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

Due to some dubious "third party match" claims on Youtube, I decided to take down the original version of my Allroad project and rearrange it. The music I originally added was marketed as "copyright free", but the artists have since gone ahead and copyrighted the material leaving me in a bind. The never version is cleaner, crisper and features the sounds of Silencyde who is an amazing copyright-free producer. I hope you will take minute to revisit this reworked version of one of my all-time favorite projects. 

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. 

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. 

My son and I braved the elements to make the cross-town trek to Carzilla. I picked up a few supplies to help ease my anxiety about all that is going on in the world. It's always nice to pop in the shop to see what's new. It doesn't seem like Spring is on the way, but I am starting to get amped up for the projects that come with the end of winter. 

I picked up a gallon of Adam's Polishes Mega Foam, a can of Adam's Multi-Use Foaming Cleaner, an Adam's Interior Scrub Mitt, a new pressurized IK sprayer and a bottle of my favorite detail spray, "Cars 'n Cocoa" by Adam's. Not a massive haul but it helped relieve a bit of the pressure I've been feeling these past few days. 

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: 

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. 

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. 

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

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 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. 

A few weeks back, an order of Adam's products arrived on my doorstep frozen solid. I contacted the team at Adam's and they put together this care package of replacement items along with some other goodies. They do know how to treat their customers. Here's a look at what I came home to last Tuesday. 

Order contents: 

I still have to follow up with the staff at Adam's to ensure the other items that I received in my frozen order escaped physical and chemical damage. I'm assuming that they are fine since the team at Adam's didn't send replacements for those products but I will double check. At any rate, I am fortunate to have the support of Adam's behind me and I know these products will find a lot of use once I get back to my regular detailing routine. 

Cleaning floor mats is something I take pride in. Because winters in my world make it virtually impossible to maintain a clean exterior, I take solace in the tidiness of my car's interior. I heard it once said that the floor mats are the windows to a car's soul, so I spent a couple of hours cleaning up the floors of my SQ5. Here's the process I follow when my mats and carpet need some cleaning. 

As you can see, there is a significant amount of salt residue that has hardened to my floor mats. When snow melts on my mats, the salty run-off can leak out on the front corners of the mats. I have some strips of microfiber towels positioned to combat that run-off which prevents the salt from penetrating my carpets. The mats and the microfiber needed a good clean. 

Using my long blue bucket as a catch basin, I spray the mats down with warm water. This results in a bucket of very dirty water. Next, I spray the mats with a couple squirts of Adam's Rubber Mat & Liner Cleaner. This is a highly effective spray liquid that, in combination with a green medium-bristle brush, made quick work of the leftover residue and buildup. A final rinse in the blue bucket and the mats are hung to dry on my "mat wall". 

Our friend came by last weekend to photograph my garage. Heather is super talented and I am very pleased with the final results of her work. Here's a little gallery highlighting her talent and the beauty of my place!