https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/home daily 1.0 2025-11-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/d4e772c8-7b3f-415a-ab49-37fbe24e245b/IMG_0207.jpg Home Welcome to Brass Tack Designs! We are fully certified in interior & exterior Auto Detailing services, as well as multi-stage Paint Correction, and SystemX Professional Grade Ceramic Coatings. We are constantly researching, training, and learning, in order to stay on the cutting edge of the auto detailing industry. We only use the industry’s absolute best tools, products, & techniques to ensure that our clients’ vehicles stand out in a crowd of mediocrity. With nearly 20 years of experience, we have an extraordinarily refined skillset that produces superior results, and our work speaks for itself. To find out what comes standard with our interior and exterior detail packages along with some specialty add-ons, click the link below! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/f3a3ebd0-e895-44d8-8c5f-df9cab83f731/IMG_0208.jpg Home - What Is Paint Correction? Paint Correction is a simple defect removal process that we perform on every vehicle before applying a Ceramic Coating. Because Ceramic Coatings are a form of permanent protection, we need to ensure that the surface is as scratch free as possible so that Nano Coating can properly bond to the vehicle’s clear coat. With daily driving, and the ever-changing seasons here in the midwest, paint defects are inevitable. So, it’s imperative, with Paint Correction, to get that clear coat buffed out to a flawless finish prior to installing any form of permanent pain protection in order to keep your vehicle in exceptional condition! To find out more about what’s involved in the Paint Correction process, click the link below! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/47b09e0b-9797-4a43-82a3-7334402efc52/IMG_0209.jpg Home - What are Ceramic Coatings? Aside from Paint Protection Film, Ceramic Coatings are the next best form of long term protection for automotive exteriors in the world. The industry has finally produced a product that last much longer than traditional wax. In fact, it lasts years, instead of weeks. A Ceramic Coating is a form of Silicon Dioxide that gets applied to the exterior surfaces of a vehicle. It starts out as a liquid. It gets applied in small sections using an applicator pad. After a few moments of “flash time,” the excess gets wiped away, leaving a thin, crystal clear layer of the product on the surface. Once the Coating goes through its curing process, it has hardened, to become rock solid and extremely durable, in comparison to traditional waxes! To dig even deeper into Ceramic Coatings, click the link below and learn more! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/76801ea7-23ae-450d-b0cb-18d093166aec/auto+detailers+kokomo+in.jpg Home - Who are we? Brass Tack Designs began over 15 years ago with a bucket of soap, a few towels, and a worn out 1 gallon Shop Vac. What also didn’t hurt, was an early love for cars and a strong work ethic, both passed down from a hard working father, who was a car guy himself. From my first job to now, I’ve had the pleasure of learning about business, people, the auto detailing industry, and myself. Since the early days of my auto detailing career, I’ve been able to greatly refine my skillset. Now, as a fully certified auto detailer, a fully certified paint correction specialist, and a fully certified PROFESSIONAL GRADE ceramic coating installer, I have the rare ability to provide this community with more refined skills and far superior tools & products than any other auto detailer in the Kokomo area can provide. To see our whole journey, click the link below! https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2021-12-19 https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/about-us daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/cd1fba40-9fbb-4e4b-a54f-7e6ca80bead1/auto+detail+kokomo+in.JPG About Us - Where It Started: Fairmount, IN 2002. I was a sophomore in high school and I had just passed my driving test and received my driver’s license. My parents decided to surprise me for Christmas that year with a little black Chevy S-10 pickup truck. It had a lot of miles on it, it was kind of dirty, it had been smoked in, and had some scratches. It wasn’t much, but I was proud of it. It wasn’t long until every free moment that I had, I was in my parent’s driveway cleaning and polishing on the truck. Already a car guy, you can imagine that I already had plans for the truck that went beyond stock. But I was a 16 year old kid with no money. That’s when my father came to me one day and said “Son, I think it’s time that you have a part time job so you can have a little gas, play, & saving money.” He was the Parts Department manager at a GM dealership and he actually had a position open up in his department that was perfect for me. I was eager to get to work and start making some money! From that point on, any break that I had from school (fall break, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, spring break, etc.) I was working. I never went on spring break with my friends, but I didn’t care because I was making money. During the week, I was either at school or at work. My weekends were spent in my parents’ driveway customizing my truck and keeping it clean. It wasn’t long until some friends and classmates started to take notice at how clean my truck always was and how much cooler it was starting to look. They began to ask for advice on cleaning their cars. Soon, I started to get asked if I’d detail a car for someone else. I started taking on a few weekend detail jobs here and there. I did this all through high school and through my first few years of community college. