Helis to Cars: Let The (Rock) Chips Fall Where They May

Not too long ago, protecting the hood of your vehicle from projectile debris meant an odd-looking vinyl bra, unattractive hard-plastic wind reflectors and mud flaps. They worked – for the most part - if you didn’t mind reducing the sex appeal of your car by at least half.

The idea of a protective film was initially developed by 3M to lengthen the life of helicopter rotor blades. The product, proving to be invaluable in the aviation world, crossed over to the automotive industry. It was first used on race cars and luxury vehicles, eventually being thinned out, even more, to be used by daily drivers. Some people still refer to the product as its old nickname, “helicopter tape”.

Today, the relatively invisible film not only protects against hi-speed flying debris but offers a barrier against UV rays, dust, dirt, grime, and bug "juice", even acting as a cushion for minor fender bumps and bruises.

Rock chips, nicks and dimples are part of the driving experience. While it seems trivial in the big picture of life, having this occur before you even get one car payment to the bank can be a bit aggravating.

Is it worth it to install a rock guard package to your new vehicle? Well, do you live in the Edmonton area? Then the answer would be a resounding, YES!

Think of it this way…

Did you obey and buy the protective film for your new cellphone that the sales rep suggested? Your phone is worth about $1200.

 How much did you spend on your new vehicle?  Aha! We thought so.

Gravel roads, rocks and salt leftover from winter, extreme weather conditions and those mosquitoes the size of small missiles; they all cause significant damage to the entire front end of your vehicle including leading edges, rocker panels, door edges, mirrors and the painted areas behind the wheel wells.

At Ming Shine, we use a high-quality urethane film called XPEL ULTIMATE Paint Protection Film which offers unique benefits such as:

The Clearest Protection - optically clear, zero orange peel finish leaves the film virtually invisible.

Stain and Discoloration Resistant - bird droppings, air pollution and road grime will never leave the film stained or yellow, unlike lower quality alternatives.

Self Healing - the advanced clear coat heals over time, eliminating swirl marks and other fine scratches.

Maximizes Re-Sale Value - lasts for years ensuring your vehicle looks newer, longer.   

Along with Ming Shine’s transferrable warranty, experienced and certified installers, same day service and top-grade XPEL DAP software to ensure proper fitting, you’ll appreciate the rock guard protection down (not only the gravel) road.

There’s no clearer choice when it comes to rock guard protection in Edmonton for your new or used vehicle. Contact us today and book your appointment.

A Detailed Look: 6 Essentials to Keep Your Vehicle Looking New

What is car detailing? Ask most people and they'll tell you it's a deep down car wash. Here at Ming Shine in Edmonton, we go the extra step above a car wash. Then we take it another step. And, another nine just for good measure.

But bringing out your car’s natural exterior brilliance isn’t all we do.

You regularly take your vehicle in for oil changes, brake tests, and other fluid top-ups. However, maybe you're on the fence whether detailing is important or worth the expense.

Taking care of your vehicle inside and out with “more than a deep down car wash” is important and here’s why:

Promotes Good Health

Your sedan or SUV carries 5 passengers. Maybe. But, we bet you have millions, if not billions, of unseen passengers hitching a ride. Dirt, dust and debris inside your car allow bacteria and allergens to circulate in your vehicle. Our detailing experts will tell these unwelcomed guests to take a hike!

Increase Resale Value

Sure! A good cleaning right before you want to sell your vehicle helps. But you like money, right? Imagine, even after years of use, your vehicle was in pristine condition. It will sell quicker if it's as scratch-free as possible, and at its shiniest and cleanest; inside and out.

Reflects Professionalism

We hate to get all judgemental but a dirty, messy car really does send a message. If you're in a career that requires driving clients around, or even be seen by customers and clients, then a well-kept vehicle should be among your to-dos to help maintain your professionalism at all times.

Now that we know why we should detail our vehicles, what are the basics when it comes to detailing your car in Edmonton?

