Schizophasia Blog

There is an ongoing debate or whether a mobile auto detailer or mobile car wash should use a trailer, van or truck unit. Many have different ideas of what would be best. One industry professional, Jeff Hass with 20 years experience believes that trailer units are best and he has developed some of the nicest detailing trailers in the World. www.Detrailers.com . I on the other hand agree with his summation and also see in some cases a van unit might be preferable or even a truck unit. Let’s say you want to use to a truck unit for reasons of space when parking or because you work in an area where your customers have really long single car driveways and backing up is not an option. Here are some thoughts on what you might consider for a truck unit:

Diamond Plating

Your truck bed should be custom made and stand out so that you will not see another one like it. When we custom make our beds, we put on lots of aluminum diamond plate for two reasons:

It doesn’t weigh as much as steel

It looks fantastic.

You might consider this too for your company. Everyone will be impressed by it’s looks. You need to keep it shiny. You can polish it using aluminum wool; the finer the better. You can find aluminum wool at Smart and Final. It is a long thin flat sponge like metal piece. Use some sort of metal polish with it. Don’t use stainless steel wool unless you can’t find aluminum wool because the steel gets imbedded and rusts. When finished, sprinkle on some baking soda, rub it in with a towel, then blast it with hot water and dry it off. Just the fact that your truck looks good will attract people with Harley Davidsons, street rods, ski boats, aircraft or specialty jobs in mind. It’s worth the time to keep your rig detailed out.

Storage Boxes On Bed

The boxes on the bed of your truck should be painted to match the vehicle and company color scheme. The handles on the boxes are chrome and look sharp. You should keep the boxes clean and wipe off all road tar promptly. Boxes should be neat and organized on the inside. Make sure products don’t spill inside. This will cause a terrible odor and mold and mildew buildup. Everything should be in its proper spot. If a customer asks for something specific and you open an orderly storage box in front of them, they will be impressed. Keep the boxes waxed on the inside as well waxed as the exterior of the truck itself.

Trash Control

Trash should be removed from the truck each day. You should keep the yellow, red or blue plastic trashcan on the truck at all times. Most people have trash in their cars; empty water bottles, newspapers, fast food wrappers, receipts, etc. You can find almost anything in people’s cars. Believe us, we have stories. At the end of a good car wash day you will have an ample supply of trash and recyclables. If you don’t pick it up, you will have it all over the truck. Make sure your workers also deposit their trash and food items in the trashcan. If you see a homeless person poking through a dumpster for recyclables, tell your crew to go get him and give him the aluminum cans out of the truck trashcan. If you spot trash while walking up to an office or on your way back to the truck, pick up where rude people have left off. Always think spotless! Every little thing you do will leave impressions in people’s minds. You never know when you might pick up a piece of trash right as the property manager drives up.

If you will follow these ideas for your work truck or on a trailer you build your self or buy from the Industry Leader Detrailers.com (I am not affiliated with that company) you should think about using diamond plate for accent trim, image and function. You must always keep the trash away from the inside of your unit as it takes away from your image of being professional car care specialist, mobile car washer or auto detailer. Storage boxes will improve efficiency and keep everything tidy for enhanced public relations and customer perception. Think about it.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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We always seem to make sure our cars are ready for the winter,
right?

But what about during the summer? Believe it or not, the heat
takes its toll on your car, too, so it’s important to keep your
car serviced.

Periodic maintenance on your car will save you tremendous hassle
in the long run. Your vehicle should last longer and command a
higher resale price, too! I made it a point to get my car
serviced according to the dealer’s schedule, and when I traded
it in, I got far more than I expected due to the stellar
condition of the engine.

Now I know this isn’t bedtime reading, but the owner’s manual
can be your best friend - assuming you read it! At least take a
look-through periodically. How about while you’re waiting to get
your oil changed?

Follow the manufacturer’s recommended service schedules. This
could save you a major breakdown.

Have the air conditioning system looked over by a qualified
technician. A check up here can save you a huge bill later.

The greatest cause of summer breakdowns is overheating. Prevent
this problem by making sure the cooling system is flushed and
refilled as recommended.

Have your car’s belts, clamps, and hoses checked by a
technician. This only takes a few minutes and is usually
inexpensive.

Change your oil and oil filter every 3,000 miles or four times a
year.

Replace air and fuel filters as recommended.

Get plenty of windshield washer solvent - we have a tendency to
use a lot of this in the winter, so your fluids may be low.

Tires should be rotated every 5000 miles or so.

Check the spare tire to make sure it’s inflated properly. Also,
make sure you have a jack along with it!

Transmission troubles equal money troubles equal emotional
troubles! Have your transmission serviced periodically, and
prevent big-time repair bills.

If you notice that your brakes are less efficient, get them
checked out right away.

Have your battery checked periodically to see how much life it
has left!

Inspect all lights and bulbs to make sure they’re working.

Carry a first aid kit, flares, jumper cables, a flashlight, and
a cell phone.

There you go - a simple list to keep your car in great running
shape. Remember, your car needs to be maintained and checked
over even in the summer.

Taking care of your car takes only a few minutes each month, and
pays you big dividends for the life of your vehicle!

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The automobile replacements parts industry is a multi billion dollar per year industry. Everything from brake pads to exhaust parts, from air filters to gaskets, and anything else you can imagine are produced by companies around the globe for your vehicle. Unfortunately, the counterfeiting of replacement parts is also a multi billion dollar industry. The window motor you are purchasing for your car could be a fake, made in China, the Middle East, or some other country. We’ll examine some ways you can determine whether the parts you purchased are suitable for your car.

When shopping for replacement parts there are a few things you must determine:

1. Does the part meet or exceed original equipment manufacturer specifications [OEM]? Just because the company claims that the part meets requirements does not mean that it actually does. Reputable parts stores, including online wholesalers such as Car Parts Stuff, will list everything by brand name.

2. Is the part made from a recognized manufacturer? For example, are those Bosch spark plugs you are purchasing or are they spark plugs from a no name brand? Be careful, the spark plugs could say Bosck or some other name very close to Bosch, but they aren’t Bosch. No reputable parts company would name their product close to the name of another company. One more warning: some counterfeiters have even copied company logos and packaging to make their product look like the real thing.

3. Examine the part closely. Is it the same size as the part that it replaces? Is the texture the same? Is the shape proper? For example, the window motor you ordered could look similar to the one that was in your car, but if it is made completely out of cheap plastic you can pretty much count on it that you have purchased a fake.

4. Be careful where you purchase your parts. Your dealer will stock genuine OEM replacement parts and so will most leading auto supply chains. Many online wholesalers also stock OEM parts and these parts are sold at discounted prices. If the online prices are ridiculously low across the board [70-90% off] then the parts being sold could be fake. Buy only from dealers who accept credit cards [so you can get your money refunded to you in the event that there is a problem], a toll free number where you can make a call to speak with a live person, and make sure that their base of operation is in the US or Canada. Recommendation: Never buy your parts from China. The prices are too good to be true for a reason.

If you suspect that the parts you purchased are fake, contact your local police department for assistance.

Matt Keegan is a contributing writer for Car Parts Stuff, an online supplier of high quality and well priced automobile parts. Shop online for genuine window motors sold to you at discounted prices; we stock BMW window motors too.

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