The Benefits of Refurbishing Fleet Vehicles
If you’re in the business of fleet vehicles, then you know that the unknown variable of mechanical, auto-body and refurbishment repairs can be devilish. They crop up at the least expected times and cause your vehicles to be out of service, thus costing you money.
Refurbishing Fleet Vehicles Works
If you’re in the business of fleet vehicles, then you know that the unknown variable of mechanical, auto-body and refurbishment repairs can be devilish. They crop up at the least expected times and cause your vehicles to be out of service, thus costing you money.
When fleet vehicles is your business, you either have an in-house automotive repair shop and auto-body repair shop or you have a list of tried and true vendors that work at your speed and budget.
But what about the rest?
Whether you’re buying a fleet of used vehicles or fixing up the ones with miles on them, you’re going to run into decisions to replace or restore. For many, restoration is not a consideration because the benefits are not second nature. At Color Glo International, we are experts in the business of fleet vehicle refurbishment and restoration for “the rest”. Your mechanical and auto-body repairs can often take a day if not only hours, but when faced with cleaning the vehicle up to make the driving experience good for drivers - the time out of service can be a bit lengthier, thus costing you money.
What does this mean for my bottom line?
Your vehicles not only need to run well, but look good and function well. Things tend to fall apart over time, headlights yellow, leather and fabric get torn, the dash fades from the sun, the carpeting gets worn out from foot wear.
If you happen to be in the business of tractors for semi trucks and hauling, buying used and refurbishing can save you between $40,000 - $50,000 per tractor when you consider refurbishing the entire tractor. Your color and fabric restoration from Color Glo can save you up to 70% of the cost of replacing fabric, leather and plastic items.
The professionals at Color Glo can help
Color Glo specialists come to you. We've been doing it for over 45 years and have built incredible relationships with fleet vehicle companies and their customers. All of our repairs are done on-site, meaning you can stay busy with your fleet in service while we get them ready to hit the road. You don't have to transport them anywhere, wait for the repair or lose precious time in sales.
Our franchisees can fix just about anything. With Color Glo, you can make one call to fix almost everything in the dash, seating, interior, headlights and some exterior paneling. We repair and restore vinyl, leather, fabric, plastic, and carpet to a like-new condition.
Think of it as a full makeover. If you're looking to sell your home, you may hire a professional painter to give a brand new feel and give the rooms a flow that leads you through the house. The emotional piece of spending money is very real when it comes to homes, cars, RV's and other items of large expense. In your fleet vehicles, Color Glo can dye surfaces like vinyl, plastic, leather, rubber and more. We can also repair and restore scratches, tears, and burns to new.
Putting a fresh coat of paint inside a home you’re looking to sell is one of the easiest ways to spruce a place up, so why not do the same for the interior and some exterior elements of your fleet vehicles?
Repair vs. Replace
Repairing and restoring the features on your fleet of previously-owned or in-service vehicles can help make the cost of replacement cheaper. In fact, it will be much less in most cases. You can expect to see as much as a 70% savings when restoring to new with Color Glo and you can extend the life an enjoyment of your fleet.
Are you a fleet vehicle business that needs an on-site restoration specialist?
How RV Dealers & Owners Benefit from Color Glo
Summertime is upon us and that means that RV sales will soon be ramping up for the fall. "Recreational vehicles (RVs), caravans, campers, vans or motorhomes - whatever size they are and whatever you call them, they are back and picking up a new generation of eager fans just wanting to hit the road", according to CNN.
RV's Owners benefit from Color Glo
Summertime is upon us and that means that RV sales will soon be ramping up for the fall. "Recreational vehicles (RVs), caravans, campers, vans or motorhomes - whatever size they are and whatever you call them, they are back and picking up a new generation of eager fans just wanting to hit the road", according to CNN.
Recent surveys taken in 2017 at dealerships across the U.S., in Europe, and in Canada are reporting that they are seeing younger and younger buyers. There are definitely a couple of reasons for this – first vehicles, particularly the smaller 'value' models that offer a lot of flexibility, are being designed with a younger demographic in mind.
Dealers also are not alone in this surge of growth. The recreational vehicle industry association (RVIA) reports that the RV rental business is a $350+ million sector that will continue to grow as more baby boomers retire and hit the road as well.
