BLOG (2014-2021)
FOLLOW ALONG WITH WHAT I GOT GOING ON
We have endured two solid days of blizzard weather here. The temps have dipped down to minus double-digits so performing bucket washes is not practical. It has been a stressful week due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus and I like to deal with my stress by detailing my car, so I will performing a rinseless wash tonight to sooth my frazzled nerves. If all goes well, I will be doing a video. I'm sure the project will look identical to this one, but people love videos and I could use some self therapy. I hope you are all finding ways to stay centered and relaxed during these challenging times.
Here are some "before" shots of the SQ5: Friends of mine are just too busy to clean the interior of the family hauler, so I gave them five hours of my time. This Murano was brought back from the dead. I don't mind doing interiors, in fact I find them highly satisfying, especially in the winter.
I wish I had enough time to convert each of my detailing projects into videos, but it just isn't always possible. A few months back, a YouTube subscriber approached me about polishing the black paint on his Macan GTS. Here's some photos showing the results.
What is a better way to unwind after a busy work week than spending time in your garage detailing the interior and exterior of your daily driver? I worked late into the night on this one and finished off the finer details on Saturday morning. I even was able to catch the Flames game. This video features some new title animations I put together using Keynote. I am looking forward to playing around with the design of the animations in future projects. Enjoy: I have washed my SQ5 countless times. I have documented many of them through the creation of videos, but I feel my most recent wash is as close to perfection as I have ever come. Here's the video: I'm pleased to announce that I am able to offer a discount code for Carzilla.ca purchases. Use "RADGARAGE" at checkout to receive 5% off your next Carzilla order. To head over to the comprehensive Carzilla online shop, just click here.
When you wash your car as often as I do, you have to enjoy the process and appreciate the beauty of that process. This video tries to capture the beauty behind the process. I hope you find it as satisfying and relaxing as I do. During the winter, it is not always practical or even possible to perform a traditional 2+1 bucket wash so I rely on "Rinseless Washes" to remove the winter salt and grime from my SQ5. This process always triggers some viewers, but I am 100% confident in my process and I have seen zero evidence of any damage to the finish of my SQ5's paint and I have conducted dozens of these washes. Here's a video that demonstrates how I go about performing a rinseless wash on those cold and miserable Canadian winter days. Once my SQ5 was re-coated with Adam's Ceramic Coating, I was excited to see how the finish would behave during a thorough 2-bucket wash. I was very impressed with how the coating behaved and the video I filmed does an effective job of demonstrating this fact. To say it has.been a while since I updated my blog is a massive understatement. I have no excuse other than I have been busy with other aspects of life. But, I am back and I wanted to update readers on what has been going on in my "car and garage life". Project: Audi A6 Full DetailThis project involved a friend's 2012 Audi A6 that was in serious need of a thorough interior/exterior detail. We agreed on an 8-hour timeline and I set to work. The video does a nice job of demonstrating the various processes I went through returning this car to extremely clean condition. The paint remains in need of correction,. but I am hopeful I can take a crack at that in the Spring. This video has been my most popular post to date with over 120k views! Ceramic coating my SQ5Back in the Fall, I had a lot of fun re-coating my SQ5. I used Adam's Ceramic Coating and the process was highly satisfying and enjoyable. It is a few months into winter and I am very pleased with the performance of the coating to date. This video demonstrates all the stages I went through to get the SQ5 re-coated.
I recently met an Audi RS6 driver. Dave and I connected through Instagram and together we spent the better part of a Saturday in my garage bringing the finish of his car's Daytona Grey paint back to life. The results were stunning considering this car is now over 15 years old. He recently had SunTek PPF installed on a significant portion of his car so the shine will be fully protected from the elements. I used a variety of Adam's Polishes pads and polishes. Here's a little vid I put together. I wish I could have done a complete video, but there just wasn't time. Follow Dave and his amazing collection of Audi avant models on Instagram: @blau_RS2
The only thing more destructive to a car's interior than a dog is two dogs. The owners of this car love their dogs and take them to the dog park daily, so it takes a toll on the interior. I spent some time bringing this A4 back to life recently, and the results were highly satisfying. I snapped these pics close to the end, so you might see a few hair fibers, but I think I removed them all by the time the job was complete. Before and afterMore after picsBeing our family's daily driver, the SQ5 sees plenty of action. Right now, the hockey season is starting up so we are spending even more time in our car. This makes keeping the interior clean a bit more challenging, but I think I am maintaining pretty well.
