Now is a great time to plan your escape from the winter weather. Detail Fest is coming up on March 26-27 in Stuart, Florida! Detail Fest is our annual detailing event packed with demonstrations by industry professionals, how-to clinics, the manufacturer meet & greet, food, live music, a car show, and much more!

Registration for the Detail Fest Car Show is now open. Show off your ride!

Even if you?re not showing a car, there?s plenty to see and do at Detail Fest?

?Bruno Massel, co-host of SPEED TV?s TRUCK U, will be on hand with the official Autogeek.net race car! We?re the proud sponsors of Bruno Massel Racing!
?Two guest detailers will be showing off their skills and giving you valuable tips. Renny Doyle is the founder of DetailingSuccess.com and Attention to Details, Ltd. in Big Bear Lake, CA. Read Renny?s press release . Jose ?Joe? Fernandez is the president and founder of Superior Shine Mobile Auto Detailing in Los Angeles, CA.
?Our very own Mike Phillips will be here with his own detailing wisdom to share.
?Blow Away Salon will be giving hair cuts for charity. Get a clean new ?do to go with your flawless vehicle!
?Fox Sports TV will be there filming Detail Fest for an upcoming show.
?The special Max Edition Flex PE14-2-150 polisher serial number 001 will be on display.
?UPS (our #1 carrier) will display their delivery truck, the NASCAR Flame Package UPS Truck, and the NASCAR UPS #6 racecar!
?Steven Spengler, the VP of Sales at Aztec Products, is bringing an Aztec Hot Rod Extractor valued at $649.99 to auction off to one lucky winner!
?Meet the manufacturers and learn about their products firsthand.
?Plus live music, great food, raffles, and more surprises to come!
Manufacturers at Detail Fest:

?3M products
?Aztec Carpet Extractors
?Black Wow
?Covercraft
?Cyclo
?DP
?Diamondite
?Dodo Juice
?Dr Color Chip
?Einszett
?Flex
?Griots Garage
?Grit Guard
?IAP
?Lake Country
?Meguiars
?Metro
?Mothers
?Optimum
?P21s
?Pinnacle
?Poorboys
?Premium Finish Care
?Raggtopp
?Rejex
?Menzerna
?Sonax
?Wolfgang
?XMT
?More to come!

This year, we?re pleased to have two fantastic charities involved with Detail Fest:

Operation Comfort is a support organization for wounded veterans. Mike and Max had the pleasure of meeting the guys participating in Operation Comfort?s Automotivation program last fall while filming for the SPEED channel. We?re excited to bring in three individuals from Operation Comfort to join us for Detail Fest weekend!

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is the world?s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education, and patient services.

All the vendors that will be present at Detail Fest have made donations to these two great organizations! We?ll be raising money at Detail Fest, as well. Thank you to our vendors and to everyone who has contributed to Operation Comfort and LLS. We look forward to seeing you at Detail Fest!

Join us on March 26-27 in beautiful Stuart, Florida for Autogeek?s 6th Annual Detail Fest & Car Show!

The Detail Fest Car Show will be held on Saturday, March 26. Registration is $25 per vehicle. Registration includes:

?1 Official Detail Fest 2011 T-shirt (select size below)
?1 Autographed Mike Phillips DVD
?1 Dash Plaque
?Special Discount Code valid during Detail Fest weekend
?Entry into drawing to win a $100 Autogeek.net gift certificate
(3 winners will be selected!)
?10 raffle tickets to be eligible to win more prizes
Available prizes include: Metro Master Blaster Flex XC3401 Polisher Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer Wolfgang F?zion Carnauba Estate Wax and more raffle prizes to be announced!
Car show will be on Saturday! Trophys will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in 5 different categories (total of 15 trophies)!

If you are not entering a vehicle, there is no need to register! Detail Fest is free to attend as a spectator. All registered participants must have a car to show.

Extra T-shirts will be available for purchase.

