The Art of Detailing Paperback Book by Mike Phillips

Mike Phillips’ – The Art Of Detailing
Proper Techniques, Tips and Tricks to Achieve a Show Car Shine

Mike Phillips is a leading expert in the field of auto detailing and reconditioning with 33 years of real world experience and a true passion for automobiles. Now he shares with you everything he knows about achieving a show car shine in his book, The Art of Detailing.

Mike honed his skills first as a hobbyist, then as a trainer at Meguiar’s, and now as Autogeek’s resident expert and Director of Training. But all you have to do is download his e-book! It will walk you step by step through the process of choosing the right tools, identifying paint imperfections, selecting products, and the application and removal process of those products. Mike’s detailed explanations are simple and straightforward – just like his classes here at Autogeek’s Show Car Garage. While there is no substitute for hands-on training, The Art of Detailing gives you a powerful reference guide at your fingertips.

This book is designed for do-it-yourself hobbyists and professional detailers.

Download The Art of Detailing today and you can instantly begin learning Mike’s professional techniques for turning an ordinary vehicle into a show car!

  • 125 pages
  • Full color images
  • Step by step instructions
  • Glossary of detailing terms

 

Mike Phillips Autogeek.net
Mike Phillips Autogeek.net

 

Dodo Juice Tyromania Tire Dressing!

Give tires a natural-looking finish that does not sling!

Dodo Juice Tyromania Non-Sling Tire Dressing is a unique paste tire dressing wax that enhances the look of rubber tires and trim. The finish looks natural and will not sling once it’s dry. Your tires will look new, supple, and dark – as tires should look. Dodo Juice Tyromania Non-Sling Tire Dressing lasts up to two months.

Dodo Juice Tyromania Non-Sling Tire Dressing is made with orange oil as a natural solvent and carnauba wax as a natural surface protectant. The combination of the two gives tires a low-gloss, rich finish. It’s more tire wax than tire dressing. The thick formula cures to the rubber and will not sling off. Dodo Juice Tyromania

Dodo Juice Tyromania produces a “new rubber” finish. If you prefer a shinier finish, the wax coating can be misted with water and buffed with a towel to create a satin finish.

In addition to tires, Dodo Juice Tyromania Non-Sling Tire Dressing works well on black plastic trim. It improves the appearance of exterior trim without making it look overly shiny or slick. And because it’s a paste, Dodo Juice Tyromania Non-Sling Tire Dressing is easy to apply exactly where you want it.

Rubber and black plastic are prone to fading. Use Dodo Juice Tyromania Non-Sling Tire Dressing to bring back a natural looking, dark finish.

(6 oz.) 180 ml.

Product Reviews

 

Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant

If you’re familiar with the Wolfgang Line of Premium Car Care, then you already know that Wolfgang is dedicated to finding the latest breakthroughs in polymer technology to implement in each and every formula they offer. From the crystal-like shine and durable protection of the Deep Gloss Paint Sealant, to the fusion of German Super Polymers and Brazilian Carnauba Wax found in the Füzion Estate Wax, each Wolfgang formula is designed to be class leading in every aspect. 

The new Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant will continue this tradition and offer excellent protection and durability on all exterior trim, including: wheels, tires, chrome, rubber and vinyl surfaces. Its hyper concentrated formula provides excellent UV protection to prevent cracking and fading of rubber and vinyl exterior surfaces. When used on wheels and other metal trim, it will protect against corrosion and degradation for months. This unique formula utilizes the latest in polymer technology and goes on extremely thin to provide a like-new satin finish on vinyl and rubber surfaces that is also water resistant.

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To put the Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant (ETS) to the test, I applied it to a severely faded plastic windshield cowl. For a car that sits outside 24/7 in the Florida sun, any trim that isn’t protected will fade within a matter of months, even when new.

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For best results, thoroughly clean the surface that you’re applying ETS to. Any all purpose cleaner will do the trick, such as DP Cleanse-All or Optimum Powerclean. This will ensure proper bonding of the ETS.

A little bit goes a long way, so use sparingly!

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The German Polish N’ Wax Applicator works great for applying ETS because it’s easy to hold and the dense foam allows the product to stay on the face of the applicator.

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You can see how a little bit of product goes a long way. For best results, thoroughly work in ETS to the surface that’s being treated. In most instances, a second coat is not necessary.

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If too much product is applied, buff dry with a clean, dry microfiber towel.

Check out the dark, satin finish that ETS provides on this plastic windshield cowl. ETS dries almost immediately after being applied. Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant bonds to the surface and will not run or streak when it gets wet.

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Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant also works well as a dedicated wheel sealant. When applying ETS to a wheel or any other type of metal trim, buff the product after applying a thin, even coat. Treating wheels with ETS with not only enhance the appearance, but will also make future cleaning much easier. 