I spent Friday night and a good portion of Saturday working on a Macan GTS belonging to friends. It is such a beautiful SUV. Here's a video that showcases the project. I hope to see this amazing Porsche back in the future. I had a lot of fun putting my touch on this little Golf R finished in Indium Grey. The owner reached out via my website to see if I could perform a detail on this well-maintained hot hatch. I have never detailed a Golf, so I accepted the challenge. A friend from Saskatchewan was in town so he joined me for the exterior wash and assisted me in capturing some great video footage using my new DJI Osmo Mobile gimbal. The final results on the car were highly satisfying as was the video. I hope to see this car back in the RAD environment at some point because I would like to give it a full detail including a polish and coating. I invested northward of twenty hours in a 2015 Mercedes Benz AMG E63S this past week. I put four or five hours in each day for four days and the results were highly satisfying. The car belongs to a friend in the neighborhood and he recently purchased it from the original owner. It was well maintained, but a few areas had been neglected, especially the wheels. I put my arsenal of Adam's Polishes products to the test as I took this remarkable machine through a litany of detailing processes including decontamination, polishing and coating with ceramic spray. The video does a nice job of highlighting all the details that went into this project. I hope you will enjoy and feel free to leave and questions or comments you may have. I was growing tired of the constant polishing necessary to remove the swirls that inevitably formed on the A, B, C and D pillars of the SQ5. The plastic material Audi uses is so highly prone to scratching and marring. I took the car to Thompson Graphics a few weeks ago and had them apply SunTek self-healing PPF to each of the trim pieces and now I don't have to worry about them. A little while back I had a set of bucket decals made up by the boys over at @customdecals.yyc They made me three sets, actually. Since I only needed one, I did a little giveaway contents on Instagram. Here's a quick video revealing the two winners! I was stoked to put my touch on an Azores Orange McLaren 720S yesterday. Washing a machine of this caliber was exciting, but I also realized how intricate a job it was once I got rolling on it. There are so many tricky nooks and crannies that just don't exist on a "normal" car. I put six hours of passion into it and to say it looked amazing is an understatement. Once it was clean, I applied a layer of Adam's Polishes Ceramic Spray Coating. I look forward to its return in the Fall, or possibly sooner. Here's a video I put together along with a slideshow of images captured on my DSLR. Enjoy. I enjoyed a few magical hours on Father's Day pampering my SQ5. It is currently coated with Gyeon ceramic coating and I have been trying to find the time to polish it off so I can apply a fresh coat of Adam's. I decided to layer the Adam's atop the Gyeon and see how it goes. The application process was very easy and the results are absolutely stunning. The shine coming off the Daytona Grey Pearl paint is unreal.
That evening, my family and I went out for dinner and I was very proud to roll up in my Adam's coated SQ5. I had the pleasure of detailing a 2013 Audi RS5 last weekend. I spent around 8 hours performing an interior/exterior detail on this remarkable machine. I picked it up from the owner's house after work on Friday and drove it back to my place. I enjoyed every second of that trip. Once in my garage, I began returning it to showroom condition, which wasn't too hard considering how well this car is maintained. Although it sees regular winter usage, the owner is meticulous in the maintenance of this car. I encountered some hardened tar deposits in the wheel barrels and some mild salt staining on the carpets, but I have the tools and products to solve both of those issues. After a very thorough wash, I spent a bit of time working out some scratches in the clear with a one-step Adam's polish and their orange foam pad. I was impressed with the results and I enjoyed this project from start to finish. The owner swung by in his R8 Saturday night to pick the car up which was quite an awesome sight. The Miltek exhaust on the RS5 rivaled the sound of the R8.