Click here to register for the car show and for travel information!

by Mike Phillips

The question often comes up,

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash to wash my car?

Great question and while every situation will be a little bit different you can safely wash cars, trucks and s.u.v.’s with light dirt accumulation. Vehicles with a heavy dirt accumulation, especially if they are not regularly washed or if there is visible mud caked onto the paint should have the large accumulation of dirt first removed using a pressure washer or a strong spray of water. If you don’t have access to a pressure washer or a a free flowing source of water, (a garden hose hooked up to a water spigot), then most towns have a do-it-yourself car wash that you can use for a modest fee.

Reasons to use a Rinseless Wash
In a perfect world everyone would have access to free flowing water, warm temperatures, no restrictions on when and where they can wash their car etc.

The problem is we don’t live in a perfect world and not everyone has access to free flowing water or has the ability to use free flowing water due to water restrictions.

Here’s a list of some reasons for using a Rinseless Wash….

Areas with government enforced water restrictions
In today’s reality, there are many cities and even entire countries with Government Enforced Water Restrictions. In these places it’s against laws and/or regulations to wash your car with a free flowing source of water.

Geographical areas of drought
In some places there may be no official restrictions against water use but the geographical area itself is experiencing severe drought and self-compliance as well as common sense prevents people from using a free flowing source of water to wash their vehicles.

People who live in Apartments
In some areas if you live in an Apartment, a Condo or a Townhouse, there may be no place to wash your car with a free flowing source of clean water or there may be rules against it that you have agreed to comply with.

Washing in cold winter months
In cold weather, extreme low temperatures can make washing a car with a free flowing source of water dangerous and difficult at best.

Mobile Detailers
Rinseless Washing enables mobile detailers to get their customer?s car clean without having to depend upon a water source on location or the extra hassle of transporting hundreds of gallons of water in their Truck, Van or on a Trailer. Besides that, some areas require mobile detailers to contain and capture their run-off water and this is an added expense, somewhat difficult as well as time consuming.

Anytime you?re traveling
If you doing any long distance traveling, Rinseless Washing enables you to wash your car while in route.

How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash?
There are limits as to what you should tackle with a rinseless wash and what you should take to a car wash, below are some examples…

This is light dirt accumulation
This is a good example of a vehicle that can be washed using a rinseless wash.

This is heavy dirt accumulation
This should be taken to a commercial Do-It-Yourself Car Wash and have the large chunks sprayed off with a strong blast of water.

Visit Autogeek.net’s Car Wash section for all our traditional car washes, rinseless washes, and waterless washes.

Single stage paints include acrylic enamel, acrylic lacquer, and synthetic enamel. Single stage paint is paint (or resin) with pigment added to it. A single stage finish has the color and gloss in one coating. Single stage paints were used up until the 1980s when two-stage paints were introduced.

When detailing single stage paint, paint transfer is common onto the pad or applicator since you’re polishing the pigment layer directly. Color transfer is a good indicator that your vehicle has a single stage finish. Single stage finishes tend to oxidize and fade over time, but you can achieve a dramatic makeover with a compound and a polisher.

Clear coat finishes, or two stage finishes, include a separate pigment layer and clear layer. Clear coat finishes became popular because they retain their glossy look well. However, clear coat finishes do require wax and occasional polishing to keep them looking their best! Clear coats can oxidize just like single stage finishes, so regular paint protection is key. Unlike single stage paint, there’s no color transfer onto the applicator when detailing clear coat paint because you’re not detailing the color coat directly. If you see no color transfer, it’s likely that your vehicle is clear-coated.

Clear coat finishes are on 95% of all vehicles being built today. The vast majority of car care products developed today are suitable for clear coat finishes!? These same products can be used on single stage finishes, too. But, if a product says it’s only for single stage paint, stay away from a clear coat finish!

