The vehicles we drive ideally would like to be at room temperature. So, when temperatures start getting in the 90′s, our cars and trucks may encounter some problems.

“Summer heat affects a lot of things. It affects your tires, it affects the viscosity of oil it affects the cooling of your vehicle and usually batteries tend to take a hit during the summer as well as in the winter,” says Bob Oien of Tires, Tires, Tires.

The summer heat will not only wear at your interior but it can also lead to some more expensive problems.

Driving with the A/C blasting on a hot summer day can really load the engine and can lower your gas efficiency.

“Some things you want to check just be aware of your oil, make sure it is full, make sure the viscosity is correct for summer because you’re idling and your air is on which tends to harm that motor when it’s not correct,” says Oien.

The hot sun isn’t the only thing that affects cars in the summer time but also things associated with season such as tar, tree sap and bugs can seriously stain or remove the finish of your paint job.

“You want to every once and awhile put wax on it or put the wax on that comes through the car wash and just wash your car often,” says Scott McCormick of Mac’s Speedy Auto Wash.

But with a little bit of TLC all of these problems can be prevented and you’ll be able to keep your car in mint condition.

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JONESBORO, AR (KAIT) – When you step outside you are greeted by the heat and humidity. When you open the door to your vehicle, the heat can take your breath away. But tinting your windows can help to some degree.

Rodney Horne, owner of Union Glass said, “It blocks some sunlight, but the black film actually heats up. If the vehicle is not running it’s actually going to be just as hot.”

Horne said the black film absorbs the sun’s radiation instead of reflecting it. However, it does keep the car somewhat cooler, especially once the air conditioner has been running. But there are different types of film available.

“If your film has any reflection to it, the reflection will reflect a lot of heat. It stops the solar absorption through the glass,” said Horne.

If you get pulled over by the police and you have tinted windows, how do they know whether your tinting is legal or not?

Jonesboro Police Sergeant Steve McDaniel said, “It’s pretty apparent to a police officer when a car window is heavily tinted. So it will catch their attention.”

McDaniel said a police officer can’t tell what the exact light transmission is, but they have a tool that can.

He said, “What we have are some devices that we can actually slide down over the window that measure the light transmission.”

According to McDaniel, all 50 states have some sort of tint law in place. What does the Arkansas law say?

“You must have at least 25% light transmission on the side windows of the vehicle. Now on the rear-most window of the car, you must have at least 10% light transmission,” said McDaniel.

The law also states that you may have a strip of tinting on your front windshield, but it can’t extend more than five inches from the top center of the windshield.

McDaniel said tinting laws are in place for a reason.

He said, “It’s a big safety issue for a police officer to be able to walk up to a vehicle and be able to see in and see what’s going on inside the vehicle.”

If your window is tinted beyond the legal limit, McDaniel said you would receive a citation and have to go to court.

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If you shop around, you can find services that will do the job for as little as $100. Sounds like a great deal, right? Well, in most cases, you could do the same job yourself in a few hours.

Here’s a few areas that separate professional service from average detail service:

Carpet and upholstery stains. Pro shops can remove just about every stain (food, food dye, oil, dirt, cola, tea, coffee, blood, etc.). Amateurs usually scrub them with carpet cleaner once–if it doesn’t come out, they move on.

Nooks and crannies. Pros shops use compressed air to clean deep in vents, cup holders, map pockets, under seats, inside door pulls, inside emergency brake sockets, between seats, etc. All those places you can’t clean with your vacuum cleaner.

Dry interiors. One common mistake amateurs make is leaving too much shampoo in carpets and seats! Pro shops use minimal amounts of shampoo or use a steamer to ensure that when you pick up your car, it is completely dry. There’s no excuse for asking a customer to “air their car out” after a detail.

Dirt and moss in exterior window seals, panel gaps, cowls…anywhere dirt tends to settle and can’t be removed with a car wash. Every pro shop uses a pressure washer and makes it part of their process to blast into these tight spots where dirt settles and lives on the outside of your car. I should add emblems as a dirt trap as well.

Swirl free compounding and polishing. If you own a dark car in particular, beware economy services that will put harsh swirls in your paint, then fill them with wax. The car may look brilliant when you pick it up, but when the wax washes away…you will get dizzy looking at your car in the sun.

“Problem” cars. Some cars have unique issues including: excessive pet hair, oxidized paint, water spots on windows, urine stains, food odor, dog odor, tobacco odor, heavily stained wheels, and mold. Small budget, cheap price simply don’t have the equipment to fix these problems that are expected of a professional.

Proper engine cleaning. Engine cleaning is relatively easy to do, and relatively easy to do wrong! Trusting your engine (and all its sensitive electricals) to an inexperienced detailer could cost you thousands. And what’s the likelihood they have insurance when it happens?

The details. Is the radio blasting? Your heater on high? Mirrors rearranged? Was the spare tire cleaned in the trunk? Are there smears on the windows? Does the owner have bad breath? Was the sunroof not cleaned? Did they deliver on time? Did they write down your concerns? These are the small details that make dealing with a company EASY or dealing with a company a HASSLE. The established shops get these details RIGHT and that’s why they can ask for higher prices year after year and stay in business.

