We're extremely excited to announce the grand opening of our new location at 6675 Mirah Rd, Saanichton (off Keating X. Rd).
What to Expect
The event will include Victoria's most exclusive and exotic cars, as well as:
Live music and entertainment
Food trucks by local vendors
Full open house of our new location - including garage and shop
Prizes and raffles
The event is hosted in partnership with Canammera Refrigerated Transport as part of their Canamera Cruise In. Entry is by donation to support the BC Children's Hospital Foundation.
The Cabin air filter is a common maintenance item that usually goes unnoticed and clogs up with debris, restricting the optimal flow of your car’s cabin climate control. Usually located behind the glove compartment, they’re generally not difficult to access and inspect/ replace. We suggest changing or cleaning every 6 months for best performance. Buildup of pollen, dust, insects and even leaves and tree debris can clog these and begin to affect the air quality. Have a look at yours today.
Door Jambs
Door jambs are the areas inside your door seals that contain the hinge mechanism and wiring harness for each door. They are regularly left dirty even after fully washing the exterior of the car. They get full of summer dust and pollen, and also old water spots and grime that builds up after washing. We suggest giving them a proper degrease and careful rinse each wash or two to keep them sparkling. See the article in our Spring 2023 Newsletter for this process in detail.
Wheel Barrels
The barrel of the wheel is the round inner part behind the front face and spokes, that revolves around the brake caliper. In our experience many do not pay attention to this area as it is harder to reach and properly clean. This means the face and spokes get all the attention, but the barrel gets left to accumulate brake dust, tar, grime and road chemicals. Over time this buildup will harden and begin to trap moisture against the wheel surface, causing corrosion to begin. This damage is usually irreversible depending on severity, so it make sense to regularly clean your barrels and calipers as well as the rest of the wheel. This removes brake dust and harmful deposits, and makes your wheel and brakes look deeper and bright. Follow our video above for the full step by step tutorial.
Engine Bays
Engine bays are another neglected area we see in the hotter months. They’re out of sight, out of mind, and unless an issue is present most don’t go under the hood. This is a perfect spot for all the dust and debris your grille sucks in to settle and build up. Dusty roads and gravel parking lots can make a mess. Vehicles sitting for long periods also attract pests under the hood, so a regular check and clean can help catch issues before they start. And, a dirty engine also runs hotter, so keeping it free of grease, grime and caked on dirt will keep it cooler in the hot demanding months when engine temps scream.
Sunroof
Sunroofs are a great way to enjoy some Summer weather while out driving. But they often get under maintained too, and much like a door jamb they can get nasty. The tracks that the glass and mechanism sit in accumulate debris and can clog up the drains which are essential for funnelling water away. If this water can’t drain, it will usually lead to a leak. Keeping this track clean and well lubricated will ensure many years of worry free operation.
The second area of a sunroof we see dirty is the underside of the glass, the interior side. Believe it or not, the sweat from our bodies and heads and condensation from our breath collects on the sunroof glass and leaves a grimy film. Open sunroofs will also introduce air that can leave a film on glass too. We know, it’s kind of gross. However, keeping it regularly cleaned will keep it clear and transparent and make for a more enjoyable interior. If you’re someone who leaves the sliding cover closed all the time, have a look next time you’re inside and see what the glass looks like.
Our chilly season is here, and that means more time spent inside our vehicles. The more use your car sees, especially with cold weather and defroster use, the more attention we need to pay to our glass and windows. As glass gets cold, moisture clings to it when exposed to warmer air on the other side. As our automotive glass isn't a vacuum dual pane, like our house glass, it condenses water on it, or "fogs up" when cold. This causes us to warm up the car, turn on the defrost, and clear our view.
This procedure allows dirty air and interior particulate to create a film over time on the interior of our windshield and glass. If you have a new car, the off-gassing of the interior materials as they cure leaves films too. Even breathing, talking ( and sneezing!) leaves deposits on the windshield. And when was the last time you looked up and checked your sunroof? Believe it or not, almost every vehicle we see that has one, has dirty glass. This is also caused by our body sweat and heads as we drive. Just come back from a run or gym workout? Your head will evaporate sweat and it will stick to the coolest, closest thing, the sunroof glass. Who knew detailing was so scientific?! Did you know that a clean inner windshield fogs up less, and clears quicker than a dirty one? This is because the water droplets have less to grab on to.
We hear from out clients that cleaning the glass is the hardest part of keeping up a vehicle, so we are here to help. Check out our video we made several years back, and follow along step by step. Once you master this, you'll have clear vision all year long. And, your cold mornings will be a little less stressful!
5 Tips for Clean Glass
#1 - Use Automotive Glass Cleaner
Using cheap household brands for auto glass is a bad choice. These often contain harsh chemicals and additives that aren't suitable for sensitive automotive surfaces, like plastics and window tint.
