20 - Friday, May 25, 1990 - North Shore News AUT oMmMoOoT i! Detailing pampers cars SERVICE [S GOOD FOR ALL KINDS OF VEHICLES A SPECIALIZED type of car care service helps restore the beauty of older automobiles and keeps new cars looking new for years. “Auto detailing’’ involves me- ticulous automobile cleaning and polishing by professionals. “Auto detailing is just catching on here in Canada,’’ says Martin Ford, owner of T.L.C. Auto Detailing in West Vancouver, ‘‘but in the States, they’re like corner stores. I believe it’s one of the ten top up-and-coming businesses in Canada."’ Detailing involves washing a car by hand, preferably using a lamb’s wool wash mit and_ special automotive cleaners that are designed not to harm the shine and finish of the paint. Attention to detail is important. AutoMotion Automobile detailers wash hard-to-reach parts of the car such as inside the doors, trunk and hood. “It’s not a good idea to use or- dinary household cleaners when washing your car,’’ says Ford, “they may have some acids that will hurt the paint. The type of cleaners we use are specially for- mulated for cars...” To remove hardened dirt, salt and loose rust from the body, wheel wells and underside of the car, auto detailers use a pressure washer. A powerful jet of water washes away grime without hurting the surface of the paint. The engine is ‘shampooed’ with a special cleaner and the pressure washer rinses the grease and oil from the engine compartment. A coat of paint can be added to the engine block and valve covers to make it look like new. Inside the car, all surfaces are vacuumed and cleaned, including the vents, top of the dash, under the seats and other hard-to-get-at places. The tires are cleaned with a special non-silicon spray that not only removes dirt but gives the tires a glossy, new appearance. To bring back the original lustre of an older paint job, detailers polish the paint with a mild abrasive. “Cut polishing almost compiete- ly restores the original finish and color of an older paint job ... the difference can be amazing,’’ ex- claims Ford. ‘‘We can remove scratches and those swirl marks you get from car washes. Acrylic car polish is applied by hand and gives the surface a like-new ap- pearance and protects it.”’ Ford emphasizes that the quality of the materials used in the detail- ing process is important to the final result. “The quality of the materials makes a difference to the job. We use quality cleaning solutions, lamb’s wool mits and so on. They’re quite expensive, but they do a better job.”’ T.L.C.’s price for a complete detailing job is $169 while a hand detailing job takes about five hours. Ford recommends having a car detailed at least once a year to keep it looking good. Ford plans to open up his shop in the evening for do-it-yourself detailers. “We'll provide the cleaners, equipment, and wash mits so peo- ple can detai! it themselves,”’ he says. See Cars y E— §S car wash costs $20. A complete Royce shine, MARTIN FORD, owner of T.L.C. Auto Centre, makes a 1984 Rolls Our complete selection of re-sale cars are on display this weekend only, in North Vancouver. Consider the advantages of pur- chasing or leasing a Mercedes- Benz resale automobile. First of all, the car is a Mercedes- Benz— renowned for quality, dur- ability, engineering excellence, over-the-road performance and, of course, resale value. Second, you join the Mercedes-Benz family and begin to enjoy an ownership experience unmatched in the automotive world. One more advantage: you will save money. You may even find that a Mercedes-Benz resale will cost you less than a new something else. Sales of new Mercedes-Benz cars 1983 Mercedes-Benz 240D. 4 door sedan automatic Ivory/Palomino in- terior. Equipped with sunroof, full ser- vice history, 91,000 km. One owner. Local vehicle. 1987 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL. 4 door sedan. Pearl grey | with burgundy leather interior. Equipped with h sunroof, airbag, heated seats. 48,000 km. Local. All books and records. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300 TDT station wagon. Diamond blue with blue in- terior, Equipped with sunroof, roofrack. 96,000 km. Local. All books and records, EACH ONE SPECIALLY PRICED. have been very strong in Van- couver during the past several weeks. Accordingly, we have an unusually wide selection of Mercedes-Benz cars taken in trade. Each of these superb vehicles has been reconditioned to factory . Mercedes. Beave adaine. + Ask about our selection of SIGNATURE CLASS pre-owned cars, * Check out our display of legendary SL roadsters standards by Mercedes-Benz me- chanics and carries the balance of its new car warranty or our pre-owned car warranty, whichever is greater. These cars can be pur- chased or leased through Mercedes- Benz exclusive financial services. The cars, some of which are shown below, represent exceptional value and will go quickly. They are on display this weekend only, at the Mercedes-Benz retail branch, 1375 Marine Drive in North Van- couver. The display ends Sunday at 5 p.m. You may never have a similar opportunity to own a Mercedes-Benz. 1988 Mercedes-Benz 190E. 4 door sedan automatic. Pearl grey with grey interior. Equipped with sunroof, airbag, 39,000 km. Local, one-owner. All books and records. 1988 Mercedes-Benz 260E. 4 door sedan. Ivory with cream interior. Equipped with sunroof, airbag, 33,000 km. Local one owner. All books and records. 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL Roadster. Ivory with palomino leather interior. Equipped with both tops, air- bag, 49,000 km. Local. AU books and records.