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For application of tires, a foam tire applicator works best. Here is what the tire of this Civic looks like prior to Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant being applied.

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A thin even coat is all it takes. Thoroughly work the product in to the tire.

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Here is what the tire looks like after ETS is applied. It leaves a dark, rich finish that isn’t overly glossy. It also dries to the touch almost immediately after being applied.

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The chrome bumper of this Ford Falcon was also protected with Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant. This will keep the metal from corroding and oxidizing over time. It will also make future cleaning easier, all while enhancing the appearance.

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Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant is very easy to use and will provide months of durable polymer protection on all exterior trim.

It’s available in 4oz, 8oz, and 16oz sizes.

July4th Summer Savings & Smart New Products

 

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Autogeek July 4th Sales
Starting Friday, visit Autogeek.net for free shipping offered twice a day in 3 hour blocks through Monday, July 4. * All sales end Monday, July 4 at midnight EST. Some restrictions apply. Please click here for details.
Featured Products for Summer  Autogeek Race ShirtAutogeek Race ShirtBuy One, Get One!

This is the official shirt of the Autogeek-sponsored Bruno Massel Racing Team. Get yours! 2 for $39.99

Detailer's Pro Series Poli-CoatDetailer’s Pro Series Poli-Coat Paint Sealant
All Detailer’s Pro Series are 20% off with code JULY4TH

Poli-Coat is a perfect summer sealant! Shield your vehicle from intense UV rays, harsh detergents, and contamination. Try this or any Detailer’s Pro Series product for 20% off!

Diamondite Clear Plastic System Kit For HeadlightsDiamondite Clear Plastic Kit
All Diamondite products 20% with code JULY4TH

Are your headlights cloudy or yellow? Use the Diamondite Clear Plastic System Kit to restore headlight lenses and protect them from future damage.

New from Wolfgang Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant – Coming This Friday!

 All Wolfgang products are 20% off with code JULY4TH

Wolfgang Exterior Trim SealantStrong protection plus a natural-looking finish.Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant protects and enhances all vinyl, plastic, rubber, and metal exterior trim. Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant will give plastic, vinyl, and rubber a darker, newer appearance. On metal, Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant forms a clear coating that maintains its luster. One product is all you need for total trim protection.

 

     

  • 4oz. $19.99 sale $14.99
  • 8oz. $29.99 sale $24.99
  • 16oz. $49.99 sale $39.99
  •  

  

What’s New at Autogeek  DeWalt DWP849X 7″ / 9″ Variable Speed Polisher
DeWalt DWP849  7″ / 9″ Variable Speed Polisher

DeWalt PolishersTwo new polishers from DeWalt feature powerful 12 amp motors and variable speed dials for control and superior finish quality. Both machines are lightweight with improved ergonomics. The DWP849X features CFS Controlled Finishing System® with soft start in addition to the features of the DWP849.


Prima Car Care

Prima LogoDesigned to meet the needs of discriminating car care aficionados, Prima offers a full range of polishes, cleaners, and protectants to maintain and beautify your vehicle. If you think the bottles are unique, you should try what’s inside them!

Mothers PowerMetal Polish and PowerBall Mini MDMothers PowerMetal Scratch Removing Polish & Mothers PowerBall Mini MD

Mothers designed these products to work together to restore a smooth, bright shine to all your vehicle’s uncoated metal surfaces. The MD stands for Metal Doctor because the Mothers PowerBall Mini MD cures what ails dull metal surfaces with the help of Mothers PowerMetal Scratch Removing Polish.


3M Do-It-Yourself Fuel System Tune-Up Kit 08963

This 3M kit makes it easy to clean your vehicle’s fuel system and improve its fuel economy and performance.

Meguiars Plastic & Vinyl Coating 10 oz.

Protect and enhance plastics and vinyl surfaces in an instant with this quick aerosol spray! If you liked Meguairs Exterior Trim Coating, you’ll love this.
Pinnacle gallonPinnacle 64 oz

Pinnacle 64 oz. and 128 oz. refills have a new look! To celebrate, take 20% off all Pinnacle products.
Use code JULY4TH

Now our refill bottles have the same distinctive Pinnacle label as our 16 oz. products. Quality you can recognize.

New Boat Care Products Available at Autogeek.net and PremiumBoatCare.com.

Gel Coat Labs Marine CleanerGel Coat Labs Bow to Stern Vessel Care
20% Off with code JULY4TH

Gel Coat Labs Bow to Stern Vessel Care products are manufactured by Four Star Products. Developed exclusively for marine surfaces, Gel Coat Labs products are designed for boat owners who require only the best products for their boats. Gel Coat Labs offers a complete boat detailing line, from gel coat sealants to polishes to vinyl care and cleaners.

