Looking for detailer to trust in Ft Lauderdale, FL

[jaybones]

Just joined, just for the purpose of getting reliable guidance on who to go to for regular car washes and who to use for periodic detailing.

I`m not a car buff. Just want to be in more reliable hands than the big-volume machine-based car wash in town or the hand-wash kids in the gas-station parking lots for regular car washes -- or to at least get reliable advice on whether it`s safe to go there for regular washes in between my detailing -- and to find a really trustworthy source for the periodic detailing.

I own a black Lexus 2010 ES 350.

I`m in Fort Lauderdale, FL, in the NE part of town (Commercial and 95 area).

Thanks!

[mjlinane]

Welcome to AutopiaForums!

Sorry, can`t necessarily help with a detailer but there are a lot of members from FL who can. Good luck.

[Reflectiveauto]

without looking at google maps...Im lazy right now...give Garry Dean a buzz...Tell him that John @ Reflective Auto Detailing sent you if that is close to you...btw he is mobile

[Trouble]

without looking at google maps...Im lazy right now...give Garry Dean a buzz...Tell him that John @ Reflective Auto Detailing sent you if that is close to you...btw he is mobile

Garry Dean is in Tampa. Todd Helme is in Orlando, but travels to Stuart Fl at least once a month. Another choice would be Shawn @ Sully`s Detailing, Tom @ ShineTime or Advanced Detailing in Miami

Good luck! Florida sure does have a lot of people that don`t know what they are doing, so be carefull :inspector:

[ihaveacamaro]

I`m in Gainesville! But I`m not a pro detailer, just a part-time detailer/hobbyist. Still I would say I know a thing or two about paint care :)

[tropicsteve]

check out todd`s website. i think he knows what he`s doing :D
Bella Macchina: The Art of Detailing (http://www.belladetailing.com/)

[jaybones]

I really appreciate the help.

The only ones near me out of the suggestions thus far are Sully`s and Advanced.

Advanced looks not too far, but seems like they`re probably a bit high-end for my needs based on the website. I`ll call and see what he suggests.

Sully`s might be what I need. Should be near me based on the area code (there`s no location shown on the site -- he`s "mobile", which is good for my needs). I see him being pretty active in posting pics in the Detailers Showcase. (His website could use a little cleaning up, but I assume his reputation has him plenty busy without needing a polished website.)

By the way, where I am, Fort Lauderdale, is about 30-45 minutes north of Miami, and 3-5 hours south of Orlando, Gainesville, or Tampa.

One question I`m going to need to address either here or with my detailer is how to deal with dirt on the undercarriage. I`m living two blocks from the beach, which is enough salt in and of itself, and to make it much more of an issue they`ve been tearing up the streets laying pipe and there`s dirt all around my house where there used to be paved streets. I`m wondering if the local "automated machine carwash" that provides undercarriage wash as an option isn`t advisable for a periodic basic wash -- and doing the whole exterior once through with a basic wash while I`m there (really no choice not to if I want the undercarriage spray). I can get them to use a high-pressure wash and maybe hand brushes to get the bulk of the dirt off before it goes through the machine, which uses cloth strips. It`s Cactus Carwash, part of a chain. With all dirt being stirred up, really frequent washes is a must anyway. So, I need to get some advice. Not sure if this is the time and place to bring that up. Feel free to redirect me as you see fit.

Thanks again!

[ihaveacamaro]

I really appreciate the help.

The only ones near me out of the suggestions thus far are Sully`s and Advanced.

Advanced looks not too far, but seems like they`re probably a bit high-end for my needs based on the website. I`ll call and see what he suggests.

Sully`s might be what I need. Should be near me based on the area code (there`s no location shown on the site -- he`s "mobile", which is good for my needs). I see him being pretty active in posting pics in the Detailers Showcase. (His website could use a little cleaning up, but I assume his reputation has him plenty busy without needing a polished website.)

By the way, where I am, Fort Lauderdale, is about 30-45 minutes north of Miami, and 3-5 hours south of Orlando, Gainesville, or Tampa.

One question I`m going to need to address either here or with my detailer is how to deal with dirt on the undercarriage. I`m living two blocks from the beach, which is enough salt in and of itself, and to make it much more of an issue they`ve been tearing up the streets laying pipe and there`s dirt all around my house where there used to be paved streets. I`m wondering if the local "automated machine carwash" that provides undercarriage wash as an option isn`t advisable for a periodic basic wash -- and doing the whole exterior once through with a basic wash while I`m there (really no choice not to if I want the undercarriage spray). I can get them to use a high-pressure wash and maybe hand brushes to get the bulk of the dirt off before it goes through the machine, which uses cloth strips. It`s Cactus Carwash, part of a chain. With all dirt being stirred up, really frequent washes is a must anyway. So, I need to get some advice. Not sure if this is the time and place to bring that up. Feel free to redirect me as you see fit.

Thanks again!

I don`t know why, but ft. lauderdale for some reason rings in my head as st. augustine. I really have no idea why. Anyways, that`s why I said come to me, but yeah a 3 to 5 hour drive is just a slight bit ridiculous.

What I would do is go to a TOUCHLESS wash place to get your undercarriage soaked. And then go home after it is over, and do either a rinseless or waterless wash (do you know happen to know what those are?).

It`ll be tough on your wax/sealant so I would recommend reapplying every month or so, but you`ll get through it unscathed.

If you go through anything with cloth strips you are going to hate yourself. Those things are commonly known as swirl-o-matics. It takes literally one time to ruin a car and riddle it with swirls all over the place.

Hope this helps :)

[glen e]

I don`t know of a detailer right here in lauderdale but do my own cars and am pretty good for advice.Feel free to contact me - I live near Commercial on the ICW....