The ammonia found in products like Windex for example will negatively effect rubber seals and window tint. So stick to a high quality automotive or similar product and you'll be set. We sell cleaner if you need to pick any up.
#2 - Use a Microfiber Towel
The old trick of using newspaper to clean windows is no longer great. Stick to a high quality microfiber towel that traps grease and dirt, and also absorbs cleaners better. These wont scratch, and they're reusable and washable. Better cleaning and better value. Using two towels like in our video is the top way to clean too.
#3 - Don't Clean in Direct Sunlight
Sure, the sun doesn't hide any spots you may have missed. But the heat from the sun can cause the cleaner to dry too soon, and leave streaks. Clean your glass in a shaded, cool spot and you will have optimum conditions for perfect clarity. Use a flashlight if you have to as a check for missed spots.
#4 - Clean Often
Keeping on top of your window cleaning should be done every month at minimum. Your windows are what let you see the world around you. If you only cleaned your sunglasses once a year, do you think they'd be pretty filthy? So keeping up with the glass is a small price to pay for improved safety, visibility and maintenance.
#5 - Use your A/C While Defrosting
This lesser known tip will help dehumidify the interior air of your car while you defrost/defog. By turning the heat and fan on full, and having the AC on (it will still blow hot, don't worry) this removes the excess moisture from the interior, and cuts down on the time it takes to clear your windows. And, make sure you turn OFF the recirculate setting, as we want less humid exterior air to enter the car and replace the humid interior stuff. Use this tip with clean glass and you'll be the fastest defroster on the street!
What We've Been Working On
This Ducati Supersport 950S came in for a full paint correction and professional Ceramic Coating to help protect it's delicate red paint, and make cleaning and maintenance a breeze! We do all makes and models of bikes!
Product Spotlight
CarPro's new dQuartz is a revolutionary new Installer-only ceramic coating that will be released in early 2023. We will have access to this product soon, and it will be sold as an add on to Cquartz Professional and Cquartz Finest Reserve coatings, paired with a 2 year warranty extension. From CarPro:
" Car paints are getting softer and softer, and we have finally developed technology to combat this. DQUARTZ is the first ever ceramic coating, which utilises Functionalised Detonation Nano Diamond Powder. How does the magic work? The carefully controlled size and spherical shape of our nano diamond particles in combination with their activated surface structures allow the diamonds to electrostatically bind to other ingredients of the coating, as well as the surface itself. Functionalised Detonation Nano Diamond Powder helps create an extremely hard coating, which offers resistance to swirls and scratches.
Top 5 Worst Things to Use on Your Car
As our great summer weather begins to change, we hope all of you were able to get the most out of your vehicles this season, and enjoy them during the best time of year.
Today September 14th marks the 5th Birthday for Stellar Finish, and we are excited to have had you all along for the ride! Many vehicles and clients later, we are beyond humbled by the support you have shown us when it comes to keeping your rides looking their best. Here's to you, as we couldn't have come this far without you!
For this quarter's newsletter, we will be focusing on the Top 5 Worst Things you can use on your vehicle when it comes to caring for it. Read along and we hope that this helps you care for your car in the best way!
Top 5 Things To Use On Your Car
#1 - The California Car Duster
These seemingly harmless dusters look super soft and perfect for removing all that dust that has settled on the surfaces of the car. However, don't be fooled by their false marketing claim that they're "scratch free."
These are terrible for trapping dirt and grit at their tips, and dragging it around the paint, causing swirls and moderate scratches with little effort. Because they aren't able to be properly cleaned, and usually live in the dirty trunk of most cars, they continue to build up dirt in the fibres and only get worse.
Solution
Use a soft microfiber cloth and detail spray to lightly wipe your car instead. This safely lifts dirt rather than wiping it all over without a lubricant. This isn't a replacement for washing your car when it's dirty, but is great for very light dust and fingerprints.
#2 - The Car Wash Brush
While usually marketed as "scratch free" or "super soft, gentle bristles", these notorious tools are nothing but bad news for your paint. These brushes are commonplace in every garage and car wash station. While great for scrubbing your deck, they are terribly abrasive on your delicate car paint.
The stiff bristles drag dirt across the surface, rather than trapping it deep in a wash mitt fibre, thus creating substantial, uniform brush marks and scratches all over the car. Each year, we repair tens of thousands of dollars worth of brush mark damage on cars that could have been safely washed instead with other methods.
While they may be easier to use due to their handle, the should be left alone. Dealerships are usually the most notorious for using them as they have large volumes of cars to clean, and this makes it quick for them.
