Local pro says detailing not just for exotic or expensive cars

Two years ago, Curtis Rands was in the car with his mother. They were driving home from a local church gathering. As they passed the Chevron on Peace Portal Drive in downtown Blaine, Rands noticed a Rolls Royce parked at the gas station. Rands turned to his mother and said, “Mom, I’m going to detail that Rolls Royce.”

Despite feeling a little intimidated, Rands went to the Chevron and approached Mike Hill, the car’s owner. They ended up striking up a long conversation, and they reached an agreement whereby Rands would polish all of Hill’s other cars as well. “It started me out on a journey,” said Rands.

Rands is now 32 years old. He has been detailing cars since he was 21, but only recently did he start his detailing business, The Detailist, in Blaine. It offers mobile detailing services, which means that he can come work on your car wherever it is in Whatcom County. His business offers three different packages depending on your needs.

Stage 1 is a full interior and exterior detail focused on cleaning and protecting as many surfaces as possible within a three to four hour timeframe. At $249, this treatment is recommended two to four times per year. “Stage 1 is designed to be a detail for everybody, and the price is incredibly affordable,” said Rands.

Steam will be used on the interior if needed, and the clay bar method would be used. Clay bars are pieces of clay that feel like Play-Doh but are designed for vehicles; after you wash the car, once the majority of dirt and grime is removed, you use this clay that lays flat on the surface. It shaves off any particulates that have bonded onto the vehicle’s surface. “The goal of Stage 1 is to refresh the car and apply good wax or sealant to the car. It’s a very, very affordable complete detail,” said Rands.

Stage 2 is a more thorough treatment that aims to restore your vehicle’s finish back to its appearance when it was first purchased. At $1,099, this treatment is recommended once every two to four years. “Stage 2 is designed for someone who, after three or five years, they want their car to look and feel new again,” said Rands. “It’s when you bring in the polishing and compounding if needed, and applying some protective coatings to it. You’re really bringing it back to a new car feeling.”

Compounding is a reference to the use of compounds, which Rands compares to a skin care product that removes dead skin from your face. But instead of removing dead skin, it removes a thin layer of the clear coat on the car. “The purpose of compound is to remove scratches and defects and to improve clarity,” said Rands.

Stage 3 consists of the application of world-class ceramic coatings to the exterior of your vehicle. “Stage 3 is when you have a brand new car and you want to protect it with the ceramic coating for five years, or bring back the new car look and feel,” said Rands.

Ceramic coatings are relatively new inventions that are much tougher than a typical wax or sealant. The molecules of the ceramic coatings are more tightly bound together, which creates a hard shell that is three times more durable than the clear coat on the car. “It pretty much keeps the vehicle looking brand new for five years,” said Rands. “It’s a way of protecting an investment.” At $2,999, this treatment is usually reserved for luxury or exotic vehicles.

But even if you don’t have a luxury vehicle, there is nothing like having that new car feeling all over again. “Professionally detailing your car makes your vehicle look and feel brand new again,” said Rands. “It’s that feeling that people are really craving.”