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

FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON

AMG GLA45 Project

2/21/2021

 
A new friend approached me a while back about potentially spoiling his cherished AMG GLA45. This car is remarkable in so many ways. The South Seas Blue Metallic paint was an utter joy to work on. I gave this car a comprehensive 24-hour detail that culminated with the application of a glossy coat of GTechniq CSL topped with Gyeon's Q2 Wax. I got a lot of questions on the video about the wax topper. It is a new wax released by Gyeon that supposedly plays well with coated vehicles so I gave it a whirl. The final results on this car were absolutely stunning. Neither myself or the owner could believe how glossy it was. I hope you will take a minute (or 42) to check out the project: 

La Femme Fatale

2/21/2021

 
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A new friend entrusted his 2002 Renault Clio V6 Sport to me for a weekend so I could give it the "full works". What a cool car. I have explained a little about this project in the video description along with a comprehensive list of what products and equipment I used to complete it. I hope you will check it out. 

Italian Stallion

1/18/2021

 
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My friend Nick entrusted me with his amazing 1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evoluzione for the weekend. I gave it a maintenance wash using some Adam's, Lithium and Koch Chemie products. In addition to producing a video showcasing the wash process, I had Nick share some insights and information on this truly remarkable piece of automotive history. Be sure to catch both videos on my YouTube channel. You won't often see a car like this getting spoiled in the garage of a mild-mannered weekend warrior up here in Canada. 
Click either of the thumbnails below to view my Lancia videos
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Exterior Detail of Audi RS5

1/17/2021

 
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I was equal part excited and equal part nervous to use the "Devil's Blood & Typhoon" ceramic duo by South Korean company Fireball. I have heard amazing things, and I think this coating system lived up to the hype. Of course, before I got to the coating, I needed to perform a comprehensive wash and prep of this Misano Red RS5. I corrected and polished this paint a few months ago, so it was decided I would perform a chemical decon and forego another lengthy and costly polish process. You will see some minor flaws but just remember, this is a Canadian daily driver. 

Exquisite Exterior Wash

12/21/2020

 
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I have spent ten years developing my garage into a car care paradise. With the recent installation of a drainage system, I can now perform proper washes no matter the weather. In this video, I dedicate four hours divided up over a quiet Sunday evening and Monday morning spoiling my 2018 Audi SQ5 winter warwagon. Join me for a relaxing 20+ minutes as I demonstrate the steps I follow to return my trusty daily driver to pristine condition.

Customizing Display Settings

12/19/2020

 
An Instagram follower reached out to me recently because his parents live close to where I work and he had seen my SQ5. Turns out he's an SQ5 driver as well, so we hooked up briefly the other day so he could play around with some display settings on my dash. The coolest update was to the gear selection display. Previously, my car just said "D" or "S", but now it tells me what gear the car is actually in. We also disabled the auto stop/start (annoying), made it so the parking brake automatically engages when the car is turned off, and I can now lock the car with my remote while it is running. He used the Carista OBD2 Bluetooth Adapter and App. 
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Interior Clean

12/19/2020

 
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I have to admit I have been pretty lazy over the last month or so with keeping the interior of my car clean and tidy. Winter is rough where I live and the interiors of cars get filthy quickly. I took a few hours this past weekend to tidy up the interior using a few products I have been meaning to try out. I have had Gyeon Leather Cleaner in my cabinet for a long time, but I think this marks the second occasion I have actually used it. I love it. I also had my first opportunity to give Lithium's "Inner Space" a genuine try. It was equally impressive. Strong cleaning power but also leaves a factory fresh finish on interior surfaces. The SQ5 was in dire need of attention and I will tackle the exterior in short order so stay tuned!
🧽 P R O D U C T   L I S T
➤ Lithium Inner Space
➤ 1Z Einszett Plastic Deep Cleaner
➤ Gyeon Q2M Leather Cleaner
➤ Adam's Rubber Mat & Liner Cleaner

Dialling in Doug DeMuro's New Car

12/1/2020

 
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My friend parted ways with his cherished 1994 Audi RS2 Avant this past summer. It was a bittersweet decision for Dave, but it was made a bit sweeter by the fact that it was purchased by YouTube sensation car reviewer, Doug DeMuro. 
Doug has uploaded his reveal video on his very popular YouTube channel. I'm obviously hoping he will see my wash video from this past summer. I posted a comment on the video about being sure to check out my video and I have already seen a slight uptick in traffic. Who knows? Maybe this will be the break I've been looking for!
Here's the original video from last summer. As you can see, I have already changed the title of the video! 