New 3M Marine Products  

 Mothers Marine

New Mothers Marine Products

Coming Soon! Constant Pressure Pads

Constant Pressure Foam Pads feature rebound foam to absorb off-axis movements of the polisher while maintaining constant pressure of the pad on the paint. Choose from 4 inch, 5.5 inch, or 6.5 inch pads in CCS or flat foam.

Detailing 101 and 102 are coming up on July 9-10, 2011!  

Do you want to learn how to properly use a dual action polisher to remove swirls & water spots from your car? What about the proper techniques to use with detailing clay, and being able to determine when your vehicle needs to be clayed? All of your questions and more will be answered by Mike Phillips as he teaches you how to properly machine polish and maintain a vehicle in our Detailing 101 Class!

May 15 Detailing 102 classDuring Detailing 102, you’ll learn how to create a flawless finish by removing orange peel, surface texture and other below-surface defects. Plus, you’ll learn the art of polishing paint to create a true show car finish.

Both classes are filling up fast. Reserve your spot today!

Click here to watch Mike’s video description of Detailing 101 and 102.

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Prima Car Care Hydro Seal & Hydro Wash!

Prima Car Care is very proud to introduce their new Hydro Wash and Hydro Seal. These two new products, when used together, provide an easy to use two step system that preps and protects painted surfaces for months.

prima Hydro Wash - Car Wash

The first part of the protection process starts with the Hydro Wash. This unique formula shampoo contains no polymers and is designed to prep the paint for Hydro Seal. Hydro Wash produces a ton of suds and is very concentrated and is the ideal shampoo for routine up keep of the Hydro Seal.

Hydro Seal is a water activated polymer sealant that will protect and enhance the shine of painted surfaces for months, not weeks. Hydro Seal is also safe on exterior trim, it will not stain or discolor plastic or vinyl surfaces. The first thing you will notice about Hydro Seal is the unique application process, and the second thing you will notice, besides the superior shine and gloss that it provides, is the water beading wash after wash.

Application:

1. Start with 2 plush microfiber towels and a spray bottle of water.
2. Apply to a clean car, out of the direct sun.
3. Soak one plush microfiber towel with water then wring out excess water so towel is lightly damp. Fold it in fourths.
4. Spread a quarter-sized dollop on the wet towel.
5. Mist a section of paint with water.
6. Wipe Hydro Seal onto the paint until it begins to disappear. Any remaining Hydro Seal is immediately ready for removal.
7. Wipe any residue from the paint with your dry towel and continue to the next section.
8. Feel free to follow with original Hydro or add a layer of Hydro Seal.

Note that Prima Hydro Seal can be applied over Epic, Amigo or Hydro. The car should be wet-wiped after polishing (Finish, Swirl, Cut), prior to applying Hydro Seal.

Prima Hydro Wash

Prima Hydro Seal

Introducing Premiumboatcare.com

Autogeek has been your store for everything on wheels, but now you have a place to go for everything that floats, too. Premiumboatcare.com is the newest store in the PBMA family. It is a huge super store of boat and RV detailing supplies backed by the same outstanding customer service and massive selection as Autogeek.net.

Why boats and RVs? They are both typically made of fiberglass with a gel coat. Gel coats are similar to a clear coat in function
but their composition is quite different. Gel-coat is a term used to describe the pigmented or colored outer surface of a fiberglass boat.  Fiberglass is a combination of polyester resin with glass woven fabric to create flexibility with strength.

Although gel coat finishes are very hard and durable, when exposed to oxygen in the air and in water, a chemical breakdown process occurs what we call oxidation.

Oxidation is basically the gel-coat material deteriorating and this shows up to us visually as a dull, rough and chalky looking finish.

If oxidation is left uncorrected, it will accelerate. The rough, deteriorated surface will retain water inside its top layer more than a smooth, hard, shiny, protected surface. So it’s best to put your boat and RV on a regular maintenance program that includes:

That’s where Premiumboatcare.com comes in. You can find everything you need to maintain your boat and RV in one place. The store
includes many boat and RV-specific products plus surface care products that cover all the bases, from cars to boats and RVs.

Mike Phillips will walk you through the essential steps of boat and RV care in our how-to videos. The how-to library is still growing so stay tuned!

If you have a boat or an RV, you can now give it the same high quality care you give your car. You’ll find all the products, tools, and
accessories your boat or RV needs at Premiumboatcare.com.

Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System on a boat?

The answer is absolutely! You can use the Meguiars DA Microfiber System on gel coat and get great results.

Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System is a two-step process designed to correct auto paint (and gel coat) without leaving any swirls- guaranteed! Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System consists of microfiber pads, DA Microfiber Correction Compound, and DA Microfiber Finishing Wax.

This system is formulated to work with minimal dusting and no slinging. Cleanup is easy. When you’re polishing the vertical surfaces of a boat, you’ll appreciate how clean this process really is!