You may luck out and find that one budget service that does the job right. But more than likely, some significant work will be skipped or ignored and you’re likely to have problems with delivery times, customer service, etc. You don’t get your car detailed often, so why not pay $50 – $100 extra for a job that goes smoothly and correctly?

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We hesitate to call our new spray polish “revolutionary”, as many products are introduced with immense hype and marketing with a claim of “revolutionary”. However, this patent-pending new polish was born from our work with a major car manufacturer. In the development of a product for a specific car plant, we came across a new way to formulate a buffing product. We needed to brainstorm and solve particular problem in regards to the issues the car paint was having and the result was a spray polish! What we saw was conventional paste type products did not cover the entire buffing pad. When used on a wet sanded area at the plant after wet sanding, the pad itself was leaving marring, essentially from areas of dry buffing. Also the pad would get clogged from too much polish being in the middle of the pad, leading to premature replacement of the pad on the factory line which costs more money. We solved these issues with a spray polish! Once we solved their problems, we decided to develop a version of this polish for the detail and body shop industry.

It was a daunting task to develop something that has never been done before, but we were up to the challenge. We worked tirelessly for over a year and through hundreds of samples and proto-types, along with hundreds of hours of testing. In the end, we have hit the market with a polish that is truly one of a kind, and not only innovative and revolutionary, but hopefully the best you have ever seen. So, here is why we think you will LOVE it

Optimum hyper spray polish

A polish in a spray form that will quickly and permanently remove swirl marks. The result in the second step of our “paint perfect” system is unparalleled brilliance, clarity and gloss. There is NEVER a need for a 3rd step, even on blacks. This polish is buttery smooth and the most user friendly product you will ever use. The advantages are numerous and the disadvantages are none.

*
Spray form means easy application. The Optimum Hyper spray polish is thin enough to spray from a bottle but thick enough to stick to the surface
* Spray it on a pad directly or spray it onto the panel you are working on
* Spray form ensures the entire pad gets covered with polish and the pad will not get clogged and no dry buffing!
* Absolutely body shop safe and paint-able and VOC compliant.
* Superior gloss and clarity, buttery smooth, and tremendous range in cutting ability
* Can be used in the sun. Super long working time and it will not dry up, get hazy and crusty!
* Approved for car plant use and has passed multiple plant trials on various versions of clear coats.
* A little product goes a long way. An 18 ounce bottle will last as long as a quart of the traditional products and you get to use every last drop.
* The product NEVER gives up! Its uniform structure will keep cutting as long as you need it to while NEVER over-correcting and removing too much paint.
* Absolutely ZERO dust! If you are used to dust getting all over the place and accepting that as part of the process, you don’t have to anymore. This is the cleanest product you will ever see
* Don’t be fooled by the spray bottle. This polish is aggressive and still finishes to perfection
* Adjustable by your buffing style. Used with higher RPM and more pressure results in a fast cut, while easing the speed and pressure turns it into a finishing polish.
* Easy wipe up and removal, and no chalking. The Optimum Hyper spray polish will wipe off easy and not leave a chalky residue and build up in cracks and crevices
* Can be used with ANY buffer and ANY buffing pad. Used with a rotary buffer will yield fast cutting and a great finish and quick swirl removal, while used with an orbital buffer and ANY foam pad will produce a perfect finish
* Optimum hyper spray polish can be used with an orbital buffer to remove, yes remove compounding swirls left behind from a rotary buffer and create a perfect finish.

We could go on and on about what we think of our new product and how great it is. However, our biggest compliment will be the compliments that YOUR customers give you on how great their vehicles now look. We hope you will give our new Optimum hyper spray polish a try

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The tinting project was funded out of building funds at a cost 41 percent less than a bid received in 2006 – when the library first considered the idea.

“Thanks to a more competitive quote and a rebate offer from Dayton Power and Light, we were able to complete this project for approximately $5,000. We expect to recoup those costs, in energy savings, in 5-7 years,” says Facilities Administrator Dave Birch.

In addition to reducing energy usage, and therefore costs, window tinting blocks out almost 99 percent of UV rays. Blocking these rays protects not only carpet, furnishings and books from fading, but protects the skin of library employees and users.

This is just one of several energy conserving steps taken by the library in recent years. Other initiatives like night setback on thermostats, installation of T8 light bulbs, and touch-free faucets all conserve electricity, water and natural gas.

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Here’s a solution. It’s called XENIT (zee-nit) and it’s manufactured by Stoner.

With XENIT, you’ll never again be frustrated trying to remove difficult gunk and grime from surfaces around your home, office, business, or garage. XENIT removes tacky, grimy dirt so well, in most cases you can simply “wipe it away.”

Hundreds of Uses In Your Home, Office, Garage, or Business.
XENIT is such an amazing cleaner, you’ll probably find yourself using it everywhere you live, work, and play. XENIT quickly removes labels, decals, and adhesives from glass, wood, vinyl, and metals.

