We’ve all experienced the joy of driving a brand new car for the first time. There’s something about the way the paintwork shines and how a new car smells that make it really satisfying even if you’re just slowly cruising down the street. And that’s probably why we bring our cars to detailers to get it polished and waxed from time to time, to keep it looking just like new. There’s no point driving a nice car with all the horsepower in the world if it lacks that finesse to turn heads. Think about it, a beater car modified with aftermarket parts may have the same amount of horsepower as a supercar, but does it really stir the same emotions when you see one coming down the street?
Darren Chang, Founder of Autodetailer. Photo by Jason Lee.
Unlike most teenagers that grew up with a love of fast cars, Darren Chang, the Technical Director of Autodetailer in Petaling Jaya, was obsessed with keeping cars spick and span. When he was a young boy, Chang learned how to wash, polish and wax his car from his father. In college, he got a yellow 1972 VW Beetle and spent most of his free time learning how to work with old paint, clean the interiors and restore the shine to chrome. Today, Chang has been running Autodetailer for 14 years and his clients’ cars range from classic vintage automobiles to the latest sportscars. Each of them trusts Chang with bringing out the best in their vehicles, making him the right person to talk to for this month’s The Peak Expert.
02 FRESH COAT
When it comes to painting your car, do it right or don’t do it at all.
Make sure your detailer knows exactly what paint they are working with before doing anything else. There are special tools that use ultrasonic technology to determine everything, from thickness to the type of paint used on a car.
Stripping the car down to its frame is the best way to ensure a uniform coat. If you don’t remove everything, sometimes you will see the painter’s gun stop at certain points to avoid the non-painted surfaces, which can result in an undesirable texture.
To achieve the best results in painting, the old paint should first be removed. They should start painting from the bare metal frame. 04 Additional layers of clear coating do not necessarily mean better protection for your car. Clear coats are solvent based, so seven extra layers will not mean the coat will last seven times longer.