Windshield Treatment

Whether you commute to work, visit friends or run errands, your windshield is vital to the safety and comfort of your drive. Our windshield treatment is an ultra-hydrophobic application for glass, which helps to repel water, reduce glare and makes dirt, bugs, ice and snow easier to remove. It can be applied to all glass and mirrors, keeping your surfaces clean and pristine.

Paint Protection

Think all paint protection services in Edmonton are the same? They're not! Ming Shine uses a unique technique to create and protect taking your car’s shine to new and incredible heights in stunning brilliance. The highly exclusive Ming Shine paint protection is stronger than any other and we have the most extensive maintenance-free warranty.

We pride ourselves on keeping new cars looking newer, longer – with a better than showroom shine. But did you know, Ming Shine is also suitable for older vehicles? We do a thorough paint correction and paint cleanse before applying the Ming Shine, restoring your paint to a better-than-new appearance.

Rock Guard Film

Gravel leftover on the Anthony Henday from a long Edmonton winter can be a nightmare for your vehicle. The XPEL ULTIMATE Paint Protection Film is a virtually invisible, self-healing urethane film that protects the paint from nasty rocks, chips, scratches and swirls. Rest assured that with very little to no unsightly damage, you'll maximize the resale value of your car.

Rust Protection

Once your car rusts, there is NO turning back. It is permanent.

After years of exposure to Alberta's harsh weather conditions and road salt, rust usually appears in weaker areas of our cars. If left unchecked, rust can spread like wildfire and cause damage to mechanical parts that are essential to the safe running of the vehicle. With a one-time application, Ming Shine Rust Protection preserves these parts such as the gas tank, electrical connection and brake lines on both new and used vehicles.

Undercarriage Care

It gets as much attention as a white crayon! The underside of your vehicle has to be the most neglected, ignored part of the car. Poor thing. But it is exposed to some of the worst elements of the road.

Gravel, sand, salt and construction cause minerals to accumulate over time in our vehicle's nooks and crannies.

This neoprene rubber and petroleum-based undercoating will permanently seal your undercarriage and can be used on both new and used vehicles.

Not only that, but our Underbody Sound Deadener cuts road noise and vibrations by up to a 40%!!

It also insulates against extreme temperature conditions – cooler in summer, warmer in winter.

And, it has self-healing properties meaning it is crack and scratch-resistant.

That's not enough for you? OK. We also offer an exclusive lifetime warranty!

Interior Protection

Protect the interior of your vehicle including leather, vinyl & carpets from UV, dirt, dust and stains.

Leather Protection - Ming Shine's formula contains the latest conditioning agents enriched with vitamin E and aloe to protect the original look and feel of any vehicle's leather surfaces.

Vinyl Protection - We have the perfect formula to nourish the surface with a natural shine and maximum protection while providing UV protection that resists fading and cracking.

Fabric Protection - An advanced water-based carpet protector with environmentally conscious flurochemical technology. With the benefit of added acid stain blockers, carpet fibres are protected from absorbing acid-based stains allowing easier cleaning, reducing excess fibre wear and extending fabric life.

Don't sweat the details! When you take a look at all the different services we have to offer and why, a normal car wash just doesn't seem to cut it anymore. Auto detailing is absolutely worth your time and investment.

Contact us today to remove the dirt you can see, eliminate the stuff you can't see (and don't want to think about), all while protecting your vehicle for years to come and maximizing its resale value.

What Scratches Black Cars? Everything. Heal and Protect with Feynlab.

Fact. From supercharged to supermini, black cars are shiny, seductive and alluring. As one of the most popular colours for cars anywhere on the planet, the colour black is associated with luxury, power and wealth. Limos, Bentleys and Rolls Royces look their best in black. Car manufacturers tend to make a big deal about special edition ‘black’ or ‘night’ models because they know these will sell quickly. And the resale value on black cars? Higher than average. Black cars will always be in demand.

A well-detailed black car is dramatic and damn sexy but can be frustrating as well. Three minutes after you wash it, while staring at the black beauty that stands before you, your meticulously clean car has attracted every dust molecule within a 2 kilometre radius, the birds are circling ready to make their mark and the sun hits the hood just right so you can see every swirl and microscopic scratch.

