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Enjoy 20% off the entire Dodo Juice product line through October 27, 2008 EST. This is a great time to try Dodo Juice if you haven’t already or pick up your favorite Dodo Juice wax or products at great savings.

Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax is on sale through October 20, 2008.  For $149.99  you don’t want to pass on this sale for this awesome wax in its hand crafted, air tight, wooden container.  You may never see this price again, so act now.

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Winter Prep Article
The winter time is often when your vehicle can take the most abuse from harsh weather conditions. Detailing in the winter can be difficult so it’s important to provide maximum protection during the fall months when it’s easier and more comfortable to detail. I’m going to list out some areas of the vehicle below that I care for before the winter and some of my favorite products used during these steps. Remember taking the time to protect your vehicle now will save you from fixing problems in the Spring.

Carpets and Mats
Your vehicle’s carpets and mats can get really beat up during the winter months. I tap my shoes together before entering the vehicle but it seems inevitable that you track in large amount of moisture and salt on top of the regular road grime. It is important to protect your carpets from these build ups and make future cleanings easier. I recommend cleaning your carpets first with the 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover. Mist the cleaner on any fabric surface and spray the cleaner more directly on stains. Then agitate the surface with a damp soft bristle brush. The brush is often your best tool towards removing stains and embedded contaminants. After you are done cleaning and the fabrics are dry protect the fabrics with the 303 Fabric Guard. This is a really strong form of protection that seals the fibers but still allows them to breath and stay flexible. It will help force moisture to bead up and prevent road salt from bonding to the carpets. Simply just spray the 303 Fabric Guard on the fabrics and you are all set.

Interior Glass
During the winter months I moisture will often cling to the windshield which blocks my vision. This is very annoying because then I have to shift the air flow towards the glass and off my cold hands. The simple solution is to apply a coating of the Glass Science Fog Clear on my windshield. Just put a nickel sized drop on an applicator for each half of the windshield. I buff it on with a clean applicator and remove the excess residue with a clean microfiber towel. The Fog Clear will seal the pores of the glass and make it nearly impossible for fog to cling to the glass. This makes driving much safer and my hands stay warm!

Exterior Glass
Deep cleaning your glass and a coat of sealant will make driving in the winter months much safer and easier. I highly recommend you use the Glass Science Rain Clear Kit which includes the Rain Clear Gel and Glass Scrub for only $5.99. Your exterior glass has tons of micro pores where contaminants settle which causes smearing and hazy looking glass. Regular glass cleaners help but the Glass Science Glass Scrub really deep cleans the glass. It pulls out the contaminants and really leaves the glass squeaky clean. Now seal the pores with the Rain Clear Gel. Just apply buff on a nickel sized drop to each half of the windshield with a clean applicator and buff off the excess residue when you are done. The Rain Clear Gel forces moisture to bead up nice and tight and roll off the glass with ease. It works great in rain, snow, sleet, etc and truly makes driving safer and easier. We also recommend cleaning your wiper blades every 1 - 2 months with the 303 Wiper Treatment. Removing contaminants helps your wiper blades make solid contact with the glass and it helps prevent the addition of ultra fine scratches.

Rubber/Leather/Vinyl and Plastic
I know it’s getting cold outside for most areas of the country but you should still protect your vehicle’s interior and exterior trim from harmful UV rays no matter the temperature. Protect your vehicle’s vinyl, plastic, rubber and leather from UV rays with the 303 Aerospace Protectant. A light coating of the Aerospace Protectant will protect your vehicle and make those surfaces look bold, but with no oily or greasy feeling. I can’t begin to explain how much I use this product, here are just some of the areas I use it on: console, dashboard, seats, doors, trim, arm rests, rubber moldings, exterior trim, engine bay casings, tires and so much more. I especially like to put it on the tires during the winter because it does a good job of repelling moisture and keeping the tires protected. Just spray it on a clean towel or applicator and wipe the desired surface.

Exterior Paint - Cleaning and Prepping
Caring for the exterior is perhaps the most obvious step but there are so many options out there, so it can be difficult to choose the best options. Before applying protection it’s important to get the paint as clean as possible. Cleaning your paint with a thorough washing is a great beginning. For a more thorough cleaning we recommend pre-treating build ups with a degreaser (P21S Total Auto Wash) and using a clay bar. The clay bar helps deep clean the micro-pores of the clear coat so the sealant or wax can bond directly to the clear coat. Polishing is also another great step because it helps create an extremely smooth surface that allows a tight bond between the sealant or wax and the clear coat. Sealants have a more difficult time bonding to a surface that has tons of swirls and other ultra fine scratches. Using a clay bar and polishing are not mandatory steps but they really help improve the overall shine and increase the durability of your sealant.