Solution
Use a soft microfiber wash mitt and 2 bucket method to hand wash your car. As we have preached and demonstrated many times before, this is the ultimate and safest way to clean your ride and minimize damage to the paint!
#3 - The Automatic Car Wash
Looks can be deceiving! While easy, time efficient and stress free, automatic car washes are very bad for your car's finish.
Much like the brush is bad for the paint already, imagine a giant spinning roll of sandpaper abrading your car from all sides while you sip your coffee and listen to the radio in the dry, quiet safety of it's interior. Little do you know that you've added thousands of dollars worth of damage to your car, for only a few bucks!
Whenever we drive past the Gorge Rd. car wash and it's lined up down the street, we get shivers. The spinning roller type washes are extremely aggressive for obvious reasons. And, their close cousin, the "Touchless car wash" is just as bad.
While no roller is used, the caustic, high alkaline soaps and chemicals used in these wash tunnels will begin to damage your paint and delicate plastics and metal trim in a short time, if used repeatedly. And, the ultra high pressure jets of water and dryer air have been known to damage and rip off pieces of cars and paint without you even knowing.
They also do not remove 100% of the dirt, leaving you with a less than satisfactory clean overall. Having done tests, we can assure you that your paint will even get scratches from a touchless wash. Trust us.
Solution
Again, use a soft microfiber wash mitt and 2 bucket method to hand wash your car. Yes, it takes longer and is another chore. But, you'll be looking after your expensive investment with the best products for it, and it will continue to look great for years! We even sell full wash kits so you don't have to think about what is OK to use. Pick one up and you're good to go!
#4 - Armor All
It's been around for decades. It lurks in the dusty shelves of your garage. It smells good, and the label has you fooled.
ArmorAll is not your friend though. While protective dressings are great to use when necessary, the brand and chemical composition is very important. ArmorAll brand protectants are generally silicone based, and therefore make the surface very shiny and slick. This might be what you're after, but we advise you against it.
Interior dressings, for example, should be dry to the touch after, not be slippery, and maintain a semi factory matte appearance. ArmorAll will always appear wet, will attract dust and dirt like a magnet, will degrade your plastics, haze your windows, and be slippery and dangerous if applied to the wrong surface.
Solution
Use a higher quality trim and panel dressing that is water based! These will give you a better look, feel and overall experience than cheap silicone based dressings. And, when it comes time to clean and reapply, they come off easy and with no residue or fuss. We are always happy to recommend what will work best for you.
#5 - Silicone Tire Dressing
Much like cheap interior sprays and dressings, silicone tire dressings are one of the biggest pains we deal with each day here.
Personally, we like the look of satin black tires. Not the "see yourself in the mirror" type glossy tire dressings. These look cheap, will fling off, and also turn sticky and brown over time.
They can usually be found in aerosol cans, and therefore will over spray onto your wheel, fender, paint and brakes when applied. That's bad, mmmkaay. And silicone is very hard to remove compared to other types. So, that being the case, most will just continue to layer more and more on top.
We have actually scraped off a 1/2' thick layer of this before with a putty knife on a clients tires. So, let's do it better.
Solution
Use a high quality water based tire dressing that's made to keep your tire and rubber looking black and clean, not shiny and brown like dirty motor oil. Applying it with a foam block or brush will get it where it needs to go, and nowhere else. And, when its run it's course, they come clean with water and a light degreaser or wheel cleaner, and you're ready for a fresh application, not another caked on layer.
What We've Been Working On
This 2013 SRT Viper GTS L/E came to us for a perfection detail and paint sealant. #99/150 means there are few in existence, and we are always fortunate to work on such prized vehicles!
Product Spotlight
HydrO2 LIte is CarPro's wipe-less spray sealant that gives you long lasting, impressive water beading and protection, with the ease of a spray and rinse application. 3-6 months of durability, and the perfect maintenance product for ceramic coatings or well cared for vehicles. Purchase within.
How To Properly Wash Your Car
Our sunny local weather has definitely been unseasonably late. Our wet and cold Winter, and cooler Spring months have meant that many of us have opted to leave the car unwashed for longer than normal. We hear the line "It's just going to get dirty again" every week. And we totally get it. But, regular washing of your vehicle is just as important as changing the oil and rotating the tires, as it preserves the appearance and aids in the longevity of the exterior components. Leave it too long, and you'll regret it down the road.
So now that the weather is getting warmer, and the sun is sticking around more, we thought it would be fitting to release our new video on the Proper Way To Wash Your Car. This covers every step from start to finish when it comes to a wash, so you can feel comfortable doing so in your own driveway.
Check it out, learn from it, and let us know what you think!
What We've Been Working On
This newly built 1953 GMC pickup received a full polish, spot wet sand, and durable CarPro Professional Ceramic Coating.