Auto Shield Canada Crew Helps Out

11/29/2020

 
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Performing a comprehensive exterior detail on this gorgeous 2008 Audi RS4 was one of the highlights of my summer. What made the project even more special was the fact that the team from Auto Shield Canada came to help out. I connected with the company a few weeks prior and was impressed to hear about the research and development that has gone into their new Graphene coating. There's a lot of controversy in the detailing world around the topic of graphene, but I have no problem experimenting with the new take on a paint coating. The results on this B7 Avus Silver RS4 say it all. Thanks to Wilson, Josh and Jyles for all their help and support and I look forward to using their coating on my car in the very near future. 
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The video
The graphene

Collaboration with Pan

11/29/2020

 
I have been buddies with Pan the Organizer for a long time. We regularly chat about detailing, YouTube and life in general and we have wanted to collaborate in some way, shape or form a while now. Pan contacted me about an idea he was cooking up in which I would do some work in my garage and he would feature the footage in a video on his channel while narrating the action for his viewers. I enlisted a gorgeous Misano Red Audi RS5 from my friend Dave and proceeded to give it a complete "wheels off" detail. The fabric wheel arch liners on Audis are notorious for absorbing copious amounts of dirt so the footage I shared with Pan demonstrated the process I follow to return the wheel arches and wheels to factory condition. I am so pleased with the way this project turned out and I have to thank Pan for the invitation and honor of being featured on his channel. I hope we can do more collabs in the future!  Here is the final video as featured on Pan's channel: 
The full project video can be viewed here: 

Hit and Run

11/29/2020

 
Back in September, my car was backed into by someone on the street by my workplace. I have a strong suspicion of who the culprit is, but no way of proving it. Regardless, I filed a "no fault" claim through my insurance company and my SQ5 is back and even sports a new custom grille. Here's two videos that tell the story along with some "before" and "after" shots.
Before
The damage wasn't as extensive as I first thought. The insurance adjustor actually made a personal visit to check the damage out, and while at my house, he was able to snap a few of the panels back into place. Thankfully, there was no paint damage. All repairs were done at Cosmos Collision in Calgary and they were just awesome. I gave them a full 5-star review on Google. 
After
Cosmos and my insurance company were extremely accommodating and worked with me on the installation of a custom RS-style grille versus the OEM version. I purchased this Carbnlab grille through Nemesis Autosport in the States. I love how it looks on my SQ5. Huge thanks to staff at all these companies for helping me return my SQ5 to brand new condition. The team at TD Meloche Monnex (Astride & Navi), the team at Cosmos (Jaclyn, Ken & Loc) and Nima at Nemesis. I appreciate you all! 

Swisstrax Discount Code Change

9/6/2020

 
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The top guy at Swisstrax Canada reached out recently to let me know that dozens of orders had been placed utilizing the RAD GARAGE discount code. I was happy to hear that. On the other hand, I don't think Swisstrax Canada was prepared for the volume of orders they have received so they have requested that the discount be modified. From this point forward, Swisstrax Canada is extending a $0.25/square foot discount to RAD Garage referrals. 
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Lithium Auto Care Package

9/6/2020

 
As my social media reach expands, I am finding more and more detailing companies are reaching out to me. It is gratifying to know my humble channel is now attracting the attention of established detailing product manufacturers from all over the world. One such company; Lithium Auto Care contacted me during the summer to see if I would be interested in trying out a few of their new products. Of course, I said, "Yes". Yesterday, a package arrived on my doorstep containing two of their "elixirs". I will be giving them a try on upcoming projects and I look forward to seeing how they perform. I must thank the team at Lithium for sending me these products for free and with no strings attached. For a guy who details for the fun of it, it really means a lot that companies would care enough to reach out to and send me complimentary samples of their products. 
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SQ5 Damaged While Parked

9/6/2020

 
You can hear the full story of what happened to my pride and joy SQ5 by watching the video below. Let's just say the school year isn't off to the greatest start! 

Back-to-back Audi Projects

9/6/2020

 
Towards the end of August, I had occasion to detail two amazing Audis. The first one is a very rare and special RS6 Avant and the other is a beautiful RS5 Coupe. Both are owned by guys I have come to know through my detailing escapades. The RS6 received a comprehensive maintenance wash while the RS5 got the full meal deal including a full paint correction and Ethos graphene coating. Both cars came out great and I am very proud of the videos I produced for each of them. 

Lavish Lexus Detail

9/6/2020

 
I've been quite busy with life, but I wanted to make a quick post to share this project I completed back in August. The owners of this gorgeous Lexus IS300 contacted me through my website to see if I would be interested in detailing their cherished car. I jumped at the chance, and spent the better part of three days putting my touch on it. I washed, polished and coated this car and the results were substantial. This video includes the reaction of the owner when he picked it up. It was a great project. 

Surprising my Sister-in-law

9/6/2020

 
My Brother-in-law and I colluded behind my SIL's back to have her 2017 Audi Q3 detailed behind her back. She was under the impression her car was being "detailed" at a local car wash, when in actuality, it was with me for three days. I was able to wash correct, polish and ceramic coat her little commuter and the results were highly satisfying. This video illustrates the extent I went to in order to surprise her. 

