’s more important than ever to regularly clean the interior. If an interior is smoked in and neglected there is more than likely irreversible damage to certain surfaces and an odor that is virtually impossible to remove. I would suggest not smoking in your car, it keeps your car clean and fresh and more importantly it’s better for your personal health. If you have a dog then using a seat cover that covers the seat they sit in helps oils and odors from there fur transferring to the seats. The fur is less likely to stick into the seats when they aren’t sitting directly on the seat itself. The hair will still get on the interior surfaces but the covers catches most of it and makes cleaning it up easier.
5 – ALLERGIES:
Pollen, dust and pet dander can build up in a car quickly. Someone who suffers from allergies can greatly benefit from interior detailing services. The routine cleaning of the interior can prevent allergens from building up. If left for too long build up can become heavy in the vents so every time you use the air conditioning or heat allergens can blow out. Changing the cabin air filter at its regularly scheduled times greatly helps with outside pollen and dust from entering the vehicle. There is no way to prevent most allergens from entering the vehicle but keeping up with the cleanliness can prevent a major issue.
6 – PROFESSIONAL USE:
A clean car for professional use is a must. This is your first impression for every customer when arriving to pick them up or for a service call. A regularly detailed car makes them instantly think you are more professional than other services. A customer riding around in your organized, sparkling clean car makes them feel more important. Add a certain scent or air freshener to make them relaxed and more comfortable while riding around with you. If you stay on top of weekly washes and interior clean ups it will be a breeze and should pay off by obtaining customers. If you are a service company, such as HVAC technician, general contractor, courier etc., your clean car gives the customer a sense of confidence that you will work cleanly and stay organized while working in their home. It also will help you work more efficiently. You will not be searching for tools, forms or any job materials if you are always nice and organized. You can set up maintenance washes with your detailer to keep it tidy or do it yourself once a week.
7 – MENTAL CLARITY:
Nothing is better than stepping into a freshly detailed car. A clean car is like an organized work space. You are more clear minded when there is no clutter to stress you out or worry about. This means you can make your time in the car more productive. Whether it’s listening to a podcast, audiobook, or just collecting your thoughts for a meeting at work a clean car will aid you in not being distracted by clutter, dirty windshield, or a smell in the car. A clean car with freshly detailed interior and exterior can keep you on task and clear minded. Bacteria Build up
8 – HEALTH:
Everyone knows that most bacteria is bad for you. Bacteria build up inside cars for many reasons. Food, pets and people are all things regularly found in cars and are all things that carry germs in some way. Every person that gets in the car has different germs and bacteria. Every time they touch anything they transfer something to your car and if not detailed it can build up over time. It has been tested that areas that have the most airflow collect the most bacteria when not cleaned. Any liquid in your cupholder or just a dirty dash is more likely to catch any airborne bacteria in the car. Carpets trap anything that you may have stepped in outside of the vehicle and is directly transferred from your shoes to the carpet. Door handles, seats, dash and the center console areas are constantly touched and transfer anything from your hands to the surface. Steering wheels are probably the area you will visually notice the most build up. Lotions, food, grease or anything you have handled will end up on the steering wheel. All of these things can be prevented by regular interior details. This may seem like a stretch but in certain conditions it would not take long for bacteria to show up inside your car. So even if the cleanliness aspect isn’t as important to you factor in the health benefits of preventing bacteria build up.
9 – EVERYDAY USE:
Most people look at there older car and say it will never look like it did when it was brand new. This may be true because of rock chips, door dings, minor scratches or worn seat bolsters. Understanding the importance of having protection on both interior and exterior surfaces is vital to keep your car looking its best for the long term. There are many options as to how to maintain your car. A wax, sealant, coating or paint protection film are all great options for the exterior. Interior coatings, sealants or UV protectants keep the inside protected.
10 – INCREASE LONGEVITY:
The exterior of a car that is driven regularly will obviously be exposed to the elements when on the road. Dirt, sand, rocks, water, bugs, tar or anything other road grime are just a few things your car’s exterior takes a beating from while you drive down the road. The sun’s UV rays also take a toll on the car’s paint, plastic trim and chrome finishes on the car. Removing the road contaminants on a regular basis and adding protection to these surfaces are what keeps the car looking its best. We will start with the paint. Most cars on the road today have a base coat/ clear coat on them. The clear coat over the color adds gloss and protection but can break down over time from the sun and elements. Adding some sort of protection on top of the paint will aid in prolonging the life of the paints finish. Using a wax, sealant, coating will help contaminants from sticking to the paint, making it easier to wash. They will provide another layer of protection from the sun’s UV rays as well. Having the protection also makes washing much easier if maintained properly. Another option is to have paint protection film added to the car, which can be done in just the high traffic areas( front bumper, headlights, hood, rocker panels, mirrors) or to the entire car. This will aid a barrier between the paint and the elements. You can add a coating on top of the film and aside from never driving the car you have protected the vehicle the most you can. Maintaining the car is the most vital step. Nothing is more important than the maintenance factor. No matter how much protection you put on the car if you don’t maintain the car the layer of protection will break down. Bi weekly washes or having a regular schedule with your detailer will pay off when extending the life of the car.
Have you ever noticed the dash of a car that is cracked, bubbling, or is faded? Or a seats that are sun faded? This is unavoidable in some areas but there are things you can do to prevent this. Carpets and seats also take a beating. The carpet in your car can become dirty from anything you track in on your shoes. It can get crumbs from food you may have eaten in the car. The dog’s hair is stuck in every crack and crevice. Regular cleaning is very important to keep these things from building up and causing damage. Cleaning is not where you should stop because not matter how clean the car is if it’s not protected it can still become damaged. The sun can cause damage to any exposed areas and really make a car look bad in a matter of years. Once surfaces are cleaned you can add a layer of protection to any surface of the car. The carpets, leather and plastic trim can all be coated with some sort of UV protectant to prevent this. The product you use should always have some sort of UV protection in it. The leather and fabric can be protected with various products on the market. This will make them resistant to staining, fading and from absorbing anything transferred from your shoes or clothes. Again this is about maintenance, once these protective products are added they must be applied regularly throughout the life of the car. Ask your detailer or find one of the hundreds of online forums and guides and see what you can do to protect your car’s interior.