If you have children, you’ll love how XENIT miraculously removes chewing gum from carpet and upholstery. XENIT easily cleans permanent marker, crayon and lipstick from walls, woodwork, and counter tops. It even removes dried latex paint if accidentally dripped on carpet, flooring, or furniture.

You’ll be surprised at how well XENIT removes shoes cuffs and heel marks from vinyl and wood flooring and greasy dirt from fabrics and upholstery. So, next time you have a sticky, grimy mess, don’t worry. Simply Clean it with XENIT!

Unique Cleaning Power
XENIT’s proprietary formulation does NOT contain soap OR water. You’ll be amazed how quickly and easily XENIT lets you remove the stuff that soap and water can’t clean.

XENIT contains more than five high performance ingredients such as Citrus 66, an all natural, highly refined extract of citrus fruit. Unlike most water-based cleaning agents that are designed to lift and carry dirt, XENIT is specially formulated to break down the complex molecules found in sticky materials. This unique MicroActive cleaning action gives XENIT unequaled abilities to loosen and dissolve difficult grime like tar, grease, gum — even adhesives.

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The April 28 story said bird droppings, bugs, pollen, flower petals and sticky tree substances can all damage a vehicle’s paint finish and owners should have them waxed, washed and vacuumed.

The newspaper said that the ideal time to have a car waxed is when the water stops beading up on the hood. Mike McCalmon, manager at Karmichael Auto Salon in Mukilteo, WA, said in the story, “If there’s no wax protection on there, it’s going to start eating through the clear coat and the actual paint of your car. The No. 1 thing you can do is keep a good wax on it.”

Wayne Rickard, owner of Wayne’s Auto Detailing of Marysville, told readers that a car should be waxed every six months, at least.

The article also said that bird droppings and flower petals should be washed off immediately or they will eat through the paint.

As for vacuuming, McCalmos said in the story, “We see the worst of the worst. We can spend, literally, an entire day just vacuuming a car. If you want to hold the value of your car, you’ve got to maintain that stuff and not let it build up so much.”

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Now’s the time to start thinking about detailing your boat.

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Stoner Invisible Glass Pump Spray is the powerful glass cleaner that more professional detailers reach for than any other auto glass cleaner.
That’s because only Invisible Glass cleans glass and wipes to a streak-free shine. Invisible Glass is safe on window tint; use it on the inside and outside of the glass. Stoner Invisible Glass Pump Spray makes glass so clear, it looks invisible!

Professional detailers swear by Invisible Glass. And why wouldn’t they? After all, it removes dirt, dust, fingerprints, haze, oil, grease, and sap easily from glass. When was the last time you heard of a glass cleaner that could tackle sap! Now, that’s a powerful cleaner.

Not only does Invisible Glass get the job done; like all quality Stoner car care products, it has been formulated for ease of use and to work as quickly as possible, without sacrificing performance.

Enthusiasts overwhelmingly hail Invisible Glass as the best auto glass cleaner they have ever used, and the last one they will ever try! Show car owners gush over how Stoner Invisible Glass made their auto glass virtually transparent; helping their cars beat out all others! And collectors of rare and expensive automobiles; who are perhaps the most discriminating, sing the praises of Invisible Glass, assuring that no lesser glass cleaner will ever touch their precious cars!

Stoner Invisible Glass actually alters your perception of clean. Use it only once and what was once clean looking to you suddenly becomes hardly passable when compared to the transparent perfection of Invisible Glass. Why would you settle for less?

Stoner Invisible Glass Pump Spray is so simple to use! Each Invisible Glass Wipe is saturated with highly effective glass cleaner. Gently wipe surface to lift and remove grime. Clean both sides of glass to ensure streak free results.

Stoner Invisible Glass eliminates residue from smoke, airborne dirt and platicizer film from interior glass.

Don’t forget to clean your wiper blades with Invisible Glass. Simply wipe them down with an Invisible Glass Wipe. You’ll love how much better your wipers squeegee water from your windshield!

Stoner Invisible Glass is used to improve visibility for professional drivers and racers, where a clear view can mean a safe day and an obstructed view can spell disaster! Certainly, if the pros who drive under extreme conditions put that much stock in a single product, you can see how invaluable it would be under everyday driving conditions.

To further protect the glass, use Stoner Invisible Glass with Rain Repellent. A rain repellent additive seals exterior auto glass to block out moisture, dirt, and films.

Drive with the confidence of knowing you’ve ensured the clarity of your windshield and windows with Stoner Invisible Glass Wipes!

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Dishwashing detergent is meant to remove everything from the surface. That includes stripping the polymers off the paint surface… Many detail professionals and paint shops actually use dawn to remove the old wax before they do their work. The effect is similar to what dishwashing soap does to your hands. Too much will dry the skin. On the surface of a car, the same thing occurs; dishwashing soap actually accelerates the oxidation process when used regularly.

Dish washing soap is also very hard on the rivers and streams most storm water drains in to.

Most car wash soaps are now biodegradable and safe for the rivers and streams as well as your cars paint.

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