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12 Tips from Auto Image, Inc.

We get asked a lot of questions while our clients vehicles are here in the shop and most we answer daily. We wanted to help spread some of our knowledge out to other car enthusiasts. We not giving away the bank, but these tips will help keep your car heathly looking and make the other cars jealous.

Salt Free Diet

Spring has sprung. bring back that new car feeling...

Spring Cleaning!

Call today for a 10% off Hand Car Wash.

Holiday Gifts

A Holiday Gift Card for an auto detailing is a great idea.

Long Lasting Shiny Tires

First things first, the tire needs to be as clean as possible and dry. A healthier Eco friendly water based tire dressing is recommended over a solvent base and wont leave shiny half moons on your driveway. Let dressing dwell for a bit and buff to a sheen with and old dry towel, this will stop what is called 'flinging' where as the dressing spins off the tire and onto your exterior panels.

Spills

Accidents happen...The best tip to give you is to carry one small microfiber, tucked under your drivers seat. Most cars these days have a lot of electronics and even a little bit of fluid is no good around them. Coffee and red dye drinks should be attended to as soon as possible to assure satisfactory results from either yourself or a professional. Diary products, need to be cleaned immediately to avoid costly replacements.

Vehicle Storage

It is our believe that when storing a vehicle for any length in time, that you wash, clean and cover before you put it away. This holds true for wheels and tires. Today's grime will attack the precious finishes on metals and paints quicker than you would believe, or would like to believe. A simple washing can go a long way a preserving your investment.

Cleaning Chrome Tailpipes

We have found that a majority of chrome tips can be cleaned using a very fine grade steel wool (0000). This method is sometimes all that works on baked on road grime after thousands of mile of use. A good soaking with water on cooled exhaust tips will loosen junk. A light scrubbing should remove the black carbon build up.

Road Construction Tar

We believe that this is best left to a detailshop with the correct knowledge and equipment to remove this all to often problem which occurs around Chicagoland. Far to many times individuals use the correct chemicals in an irresponsible manner, ruining not only the exterior of a vehicle but also themselves and the environment. Store bought removers are a waste of your money and harmful to your vehicles finish!

Removing Tree Sap

A quick safe and easy way to remove pine tree tar is to use regular rubbing alcohol found at any store. Apply using a microfiber towel, let soak for a few seconds and gently rub until emulsified completely.

Sparkling windows

Cleaning windows is about the most frustrating thing for an auto detailer to complete when working on your car. A few tricks of the trade can help you see clearly again in between visits to the car wash. Using a wet towel and a dry towel for cleaning then polishing will keep the old dirt from being smeared around. Use the 'box in' method and start around the edges and work in, to assure the whole window in clean.

Home washing

Home washing is a great way to save money in today's economy but would like to add a few suggestions. We recommend washing in the morning or early evening out of the sun. Use a water nozzle to conserve running water and don't let water run into the sewers as it is unfiltered into the environment. Rinsing before applying a soapy sponge can minimize scratching. Washing from top to bottom to avoid picking up contaminants that may be lodged into your sponge/mitt

Dog Hair Removal

Anybody with animals can tell you that one of the hardest things to do is clean up after their pet has been in the car. Long or short hair is easier to remove if you vacuum in one direction. Lift during strokes and watch to see if you are able to unweave through the carpet fibers.

Frequently Asked Questions

We get asked questions, and we answer questions. :)

Question: What is the average turnaround time that I could expect to get my vehicle back?

Answer:

This is how we roll, jigga jay.

Question: Will you personally be working on my vehicle?

Answer:

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Question: Isn't this a neat FAQ system?

Answer:

Why yes, yes, it is. It is powered by Mootools and was custom written for Auto Image Inc with a construction method that allows for pseudo-dynamic questions. Currently, the height value is hard-coded into the Question's code, which could easily be automated with PHP except that whoever puts the questions in would have to know how many pixels their answer is going to take up. This is acceptable for our own projects, certainly, but for a client project, we want to offer the ability to point, click, and be done.

Question: Isn't this similar to the Digg Frequently Asked Questions?

Answer:

Ha! It's an improved version. Theirs has no height transition. It is much more aesthetically pleasing this way. Also, Mootools > jQuery

Question: Can I pick up my car on a weekend?

Answer:

Question: What makes you different then any other detail shop?

Answer:

Question: How many cars do you service in a weeks time?

Answer:

Question: What if something happens to my car while you are working on it?

Answer:

Auto Image, Inc. - Your detailing source for vehicle upkeep and value.