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/86dfaf09-b0db-4118-ae2e-30154568ab3f/auto+detailers+near+me.jpg About Us - Where It Went Next: After I finally realized that college wasn’t for me, I started working at the dealership full time. At about that time, someone had quit their job in the car clean-up shop at the dealership and the managers knew I was perfect for the job. My dad was running out of things for me to do in his department, so it was the perfect time for me to switch departments. In the clean-up shop, their head detailer at the time saw my potential, so he took me under his wing and began to teach me everything he knew. I began to refine my skillset with every job that came through. It wasn’t long until the entire upper management began to take notice. I ended up being the guy that everyone went to for anything detailing related. I quickly became the only person in the clean-up shop who was allowed to touch the upper management’s high-end demo vehicles. After a few years went by, even the dealership’s customers got to know me as the detailing expert. They even began to walk back and find me to ask if I’d detail a vehicle for them on the side. So I began adding new clients to my weekend detailing clientele. As time went on, I started to realize that I had hit the top of the pay scale for my line of work at the dealership and I knew I wouldn’t make it any further financially if I didn’t move on. Around that time, I was hanging out at a friend’s house one evening and his father overheard me saying that I was beginning to think about other options. Turns out, he had a position open in his lawn care/landscape business based in Fairmount that would help me begin to move forward financially. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/48927e99-2723-4089-a790-a5a565656c96/detailing.JPG About Us - Where It Went, Continued… So I quit my job at the dealership and for the next 6 years, I worked for him and his lawn care business. We did lawn care for a statewide chain of high end convenience stores. We traveled all over the state of Indiana working long, hard days, but I loved it and the pay was good. My boss had a 3 bay shop on his property where we did maintenance on the mowing equipment and where his son did some mechanic work on the side. They were kind enough to let me still detail cars on the weekends in their shop, making it possible for me to keep my detailing clientele. During the week, I was working 12 to 15 hour days and on the weekends I was detailing cars. I was staying focused on my work and quickly becoming financially independent. Then one day in the spring of 2014, God stopped me in my tracks and said, “She’s the one.” So I stopped for a second to look up. What I saw was the definition of the perfect woman. She had a beautiful little girl and I quickly fell in love with both of them. As she and I began to date, I quickly realized that my life was about to change drastically. Over time, my weekends became less about detailing cars and more about traveling to Kokomo to spend time with the two loves of my life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/10790a82-20aa-4238-aba5-5e0be7f66e07/detailers.JPG About Us - The Next Phase… Fast forward 2 and a half years. We are married, living together in Kokomo, and we are loving our little life together. My wife had a good job in healthcare and her daughter had her whole family and all of her friends here in Kokomo. So I knew that moving them to Fairmount, where I was from, would not have worked. So moving to Kokomo was my only option, and I was ok with that. I still worked for my boss in the lawn care business for a few years. But the much longer drive to work and even earlier mornings started to take their toll on me and I knew I couldn’t sustain those hours with a family. So we finally decided that I would quit my job and start detailing cars full time from our home in Kokomo. So that’s exactly what I did. At about that time, we were actually in the process of finishing a new home build and selling our old house. At our new house, I had a heated garage with a floor drain that worked perfectly for auto detailing. Shortly after moving into our new home, we discovered that my wife was pregnant and we had a baby on the way! