RAD GARAGE - Rick's Residential Detailing Theatre and Dream Garage
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BLOG (RETIRED)

FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON

Laundry Night

4/28/2015

 
Tuesday night is Laundry Night in Rick's Audi Double Garage.  It's quite remarkable that I can go through this many microfibre cloths and towels in the span of one week. 

Art Meets Science

4/27/2015

 
The appeal of auto detailing, for me, is the confluence of art and science.  I have viewed countless videos posted by fellow detailers, and time to time I come across a video that powerfully and accurately captures this relationship between art and science.  This is one of those videos.  Just amazing in every regard.  This detailer has just one video posted on his YouTube channel, but I suspect that will change, or at least I hope so.  

Escape

4/26/2015

 
Friends of mine are planning on offering up their 2005 Ford Escape for trade on either a new Mazda CX-5 or Subaru Outback, so they asked me to perform an "economic" detail prior to them shopping it around to local dealers.  No problem.  Once I began, I noticed that there was a lot of dried sap on the car.  A lot.  Seeing as they didn't want to shell out for an extensive detail, I opted to concentrate my efforts on the hood.  With the hood nice and shiny, it should show well when the dealer gives it the once-over.  That's my thinking, at least.  
Interior before
Apprentice
Interior after
Foam bath
Polishing hood
Hood complete
I loosened up the sap using Stoner's Tarminator spray and then used a sharp wooden pick to dislodge it from the clear coat.  I then used Menzerna PG 1000 Rubbing Compound to remove the swirls and scratches and followed up with Menzerna SF 4000 Superior Performance Polish.  The hood looks terrific.  The interior came out nice as well.  Other products used include Chemical Guys Citrus Wash & Gloss, 1Z Einszett Cockpit Premium, Griot's Garage Interior Cleaner, Griot's Garage Carpet Cleaner, Lexol Leather Cleaner, Stoner Invisible Glass, and Griot's Garage Long Lasting Tire Dressing.  All up, I have between six and seven hours invested in this Escape, and I'm happy with the results.  I'd love to go another 8 hours, but it's just not necessary for a car that is going to be traded in within days.  I'm hopeful this detail will help my friends get a bit more cash for it on trade.  Enough chit chat, here are some photos from the day.
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Before
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After

Widebody Audi SQ5 on Bags

4/23/2015

 
There's little chance my SQ5 will receive any major mods, but this heavily-modded SQ5 is pretty killer.  Beautifully edited video as well.  Check it out:

Detailing the Engine Bay

4/21/2015

 
Little by little, I am getting the SQ5 into ship shape.  I had a few hours over the weekend, so I set my sights on the engine compartment.  It was the first time I detailed the engine since owning it.  I should have taken more "before" shots, but as these beauty shots show, the results were pretty good.   
Here's a video that illustrates the process I followed:

My Love of Jaguars

4/14/2015

 
Growing up, my father drove virtually every North American built sedan there was.  I think the only car he didn't have was a Buick Park Avenue.  Understandably, the big American sedans were my bread and butter.  That was, until I attended my first Auto Show in 1983.  It was at that time that I fell in love with everything that was European.  I became obsessed with Saab, Audi, Porsche, BMW, Mercedes Benz, and others.  All of those brands have remained on my list of favourites (except Saab), but one car company that I fell in and out of love with was Jaguar.  I loved the early 80's Jags with their sleek design and opulence.  But, then Jaguar lost the plot.  I can't remember when it actually happened, but Jags were no longer cool to me.  It might have been around the time Ford bought them and produced cars such as this.  Well, I'm glad to say that my love affair with Jaguars has returned.  In fact, I attended the Auto Show in March, and I have to say, the car that had the biggest impact on me was the Jaguar XF-RS.  That thing is wild.  I am actually looking forward to seeing the new C-X17 crossover in the flesh.  If you are like me, and wrote off Jaguar, it might be time to check out the current line up, because things have improved exponentially over the past decade.  Here's my Top 5 Jags, past and present:
5. F-Type
4. XJS
XJ12
2. XK
1. XF-RS

AWE Exhaust

4/13/2015

 
I can't get enough of this YouTube clip posted by AWE Tuning.  It features their "Touring Edition" exhaust system for the SQ5.  So cool.  What do you think?  