Regardless of whether your vehicle has single stage or clear coat paint, ALWAYS maintain a coating of wax or paint sealant to preserve its beauty and value.

Start your new year off with a new Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro! This new Cyclo has a variable speed controller to set the speed from 650 to 3000 OPM. This is the first Cyclo with more than one speed! Now you can perform swirl removal and compounding or slow, fine polishing. The new Cyclo Model 5-Pro has all the durable features and heavy duty construction you’ve come to expect from Cyclo.

The Cyclo Model 5-Pro has the Vibration Elimination System to allow smooth, fluid motion. This system is composed of a completely redesigned counterweight and precision matched, weighted inserts. The Cyclo includes all three VES weighted inserts: yellow, silver, and blue. The Cyclo 5-Pro comes with the ProGuard backing plates, which are compatible with the blue weighted inserts. If you want to use the traditional Cyclo pad holders, DoublePrecision Pads, or carpet brushes, you already have the necessary weighted inserts with the purchase of the Cyclo 5-Pro.

The Cyclo 5-Pro gives you what no previous Cyclo has – versatility! Try out the Cyclo 5-Pro with variable speed controller for everything from ultra slow buffing to high powered compounding.

The Cyclo Model 5-Pro Polisher is one of the polishers that will be featured at Mike Phillips’ Detailing 101 Class on January 29, 2011. Sign up here!

The FLEX XC 3401 VRG is an orbital polisher with forced rotation. What is forced rotation? Let’s compare it to a polisher without forced rotation, like the Porter Cable 7424XP.

A Porter Cable 7424XP and the FLEX XC 3401 VRG are both described as orbital polishers, but there’s a noticable difference between these two machines. Both machines are constructed so that the pad rotates and orbits around the central spindle, but the FLEX features forced rotation.

To understand forced rotation, it’s helpful to think of a bicycle. The back wheel of a bicycle is connected to the chain and sprocket and it’s driven by the pedals. There’s a mechanism forcing the rotation of the back wheel. This is like the pad’s rotation on the FLEX XC 3401 Orbital Polisher. The front wheel of the bicycle is just along for the ride. It rotates when the bike is in motion but there’s no mechanism driving it. That describes the pad rotation on the Porter Cable 7424XP it rotates freely as it orbits because of a free spinning bearing assembly.

In practice, the forced rotation of the FLEX XC 3401 VRG and the free rotation of the Porter Cable 7424XP feel quite different. The FLEX pad completes full rotations and has a lot of power behind it to force that rotation. The FLEX XC 3401 VRG, even though it?s still an orbital machine, can remove a lot of imperfections. The Porter Cable?s motion is often described as jiggling, but it still achieves the dual action?that is, orbiting and rotating ? that will keep you from burning the paint. The Porter Cable 7424XP is great for minor defect removal, waxing, and general polishing.

Learn more about our entire selection of orbital polishers at Autogeek.net.

You’ve relied on 3M polishes for years to give you professional results on auto finishes; now you can apply them with the new 3M Electric Variable Speed Rotary Polisher! The 3M Electric Variable Speed Rotary Polisher has a powerful 11 amp motor with 37.5% more power than 8 amp polishers. Superior construction and user-friendly features make the 3M Electric Variable Speed Rotary Polisher a true professional grade polisher.

The 3M Electric Variable Speed Rotary Polisher is a paint-correcting machine! It’s built for fast, effective removal of paint imperfections with the 11 amp motor and operating speeds of 1,000 – 3,000 rpm. The electronic variable speed control maintains speed and power even under load. The variable speed control trigger allows the operator to vary the speed below the selected maximum speed for greater control over polishing speed. Work at a slow speed for general polishing or speed it up for paint correction. A heavy duty trigger lock allows you to lock in your desired speed.

To make the 3M Electric Variable Speed Rotary Polisher more comfortable to use, 3M gave it an easy-grip flexible side handle that absorbs vibration. This reduces arm fatigue over the course of long detail jobs. There are three support handle positions to suit the job at hand. The polisher weighs just 7.9 lbs. but packs all the power of a much larger machine.