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/b4309193-64b9-41e0-8f08-72f6572ec8e7/detail+shops+kokomo.JPG About Us - Where We Are Now: We now have a beautiful baby girl and with our oldest daughter getting increasingly busier with dance, cheer, choir, etc. My wife and I decided that since she had a good paying job and I was already working from home, that I would just become a stay at home dad for a few years to take care of the baby and logistics for our oldest. Thus, for the last few years, I’ve been a stay at home dad, detailing cars when I can. I’ve been blessed to have a clientele that is patient with the limited availability of my detailing schedule. During this period, I took the time to do some training and get fully certified in paint correction and ceramic coatings. As time goes on and our youngest daughter gets closer to school, my schedule will begin to free up and allow for more detailing time. As that process begins to unfold, Brass Tack Designs will go through a series of growth changes, pricing changes, and overall business structure changes. Thanks for being patient as we continue to expand and provide Kokomo IN with the absolute BEST auto detailing expertise. https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/interior-detailing-pricing daily 0.75 2024-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/97deeebb-8391-4244-8bef-fa94a3c005a9/interior+detailing.JPG Interior Detailing Pricing - No Two Vehicles Are The Same: There are 3 main variables that can effect the final cost of your detail job. 1) Vehicle Size 2) Vehicle Condition 3) Client’s Expectation Everyone’s lifestyle is different. Therefore, generally speaking, the condition of every vehicle is different. For example, we could Detail a Toyota Camry this week that is just averagely dirty, and we could Detail a Toyota Camry next week that is extremely dirty. A Detail job on each one takes a completely different amount of time to complete. Therefore, even though they are the exact same car, we CANNOT charge the same price for both, even though they’re the same vehicle. To help us give the client a more specific price, we like to have a quick conversation with them and get a better idea of the condition of their particular vehicle, and the results they’re looking to achieve. We will then give the vehicle a 1-5 rating based on the interior’s condition and how much time we think we’ll have in the job. Interiors, being more tedious, generally take more time than exteriors. Therefore, the pricing list below is a very generalized, AVERAGE pricing range. But it is at least an anchor for you to get a general idea of the price range your vehicle will be in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/48004097-8add-40fc-a825-c4afde72fed3/interior+detailing+near+me.JPG Interior Detailing Pricing - Interior Detailing Prices: -Mini Cars: $20 - $150 -Two Door Roadsters: $20 - $150 -Sub Compact Cars: $50 - $250 -Compact Cars: $55 - $275 -Mid Size Cars: $60 - $300 -Full Size Cars: $65 - $325 -Compact Crossovers: $70 - $350 -Mid Size Crossovers: $75 - $375 -Full Size Crossovers: $80 - $400 -Minivans: $90 - $450 -Mid Size SUVs: $85 - $425 -Full Size SUVs: $90 - $450 -XL SUVs: $95 - $475 -Compact Trucks: -Single Cab: $50 - $150 -Extended Cab: $60 - $200 -Crew Cab: $70 - $250 -Mid Size Trucks: -Single Cab: $55 - $175 -Extended Cab: $65 - $225 -Crew Cab: $75 - $275 -Full Size Trucks: -Single Cab: $60 - $200 -Extended Cab: $70 - $250 -Crew Cab: $80 - $300 -3/4 Ton & 1 Ton Trucks: -Single Cab: $65 - $225 -Extended Cab: $75 - $275 -Crew Cab: $85 - $325 15 Passenger Vans: $160 - $500 https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/exterior-detailing-pricing daily 0.75 2024-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/530eb977-eb3f-44c4-8c34-0518a2721cf9/car+cleaning+kokomo.JPG Exterior Detailing Pricing - No Two Vehicles Are The Same: There are 3 main variables that can effect the final cost of your detail job. 1) Vehicle Size 2) Vehicle Condition 3) Client’s Expectation Everyone’s lifestyle is different. Therefore, generally speaking, the condition of every vehicle is different. For example, we could Detail a Toyota Camry this week that is just averagely dirty, and we could Detail a Toyota Camry next week that is extremely dirty. A Detail job on each one takes a completely different amount of time to complete. Therefore, even though they are the exact same car, we CANNOT charge the same price for both, even though they’re the same vehicle. To help us give the client a more specific price, we like to have a quick conversation with them and get a better idea of the condition of their particular vehicle, and the results they’re looking to achieve. We will then give the vehicle a 1-5 rating based on the interior’s condition and how much time we think we’ll have in the job. Interiors, being more tedious, generally take more time than exteriors. Therefore, the pricing list below is a very generalized, AVERAGE pricing range. But it is at least an anchor for you to get a general idea of the price range your vehicle will be in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/8b60fdd1-f6a2-4e72-8d17-996694e62065/exterior+detailing+kokomo.JPG