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

FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON

Carzilla Decal Giveaway

2/22/2021

 
To express my genuine thanks to my supporters who have discovered and used my "RADGARAGE" discount on their Carzilla orders, I have arranged for the next 100 orders to include a free RAD GARAGE decal. I had these made up by my friends over at customdecalsyyc.com. In addition to a a free decal, the next 100 orders are atomically entered to win a random draw for a 3'x2' RAD GARAGE banner like the one I recently raffled off on Instagram. I sincerely want to thank all my viewers for their continued support of me and my favourite detailing supply company. Be sure to visit the Carzilla.ca website or visit the retail location if you are in the Calgary or surrounding area. 

Winter Wash

1/17/2021

 
The addition of the channel drain and catch basin enables me to conduct proper washes whenever I feel the need. I felt the need last weekend: 

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.

Lithium [Li] Double Tap Car Wash

12/19/2020

 
I am fortunate to have made a connection with the team at Lithium Auto Care. I just received a surprise package in the mail containing a 32 oz bottle of their new Car Wash called, "Double Tap". Lithium claims the soap lubricates, moisturizes and hydrates while it cleans. I am hoping to try it out very soon on my own vehicle. I can't get over the cool packaging they use. Check out my gift pack including the US-theme banner. 

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

Lithium Inner Space

11/29/2020

 
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I consider myself very fortunate because companies are starting to take notice of what I do and I have had a number of them reach out to me. Recently, the team at Lithium Auto Care sent me a promo package containing their yet-to-be-released interior cleaning spray called "Inner Space". I used it only briefly on the Misano Red RS5 and it was awesome. I look forward to playing with it very soon when I find the time to tackle my own car. I was shocked by how amazing the packaging and presentation was for the launch of this product. The personalized letter was a very class touch! I have to send my thanks to Josh, Bill and the rest of the team over there at Lithium. 

Major Haul from Carzilla

11/29/2020

 
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I stopped in for a new wheel brush and left with two boxes of stuff. I can't thank Chris and his team at Carzilla enough for the support over the years. I picked up a few things while I was there a few weeks ago but he wouldn't let me leave without a few more goodies. I now have a comprehensive collection of TAC SYSTEM and Fireball products that I'm really looking forward to trying out once the "busy season" of teaching settles down a bit. I also picked up some polishes and compounds from Rupes and CarPro. I think I'm pretty set for the winter detailing season! 

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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A Few New Things

9/6/2020

 
I can't resist a trip to Carzilla so whenever I have the time I like to drop in and see what new goodies they have to make my detailing life more convenient and rewarding. My latest haul includes some new Jescar polishes, Detail POPO 320GSM microfibre towels and other supplies. While there, Chris presented me with a little tool holder that fits on my bucket that was especially made for me by @ctarasco. It is a cool little innovation that I'm sure will make my wheel cleaning process even more convenient and effective. Reach out to him on Instagram if you would like one for yourself. 

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. 

New Goodies

8/1/2020

 
I dropped by Carzilla on Thursday to pick up some much needed items. 
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Lapiz Blue Golf R Project

7/29/2020

 
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A YouTube viewer contacted me about putting my touch on his prized Golf R. I love these little rockets so I jumped at the opportunity. I performed a very thorough exterior detail and did my best to rid the paint of some tiny tar deposits. You'll have to watch the video to see how things turned out. It's a bit of a long video so I suggest grabbing a snack first! 

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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Carzilla shopping trip

7/6/2020

 
I made the trek to the other side of city to pop in on Chris at Carzilla. The shop was buzzing and there were so many boxes ready to ship out. I'm so glad things are busy for him because his shop is my favorite place to visit. I picked up a few things: 

Family first

6/29/2020

 
I spent the better portion of three days dialing in my brother-in-law's 2014 Audi S4. Initially, I planned on performing a pretty basic 4-6 hour interior/exterior detail with an "enhancement" polish, but the project just grew and grew until I had invested over 20 hours of my time. It was a chore, but it came out great. Here's the video: 

My epic spring detail

4/27/2020

 
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I am so glad the weather has turned Spring-like. Not because I want to tiptoe through the tulips, but because I want to finally give my SQ5 the spring cleaning it so richly deserves. The outside and inside are immaculate, but the undercarriage and wheel wells are still coated with a thick layer of winter muck. I spent the better part of two days giving the neglected regions of my car some attention. With the QuickJack, I was able to pull the wheels off and perform over twelve hours of care to the car with it safely perched in the air. This makes getting to the undercarriage and wheel wells incredibly easy and satisfying. I put a lot of work into capturing the art of this process and I hope you will find the video as satisfying as I do. I will include links to most of the products and tools I used for this project below. Happy spring everyone! 
A D A M ' S   P O L I S H E S   P R O D U C T   L I S T
Mega Foam Shampoo  
Strip Wash
All Purpose Cleaner
Iron Remover
Glass Cleaner
Rubber Mat and Liner Cleaner
Ceramic Boost
Ceramic Paint Coating 

E Q U I P M E N T   L I S T
Quickjack BL-5000 SLX Portable Lift
Ryobi Water Broom
MTM PF22 Foam Cannon 
Gloves 
CarPro Merino Wool Wash Mitt 
MetroVac Master Blaster Car Dryer 
Detail POPO "Ocean" Microfiber Towel
Adam's Polishes Detailing Stool 
IK Continuous Sprayer