Winter Wheel/Tire Setup

4/13/2015

 
I ordered my SQ5 with the optional 21" Audi-exclusive wheels which came wrapped with summer Pirelli P-Zero rubber.   This is great for 3-4 months of the year, but I needed to find a setup that would get me through the rest of the year.  My research pointed me towards Hartmann, a manufacturer of high-quality Audi replica wheels.  I had a set of Chinese-made 22" Porsche replica wheels on my Q7 and they were fine, but I always questioned their quality.  After talking to the guys at RPI Equipped in British Columbia, I made the decision to purchase 20" HRS6-204-GS wheels with the 25 offset.  With the OEM centre caps, they are identical to the OEM wheels they are based on, but costing about 1/4 of the price.  The "GS" denotes the gloss sliver finish.  I wrapped them with 255/45ZR20 LM-60 high performance winter Blizzaks and they have never disappointed.  I have had them on the vehicle for almost two complete winters and they have been awesome, plus they maintain the factory look, which I like.  

Jacking up my RaceDeck Floor

4/13/2015

 
One question I get a lot is, "Can you lift a car using a floor jack atop the FreeFlow floor?".   The answer is yes, but you will damage it.  In this video, I demonstrate how the floor reacts to the force of a floor jack lifting my Audi SQ5.  I had a few extra tiles laying around, so I thought I would give anyone interested in installing a FreeFlow floor by RaceDeck a look at how it performs in this regard.  While the damage isn't terrible, you will see some significant divot marks and gouges caused by the casters sinking and cutting into the tiles.  I use a heavy duty rubber mat to protect the floor, which is an extra step, but keeps the floor free from damage.  

Detailing Winter Wheels

4/13/2015

 
I take decent care of my car, but the unrelenting Canadian winter inevitably leaves my winter wheel setup in dire need of a restorative detail by the end of the season.  I recently swapped over to my 21" summer setup, so I took a day to detail the 20" winter setup prior to storing them for the summer.  I put this video together to demonstrate the process I follow to undo the damage caused by their exposure to the salt and debris of our winter roads.  

Wheels: 20" ET25 HRS6-204 in gloss silver by Hartmann (with modified lugs)
Tires: 255/45ZR20 LM-60 High Performance Blizzak by Bridgestone
OEM centre caps
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    RAD GARAGE is my personal detailing theatre. I am a teacher who finds immense pleasure in completing deeply therapeutic, thorough and highly satisfying detailing projects in my residential garage. I have converted my suburban double car garage into a world class detailing environment and I enjoy caring for my own car and select cars belonging to others. The garage and the work I complete in it have allowed me to connect with other detailing enthusiasts from around the world. ​
    Contact me

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    I have teamed up with Teespring to offer viewers an opportunity to grab some RAD gear! Click here to see the current inventory of RAD merchandise available at my Teespring store! 
    Use "RAD10" to save yourself 10% until the end of March, 2021. 
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    Carzilla is a local detailing store that caters to the North American community of professional and enthusiast detailers. I have been a longtime customer and I am fortunate to call the owner a friend. Besides stocking a vast quantity of top quality detailing products, the owner has supported various garage and detailing projects of mine over the years.

    5 %   d i s c o u n t   c o d e
    "RADGARAGE"

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    I am able to offer all Canadian detailing pros and enthusiasts a 5% Carzilla discount code. Check out the awesome Carzilla online store here.

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    The team at Annovi Reverberi North America reached out to me and commended my work. They generously offered to supply me with one of their pressure washer systems. I can't express how satisfied I am with the performance of my AR630TSS pressure washer and highly recommend this machine to all enthusiast and professional detailers. If you are considering upgrading your existing pressure washer system, I highly encourage you to price things out over at the Obsessed Garage website. 

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    I have equipped my garage with a variety of LED lighting systems from this family-owned company out of Saskatchewan. They have a variety of garage lighting solutions to fit every need. Be sure to visit their website and use "RAD10" at checkout to receive a 10% discount on your order.

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    I am proud to rep Obsessed Garage. Click on the banner below to explore the complete OG inventory. By using my affiliate link, any purchases you make will help me equip and enhance my garage. 

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    25¢ per sq ft discount
    "RADGARAGE"

    Swisstrax manufactures the highest quality modular flooring system you can get for your garage. I am able to offer a 25¢ per square foot discount to Canadian friends wanting to install a Swisstrax floor in their garage. Simply reference "RAD GARAGE" in your email or phone call correspondence with the Swisstrax Canada sales staff. 