Cleaning and Prepping - Protecting and Shining
Sealants and waxes provide a barrier between your paint and the environment that will help prevent rust. Both options will help moisture roll off the paint much easier which also helps prevent rusting and prevent micro-scratches. After completing those preparation steps we recommend sealing the paint first. Sealants are essentially artificial waxes made in a lab that last far longer. Natural carnauba waxes generally last about 2 - 6 weeks where as a sealant will generally last about 3 - 6 months. One of the best sealants we have ever used is the Chemical Guys Jetseal 109. It looks exceptional on any color, applies with ease and is a very strong form of protection. If you need the best value for sealants try the Chemical Guys M-Seal, which costs much less and still works great. Waxes are an even stronger form of protection but they just don’t last nearly as long as a sealant. However for maximum protection and shine you can layer a wax over a sealant. There are many amazing waxes from Dodo Juice that will help protect your paint and really enhance the shine. One of my other favorites is the Chemical Guys 50/50 Limited Edition Wax and for an outstanding value try the Poorboy’s World Natty’s Red or Blue Paste Wax.

Undercarriage
The undercarriage of your vehicle often receives a lot of abuse due to it’s proximity to the road and exposed pieces. Caring for the undercarriage can seem difficult but the Chemical Guys Bare Bones product makes it much easier. Simply spray it on sub frame, springs, wheel wells, fender wells, etc. and walk away. It provides valuable protection that helps repel build-ups so your undercarriage stays cleaner for longer.

Wheels
Your vehicle’s wheels can often take a lot of abuse because they have to defend themselves from moisture, salt, road grime, brake dust and more. Protecting your wheels with a quality sealant is a great way to protect them. The Poorboy’s World Wheel Sealant is my product of choice for this step. Unlike other sealants the Wheel Sealant is only concerned with protection, not shine. This allows the formula to provide an extremely durable form of protection that can repel high temperature break dust and salt that can rust wheels. Just buff it on with light pressure and buff off the excess residue and you are all set. Your wheels will stay cleaner for longer and they will also be much easier to clean.

Thank you for taking the time to read over this winter prep article! We hope you were able to find out some good information and recommendations about how to protect your vehicle. If you have any questions please let me know.

Greg @ Detailed Image

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Save on all Chemical Guys products this Columbus Day weekend 2008. Now through October 13, 2008 EST all Chemical Guys products are 20% off. Enjoy the great savings.

We’re always trying to improve our product selecting based on new products we try, recommendations from professional detailers, new products from our current suppliers and suggestions from our loyal customers. Below are some of our most recent additions to the DetailedImage.com store. Enjoy!

New from Dodo Juice: Supernatural v2 Wax!
Dodo Juice decided to offer their best selling wax in a new plastic jar, helping eliminate some of the fixed costs from the original Supernatural wax. This new plastic jar is 200ml compared to 250ml for the original version, so slightly less product. It also does not offer a discounted refill option like the wooden jar version offers.

What Supernatural v2 does offer over the original version is a slightly (pretty minimal) higher carnauba content. This is said to help improve durability and perhaps a tad glossier look, but does mean it’s not quite as easy to remove as the original version.

Ok, so here is the best part, the price is only $129.99 compared to the $199.99 price point of the wooden container. If you were on the fence about Supernatural before, I’d suggest giving it a shot at the new price point. You will not be disappointed!

E-Z Detail Brush
Looking for the most effective way to clean the inner barrels of your wheels? Look no further as the E-Z Detail Brush will help save you time and energy, while producing a professional wheel detail. I recommend partnering up the E-Z Detail Brush with a quality wheel cleaner. Let the cleaner dwell for a few minutes, agitate with the soft bristles on the E-Z Detail Brush and rinse to reveal a super clean wheel.

New from Menzerna: Power Finish PO203S
Menzerna has done it again with another outstanding ceramic clear coat polish! The Menzerna PO203S polish is designed to remove swirls, fine scratches, oxidation and more from the new ceramic clear coats and all traditional clear coats. The remarkably smooth cutting particles help leave the paint extremely smooth and vibrant looking. It is a light to medium cutting polish that can help restore the clear coat so it is smooth and vibrant looking again. Menzerna PO203S can be used on some lighter colors as a finishing polish with outstanding cutting power. For those who want to do just one coat on lighter colors and get the maximum results this may be the product for you. For darker colors you may want to follow up with a lighter polish like the ultra fine polish Menzerna PO85RD or the PO106FF. These polishes will ensure the paint looks totally clear and crisp. I would most commonly use the Menzerna PO203S with a white polishing pad, but there are certainly other options. It could be used with an orange light cutting pad if you’re following up with another lighter polish/pad combo or with a black finishing pad if you want to use the polish as your finishing polish.

In terms of aggressiveness, it falls between Super Intensive Polish PO83 and PO106FF / PO106FA.

New from Blackfire: Polycharged Deep Gloss Spray Sealant and One Step Plastic Cleaner, Polish and Protectant
Blackfire has formulated one of the longest lasting spray on sealants with their Deep Gloss Spray. To accomplish the long durability, they’ve supercharged the formula with Polycharger. Polycharger technology helps align the polymer particles in a unique interlinking pattern which helps improve durability.

Blackfire’s One Step Plastic Cleaner, Polish and Glaze works great on all of your plastic surfaces. It can clean, protect and enhance the look of delicate surfaces such as gauges, navigation and tv screens, headlights, taillights, plastic trim, clear bra’s and much more.