Throwing in the towel

4/23/2020

 
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I have a lot of microfiber towels. Too many to be honest. So, today I tackled the big job of paring my collection down. I did this to streamline and bring consistency to my collection, but also to make room for almost 80 new towels. I made a big purchase of Detail POPO towels from Carzilla on the recommendation of someone who I respect. I think these new towels will breath life into my towel collection and come in very handy as summer approaches. Here's a video of the process along with a list of the specific towels I picked up. 
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25 X OCEAN BLANKET EDGELESS 500 GSM
25 X OCEAN BLANKET EDGELESS 350 GSM
25 X SNOW BLANKET EDGELESS 350 GSM 
3 X LIGHT SHOWER 400GSM WAFFLE DRYING TOWEL 100X60CM
1 X HEAVY RAIN 1200GSM DRYING TOWEL 100X65CM 
If you are a Canadian detailing pro or enthusiast like me, and you're looking to expand your detailing product or equipment arsenal, be sure to apply my "RADGARAGE" discount code to your CARZILLA.CA order to receive a 5% discount!

Oldies but goodies

4/20/2020

 
Hopefully, you had an opportunity to view my most recent YouTube upload titled, "Friday Night Wash" in which I busted out some products I hadn't used in a while. I thought I would share my impressions of these products and I welcome your input. I'll go in the order the products were used and remember that these were products I kept after purging my collection, so they were already high on my list. 

Leno's Garage All Purpose Cleaner
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I only have Adam's rubber cleaning sprays, so when I went hunting for an alternative, the pickings were slim. I used the APC by Leno's and I don't think it is an ideal option for addressing tires, but it got the job done. I prefer more lather from my rubber cleaners and the Leno's just didn't provide the satisfying suds I was after. I see Leno's now offers a dedicated "Rubber and Whitewall Cleaner". 

Leno's Garage Wheel Cleaner
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
I am a fan of this wheel cleaner. It has a decent amount of bite needed to break down the brake dust and other aggressive road grime that comes with winter driving. It contains the chemicals that turn iron deposits purple which I find satisfying. It lathers well once activated by the water in the tire brush and always leaves my wheels clean, and it didn't disappoint this time. 

Hyde's Serum Rustopper
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
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The name of this product along with the bottle's appearance reminds me of the products hawked by snake oil salesman in the olden days. It touts itself as a preventative remedy for rusty rotors that occur during the wash process. I sprayed the "serum" on the rotors at the conclusion of the wheel cleaning process. To say this product "stopped" the rusting would be disingenuous. I'd rather drive the car back and forth a couple of times and dust of the rusty fallout than waste my time and money with this product. 

Gyeon Q2M Foam
Highly Satisfying     Gets the Job Done     On the Fence     Not a Fan
This was a lovely product to work with. It isn't the thickest foam I have ever had the pleasure of using, but it had strong cling and seemed to have the power necessary to lift the dirty layer of grime coating my car. Pressure washing the foam off the paint left the finish virtually clean. I think I could have probably ended the wash at this stage, but I always finish with a traditional bucket wash. I highly recommend Q2M foam for those that like the foam process. 


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Busting out some old stuff

4/18/2020

 
In an effort to mix things up a bit, I preformed a very thorough exterior detail of my SQ5 using some products I haven't used in a very long time. I dug deep into the cabinets and pulled out some great stuff. Here' the video: 

A star in the making

4/6/2020

 
Shaun, is a friend of mine that I met through the garage/detailing world. For years, I have been encouraging him to share more of his garage and process with the world, because he is an impeccable detailer and master organizer. I was so pleased to see his first ever video go live tonight. I enjoyed watching the man in action, and I trust you will too. Check it out! 

Spoiled

4/6/2020

 
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I can pretty much guarantee no car in this city received the level of pampering my car enjoyed over the past two weeks. The engine compartment and undercarriage notwithstanding, the rest of the car is absolutely pristine. Here's so pics of her current condition. 

Interior refresh

4/6/2020

 
On the final Saturday of my 2-week Spring Break, I took a few hours to address the interior of my SQ5. It wasn't filthy by any means since it hasn't been seeing much use as of late, but it needed a little refresh.

In this video, I use the Interior Scrubbing Mitt from Adam's and it does a fantastic job of refreshing the leather on my seats and steering wheel. 

​Here's the video: 

RAD foam party time!

4/3/2020

 
I combined footage from over two years of using foam washes in the garage. I think it makes for a therapeutic viewing experience. Enjoy: 

Wash & Chat series

4/3/2020

 
I've posted four episodes of my new series called, "Wash & Chat". It's a fun way to connect with viewers. I will still produce artsy videos with chill music, but this is another way for me to enjoy sharing my garage and the projects I complete with viewers. Feel free to check them out when you have the time. I will warn you, they are around the thirty-minute mark in length. 

Stressful times

3/22/2020

 
One of the best ways I have to manage stress in my life is to clean my car. That's what I did yesterday: I added some graphics at the end of this video showcasing the various Adam's Polishes products I used in this maintenance wash. 
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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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    • 2014 SQ5 Technik (Previous)
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