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

FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON

Q7 Reflection

7/25/2015

 
In the Spring of 2009, my wife and I were driving a 2006 Cadillac STS-V and a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT.  With a combined horsepower of 830, we got where we needed in a hurry, but once winter hit, we realized neither car was very practical.  So, we decided to sell both cars and go with a SUV.  We seriously considered the BMW X5, GMC Yukon, Mercedes ML and Audi Q7.  We ended up going the Q7 route, and it really was the right choice.  We both loved its looks, practicality, and overall driving experience.
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Our Q7 was equipped with the 3.6 litre V6 which put out a mediocre 286 bhp.  Honestly, I always felt like the vehicle was underpowered.  The TDI version would have been our first choice at the time, but there was a huge waiting list in my city.  The 4.2 was substantially more expensive and offered a relatively small power upgrade of 54 bhp.  We chose this car right off the lot because we loved the Garnett Red Pearl paint and it was loaded with all options minus the 3rd row seating.  We enjoyed our four years of relatively trouble-free ownership.  The only problems we had with the vehicle over that time was a malfunctioning door handle, squeaky sun roof, and a "clunk" when engaging the car in drive.  All problems were rectified by our dealer with little to no fuss.  One modification I made to the Q7 was the brakes.  I upgraded the pads and rotors shortly after purchasing it.  The OEM pads produced a merciless amount of brake dust, so I went with a set of Hawk LTS pads that lasted until the car sold almost four years later.  
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A fun modification I made was moving to a 22" Porsche Cayenne replica wheel in a gloss black.  I went with 285/35 Yokohama Parada Spec-X A/S performance rubber.  It was a real head turner.  I sold the Q7 with under 60k km's on the clock.  There was some wear on the outer edge of the passenger seat, but the car was otherwise perfect.   I got over 70% of what we paid.  I was quite happy with that.  
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This is the car that transported our son home following his birth, so it will always hold a special spot in our hearts.  It served our family well during our time together.  It was dependable, comfortable, and I was proud to drive it.  You can't really ask for much more than that from a family hauler.  

What I loved

The Style - I just loved the way this SUV looked.  I saw the 2nd generation Q7 at the Auto Show in March, and I don't think it is as nice as the first gen.  Just a well designed vehicle, inside and out.  The style was made all the more spectacular with the Garnett Red Pearl paint colour. 
The Ride - Despite its size and weight, this SUV really did handle like a car.  This was very evident when we test drove the Yukon.  Compared to the GMC, the A6-based Q7 chassis felt like a sports car.  
The Size - I liked how substantial this vehicle felt as it sauntered down the road.  Not too big, but big enough that you felt large and in charge.   
The Quattro - Not once did we find ourselves unable to get where we needed to go.  You just pointed this Q7 where you wanted it to go, and it went.  Every time.
The Options - From the safety elements such as blind spot monitors, to the potent Bose stereo, this car had it all.  The panoramic sun roof was massive and the S-Line style package added lots of cool and sporty design touches such as the 3-spoke leather steering wheel with paddle shifters.  

What I didn't love

Lack of power - I should have opted for the V8, but it was too costly.  
Lack of storage - Big SUV, but surprisingly lacking in storage capacity.  I remember wresting with a plastic lawn chair, trying to get in the trunk.  The hunkered down rear roofline made the opening a bit awkward.  
"Leather" - I am not even sure it was real leather.  More like synthetic leather.  Not my style.
Center armrest - The center armrest made this annoying squeaking noise.  I performed all types of fixes, but could never fully rectify the issue.  
TPMS - They come on a lot of cars these days, but I just hate them.  Such a nuisance when you want to run a few different wheel set ups. 
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Emergency brake cable seized - off to the dealer

Polisher Upgrade

7/25/2015

 
Polishing the SQ5's paint is an annual affair, and one I look forward to.  This year, in anticipation of the big event, I decided to upgrade my collection of polishers.  I parted with my 3" and 6" Griot's Garage polishers and acquired a Flex PE 8-4 80 to compliment the Flex 3401 I currently use.  I did love my Griot's polishers, but the Flex units are superior.  
One thing I am really looking forward to with the PE8 is the three different backing plates I purchased.  With a 1", 2", and 3" version, there is no part of my car I can't get to.  I hope to do the job in the next few weeks.  I hope to document my polishing process in video format, so stay tuned.
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Rocking Rack

7/18/2015

 
For the first time since owning my SQ5, I had an opportunity to put it through its paces on a mountainous drive to a vacation town in British Columbia.  The 3-hour drive was fantastic, and the SQ5 performed brilliantly on some of the most amazing roads in Western Canada.  It was also a great chance to use our bike carriers.  After the initial 30 minutes of constantly looking skyward to see if our bikes were still there, I actually forgot all about them.  According to Audi, the car recognizes when the roof bars are installed and somehow accounts for this in terms of handling.  I will have to look into that a little deeper when I get the chance, but the racks were great and we all arrived at our destination happy and safe.   I give a full 5-star review to our bike carrier system.  I am also pleased with how easily they store on my pegboard wall. 

Beauty Shots Video 

7/15/2015

 
I posted a video featuring some of my favourite shots from Geoff's photo shoot.  Enjoy.  

Beauty Shots

7/10/2015

 
One of my friends is a professional photographer.  A while back, I did some work on his Nissan Murano.  In return, he spent almost six hours at my place, earlier this week, photographing my car and garage.  I was blown away by the quality of the images he captured.  I have put a slideshow together that demonstrates his skill as well as my garage's beauty.  After viewing the shots I have selected, I'm sure you will agree that they are stunning in their depth, clarity, and composure.  
To learn more about Geoff and check out more of his work, be sure to visit his website here. 
Click here to view even more beauty shots

The Bill Blass is Still Pure Class

7/8/2015

 
In the late-70's and early-80's, the fashion forward minds at Lincoln enlisted the services of the top fashion design houses and designers to put their stamp on the Lincoln line up.  By far, my favorite iteration of the Mark series was the 1979 Bill Blass Edition.  I remember staring at the above photo for hours as a young kid.  Thirty-five years later, and I still think I could pull off that white suit worn by that dude in the background.  In addition to Blass, Lincoln collaborated with other design houses such as Givenchy, Pucci, Cartier, and Versace to produce some of the most decadent examples of automotive opulence.  At almost 20' in length, the Continental Mark V wold just barely fit in my garage.  If a mint one came available, I think I would have a hard time resisting.  It is my favourite car of all time.  
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The owner of this absolutely pristine example of the '79 Bill Blass Continental posted a few YouTube videos.  It's like a time machine.  
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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
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    • 2018 SQ5 Technik (Current)
    • 2014 SQ5 Technik (Previous)
    • 2009 Q7 S-Line (Previous)
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