What does this mean for dealers?
This boom and a continued surge in the RV industry has led to increased competition for dealers and renters to move their units quickly. Ensuring their vehicles are in tip-top shape is critical to this mission and it's also a very important factor to the millenial generation.
Purchasing a previously-owned vehicle or renting one can be a very cost-effective way for customers to enjoy the RV life, traveling, etc. But giving consumers the feeling that they are in a new RV can be the difference between moving your inventory or losing out to the competition.
The professional at Color Glo can help
Color Glo specialists come to you. We've been doing it for over 45 years and have built incredible relationships with recreational vehicle dealers and their customers. All of our repairs are done on-site, meaning you can stay busy selling and renting your RVs while we get them ready to show. You don't have to transport them anywhere, wait for the repair or lose precious time in sales.
Our franchisees can fix just about anything. With Color Glo, you can make one call to fix almost everything in the dash, seating, interior, headlights and some exterior paneling. We repair and restore vinyl, leather, fabric, plastic, and carpet to a like-new condition.
Think of it as a full makeover. If you're looking to sell your home, you may hire a professional painter to give a brand new feel and give the rooms a flow that leads you through the house. The emotional piece of spending money is very real when it comes to home, cars, RV's and other items of large expense. In your RV's, Color Glo can dye surfaces like vinyl, plastic, leather, rubber and more. We can also repair and restore scratches, tears, and burns to new.
Putting a fresh coat of paint inside a home you’re looking to sell is one of the easiest ways to spruce a place up, so why not do the same for the interior of the RV? Color Glo can dye any items in the interior made of vinyl, leather, plastic or fabric.
Repair vs. Replace
Repairing and restoring the features on your fleet of previously-owned recreational vehicles can help make the cost of replacement cheaper. In fact, it will be much less in most cases. You can expect to see as much as a 70% savings when restoring to new with Color Glo and you can demand top dollar for your slightly used RV's.
Are you an RV Dealer that needs an on-site restoration specialist?
How to Clean Your Automobile's Interior Wood Trim
Wooden trim can really bring the class level of your automobile investments to a new level but if its not cleaned and cared for properly (like all other parts of your car) it will begin to look faded and tired, and can leave the overall impression of your interior looking drab.
Cleaning interior wooden trim
Ahh wooden trim... Think classic jaguar. Wooden trim can really bring the class level of your automobile investments to a new level but if its not cleaned and cared for properly (like all other parts of your car) it will begin to look faded and tired, and can leave the overall impression of your interior looking drab.
If your wooden trim is excessively dirty or has been left unattended and it has build up on it, then it should be thoroughly cleaned with a diluted all purpose cleaner and a microfiber towel. Using soft-bristled detailing brushes can also be used to access tight areas, corners and curves. It is important when using an all purpose cleaner that you ensure you thoroughly remove all residue and do not allow it to dry anywhere on the trim.
Next Step
After contaminants, dust, and grime have been cleaned off you will be able to see the true condition of the wooden trim. If it has become oxidized or lightly scratched/swirled over time you can polish it to remove these imperfections.
An all in one polish product made for the paintwork of your car may ideal for polishing wooden trim. A small amount should be applied to a sponge or microfiber applicator pad, then worked into the trim using both circular and linear motions. Once the polish has dried it should be buffed off with a soft microfiber towel.
“An all in one polish product made for the paintwork of your car may ideal for polishing wooden trim.”
While polishing your wood, you should be careful not to contaminate the surrounding trim with polish residue. In fact taping off the trim with painters tape may be a good idea depending on the car.
If the trim has been neglected over a considerable amount of time you may need to repeat the polishing process a number of times until the trim has been restored to a satisfactory standard.
Some classics may have wooden steering wheels.
What do I do now?
You've polished; what now? After polishing, your wooden trim can be waxed with a good quality natural carnauba based product. This will help to protect and seal the trim. It will also bring out the clarity of the grain in the wood and vastly enhance the reflections of the clear coat. The wax should be applied via a sponge or microfiber applicator pad, left to cure, then buffed off with a clean, soft microfiber towel. You'll want to ensure again that you do not contaminate any of the surrounding trim with wax residue or your job will become a bit more involved...