Product Spotlight
DLUX is CarPro's wheel and plastic specific ceramic coating designed to protect all wheel finishes and plastics. UV protection and easy cleaning mean your surfaces stay looking better for longer! Works on calipers too.
Times Colonist Readers Choice Profile - 2022
Striving to break the mould, we are not your average detailing shop.
We specialize in offering a premium service to discerning vehicle owners that is different from what you'd expect. Exceptional results and true attention to detail form the core of our company. When your vehicle has to look its best, look no further than Stellar Finish.
We are a full service specialty shop centrally located in Victoria, BC. We invest in premium quality products that make your vehicle look amazing, not flashy gimmicks. We specialize in professional-grade CarProceramic coatings, paint correction, meticulous detailing and vehicle surface protection. We cater to drivers who take pride in having a clean, well maintained vehicle.
We are not a high volume based detail shop.
We do above average work, and this requires more time to be spent on the vehicle to attain these results. We only use the highest quality products available and utilize the most advanced techniques to make your ride look amazing.
If you want nothing but the best, you've come to the right place.
4x Voted Best Auto Detailer in Victoria by the Times Colonist Readers' Choice Awards.
It comes as no surprise that one of the most asked questions we hear is "will the scratch come out?" Today we will explain the process we use to determine if a paint defect can be removed, or at least improved, and how we remove it.
It must be noted that we as detailers can only work within the limits of the top layer of paint, be it the clear coat or top section of a single stage paint. This means that we only have several mils (thousandths of an inch) to work with. If a scratch is just too deep to remove fully, we can refine it down some, like you'll see below. As a general rule of thumb, if you can catch your fingernail into the scratch, it's potentially too deep to fully remove.
The first step involves using our paint inspection lights to illuminate the area of the defect. This allows us to see it without shadows and highlights the defect(s).The second step involves us using a paint thickness reader gauge to test the depth of the clear coat. This will tell give a rough idea of how thick the top clear coat is, and what we can safely sand out to improve the scratch.Next, we select an appropriate sandpaper grit to begin sanding down the clear coat to level the defect. Generally we use 1500 grit to start, and refine up from there. We use water to lightly dampen the surface to help the paper glide easy and remove the slurry of sanded paint from the surface, hence the term wet sanding.As we refine the grits of sandpaper, the finish begins to improve, and the defect has become less visible. In this case, we wanted to show that we weren't able to fully remove the defect, as it was too deep, but we wanted to improve it. This is sometimes a better step than repainting the panel at a body shop. It's less costly, and can be the safest choice in the long run.After the final stage of sanding, with 5000 grit, we polish the area with several steps to revive the gloss, and remove the last of the sanding marks. The defect is still there, but it's way less noticeable, and we have saved the factory paint from a repaint.
Sometimes we can fully remove the scratch!
In many cases though we can fully remove the defect safely, as if it were never there…. see below.Fully removed and polished!
What We've Been Working On:
This 2008 BMW M3 received an extensive paint correction to remove heavy swirls and scratches, and topped with Cquartz Finest Reserve Ceramic Coating.
Product Spotlight
ReTyre is CarPro's newest tire and rubber cleaner. We love it for bringing back that blackness to old, browned rubber sidewalls and seal components on your vehicle. It's safe to use every wash, and rinses clean to let you know your tires are perfectly ready for their new dressing.
Ceramic Wheel Coating Tutorial
We are happy to release a much anticipated video, How To Ceramic Coat Your Wheels! This new video covers all aspects of how to properly clean and coat your vehicle's wheels in a ceramic coating. Check it out to see how they can benefit you and your ride.
Beneftis of a Ceramic Wheel Coating
Easy cleaning
Protection from brake dust
Impressive water repellency and beading
Super slick surface repels contaminants
UV blocking, prevents fading and discolouration
Enhances the appearance. Perfect for all wheel finishes, even matte.
Dirt and road film do not stick as easy.
Increased swirl resistance
Works on brake calipers too!
CarPro Ceramic coatings are suitable for painted or powder coated brake calipers too.
Product Spotlight
CarPro Descale is CarPro Global's newest high acidity car shampoo. This product can be used during your wash routine to help remove or soften mineral spots or water spots on the paint and glass. Over time these can become unsightly and can be damaging to your finish. The soap's acidic nature acts like a powerful cleaner to remove their appearance, while being safe for coated or non coated vehicles.
Best Detailer in Victoria - 2021
Thank you for your votes! We won!
We couldn't be any happier to announce that we were voted Best Detailer in Victoria for the 4th year in a row by the Times Colonist Readers' Choice Awards!
We’re honoured once again to have earned this title, and are incredibly grateful for the continued support from our wonderful community and clients.
Thank you to all that cast their votes, and to everyone who continues to support and help grow this local business. We appreciate you!