Exterior Detailing Pricing - Exterior Detail Pricing: -Mini Cars: $40 - $180 -Two Door Roadsters: $45 - $190 -Sub Compact Cars: $50 -$200 -Compact Cars: $55 - $210 -Mid Size Cars: $60 - $220 -Full Size Cars: $65 - $230 -Compact Crossovers: $70 - $240 -MidSize Crossovers & Compact SUVs: $80 - $250 -Full Size Crossovers & Mid Size SUVs : $90 - $260 -Full Size SUVs: $100 - $270 -XL SUVs: $125 - $280 -Compact Trucks: -Single Cab: $60 - $200 -Extended Cab: $65 - $205 -Crew Cab: $70 - $210 Mid Size Trucks: -Single Cab: $65 -$220 -Extended Cab: $70 - $225 -Crew Cab: $75 - $230 -Full Size Trucks: -Single Cab: $70 - $240 -Extended Cab: $75 - $245 -Crew Cab: $80 - $250 3/4 Ton & 1 Ton Trucks: -Single Cab: $75 - $260 -Extended Cab: $80 -$265 -Crew Cab: $85 - $270 15 Passenger Vans: $120 - $400 https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/paint-correction-pricing daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/e5c502b8-681b-4fc5-862f-7081eced4dc0/paint+correction+4.jpg Paint Correction Pricing - Without Ceramic Coating: We normally perform Paint Correction in preparation for long term Ceramic Coating application. But in the off chance that you would like some Paint Correction done on your vehicle without a Ceramic Coating applied afterwards, we’ve got you covered! Below, you’ll find a generalized Paint Correction price list based on vehicle size and condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/8e174a97-b896-4c7b-b3d8-9d133fb8c3d6/IMG_1655.jpeg Paint Correction Pricing - Paint Correction Prices: -1 Stage Paint Enhancement: $230 - $500 -2 Stage Paint Correction: $330 - $1,000 -3 Stage Paint Correction: $430 - $1,500 https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/ceramic-coating-pricing daily 0.75 2024-02-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/76dddc8e-5e4a-4c49-809c-e7db6ba46deb/ceramic+coaing+prep.JPG Ceramic Coating Pricing - What Am I Paying For? Once again, in order to properly apply a Ceramic Coating, the vehicle needs to be properly cleaned, stripped bare of any and all contaminants, Paint Enhanced or Corrected, then finally the Ceramic Coating can be applied. Therefore, you’re paying for a full exterior Detail, a Paint Enhancement/Correction process, and then the Actual Ceramic coating application. All three processes combined can be rather time consuming. Not only is the Professional Grade Ceramic Coating itself more expensive than a Retail Grade Ceramic Coating, a good amount of the cost is also in the labor itself, as well as the expertise of the installer. Below, you’ll find our generalized Ceramic Coating pricing list that is based on Coating longevity and vehicle size. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/9ee4532a-3f65-4b82-9bb8-e36957e7aa00/car+ceramic+coating.jpg Ceramic Coating Pricing - Automotive Ceramic Coating Prices: -3yr Ceramic Coating: $800 - $1,000 -No Warranty -Registers With CarFax -6yr Ceramic Coating: $1,200 - $2,000 -6yr Warranty -Registers With CarFax -10yr Ceramic Coating: $1,600 - $3,000 -10yr Warranty -Registers With CarFax -Wheel Ceramic Coating: $100 - $300 -Lasts Up To 3 Years -No Warranty -Registers With CarFax -Glass Ceramic Coating: $100 - $450 -Lasts Up To 2 Years -No Warranty -Registers With CarFax -Plastic Trim Ceramic Coating: ? -Restores Plastic Trim -Price TBD Upon Inspection -No Warranty -Does NOT Register With CarFax -Interior Ceramic Coating: $150-$450 -Lasts Up To 2 Years -No Warranty -Registers With CarFax https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/61ebfce1-dbde-416b-a696-765bdfdc703f/boat+ceramic+coating.jpg Ceramic Coating Pricing - Marine Ceramic Coating Prices: -2yr Marine Exterior Ceramic Coating: $40/Ft -No Warranty -Does Not Register With CarFax -10yr Marine Ceramic Coating: $80/ft -10 Lifetime Warranty -Registers With CarFax -2yr Glass Ceramic Coating: $5/SqFt -No Warranty -Registers With CarFax -2yr Interior Ceramic Coating: $50 - $1,000+ -No Warranty -Registers With CarFax -2yr Plastic Trim Ceramic Coating: ? -Restores Plastic Trim -Price TBD Upon Inspection -No Warranty -Does NOT Register With CarFax https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/477915ae-b6e7-4f8e-b988-3f58b57c9235/aircraft+ceramic+coating.jpg Ceramic Coating Pricing - Aircraft Ceramic Coating Prices: -10 Year Aircraft Ceramic Coating: -Fuselage: $60/Ft -Wings, Fins, & Engines: $4/SqFt -Lifetime Warranty -Registers With CarFax https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/specialty-add-on-pricing daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/1a00ed34-60e7-464c-8f56-af663a874e27/leather+conditioner2.jpg Specialty Add-On Pricing - Interior Add-On Prices: -Leather Conditioning Treatment: $8.00 per seat (any other leather surface is included complimentary, like center console lids, etc.) -Fabric & Carpet Protectant: $5.00 per seat, $4.00 per foot area, & $10.00 for trunks & rear hatch areas https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/92e8180c-c606-4cf8-a4e8-cd00e2cd5eb8/IMG_1645.jpeg Specialty Add-On Pricing - Exterior Add-On Prices: -Engine Bay Clean & Dress: $35.00 -Headlight/Taillight Restoration: $75.00 per light -Plastic Trim Restoration: Price Determined Upon Vehicle Inspection -Wash The Inside Of Truck Bed: $25.00 -Aluminum Wheel Polishing: $60.00 per wheel -Exhaust Tip Polishing: $5.00 per diametric inch per tip https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/maintenance-detail-program daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/f6b235fc-7a1f-4e9f-b932-7e043acf2d86/IMG_1629.jpeg Maintenance Detail Program - What Is It? Over the years, we have noticed that our main clientele usually has their vehicle completely detailed every 6 to 12 months on average. We will detail their vehicle, it will stay clean for a few weeks, then it will just start getting dirtier and dirtier, as time goes on, until they finally notice, “Hey, my car is getting really dirty again. I better call my detailer and set up another appointment.” By the time we receive their vehicle again, their car is so dirty, that it requires another lengthy full detail in order to get it back in shape. So we got thinking. What if we offered an affordable maintenance detail program that would maintain that original full detail and KEEP their vehicle clean throughout the course of the year, instead of the usual clean-to-dirty cycle. After all, the cleaner the vehicle is when we see it, the easier it is to clean, and the less time we have in labor, the more money the client saves. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/2288f170-6b70-402d-9f58-b4a2a55862d6/IMG_1649.jpeg Maintenance Detail Program - Who is it for? Our exclusive Maintenance Detail Program is specifically designed for two types of clients… 1.) The client who wants to KEEP their vehicle cleaner than just once or twice per year. This type of client may also have more than one vehicle to drive, making it more feasible for them to drop their vehicle off for a day. *Disclaimer: Our Maintenance Detail Program is set to a strict 4-6 week rotation, based on how often the vehicle is driven. Any services provided outside of that 4-6 week window will be subject to our regular Full Detail pricing. 2.) The client who has recently purchased one of our professional grade Ceramic Coating applications, but doesn’t have the time to keep up with the weekly to bi-weekly wash & decontamination that is suggested to help ensure that the Coating last as long as advertised. *Disclaimer: Our Ceramic Maintenance Detail Program is set to a strict 4 to 6 week rotation, based on how often the vehicle is driven. This timeline is based on the effects of the harmful contaminants previously mentioned on the “Ceramic Coatings” page of our website. Any services provided outside of that 4-6 week window will be subject to our regular Full Detail pricing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/55231766-ba76-4222-b231-a447b2c67184/IMG_1641.jpeg Maintenance Detail Program - What Does It Look Like? Our Maintenance Detail Program is designed so that the client’s vehicle STAYS CLEAN, instead of the dreaded clean-to-dirty cycle. Therefore, in order for that to happen, we will see the vehicle every 4 to 6 weeks, depending how often the vehicle is driven, to perform a quick interior & exterior maintenance detail job, taking no more than 3 hours for cars, & 5 hours for trucks & SUVs, rather than a lengthy 10 to 17 hour full detail job. This allows us to keep up with the client’s lifestyle, keeping all areas of the vehicle clean enough, often enough to prevent any permanent damage or dirtiness from reaching any area of the vehicle’s interior or exterior. *Disclaimer: Our Maintenance Detail Program is set to a strict 4-6 week rotation, based on how often the vehicle is driven. Any services provided outside of that 4-6 week window will be subject to our regular Full Detail pricing. https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/auto-detailing daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/86b457ff-3767-4118-a51a-2cae9013a101/IMG_1650.jpeg Auto Detailing - Interior Detailing Includes: -Dash, Vents, Gauges, Steering Wheel, All Infotainment Screens & Controls, All HVAC Controls, Console, Compartments, & Cup Holders -All Door Panels, Door Handles, Storage Pockets, & Controls -All Pillars, Door Sill Panels, & Kick Panels -All Seats (leather, vinyl, or cloth), Seat Controls, Seat Panels, & Under Seat Storage Compartments -All Seat Tracks, Seat Brackets, & Under Workings (where we can reach) -Seat Belts (if needed) & Buckles -Floor Mats -Carpets -Headliner (if needed), Headliner Mounted Controls & Lights, Sun Visors & Mirrors -All Interior Windos & Mirrors -Inside Of The Trunk/Hatch Area https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/e1e475e3-5375-4156-9b2f-7e1217f08771/IMG_1659.jpeg Auto Detailing - Exterior Detailing Includes: -Foam Pre-Wash -Standard Agitation Wash -Wheels, Tires, & Wheel Wells -Bug Removal -Grime Removal -Tar Removal -Iron Particle Removal -Door Jambs, Trunk Jambs, Tailgate Jambs -Clay Bar Process -Dry -Tire Dressing -6 Month Graphene Sealant