NEW VEHICLE CARE
& EDUCATION
Whether you’ve just purchased a brand new vehicle, upgraded to a newer used vehicle from a dealership, or purchased private party, here are some things to consider:
NEW VEHICLE PROTECTION
SHINING ARMOUR offers professional-only ceramic coatings that are registered with Carfax, for both interior and exterior surfaces, not available through dealerships or to consumers, and only reserved for trained professionals that have demonstrated the higher skill levels necessary, and consistently demonstrating the higher standards required for authorized application. Visit the coatings page for more information.
NEW VEHICLE CONDITION
Contrary to popular belief, brand new vehicles do not come in flawless condition. There are often factory defects, as well as many other defects from human error in the handling process of delivery, car lot maintenance, environmental factors from tree sap & industrial fallout, and improper washing techniques that so many dealerships suffer from. Here are several examples just from the past year that I've worked on, improved, and given proper professional results and protection:
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Examples: Tesla PLAID / '24 3500HD LTZ / '23 Expedition / C8 Stingray / '22 Telluride / '20 Ram / '21 Outback / '21 Pilot / Trail Boss / Palisade / Model X Plaid /
DEALER "PROTECTION"
If you've ever purchased from a dealership and you were offered some sort of paint protection package, you may have wondered what exactly that is, or if it's worth it.. Doing a quick google search will give you a resounding answer from multiple sources that dealership paint protection is nothing more than a scam, and is simply a sealant applied that they're charging over a thousand dollars for! Some dealer protection may also make outlandish claims such as, "it'll protect your vehicle from being dented"... That should be a serious red flag as there is absolutely nothing in the world that you could apply to your paint to keep it from denting. Why are you paying over a thousand dollars for something that requires a simple wash and takes less than an hour to apply?! You could get better results on your own. Or you could take the premium and Professional route.
Ceramic coatings are a vastly superior solution for paint protection. And many newer coatings can be applied to the glass, trim, wheels and lights too, protecting all surfaces instead of just the paint. If you've had a dealer protection applied, I will gladly apply a ceramic coating to half a panel of your vehicle, just so you can see the difference it makes.. Now, I'm not asking you to take my word for it. I'm asking you to do your own research on what dealer protection really is, as well as what ceramic coatings really are, what they can and can't do, and if having one applied is right for you.
DEALER DETAILING QUALITY
You would think that the new dealerships handling all those brand new expensive cars would offer the highest level of detailing and car care.. But sadly it's the opposite. I can not stress this enough, but most dealership detailing facilities are very uneducated in the detailing industry, while suffering from lower standards, using the cheapest products (that are often unsafe) and rushing their work. Their bottom line is quantity over quality. They're using the same dirty wash brush on every car, swirling the brand new paintwork. Even fancy "high-end" dealerships don't detail correctly or know proper polishing techniques. Just check out the paint condition on this 2011 Jaguar that was purchased from a high-end BMW dealership in IOWA. Now check out MY results on that same Jaguar. Or have a look at this brand new Mercedes C300 purchased from Fargo. Within the detailing industry, dealership detailing is sadly considered the lowest form of quality. Here are a couple more used vehicle examples: this '11 Lincoln MKT or this Silverado that had both recently been purchased and "freshly detailed" from dealerships. So if you want your vehicle done properly and correctly, have it worked on by an educated and reputable detailing shop. You might pay a little more, but you'll get so much more value out of their work, and you'll have peace of mind knowing your vehicle is in the right hands. When buying a brand new vehicle, the most educated customers will often not let the dealership touch the vehicle at all, and will instead have the car shipped directly to a high-end detailing facility to have it properly prepped, and properly ceramic coated.
VALUE
Lastly, I want to discuss value: New vehicle prices have been increasing at an astounding rate. Many new vehicles are now pushing 6 figures easily. Buying a new vehicle has become a huge investment, so protecting and prolonging your vehicle's lifespan is all the more important, and goes well beyond mechanical maintenance. People too often ignore the physical maintenance of their vehicles. Getting the vehicle properly detailed both inside and out with the proper products will greatly benefit the lifespan of the vehicle. Having the paint, trim, wheels, lights, etc protected either often, or to a higher degree of protection such as ceramic coatings can offer, will also greatly prolong the lifespan, as well as the value of your vehicle.