Here are some commonly asked questions. If you have a question you would like answered, then feel free to go to the contact page and send an email. I would be glad to assist you!
Are you a car wash? - Definitely not! Car washes are machine operated (for the most part) facilities that simply wash vehicles in large volume. Our shop only handles a handful of customers per day by appointment. We are professionals, with an eye for meticulous detail. The services offered here are practically opposite of a car wash facility. But we are very much related to each other. We detail your car and bring it as close to "new" condition as we can, and you can maintain that new look by using the car wash. But both businesses are VERY different! If you are seeking a car wash facility instead of a detailing shop...head over to our friends at Manchester Auto Wash!
I found a cheaper price, why wouldn't I just go there instead? - Well, the answer to that is simple...you get what you pay for! I can't stress enough, the difference between a good, honest, and experienced detailer...and the "other guy". I've had a lot of customers who go elsewhere simply due to price. But, once they come to find that they are dissatisfied with the job...they try us and have become long lasting customers for years. For anybody to undercut our fair prices, they would have to put themselves in a position where they simply won't make much money. There's three common reasons a detailer would do this. One, they are inexperienced and not worth the money. Two, they simply have no clients and are desperate. Three, they don't thoroughly detail your vehicle and have no intention to do so. Being a detailer for many years, I know what we are worth. I also know that you WILL leave happy and your vehicle WILL look excellent! Ask around, or google us for reviews. We've been here for years offering customers great detail work, and will continue to do so for many more!
Is it safe to get my vehicle machine buffed? - This is a common question asked by many people. A lot of other detailers out there, for some reason...tell their customers to never get their vehicle machine buffed. This has always baffled me, because machine buffing is the ONLY way to remove surface scratches and bring your paint to a high polish shine. Machine buffing your paint should only be performed by an experienced tech who knows the right products to use. Unfortunately there are many shops out there who gave buffing a bad rep by simply misusing equipment and products. Examples of this are customers left with scratches, swirl marks, burnt paint, etc. Rest assured that by coming here, your vehicle will be touched only by experienced technicians. Swirl marks are absolutely not something we tolerate around here. If your vehicle has been damaged by another shop...let us have a look and I'm sure we can help you out.
Are all these steps necessary, or is it just fluff? - When people hear what we do to their vehicles, it sounds like a lot...and it is. Rest assured that every step is very necessary. All the steps we take simply lead to the end product, which is a thoroughly clean and protected vehicle.
What is a clay bar? - A clay bar is simply what it sounds like...a bar of clay. When used effectively the clay bar process is crucial to the end product of the exterior. It removes surface dirt, grime, and contaminents to make your paint glass smooth. These types of contaminents on your paint cannot be removed by a simple car wash brush, or mitt. Therefore, the clay bar is a necessity here at NED. Make sure, regardless of where you go, that the clay bar is being used prior to machine buffing. Without the clay bar... scratches, swirls, and overall damage to your paint is very likely!
What's the difference between shampooing, and extracting carpets? - These two terms are tossed around a lot in this industry. I've come to find that most detailers that use the term "shampooing", are referring to the fact that they don't own an actual extractor. They expect you to not know the difference between the two and not ask further questions once you hear "shampooing", and most the time...it works. Be VERY careful when this term is used. You must ask if they will be using an extractor! From my experience...I've found that shampooing is simply a bucket of soapy water and a wash mitt that is used to soak your carpet, and then vacuumed up. The problem with this process is that your carpet simply becomes too wet. This can cause molding, odors, and just doesn't clean your carpet. Not to mention...I highly doubt they buy a new mitt to use on every carpet. Here, when we say we extract your carpets...it means with a hot water extractor. Any stains are chemically spotted, and then pulled out by extraction. Carpets are not left soaked, and will dry quickly which is crucial to the end result.
Should I allow my vehicle to be compounded? - Compound is a product that is highly misused a lot of times by detailers. Some places try to lure you in by telling you that your whole vehicle will be compounded. This lengthy step is only necessary under certain circumstances. If your paint is old and oxidized (faded), or full of light scratches...then yes, it may need compounding. But to compound an entire vehicle when the paint is in good condition is completely unnecessary and is actually harmful instead of beneficial. Compound is a surface leveler, meaning that every time you use it...it takes your clear coat down a tiny bit. If you get your car detailed every year by somebody who is compounding...it's a matter of time before your left with needing a paint job. Not only that, you'll surely notice swirls in your paint. If your paint is in good condition...it simply needs polishing, maybe some spot compounding, and a strong protective wax or sealant. Here, we aim to make your paint last!
Why don't I just save some money, and do it myself? - Well sure, of course if you are an experienced detailer, have the equipment, tools, facility, time, and know how to perform everything we do. Then by all means, carry on. But honestly, you wouldn't be on this site if you had all those things at your disposal. You're simply looking for a place you can rely on, get an honest quote from, friendly service, and in the end...be very happy with what you get in return. We do that for people every day! Give us a chance, and I guarantee you'll be very content.