MK5 VW Golf R32 Weekend

8/3/2020

 
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The car as it arrived on Friday, July 31
This was such a unique project for me. A few weeks ago, a young man contacted me about detailing his 2008 VW Golf R32. This is a significant and rare piece of high performance VW machinery and he stated that he was a fan of my videos and wanted me to spend some quality time pampering it. So, we agreed. He drove it in from BC, where he has been living since August of last year. He arrived here around 1:00 on Friday afternoon and left it with me for the long weekend. He flew out of YYC to YYZ later that afternoon. Monday morning, it was picked up a car carrier and transported back to Toronto, where he is originally from. 
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Making progress on Day 1
The owner had ceramic coated the vehicle last summer with a combination of GTechniq CSL and EXO. It hadn't seen a lot of use due to the C19 situation, so I decided to try something a bit new with this one. Instead of polishing the coating completely off and starting from scratch, I used a very light hand to clay and polish the very top layer of the existing coating and reapply a layer of EXO. It's impossible to really know (for me at least) just how much of the base layer of CSL was still remaining, but from speaking to the owner, we thought that it should still be in pretty good shape. I used Adam's Visco Elastic Clay and CarPro Essence with a yellow Rupes pad on my LHR75e DA polisher. 

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A Slice of History

8/1/2020

 
I noticed a real slice of history was up for auction on "Bring a Trailer" a few months back. This pristine example of a GLH-S sold for just under $15K USD in February. It got me thinking, would I still be as enamoured with this car as I was back in my 20's? At any rate, here is the old auction listing that includes many photos of this remarkable car.

​Link to auction here. 

Gyeon Giveaway!

7/21/2020

 
I am so pleased to offer Canadian followers a chance at one of three Gyeon prize packs valued between $200 and $50! Go to my Instagram post and check out the giveaway rules. I will be making the draw for three winners on Tuesday, July 28th. Good luck to those of you who enter. 
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2002 BMW M-Coupe Project

7/21/2020

 
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I had an absolute blast putting my touch on this classy M car. Nick is a massive car enthusiast and entrusted his cherished M Coupe to me for a few days for I could absolutely spoil it. I performed an enhanced wash of the exterior. Nick keeps this car in tip top condition, but he had gone on a Southern Alberta cruise Sunday morning, so the car was substantially covered in insect debris. In all, I spent approximately eight hours giving this rare and majestic beast the washing of its life. Along with my trademark cinematic footage, this video features some commentary from Nick about the car and about some its special features and background. I hope you will enjoy. 

1994 Audi RS2 Avant Project

7/17/2020

 
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Follow Dave's Instagram channel to see more of this RS2 as well as the other Audis in his incredible stable @blau_rs2
I had the opportunity to perform an in/out detail on a truly remarkable piece of Audi history this past week. On Thursday, I spent the entire day pampering a pristine 1994 Audi RS2 Avant. This car was never available in North America. They are finally starting to trickle in from Japan and Europe. Dave was gracious enough to help me with the video on this project. He is a veritable fountain of knowledge when it comes to all things fast and European. This car was a collaborative effort between Audi and Porsche and marks the first of the illustrious RS cars. It is finished in what is now known as "Nogaro" blue, but it was originally called "RS" blue. When they started using the colour on non-RS cars, they changed the name to Nogaro. Dave taught me this. I'm proud of the video so please take a minute to enjoy it. 
I'll admit I didn't know much about this car until recent years. As a kid, I was hyper focused on Fiero's and Firebirds. These cars are now garnering the global attention they rightfully deserve on this side of the pond. In fact, a "Bring a Trailer" auction for a similar RS2 just went live the other day. Check it out here. There's lots of information available online, but I liked this article that details the history, significance and technical features of the car. 

Riverdale Avenue

7/15/2020

 
We took our puppy down to Riverdale Avenue to walk along the Elbow River to Stanley Park. The weather was dodgy, but we made it out unscathed. I snapped a few pics of my ride along with some of the magnificent homes that line this very prestigious inner city road. We ended the trip off with a stop at our favorite ice cream shop in Britannia. 

Historic Family Cars

7/15/2020

 
I dug up some old photos of family cars from the distant and not-so-distant past. I wish we had of taken more photos of cars back in the day. 

Best Sick Day Ever

7/15/2020

 
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I was flipping through some old photos and came across this one from 1987. I remember this day well. I had stayed home from school that day because I wasn't feeling well and a massive package arrived at my door from Porsche Canada. I used to type up letters to car companies requesting literature and mail them off in hopes of getting a response. The box that arrived on this day contained three individual black boxes. Each box contained a die cast of a Porsche model along with the corresponding glossy brochure. I shared photos of these boxes and brochures on my blog a few months ago. This photo harkens back to the days when you needed to read to learn about cars. No YouTube and no Velocity channel on TV. You had to read magazines and brochures to learn about the cars.
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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)
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  • Blog
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