I'm a life-long car guy and I recently purchased a 2014 GMC Acadia SLT with tons of options (from…read moreCarter Chevrolet). The only problem I had were several small dings and a couple of small dents. The original sticker on this truck was close to $50K! I've never put that many blemishes on all my cars put together -- and I've owned several Cadillacs, a few muscle cars, trucks and vans, five Corvettes, and a '32 Ford Highboy Roadster that won its Class at the Grand National Roadster Show in 2003.
Enter Al Harmsen at Mobile Detailing, in Vernon. I was referred to him by my long-time pals at National Speed Center, just a few miles away in Manchester. The worst dent was right in the middle of the rear lift-gate, right on the lower body line, and it stuck out like a sore thumb. Thanks to Al, it's damn near undetectable. Another really difficult thing that also stood out badly was a "soft" impression-type crease on the passenger-side rear door. There were no outward signs of impact, but it appeared like something (or someone) large just leaned against it, causing a long wave above the body line and also one below. That's gone, too, thanks to Al's careful expertise.
Granted, I still have a few minor "issues," that I asked Al not to mess with, since I also bought (what I call) the "Love Butter" treatment from Carter, which is a surface treatment that's supposed to make waxing it a thing of the past (for the life of the vehicle). I used to wash all my cars by hand. I'd detail them, use Mother's Clay Bar to remove surface contaminants followed by a nice coat of Mother's Carnuba Wax, and just love 'em in general. Regardless of how much horsepower my cars have had, I drive them gently, too. But I'm a bit older now. And since it's Spring, I'm having a tough time keeping up with all the nasty-colored pollen that keeps landing on it. "Stuff happens," right?
In the past, I've worked at the area's most prestigious Cadillac Dealership (10 years), Auto Paint Distributors (five or so), the largest Oldsmobile Dealership (a few more), and been the Editor of Popular Hot Rodding Magazine, Drag Racing USA, and Drag Racer (almost 20 years). I speak from experience when I tell you that Al Harmsen is very well schooled in all the various substrates present in today's vehicles -- sheet metal, stainless, aluminum, hard plastic, soft urethane, leather, vinyl, and more. That very schooling has given him the experience and the knowledge necessary to make virtually any kind of repair your car may need.
He also specializes in "Plastic Welding," a process that addresses rips and tears in soft urethane bumpers, facias, and filler panels. Not everyone does this, because not everyone has the proper (spelled expensive) equipment to do it. You'd be surprised to learn just how many dings, dents, spots, and blemishes are actually repairable in today's high-tech world. Even if your problem area needs paint touch-up or blending, Al can handle those concerns, too. In short, Al Harmsen at Mobile Detailing can cure all sorts of concerns you might have regarding your daily ride. Protect your investment and get those issues handled. After all, 'tis the season!