https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/c2ebd6ca-5ee4-4c53-849f-16b4153919f0/engine+bay+detailing.jpg Auto Detailing - Specialty Add-Ons: Interior Add-Ons: -Basic Leather/Vinyl Conditioning Treatment -Basic Fabric & Carpet Protectant -Premium Interior Ceramic Coating (most surfaces) Exterior Add-Ons: -Engine Bay Clean & Dress -Headlight/Taillight Restoration -Plastic Trim Restoration -Wash The Inside Of Truck Bed -Aluminum Wheel Polishing -Exhaust Tip Polishing https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/ceramic-coatings daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/1845a662-77dc-46eb-aa0f-b02a859ed23b/IMG_1654.jpeg Ceramic Coatings - What Is A Ceramic Coating? Aside from pricey Paint Protection Films, Ceramic coatings are the auto detailing industry’s newest and best form of automotive protection. Gone are the days of traditional waxes that only provide a few weeks of protection at best. Generally speaking, a ceramic coating is a layer of liquid Silicon Dioxide (basically glass) that gets applied to the entire exterior of your vehicle’s paint, glass, and other surfaces. Once it’s cured, the Ceramic Coating has hardened to become slick, durable, and resistant to most harmful elements. Not only do ceramic coatings give an unmatched rich, glossy appearance to the car’s paint, but a Ceramic Coating is designed to last somewhere between 3 and 7+ years depending on the Coating you choose. Ceramic Coatings have been formulated to provide exceptional long term protection, while maintaining extraordinary gloss and shine! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/7b0d1274-7398-4b9b-9ec7-7fbd45190486/IMG_1653.jpeg Ceramic Coatings - How Does A Ceramic Coating Work? Now that the vehicle has been properly cleaned, decontaminated, and we’ve created a smooth surface through Paint Correction, it’s finally time to apply the Ceramic Coating! A small applicator pad is used to apply a thin layer of the liquid silicon dioxide solution to the paint. It is applied in a cross-hatch pattern, in small sections at a time. Once applied, it is then left for a few moments to properly bond to the clear coat. Once the product has bonded, it will begin to display an iridescent appearance. At this point, the Coating gets carefully buffed away with a designated microfiber towel, then any excess product gets buffed away with a second, plush microfiber towel. What’s left is a thin, crystal clear, layer of the Ceramic Coating that has bonded to the clear coat. Once the Ceramic Coating has been applied to the entire vehicle, it is left to sit for up to 24 hours in order to properly cure. Once the Coating has fully cured to the vehicle, it now has years of protection. The extreme hydrophobic properties of Ceramic Coatings are designed to repel and protect against everything that touches the paint from the outside world: bird droppings, bugs, rain, pollen, light surface scratches, and much more. Ceramic Coatings exist in order to keep all of those things from damaging the factory clear coat. While normal auto detailing services can help clean and protect the paint temporarily, Ceramic Coatings form a glossy shield that protects your investment until the day it’s traded in which means more money in your pocket! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/8e97b1c9-6c72-4bd8-b544-be65ded61a49/ceramic+coaing+prep.JPG Ceramic Coatings - Why Are Ceramic Coatings So Expensive? A canister of Professional Grade Ceramic Coating can cost upwards of a few hundred dollars. Most vehicles will use one to two cans of the product, depending on their size. So, there is a decent cost in just the product itself. That’s not including the cost of all the other products needed to properly clean & decontaminate vehicle and correct the paint before the coating can be applied. That brings us to the actual labor involved. In order for a Ceramic Coating to properly bond to the vehicle’s clear coat, that vehicle needs to be as clean and defect free as possible. Therefore, it requires a full exterior detail & decontamination, and a full Paint Correction process. Each of those processes can take several hours a piece to accomplish. The application of the Ceramic Coating itself will usually add several hours as well. Depending on the size of the vehicle, the entire process could actually take a total 2 to 4 days, with cure time. Lastly, in order to be able to install PROFESSIONAL GRADE Ceramic Coatings, we have to be certified through a specific Professional Grade Coating company. We chose one of the top tier companies in the world, SystemX Ceramics. In order to get certified through them, they put us through some serious training. In fact, we spent about 90 days going through the most reputable professional Paint Correction and Ceramic Coating training there is. Not to mention all of the practice that followed. So at the end of the day, we are also charging for our expertise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/2bfdea95-2d69-4840-ab21-ea5d7756f50f/ceramic+coating+grades.JPG Ceramic Coatings - What Do I Need To Know About The