Black cars are fierce but oh so delicate.

What if you could park your car under the sun and watch as scratches and swirls literally disappear? Sound too good to be true? It’s not!

Ming Shine, Edmonton’s car detailer of choice, would like to introduce you to Feynlab. We are the area’s ONLY certified installer and are excited to share this revolutionary product with you.

What is Feynlab?

The sciency stuff - Feynlab is a self-healing formulation containing ceramic polymer chains, infused with super smart nanoparticles. Imagine nano-sized magnets attached to the end of the durable ceramic chains, creating a memory-polymer.

The memory-polymer recovers to its original (cured) state when heated. By combining ceramic technology with hand applied self-healing paint technology, Ming Shine offers a wide range of paint protection that restores your car’s showroom look, but even better.

It’s ridiculously glossy, extremely slick, offers outstanding UV protection, and is exceptionally resistant to chemicals.

EACH TIME YOU PARK YOUR VEHICLE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT, THE SELF-HEALING TECHNOLOGY GOES TO WORK FOR YOU.

The ceramic polymer matrix resets, and you can watch as fine scratches, swirls, and other imperfections vanish before your eyes!

Other benefits of self-healing paint protection:

•    A THICK LAYER PROVIDING EXTREME DURABILITY

•    SUPER CHEMICAL RESISTANCE

•    INTENSE LEVELS OF UV AND HEAT PROTECTION

•    A HIGH GLOSS FINISH

•    SUPER HYDROPHOBIC SURFACE, CAUSING WATER TO RELEASE OFF THE SURFACE INSTANTLY

•    SCRATCH RESISTANCE AND HEALING CAPABILITY FROM MICRO DEFECTS AND LIGHT SWIRL MARKS

So, to all of the circling neighbourhood birds, the tiniest and scratchiest dust particles, the bugs who wanted an up-close look at the front bumper on the last road trip and the gravel left behind after a long Edmonton winter… we say, "You can't touch this!"

Get your car into Ming Shine today! Heal and protect from everything the road throws at your car.

FOR A LIMITED TIME, RECEIVE $500 OFF FEYNLAB’S SELF-HEAL CERAMIC COATINGS.

Alberta Hail Suppression Project

As any Albertan knows, we live in a region where hail storms are a natural occurrence that can wreak havoc on your house, your boat and more importantly, YOUR CAR!

We live in an area that is said to be one of the worst in the WORLD for hail damage. One hail storm can produce roughly $500 million worth in damage.
There is no worse feeling than seeing the skies open in the middle of summer and that sheer panic that comes over you to find a safe haven for your vehicle to avoid the destruction of golf ball sized hail. Luckily for us, there has been an initiative taken by The Alberta Severe Weather Management Society (ASWMS) in order to help mitigate the the amount of hail that is produced in any given storm.

The ASWMS has come up with a solution know as the Alberta Hail Suppression Project.  This Project utilizes planes that fly straight into small storm clouds and “seed” these clouds with a special solution before they have a chance to grow into larger storm clouds. In doing so, this will inhibit the smaller clouds from maturing into thunderstorms which will later produce larger pellets of hail. Instead, the large hail is turned into either normal precipitation like rain, or smaller less destructive pellets comparable to snow. The solution used to seed the clouds is called silver iodide. This solution is used in a NON-TOXIC dosage so that it does not have any harmful effects on the environment. 

Since it’s inception in 1996 this initiative has reduced the destruction caused by hail by 50%!

Now what does this mean for car enthusiasts like you and I?

I’m sure everyone has experienced or knows someone who’s gone through the experience of dealing with hail damage on their car. Between the high prices for repairs and the difficulty of dealing with insurance companies to repair it, it’s never an ideal situation to be in. Not to mention it leaves your most prized possession looking like a crumpled up beer can...

This initiative has given car lovers the confidence to take that long highway drive in the dead of summer without worrying about a hail storm. I don’t know about you, but when I’m cruising down the highway, I prefer to enjoy the ride instead of huddling under an over pass waiting for the sky to clear up. 

Enjoy the drive. Forget about the sky!