Can I get a multiple vehicle discount? - I get this questions all the time! I have no problem at all giving multiple vehicle discounts. BUT, this question is usually asked by people with two, or three vehicles. Unfortuntely, a lot of customers have atleast two vehicles they want done. Obviously there are a lot of people with just one vehicle as well. The best thing for people seeking discounts with just two or three vehicles is to simply wait till I run a discount. I run discounts early spring, fall, and in the winter. But of course if you actually do have multiple vehicles (meaning 4 or more) we can certainly work something out.
My dealership offered me "Resist All" for hundreds of dollars, is it worth it? - Absolutely not! Resist All is simply another form of car care product. I've heard stories from customers paying upwards of $400 to have this stuff put on their car. They claim it protects your paint, interior, etc. Don't get me wrong, it does do all those things. BUT, not better, or even as well as any of my products. We use professional grade car care products provided by Malco. Rest assured that bringing your vehicle here and having fabric guard, and paint sealant applied to your vehicle is no different than the $400 resist all service. Save yourself the money! If you really want to protect your vehicles paint, go to the additional services page and check out "paint film".
How do I remove tree sap? - I've seen so many people attempt to remove tree sap on their own and cause nothing but damage to their vehicle. A lot of times, it's been unrepairable damage. I know there are tons of products that claim to remove tree sap. But, there's more than one step to remove tree sap. So please, just bring it in!
My vehicle has just been painted, how long should I wait to get it detailed? - This is something I get quite a bit. Once your vehicle has been painted...chances are, you don't need it to be buffed (assuming a job well done has been performed). A simple hand wax, or sealant application would be suffice for atleast the first year. After the first year, you can then probably use a good buffing. But by the time that year is up, your good to go by then anyways. But the rule of thumb is to wait atleast 3 months to buff fresh paint. I have seen cases where people have been handed freshly painted vehicles full of swirl marks from wet sanding and buffing the paint out. Fresh paint should definitely not have swirls when returned to the customer. But, it happens. In this case, 3 months is a good time to wait to have your detailer buff out those swirls for you.
Caterpillar droppings are all over my vehicle, what do I do? - Don't even try it! These little brown droppings are worse than tree sap. I've seen many different cases of attempts to "home remedy" these little dots and people were left with unrepairable damage. Trust me, there's nothing in your house that can remove these! I've seen everything from SOS pads, to scotchbright pads, to paint thinner, steel wool, and even razor blades. Truth is, these are the toughest things to get rid of that I've come across in all my years of detailing. These droppings require many steps to remove properly. Removing them is not the hard part. The hard part is making it look like they were never there to begin with!
Will this scratch come out? - My rule of thumb is this...if you can stick your finger nail well into the scratch, it probably can't be buffed out. But, that doesn't mean it can't look a lot better. I've taken out some fairly deep scratches before. Honestly, I never really know until I start working on it. Of course, there are cases where it's cut and dry that the scratch won't come out. If you see through the paint...it's not coming out.
My car smells like mildew or mold, can you get rid of the smell? - This is also something I never know the answer to until I work on it. Sometimes, a simple wet floor mat left in your car over night can cause an odor of that nature. In some cases the mold, or mildew actually gets into the foam padding of your seat of carpet. In that case, you will be looking at just replacing those parts. But it never hurts to atleast get your vehicle cleaned and see if it gets rid of it. If not, you may have a deeper problem on your hands.
Can you get rid of the smell of cigarrettes in my car? - Yes, and no. Depending on how badly stained, or how deep the odor goes...I may or may not be able to get rid of it. Some other places claim to be able to "odor bomb" the smell out of the vehicle. From my experience, that is just a temporary fix. The nicotine needs to literally be cleaned out. I can guarantee you it will smell A LOT better once we have our go at it. 90% of the smell is on the surface of your interior. Luckily, the surface is something we are very good at.
Are your rates fixed, or will the price change upon pickup? - If I give you a price, it will stay the same unless notified before hand. Never will I change a price, and surprise you with it upon pickup. Other detail shops have a tendency to give quotes by simply looking at the vehicle and offer no real upfront rates. I disagree with this method and I'll tell you why. Regardless of whether I see the vehicle or not, I really don't know what I'm getting into until I'm working on the vehicle. If there's something on the vehicle that takes 15 minutes to get off...then it takes 15 minutes to get off, and that's that. I feel, that's what you're paying for anyways. I find that there should be a set rate, the only way I will change that rate is if there is something excessive that I'm dealing with and it's taking too long to complete. In a situation such as that, I will make a phone call to the number provided and seek approval to move forward after the change of rate has been brought to your attention. Of course, there are situations where I will quote higher than my set rate due to the plainly obvious excessive work that needs to be done. But rest assured, my reasoning behind the adjustment in price will be explained.