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    The  expert team at Glove Box curates boxes of high quality products that work together towards a common goal. I highly recommend you check out their website to see the various boxes and purchase options they offer. You can make a one-time purchase of any past or present boxes, or opt for a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription. Whatever option you decide to go with, use "RAD20" to receive 20% off your introductory order. 

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    Adam's is one of my all-time favorite brands of car detailing products. I have made friends with a number of team members and I appreciate the support I have received from them over the years. I have also been fortunate to meet many other Adam's fans from all over the world. Check out the Adam's website here. 

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    If you are in the Calgary or surrounding area and you are looking to have some concrete work completed, I highly recommend reaching out to the team at Concrete Innovations. They did a tremendous job on my garage drainage system. You can save $300 on your own double garage drainage solution by contacting them and telling them I referred you.

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    Tim and his team at Ethos have been hard at work bringing innovation to the detailing industry. I have been fortunate to have received a number of high quality Ethos products and I have found all of them to be highly satisfying. I am a huge fan of this company and their "Defy" ceramic protectant spray is one of my all time favourite products. 

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    Tunerworks is a performance-minded automotive service centre located in Calgary. It is my go-to source for wheels and tires and all other things automotive. If you are interested in connecting with the team at Tunerworks to see how you can improve your car's appearance and/or performance, give the team a call at 403.398.9833 and tell them Rick sent you. 

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    A few years ago, a Quickjack representative reached out to me because I had mentioned on this blog that I was looking for some sort of lift system. We corresponded back and forth and I ended up receiving a sweetheart deal on a QuickJack BL-5000 SLX lift system. I immediately fell in love with it. I sent the team at Ranger Products a variety of photos of the lift in action in my garage and they have featured them in various online ads, including the US and Canada Costco websites.
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    TRITON DOOR SERVICES
    Triton is owned and operated by Mike Awada and he is a highly skilled and experienced garage door technician. I highly recommend reaching out to Mike if you have any garage door concerns or if you are interested in upgrading your home's garage door and/or door opener system. 
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    The team at Auto Shield Canada has been extremely supportive of me and my detailing pursuits. They have provided me with samples of their graphene coating and even gone to the lengths of helping me apply it on a friend's 2008 RS4. I look forward to watching this company make deeper inroads into the market with their high quality coatings. 

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    The team at Lithium Auto Care has been highly supportive of me and my detailing hobby by sending me a number of samples in exchange for my feedback. I have been very impressed with the products I have tried and I have been even more impressed by the quality of service they have provided me. 

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    Extra Tough is a highly effective and versatile all-purpose cleaner. The team at Extra Tough sent me two complimentary gallons of this cleaner and I have used it in a variety of jobs around the garage. Most famously, I used it to deeply clean the carpeted wheel arches of a pristine Misano Red RS5. It is available through their website. 

    CROWN RALLY 8
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    I was fortunate to have been invited to participate in the 8th edition of the Crown Rally. This is a high octane car rally that explores some of the most amazing drives in the Untied States. Click the image above to learn more about this amazing adventure. 

    OTHER RAD FRIENDS

    ​Custom Decals YYC
    Geoff Wilkings Photography
    Glenmore Audi
    ​Kaizen Foam
    Space-Ray Heaters
    ​Tire Rack
    Trek Bicycles
    ​TSW Wheels

    OTHER RAD GARAGES

    In addition to showcasing my own garage, I enjoy sharing other amazing garages. Here are some spaces that I have featured on my blog: 
    Tavin Garage
    Tyson's Acura Museum
    Larry's Charlotte Showroom
    dubber's double
    Chad's "Next" Makeover
    Gully's Dream Garage
    Orland Park Audi Oasis
    Cory's Industrial Arts Studio
    Brynjar's Icelandic Garage
    Pat's Controlled Chaos
    ​Greg & Nancy's Place
    ​Brandon Burrell's Toy House

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  • Home
  • Affiliates
  • Audi
    • 2018 SQ5 Technik (Current)
    • 2014 SQ5 Technik (Previous)
    • 2009 Q7 S-Line (Previous)
  • Blog
  • Build
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  • Design
  • Detailing
  • Door
  • Drainage
  • Gallery
  • Heat
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  • Music
  • Organization
  • Pressure Washer
  • QuickJack
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  • YouTube