New from Chemical Guys: Clear-Seal and Sticky Gel Citrus Wheel Cleaner
Chemical Guy’s has formulated a great citrus based wheel cleaner that can be diluted down for exceptional value, Sticky Gel Citrus Wheel Cleaner. The concentrated gel based formula does a good job sticking to vertical parts of the wheel, which gives you a more thorough clean. For regular maintenance we recommend diluting this powerful, but safe, wheel cleaner to a 5:1 ratio. Pair this up with an E-Z Detail Brush for fresh looking wheels every time.

Clear Seal is a unique product that cleans, protects and enhances the look to any plastic surface. The unique formula leaves behind a slick, but not greasy, feel while protecting plastic surfaces. It is an exceptional product for your vehicle’s clear bra, DVD/Navigation screen, coated hard wood, headlights, gauge screens. It is also excellent to use on lap tops, ipods/mp3 players, cell phones, etc. The unlimited uses of this top quality plastic cleaner and protectant make it must have for car care and for around the home and office.

New Detailed Image Accessories: Microfiber Mini Mop Kit
Ever wonder how to clean the corners of your windshield without leaving behind streaks from your hand or finger tips? The Microfiber Mini Mop Kit gives you everything you need for streak free glass even in hard to reach areas.

We offer this kit that includes one of the following:

• Microfiber Easy Reach Mini Mop
• Microfiber Mini Mop Scrubber Pad
• Microfiber Mini Mop Glass Cleaning Pad
• Microfiber Mini Mop Duster Pad

The tilting head of the Easy Reach Mop handle allows you to exert even pressure in the most difficult to reach areas. Pair the Mini Mop up with a duster pad and use it like you would a car duster for your interior or exterior.

New from Gilmour: Brass Shut-off Valve
Sick of running over to your hose every time you need to turn off the water? Simplify your life by attaching Gilmour’s Brass Shut-off Valve to the end of your hose. With a twist of a valve, you can stop water from flowing to easily remove your foam gun, hose nozzle, sprinklers and more.

New from Poorboy’s World: Quick Detailer Plus
Poorboy’s has recently come out with a great quick detailer, Quick Detailer Plus (QD+), that not only cleans your surface but also leaves behind a layer of protection. Enhance the gloss and depth of your finish while removing dust, finger prints, water spots and other light contamination.

New from Lake Country: 4″ Pads and Backing Plates
While the Porter Cable 7424 is very paint safe, sometimes it’s TOO safe and simply doesn’t have enough power to get the results you are looking for. An easy way to increase the bite and effectiveness to your PC 7424 is to invest in a smaller set of pads.

Smaller pads allows you to generate more heat and friction with the PC, which breaks polishes down more effectively and efficiently. This happens due to the fact your generating the same amount of energy in a more concentrated, smaller area. The random orbiting motion of the PC generates the most power in the center of the pad, since the pad revisits that section more frequently than any other part of the pad. The area of a 6.5″ pad is ~33 inches squared compared to the area of a 4″ pad is ~12.5 inches squared. This means that the area of the smaller 4″ pads is less than half of a 6.5″ pad. This provides you with additional cutting power that you normally wouldn’t get out of larger pads, which leads to deeper imperfections being removed.

The opposite is true with rotary buffers. When you go with a smaller pad, the speed of the outer edge of the pad is slower than a larger pad. This helps reduce the amount of heat and friction generated, which makes polishing tighter areas much safer. Since you are generating less heat than larger pads, it’s easier to finish the paint down hologram free.

With both a random orbital buffer or a rotary buffer, you gain increased control and maneuverability with smaller pads. You’ll be able to get closer to trim, emblems, lights, and other hard to reach areas.

We put together a couple starter packages at some great prices so you can experience the benefits of having some smaller pads in your detailing arsenal.

The Porter Cable 7424 4″ Pad Kit includes:
1x 4″ Backing Plate for Porter Cable 7424 - $12.99
1x 4″ Purple Foamed Wool Pad - $5.99
1x 4″ Yellow Cutting Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ Orange Light Cutting Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ White Polishing Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ Black Finishing Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ Blue Fine Finishing Pad - $4.99
Regular Price - $44.93
Package Price - $34.99

Rotary Buffer 4″ Pad Kit
1x 4″ Backing Plate for Rotary Buffers - $14.99
1x 4″ Purple Foamed Wool Pad - $5.99
1x 4″ Yellow Cutting Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ Orange Light Cutting Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ White Polishing Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ Black Finishing Pad - $4.99
1x 4″ Blue Fine Finishing Pad - $4.99
Regular Price - $46.93
Package Price - $34.99

As always, if anyone has any questions on anything or needs a hand putting together a detailing solution to best fit their needs, please do not hesitate to ask.

Happy Detailing!

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J. Appello was the winner of our August - September contest for a $100 gift certificate to DetailedImage.com.  Enjoy the prize!  One contest has ended and another has started you can now enter in our October - November  contest to win a 30ml sample of Dodo Juice.  Visit our contest page for entry details.