For more information, go to Autogeek.net!

If you’re counting down, it’s 5 weeks until Christmas. It will be here before you know it! Don’t worry – Autogeek.net has you covered. Autogeek’s Gift Guide has a wide variety of gifts to suit detailing enthusiasts, car lovers, travelers, and any driver on your list. Here’s a list new items that will be a big hit this year!

Griot’s Garage Water Resistant Trunk Bag

Eleven Piece Precision Screwdriver Set

Seven-In-One Screwdriver Set

Wrench Mints, Set of 3

Magnetic Finger Glove

120 dB Personal Alarm

Executive Protector Flashlight

Tactical Blue Dot 2 Cell LED Flashlight

Sheffield Moab Folding Rescue Knife

Race Car 4GB Flash Drive

Lightning Strike Personal Protection System

Opti-Mitt Foam Wash Mitt

Visit Autogeek’s Gift Guide for hundreds of gifts for every budget and recipient!

Autogeek.net has teamed up with Masters TV to launch a new television series in 2011 called What’s In The Garage? The show will take host Mike Phillips, our very own Director of Training and dedicated car guy, into the garages of people all over the country to see their automotive treasures.

The show will air on the FOX Sports Network at 11:30 on Sundays for 13 weeks during the second quarter of 2011. We’ll let you know the exact dates and times when it’s close to air time!

Mike starts taping episodes of Autogeek’s What’s In The Garage? in December. Want to be a part of it? Send an email to Masters Entertainment Group with a photo of your car and tell them a little bit about it. masters@masterstv.com

Keep your ride clean! You just might receive a visit from Mike Phillips and the What’s In The Garage? production team!

Masters TV press release

Every year, manufacturers introduce new products for the coming year at SEMA. This year, Mothers, Meguiars, and FLEX all debuted their newest products. In fact, FLEX unveiled their latest polisher at the Autogeek booth!

These new products are due to arrive at Autogeek early next year, but you can read about them now at Autogeek.net!

New Mothers for 2011:
Mothers Polished Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
Mothers VLR: Vinyl Leather Rubber Care
Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax

New FLEX for 2011:
FLEX PE14-2-150 Rotary Polisher

New Meguiars for 2011:

Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax
Meguiars Ultimate Paste Wax
Meguiars Ultimate Polish
Meguiars Convertible Top Cleaner
Meguiars Endurance Tire Dressing Aerosol
Meguiars Endurance Tire Dressing Spray
Meguiars Brilliant Solutions Wheel Polishing Kit
Meguiars Brilliant Solutions New Car Kit
Meguiars Heavy Duty Two Step Headlight Restoration Kit
Meguiars Brilliant Solutions Paint Restoration Kit
Meguiars Hot Rims All Metal Polish
Meguiars Engine Cleaner
Meguiars Gold Class Leather & Vinyl Cleaner Spray
Meguiars Gold Class Leather Conditioner Spray
Meguiars Ultimate Protectant Spray

Featured at Autogeek’s SEMA booth:

Lake Country 1-Pad Polishing System

Meguiars has released several new products for the coming year! Among them are Brilliant Solutions, complete car care kits that address common detailing jobs. If you have a new car, there’s a kit for you. If you want to polish wheels, there’s a kit for you. Meguiars Brilliant Solutions save you a lot of time and research and you’re sure to get good results because it’s Meguiars! The new lineup also includes new Ultimate Wax in paste and liquid form, Ultimate Polish to complement Ultimate Compound, a much-needed Convertible Top Cleaner, and several other products to fill up the Meguiars shelf in your garage (they’re certainly going to fill up ours!). These products will be coming to Autogeek.net as soon as Meguiars releases them. For the time being, you can read all about them at Autogeek.

Meguiars new 2011 products.