On a boat, Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System delivers comparable results to what you achieve on cars. It works well on light to moderate gel coat oxidation. On boats with heavy oxidation, use a more aggressive compound first, such as Meguiars Mirror Glaze #95 Speed-Cut Compound. After using the compound, use Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System to refine the gel coat and then seal it.

Depending on the size of the boat and the amount of oxidation, you may need multiple pads. Meguiars DA Microfiber Pads resist loading up so you can work them longer before switching pads, if you need to switch pads at all. To be on the safe side, have extra pads on hand. Toss used pads into a bucket of water and Detailer’s Pro Series Pad Rejuvenator.

Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction System works well with the Meguiars G110v2 Polisher.

For the best results, always keep a coat of wax on your boat to prevent oxidation and maintain a clean, shiny boat.

Autogeek Flashback!

We’re getting in the time machine today! Anyone who came to our first Detail Fest may remember our small 2,000 sq. ft. space in an office complex. In looking through these pictures, I found a fun fact. The first Detail Fest was in December of 2005. There wasn’t one in 2006 because Max decided it should be held in Spring. The next one was in Spring of 2007 and they have been ever since.

You can see the Autogeek sign over the door. We also had the space to the right, but that was it!

These next photos are different views of the same office. Believe it or not, shortly after this photo was taken, a second desk was added to this room!

This was the warehouse – only about 1000 sq. ft., and we made use of every inch.

For comparison, this is our current warehouse….

Here is the back of our 2005 home. The first two garage doors were ours.

This is Autogeek’s current home.

Autogeek.net has grown a lot in the last six years. Many of our customers have been with us every step of the way (and we have the pictures to prove it!). We as a company are very fortunate to have customers who appreciate what we do and who tell us how we can do it better. It’s that relationship that helps Autogeek continue to improve and grow. Thank you!

White wax stains and what you can do about them.

White wax stains on plastic trim come from solvents in the wax. These solvents are not meant for cleaning the paint. They are actually just there as a carrier for the protective ingredients in the wax. Once the wax is applied to your car, the solvent evaporates, leaving the wax on the paint. The problem is, the solvents stain plastic trim.

The best defense against wax stains is to prevent them in the first place! You can tape off plastic trim if you’re applying your wax with a buffer. You can just be very careful when applying wax by hand. Accidents still happen so your other option is to choose a wax that will not stain trim. Many WOWO (wipe on, wipe off) waxes will not stain trim and you can identify them by the fact that they also do not dry to a white haze. Examples are Pinnacle Souverän, Pinnacle Signature Series II, Detailer’s Pro Series Max Wax, Wolfgang Füzion, Poorboy’s Natty’s Paste Wax, and P21S Concours Carnauba Wax.

If your wax of choice is an apply-and-dry wax, you can still remove wax stains from trim by acting quickly. You can use a dedicated wax remover, like Griot’s Garage Dried On Wax Remover or you can opt for Detailer’s Pro Series Cleanse-All Exterior Cleaner. It will remove everything from the trim, including any dressings, so you’ll want to reapply protection after cleaning the trim.

Autogeek’s Detail Fest supports Operation Comfort and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

This weekend in Stuart, Florida, Autogeek.net held its 6th Annual Detail Fest & Car Show. The event raised money for both the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Operation Comfort’s Automotivation program.

All the vendors attending Detail Fest made contributions to the organizations. Blown Away Hair Salon gave haircuts at Detail Fest for $10, and all proceeds went to the charities as well. Additional donations were taken and raffle tickets were sold for a motorized scooter to support Operation Comfort and LLS.

Max, Autogeek’s founder and CEO, made a request for an additional $200 from the audience during the awards ceremony on Sunday and offered to match the full amount. Steven Spengler, VP of Sales at Aztec; Steve of Poorboy’s World; and Rick S., the winner of the Aztec hot water extractor raffle, all stepped forward to exceed Max’s request. The total amount raised for Operation Comfort and LLS at Detail Fest was $2500 and Max matched that with his own check for $2500, bringing the total to $5000. The money was divided equally between Operation Comfort and LLS.

On behalf of everyone at Autogeek.net, Operation Comfort, and LLS, we thank our generous donors for all your support.

We would like to thank Ken Coe, Dick Hall and Jeannie Ferrara with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Operation Comfort volunteers Robert Rodriquez, Army Specialist Alicia Shackelford, and Jacob Staples from Layin’ Color in San Antonio, TX.

The Automotivation program teaches detailing and car restoration skills to veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars both as job training and as rehabilitation to wounded soldiers. Visit Autogeek’s Operation Comfort page or Operationcomfort.org for more information.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society raises money to support the fight against blood cancers and works to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Visit LLS.org for more information.