Maintenance is key
After your wooden trim has been cleaned, polished and protected it should be routinely maintained. Owning an automobile is either a passion or a pain for many people and wooden trim can increase your time invested. It needs be properly maintained along with the rest of the interior of your car to keep it looking its best. It should be vacuumed off using a soft brush attachment to remove any dust and loose contaminants, then wiped over with a soft microfiber towel and a detailing spray. Using a detailing spray works very well in maintaining interior wooden trim. You may want to read our other advice on how to clean the interior of your car.
If you find that you have a problem with your trim attracting allot of dust and other loose debris soon after it has been cleaned. This could be due to static that has been created from buffing it with a microfiber towel. A good way to combat this problem is to use an anti-static screen cleaner that is designed to clean computer monitors, mobile phone screens and other similar surfaces. The cleaner should be misted over the surface then lightly wiped over with a fine, soft lint free cloth.
For more reading, check out how to clean plastic exterior car parts.
Want to hire a professional?
How to Clean Plastic Exterior Car Parts
Your car has a lot of exterior plastic (believe it or not), which may require a different approach than the interior of your car. Knowing what to use is key, as plastic can be discolored or adopt a permanent haze if you're not real careful.
How to clean plastic car parts
We've talked about how to clean the exterior of your car in the past, and even the leather seats and upholstery. We also covered how to clean your car's interior plastic parts. But what about all the exterior plastic parts that weather the elements?
Your car's plastic will build up dirt and dust naturally just by moving and operating or even sitting there. Your clean natural clean tendencies are simply not enough. By cleaning your car's exterior as well as the interior, you can keep it looking newer much longer. Very good for resale and very good for you as you cruise the strip.
Your car has a lot of exterior plastic (believe it or not), which may require a different approach than the interior of your car. Knowing what to use is key, as plastic can be discolored or adopt a permanent haze if you're not real careful. Many years ago, we had to be careful not to confuse rubbing compound for turtle wax... Well, with today's chemicals and endless options, you'll want to excercise the same caution when clean your car's plastic parts.
Your potential for failure :-)
Your car is made of several types of materials, though most of the parts that are for aesthetics or looks are plastic. Plastic is used because it is easily molded to a desired shape and can be tinted to match the vehicle’s color. It can also be painted to match. Plastic parts range in purpose including:
Molded plastic parts for door panels or quarter panels.
Close-out panels designed to block mechanical parts from view.
Smooth, painted components such as bumper covers and trim areas.
Textured plastic parts.
Soft-touch plastics for attractive interior/exterior finishing.
“A general rule of thumb is painted plastic on the exterior of your car can be cleaned in the same fashion as the rest of your paint.”
Plastic components can (and do) get dirty just like the rest of your vehicle. Common offenders are oil from the road, dust, and debris, and potentially even food, beverages, bugs and more. Plastic may need to be treated differently than the rest of your car depending on its composition and finish.
Clean the textured plastic exterior parts
Textured black plastic on the exterior of your car is typically very rich in color. And whether they are black, grey, or tinted to match the rest of your auto's paint job, they can fade from the sun. Textured black plastic is typically used for parts such as mud guards, unpainted bumpers, windshield wiper cowls and other similar accessories.
You'll notice when this fading has happened because what used to be deep and rich will now appear to have a white tinge or cloudiness to it.
Your plastic can be restored.
Materials Needed
Clean lint-free cloth
Plastic trim cleaner (we recommend a Color Glo product that your local color restoration specialist will use when working on your project).
Trim brush or toothbrush
Image: Your Mechanic
Step 1:
Apply the cleaner. Apply a quarter-sized drop of trim cleaner directly to the plastic part. Work in small sections just like when you're washing your car. So don’t use a spot of cleaner larger than a quarter and keep your work area tight and controlled.
Step 2:
Brush in the cleaner. Brush the cleaner into the trim with a small, plastic-bristled brush or toothbrush - everybody keeps these around for just this purpose. First spread the cleaner thinly over as large a section as you can with the brush. Then, brush the wetted spot with the brush until the plastic underneath appears un-faded and even. You'll be surprised.. it will come right out.
Step 3:
Wipe the area dry. Wipe the spot dry with a clean, lint-free cloth, removing any remaining cleaner and dirt. And that's it! From here you can read up on how to clean the exterior of your car to bring the entire vehicle back to new.