All About Automotive Detailing

Automotive detailing can be one of the most important jobs at vehicle dealerships or detailing shops. Whether a detailer is preparing the vehicle for a sales display or getting it ready for its new owner, it's sometimes that first impression of the vehicle that makes automotive detailing so significant.Good automotive detailers will know the areas on vehicles that a bad detailer can miss. Areas such as door jams, window seals, and engine cleaning are signs that you got a good detail job. Trade-in vehicles that need to be detailed are perhaps the most important as a good detail can affect its retail value. No one wants to buy a used vehicle, no matter what the performance quality, if it hasn't been detailed properly.Soiled upholstery and carpet stains can also prevent resale value but using the right products can show a drastic improvement if done correctly. Tobacco or smoking in a vehicle are no longer challenges for the good automotive detailer. Various manufacturers are now producing machines such as Ionizers that when placed in a vehicle for a small period of time can take out the effects of smoking smells.Automotive detailing products are important. Products or mitts that can scratch, wear out the paint, or dull chrome should not be used and a good automotive detailer will know which products to avoid.Automotive detailing product salespeople who promote their products and claim they are the best visit many dealerships. Beyond what products auto detailers are using, a customer should look at the detail shop or detail area. Is it clean? Are the products organized, or are the detailers running back and forth, sharing products, or worse, leaving the detail area looking for their equipment? Check them out for cleanliness and accessibility of the automotive detailing items they use-are they nearby?A good automotive detailer will use tools such as small brushes with soft bristles for vent cleaning. Detailing tools that have small rubber tips are good for cleaning dirt out of seams and trim. Wheel and tire brushes are also a must. Some products such as mitts and brushes are now being offered by the manufacturers with color-coding. This color-coding helps the detailer identify which is the best tool for the process in a quick and easy manner. Bottles of cleaners should also be color-coded for automotive detailing use. Grabbing the wrong solution can be detrimental to the detailer if he is in a hurry. The color-coding process has eliminated the mistakes sometimes made in the automotive detailing business.Some automotive detailing shops even offer services that will check your wiper blades and other viewable parts that can easily be replaced by a detailer at a lower cost than a mechanic or technician.A big job for the automotive detailer is new vehicle preparation. If a dealer sells new vehicles, as they are shipped in, they are inevitably full of dust, debris and, road wear from the shipping process. Not only is the automotive detailer responsible for cleaning the new vehicle, most car dealerships will provide them with a checklist of other items to check for operation. The checklist can include items such as setting the clock and radio, testing the key fobs to see if they are working correctly, removing the new vehicle plastic and stickers, and, taking the vehicle on a small test drive to check wipers, air-conditioning and, other essential elements.Probably the last thing a good automotive detailer can offer is the trip to the gas pump to fill your vehicle up with a full tank. If your detailing company or dealership offers this, it may save you dollars. Many dealerships receive gasoline discounts and are happy to pass them along to the customer to keep them coming back, so check that out when you visit your automotive detailer or dealership.Automotive detailing takes a lot if care. People who work in this area should be the kind of people who love the detailing process and the outcomes they achieve. They are people who have high levels of energy and communication skills to ensure the customer is getting what they want. If chosen right, the good automotive detailer can make all the difference in that new, used, or customer vehicle. Good automotive detailers will keep customers coming back to any shop and are sometimes overlooked for the talents they possess.