Ceramic Coating Business? In the auto detailing industry, there are 2 main ceramic coating categories: Retail/Consumer Grade Ceramic Coatings Professional Grade Ceramic Coatings THEY ARE NOT THE SAME! While having a place and still being highly respected in the auto detailing industry, RETAIL GRADE Ceramic Coatings only have about half the thickness, half the durability, and half the lifespan of professional grade Ceramic Coatings. Like we mentioned in the last section, in order for an Auto Detailing business to apply PROFESSIONAL GRADE Ceramic Coatings, they must be certified through a specific Professional Grade Coating company. However, that can be rather difficult for a small business to pull off, because it requires a good amount of time, finances, and resources to be pulled away from the day to day operations of the business in order to focus on the training. There are two ways that a business can get around having to do this. One way that a businesses can do this, is by sub-contracting their Ceramic Coating jobs out to a Professional Grade Ceramic Coating installer, and simply just marking up the price on their end, in order to maintain a profit. Since it’s not easy to get certified, this practice is becoming quite common, and widely accepted throughout the industry. The second way that a business can get around being certified, is by simply applying RETAIL GRADE Ceramic Coatings and just charging the cost of a Professional Grade Ceramic Coating. It is rather easy, however, to find out how an Auto Detailing business handles their Ceramic Coating jobs. Simply ask who exactly is applying the Coating, and ask what brand the Coating itself is. If you can personally go online to that specific brand’s website and purchase that Ceramic Coating yourself, it is a RETAIL GRADE Ceramic Coating. Brass Tack Designs is 100% certified in all areas and we are here to provide this community with a superior experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/54bf5ee9-2181-44c1-b801-c61119e275f5/dirty+ceramic+coating.JPG Ceramic Coatings - What Do I Need To Understand About Ceramic Coating Durability & Maintenance? Lets talk for a second about the 2 biggest misconceptions surrounding Ceramic Coatings. The first misconception is that Ceramic Coatings are a completely impenetrable barrier for your vehicle. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Ceramic Coatings are designed to protect your vehicle from mother nature’s elements and regular driving conditions. However, they CAN be scratched through with something hard enough, they CAN be chipped by rocks & debris, and they can be prematurely worn down with lack of maintenance and/or improper maintenance. That brings us to our second misconception… The second misconception is that Ceramic Coatings are a “set it and forget it” barrier for your vehicle. This is simply just false. Because Ceramic Coatings take a beating from the elements and many different driving conditions, they can get clogged with contaminants. If not properly removed on a weekly to bi-weekly basis, these contaminants can dramatically affect the Coating’s lifespan. Therefore, depending on how often your vehicle is driven, your Ceramic Coating could actually require a decent amount of regular, proper maintenance in order to last as long as advertised. A series of weekly maintenance hand washes and monthly exterior Maintenance Details will ensure that your Ceramic Coating will last as long as advertised. Through years of experience, we have found, that on daily driven vehicles, there is a certain type of contaminant that can quickly degrade a coating in as little as 5 short weeks. These contaminants are extremely corrosive, microscopic iron particulates. These particulates usually come from brake dust, exhaust carbon, train rail dust, and basic iron fallout in the air. These itty bitty bad guys are the most common form of automotive exterior contaminant, yet they’re rarely discussed. What makes them the most dangerous, however, is that they are basically invisible. So they’re doing damage to your Ceramic Coating without you even knowing. Once they land on the surface of your vehicle, they can fully attach themselves to the Ceramic Coating within just 24 hours. Once they have attached themselves to the Coating, they begin to corrode into it. If not properly removed, these little guys can corrode all the way through your Ceramic Coating within just 5 weeks. At that point, they have left a tiny hole in the Coating that will quickly grow, creating a failure point in the Coating. So if you have hundreds of these particulates on any given panel of your vehicle, you can imagine how quickly they can degrade a Ceramic Coating. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/9fbc0d63-9667-4beb-bb22-35715d6fdf84/IMG_0249.jpg https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/paint-correction daily 0.75 2024-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/168b7397-17f4-45e7-8dcf-a85d8edb39f0/paint+correction+3.jpg Paint Correction - What Is It? Previously referred to as “buffing,” paint correction refers to the process of using a new age, top of the line, dual action polishing machine to polish away as many defects from the vehicle’s clear coat as possible. Generally speaking, here’s how it works… Since swirls and scratches in the clear coat CANNOT simply be “filled in,” the area on top of, and around the scratch must be cut down. Think of it like a rough sawn table top that gets sanded down to create a super smooth finish to the naked eye. This is the same concept, but instead of using a sander and sand paper, we’re using a polishing machine, a polishing pad, and an abrasive polish. Depending on the thickness of a particular vehicle’s clear coat, how badly the clear coat is damaged, and how far the client wants to correct it, will determine how many steps will be involved. Now that you have a general idea of what paint correction is, you can click the button below to get pricing, or you can scroll down to learn more about what the different paint correction steps entail! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/45953d9b-9eb4-466a-a4cd-4a137326a436/paint+correction+4.jpg Paint Correction - Paint Correction Steps Paint correction can be anywhere between 1 and 3 stages depending on the variables previously explained in the last section. Generally speaking, the 3 main stages consist of using a heavy cutting polish, a medium cutting polish, and a mild finishing polish. Most of the vehicles we come across only require 1 to 2 stages, but the option for that 3rd stage is always there just incase. So to make it easy for ourselves and for the client, we like to break it down into 2 main categories, paint enhancement and actual paint correction. Paint Enhancement is when we just need to perform 1 stage, using our mild finishing polish and a soft foam cutting pad to “enhance” the paint. This process will remove some of the light surface level scratches & swirls and leave behind an unbelievable glossy finish. Depending on the vehicle’s age, along with some other variables, many clients are happy with this one step. However, some clients want to go a little deeper and remove even more swirls and scratches. That’s where actual paint correction comes in… Paint Correction is what we refer to as anything beyond that one stage paint enhancement. If we feel like the one stage enhancement will still leave behind several random isolated deeper swirls and scratches, we will move into a 2 stage, and rarely, a 3 stage paint correction process to fix some of those deeper, more visible scratches. Keep in mind, in this process, we are essentially “sanding” and removing a layer of the vehicle’s clear coat down to the bottom of the deepest scratch. With that said, we do not want to remove too much of that important, protective clear coat. Some scratches can reach rather deep into the clear coat, leaving us to have a conversation with the client to come up with an educated and mutual decision on how deep we want to correct. Occasionally, a scratch will be deep enough to reach all the way through the clear coat and into the actual paint, primer, or even the bare metal of that panel. In that case, the scratch cannot be corrected and will require the re-painting of that particular panel in order to make it go away. Either way, by the end of the paint enhancement/correction process, your vehicle’s paint will look better than it ever has, with an unbelievable glossy, wet look! https://www.brasstackdesigns.com/maintenance-detail-pricing daily 0.75 2024-08-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/3fde17d9-c974-4147-9090-4a6a2c8af710/IMG_1631.jpeg Maintenance Detail Pricing - Maintenance Detail Pricing: There are several variables that affect the pricing for this program. The size of the vehicle, the vehicle’s condition, the client’s budget, and the client’s lifestyle, are just a few. Every client’s situation is different. Therefore, we generally like to have a conversation with the client about setting up a personalized Maintenance Detail Program for their vehicle to get a better idea of what it’s going to cost. However, we have put together a very generalized pricing list as an anchor for you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61b3b1952c8d9875af323d9e/848ad95d-7f87-4da6-ad3b-ff73f6f49a96/IMG_1633.jpeg Maintenance Detail Pricing - Maintenance Detail Pricing (per visit) -Mini Cars: $40 - $60 -Two Door Roadsters: $45 - $65 -Sub Compact Cars: $50 -$70 -Compact Cars: $55 - $75 -Mid Size Cars: $60 - $80 -Full Size Cars: $65 - $85 -Compact Crossovers: $70 - $90 -MidSize Crossovers & Compact SUVs: $80 - $100 -Full Size Crossovers & Mid Size SUVs : $90 - $110 -Full Size SUVs: $100 - $120 -XL SUVs: $125 - $145 -Compact Trucks: -Single Cab: $60 - $80 -Extended Cab: $65 - $85 -Crew Cab: $70 - $90 Mid Size Trucks: -Single Cab: $65 -$85 -Extended Cab: $70 - $90 -Crew Cab: $75 - $95 -Full Size Trucks: -Single Cab: $70 - $90 -Extended Cab: $75 - $95 -Crew Cab: $80 - $100 3/4 Ton & 1 Ton Trucks: -Single Cab: $75 - $95 -Extended Cab: $80 -$100 -Crew Cab: $85 - $105 15 Passenger Vans: $120 - $140