Presented by Renegade Products
The trucking industry is filled with polishing companies across the country and beyond. In order to set yourself apart from others, quality and service needs to be unparalleled and diversified, and you must have a passion for detail. For David Tobin of Tobin’s Detailing and Polishing, his start was by way of building show cars which he detailed himself for the shows. His detailing abilities surpassed the skills of the competitors at the shows and soon others were willing to pay him to bring their cars to that same level. He soon realized that he enjoyed this work and was now earning an income from something he was passionate about.
Turning this passion into profit, he started the company a year after he graduated from high school and hasn’t looked back. For a time, when sport bikes were extremely popular in Florida, there was a need for polishing bike frames, which the company did. This work proved to be a very tedious job with the small area to work in and the tight spaces around the frames to polish. 2002 came and went and, 18 years later, he has made a name for himself in the commercial trucking industry based out of Jacksonville, FL. Along with his employee, Peyton Champagne, Tobin’s Detailing and Polishing offers cleaning, ceramic coating, paint correction, metal polishing, and more, to provide the best services available to his customers.
Whichever part of the trucking industry you are in, one thing still holds true – the more work you can do yourself the more money you will save. With that in mind, here are some tips from David to help you with keeping your truck looking its best between professional cleaning and polishing. Some of these things, which you may already do or have thought about doing, are not hard, but they will really help you to get the most out of your polishing dollars.
Regular washes are necessary not only to keep your truck looking good going down the road, but also to aid in keeping the metal and paint clear of road grime. The quality of the truck wash is important and using acid between polishes isn’t going to help in the long run as it creates more work for the polishers, inevitably costing you more money. Look for recommendations and reviews from other truckers for the best truck washes you are looking for. It is proven and, if time allows, washing your truck by hand guarantees your truck will be washed correctly every time. There are also some great waterless washes on the market, including Rebel NOtorious H2O Waterless Wash made by Renegade Products. These products are perfect for those drivers running hard with little time to stop for a full wash.
Purchase a quality hand polish to maintain the shine on your metal. This may seem like an extensive job, but this maintenance goes a long way between scheduled professional polishing of your truck. Hand wax can help you continue that “just polished” look and, when done, you’ll have a rewarding feeling of pride for what your truck looks like.
Remember to regularly remove bug splatters from your paint and metal. Some bugs will leave unwanted residue, especially lovebugs, if you are from the south or southeast region. Be careful not to use overly abrasive products for the removal of bug splatter because the remedy of removal may have an adverse effect on your paint and metal. Be conscious of water stains and how to easily avoid them. Keeping your truck rinsed off is good, but the water stains may prove difficult to remove if you let the truck air dry. Take the extra time to properly dry off your truck and make sure the paint and metal is free of dust and dirt particles to avoid scratches.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to consult with your polisher for any tips on paint and metal maintenance because every extension of the trucking industry, including polishers, want you to be successful. Success in trucking companies trickles down to the service companies in the industry, and none of would be in business without you.
These days, 38-year-old David is married with two children, and he prides himself on bringing the same level of service to each of his customers, which proves solid with repeat business. Special thanks to David for your time and tips with keeping a truck on-point between polishes. A passion for detail isn’t learned, it is instilled in you, but it is up to you grow that passion or not!
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was brought to you by the fine folks at Renegade Products, manufacturers of detailing and metal polishing products for the trucking industry and beyond. For available products and uses, see your local retailer or visit them online at www.renegadeproductsusa.com.
