Clean Slate

Restoring your vehicle at SwissDetail.

As outdoor folk, we take good care of our gear—because without it, we can't do the things we enjoy. Our equipment needs to perform and it needs to last. And it sure doesn't hurt if it looks good, too—washing one's muddy hiking boots or dirty ski bibs, for example, not only protects them and lengthens their working life, but makes them feel better to slip on for the next romp outside.

This meticulous maintenance improves longevity, sure, but it also protects value—someday, we may need to sell an item in order to buy a new one. Ironically, however, the same piece of equipment that is most often overlooked is also the most expensive outdoor asset: our vehicles.

Montana is hard on vehicles, especially the intense cold of winter. —Trisha Spoelder, SwissDetail

I’ll be the first to admit that I let my truck fall into a state of disrepair from time to time. I make excuses, telling myself that “life got in the way”; I allow weeks or even months to pass without a proper wash or deep clean. Particularly between seasons, when my mind is occupied with the next objective—a big bull elk, a steep ski line, a roaring rapid. Luckily, whether I’m in need of a hard re-set, or a proactive treatment to protect my rig, I know that the folks at SwissDetail have my back.

Recently, I paid a visit to their shop to chat with co-owner Trisha Spoelder, who's passionate about bringing Swiss-precision quality to the Gallatin Valley—a place that needs it, she says. “Montana is hard on vehicles,” she points out. "Especially the intense cold of winter. And in recent years, hotter summers and higher UV.”

It’s irrational to let your vehicle rust out and depreciate at an accelerated rate. Would you ski on an unfilled core shot and let your bases rot?

Trisha and her husband, Greg, immigrated from Switzerland in 2012, where Greg was a certified auto mechanic. Rather than getting Greg re-certified in the U.S., the two decided to purchase a detailing business with Trisha's sister-in-law, Pam, in 2013. “We saw the need for a professional detailing service that could handle the challenges of Montana conditions,” she says. Offering a wide array of services, from a basic wash & vacuum or stain & odor removals, to more complex interior and exterior restorations, SwissDetail has earned a reputation for exemplary results born of a fastidious approach centered on the belief that all vehicles deserve to be restored to a like-new condition.

“Everyone around here has a dog; everyone hunts, or skis, or recreates somehow," Trisha says. "We drive on rough roads, treated with chemicals, kicking up dust, and we brush up against trees and bushes. The result is ‘Montana pinstripes’ and a filthy interior.” It would be unreasonable to stop recreating to preserve your rig, but it’s equally irrational to let your car rust out and depreciate at an accelerated rate. Would you ski on an unfilled core shot and let your bases rot?

But actually doing all that preventative maintenance is trickier than it may seem. Trisha explains how paint is getting thinner on newer vehicles as manufacturers try to save money during the manufacturing process. “Just because cars are becoming more and more expensive does not mean their quality is improving,” she says—there actually seems to be an inverse relationship. Less paint means less material to work with when buffing out scuffs and scratches. As such, the necessity for proactive maintenance, or at least restorative, is paramount to preserving the integrity and value of one's car or truck.

Everyone around here has a dog; everyone hunts, or skis, or recreates somehow. We drive on rough roads, treated with chemicals, kicking up dust, and we brush up against trees and bushes. The result is "Montana pinstripes" and a filthy interior. —Trisha Spoelder

In terms of specifics, SwissDetail recommends a ceramic coating on all vehicles, especially those just purchased off the lot. Automotive paint, like all things, is porous on a microscopic level, and requires at least eight weeks to fully dry and harden. However, many rigs are sold before this time. Even with a fully cured coat, the paint can be damaged if it lacks a proper protective layer, such as wax or the aforementioned ceramic coating. While the service isn’t cheap, it beats the alternative of faded or blotchy paint, a rusted-out exterior, or paying $15,000 to have your car repainted.

There’s a real science to this sort of work. It takes a complex knowledge of chemistry, materials, and applied practice to clean things the right way, remedying previous damage, sanitizing surfaces, and preventing future abrasion. Sometimes, while cleaning our vehicles ourselves or at car-washes, we can unknowingly do more harm than good. Touchless car-washes can become abrasive, scratching our paint and weakening its effectiveness at defending against the elements. The brittle brushes of automated washes can sometimes be likened to taking 250-grit sandpaper to your coffee table to remove a stain (bad idea, in case you’re wondering). Stain-removers from the hardware store sometimes just don’t cut it, and overuse can result in damage to your interior. Food odors can attract rodents and other vermin, and the pine tree hanging from the rear-view ain't foolin' 'em. Best to let the pros handle it (Swissdetail is the only detail shop in the valley with an International Detailer's Association certification.)

As I was leaving, I couldn’t help but appreciate how the cars Trisha and her crew worked on that day had been restored inside and out. Ranch-rigs that on arrival appeared almost beyond hope left the lot in better condition than when they were new. So, the next time you’re entering the shoulder season (whenever that may be) and cleaning your outdoor gear, remember that the most important piece of equipment is the one you're driving.

To learn more, or to schedule service with SwissDetail (or to snag a last-minute Christmas gift for that dirty-driver loved one), call (406) 580-6204 or go to swissdetail.us.