After an extremely cold and busy two weeks, I was able to spend some quality time in the garage. My car was absolutely caked in dirt and grime so it was cathartic to finally perform a proper wash. When temperatures are below zero, I cannot perform a 2-bucket wash because the water freezes on my driveway creating a dangerous situation, but the weather has been much more cooperative lately. So, a number of hours was spent removing the last two weeks of winter build up. This wash took longer than I anticipated, so I ended up finishing with a quick and easy application of detail spray. Had I had a bit more time, I would have applied a coating of "Ceramic Boost" by Adam's, but I needed to go get coffee. Before/After At this point, the car is already dirty again, but with continued cooperation on Mother Nature's part, hopefully I will be able to perform more routine washes so it doesn't get as bad as it was. I gave my new "Foam Gun" by Adam's a try. It was quick and convenient, but in no way does it rival a foam gun that attaches to an actual pressure washer. But, since my family was asleep, using a hose attached foam system was great since it didn't make any noise. I did not use nearly enough soap, though. I had to shake it as I was spraying it to get the suds going. For what it is, it works.
I had my first opportunity to apply Adam's Tire Armor and I loved it. I sprayed the product onto the tire and then an applicator to spread evenly. It was incredibly easy to apply and the tires looked great. Because we are in the midst of a major "melt", I don't anticipate the tires looking good for very long, but I am thinking Tire Armor is going to be my new "go to" tire dressing. I'm excited to be featured on the second in a series of videos produced by YouTube sensation, Pan the Organizer! His "Pan & the Organizers" series features viewers touring people through their detailing themed garage spaces. I am enjoying reading through the comments left by Pan's viewers and feel very proud that people seem to dig what I have created. The best part of being featured on Pan's channel is the amount of feedback from his viewers. I will admit to reading each and every comment and I am so impressed with the amount of positive feedback my garage has received. Here's a sampling. Click image to enlarge.
Brandon Burrell is a remarkable dude. He says he enjoys "tinkering" in his garage, but what he does is so much more than tinkering. He has created a number of amazing custom vehicles over the years and maintains a strong social media presence that allows him to showcase his passion for everything custom with thousands, perhaps millions of followers. I was humbled when Brandon mentioned my garage was part of the inspiration behind his own garage. As you will see, he has created a space that is truly special and unique, and is the perfect environment to create and play with his toys. It has been cool getting to know Brandon and I am really enjoying following along with all his amazing projects, especially his current "cRAMbury" build featuring a 2019 Ram. I am confident you will enjoy his story as much as I have. Name: Brandon Burrell Location: Asheville, NC Type: 2-car attached Dimensions: 19' x 22' Date of construction: Late-2014 Brandon refers to his garage as a "two civic" garage because of its modest size, but lack of acreage hasn't stopped him from accomplishing some remarkable custom builds. Located in a suburban area consisting of 600 homes, this garage is currently home to Brandon's #cRAMbury build which promises to snap necks at this year's SEMA show. He enjoys tinkering on his and friends' vehicles, detailing, and displaying various automobile paraphernalia along with his extensive array of Adam's Polishes products. I am pleased that Brandon agreed to this blog feature. I haven't known him for a long time, but in our conversations I have found him to be an incredibly down-to-earth car guy with an incredible eye for detail and his "automotive portfolio" demonstrates a ridiculously high level of vision, creativity and execution. What projects have you tackled in your garage?
I currently park my #cRAMbury build in it. I use the garage to tinker on mine and friends' custom vehicles, detail my vehicles and some others from time to time. We have built three full custom Honda Groms, a custom motorcycle trailer (with speakers, lighting, etc), a Subaru WRX that was at the 2016 and 2017 SEMA shows, a 2015 Tundra that was at the 2017 SEMA show and a custom lifted golf cart in this garage. Like most Canadians, I have a love-hate affair with Canadian Tire. On one hand, it is so convenient to drop by the local store and browse the aisles for whatever you may need. On the other hand, they have been known to stock their shelves with products of questionable quality. Whatever the case may be, I cannot help but get nostalgic when I stroll my way past the wall of car cleaning products at my local store. I remember scouring this wall as a young lad in search of the latest, greatest product that was going to help me perfect my car's finish. In fact, it wasn't until about six or seven years ago, when my obsession began to take hold, that I began sourcing products from other stores and sites on the Internet. That means the Canadian Tire automotive cleaning products aisle has been a part of my life for the better part of 30 years. For that, it still gets my respect. If you take a close look at these two photos, you will see some pretty decent products for sale. And, you'll see some not-so-good ones as well.
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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.
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.
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% discount code
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