



We provide a service like no other; we can remove difficult graffiti from your commercial vehicle or auto WITHOUT repainting! Based in Lakewood, California, AutoVandal.com's process is more an art than a science and uses top quality products and techniques to dissolve and lift tagging paint, marker or other substances. This chemistry combined with a seasoned touch makes the paint look like new again, without stripping, sanding and painting! We're your last stop before the body shop!







Above E Class 350 Benz By autovandal.com Contact Maxwell @ (562) 712-7459 Today!

Above E Class 350 Benz By autovandal.com Contact Maxwell @ (562) 712-7459 Today!

Time and time again I am asked the same questions, "HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO COST FOR THE DETAILING SERVICE?" There are so many major factors that determine the price and outcome of how your Car/SUV/Cargo Van can be restored back to factory original. This factoring equation does not hold true to all detailers and detailing services.Why? Because You Get What You Pay For, and in most cases YOU DON'T GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!
Today as we speak all across America "THE ILLUSION OF CLEAN" is being performed by your local car wash. There are 3 layers of dirt on your Car/SUV. Your local car wash only removes 1 layer of dirt, now this is by no means to put down your local car wash or your local hand wash car wash. The fact remains that your Car/SUV is very dirty with a heavy build up of dirt and fall out in the pores of the paint, detailers thoroughly clean and bring your interior and exterior back to factory clean as much as possible dependent upon how much damage has been done to the interior and exterior to bring it back to factory clean (a detail).
Below are a few items to get you thinking:
1. if you used a local car wash for the last 6 months, you need a major detail.
2. if you go to the local car wash/gas station, you need a detail right away.
3. if your Car/SUV is not garage kept you need a detail
4. if you have kids you need a detail.
5. if you have pets, you need a detail - hair in the carpet & seats does not remove easily.
6. if you eat or drink in your car, you need a major detail.
7. if you go to Starbucks, you need a major detail.
8. if you have been using the local car wash for the last year, you need a major detail.
9. if you work in an industrial area, you need a paint correction detail on your car, polish/claying.
10. if you own your car for over a year, your paint may be cross-contaminated with tree sap and/or acid rain, you need a paint correction detail.
Why you can not remove scratches from your vehicle without repainting. You have 4 layers that the scratch can go into, the clear coat being the first, second is the color layer, third is the
primer, and fourth is the steel.
What is a Mid Coat: base coat, pearl coat, candy coat, metal flake
coat,etc... Your mid coat is going to be what ever goes on top of your
primer and under your clear coat






This customer ruined his truck paint with improper, non-professional graffiti removal attempts and had to repaint.
Improper removal probably would cost this client:
$5000.00 repaint in body shop
$1200.00 2 months rental payments
$1000.00 insurance deductible
$800.00 insurance paid 2 months
$8,000.00 cost total
AutoVandal professional graffiti removal would have cost about $1600.
$8000.00 repaint and related costs
$1600.00 AutoVandal.com professional removal service, done in ONE DAY.
$6400.00 Savings with AutoVandal.com
If you look at the pics below the paint is beyond repair; this unit must be repainted. When paint is not being prepped and the wrong chemicals are applied by a non professional, burning and over stressing is the number one cause of paint failure.
If you look at the top of the unit you can see the paint looks dull this is cause and effect of acid washing, which most truck washes use this method to hurry the washing process and make the unit look cleaner, while burning the paint at your expense.
If your paint looks dull or someone has tried unsuccessfully to remove graffiti from your unit, you are forced to put your unit in body shop. Unfortunately, we can't restore over-stresed or burned paint like this. The burning is so bad on the unit below you can see the aluminum on the close-up pic.
Below Close Up of Right Side Burned and Faded Paint All Pics Beyond Repair Repaint Only

Below Left Side Burned and Faded Paint

Below Full View Right Side Burned and Faded Paint

Below Bob Tail Truck Right Side Burned and Faded Paint

















Most cities across the country consider graffiti to be a form of
vandalism. The costs for clean up can be high for business and city
municipalities, Hilo is no different.


Hilo
is now experiencing a rash of graffiti activity inconveniencing many
downtown merchants and residents near the beach parks. Throughout this
article you will see recent examples of graffiti from Hilo.
As the cost to clean and repaint areas hit by graffiti grow, many
citizens have gotten together in an attempt to problem solve and
minimize graffiti and its effects. The East Hawaii Cultural Center has
developed a program similar to those in other larger cities. They
provide a canvas “blank wall” for the artist. They encourage the
graffiti artist to use a mural style of art incorporating a theme tied
into events happening in Hilo.
Another idea being circulated by the Hilo Downtown Improvement
Association (DIA) is to provide a reward to those who help identify
those responsible for graffiti in areas where it is not appropriate and
costing business owners and citizen’s time and expense for its clean up.
The
Hawaii Police Department has also implemented a graffiti database to
build and enhance evidence for the prosecution of graffiti artist
suspects by linking tags to incidents of graffiti. I encourage those
who have additional ideas on how to handle the issue of graffiti in
Hilo to leave your ideas in the comment section at the end of this
article. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I want to take this opportunity to recognize a special group of
individuals who have taken on the challenge of helping our community to
clean up graffiti. Goodwill Industries, the “Aina Keepers” are a group
of volunteers who, at no cost to the community, clean and paint over
graffiti. They have been a tremendous resource to both the police
department and community. I would also like to thank all those who have
donated paint, materials and time in helping to clean up graffiti.
With a multifaceted approach and some persistence, graffiti doesn’t need to be a blight on Hilo’s beautiful landscape.
http://www.graffitihurts.org/learn_more/prevtips.cfm
Graffiti vandals believe their actions harm no one. The reality is graffiti hurts everyone�homeowners, communities, businesses, schools, and you. And, those who practice it risk personal injury, violence, and arrest.
Transportation, property, and retail sales - "Graffiti contributes to lost revenue associated with reduced ridership on transit systems, reduced retail sales and declines in property value. In addition, graffiti generates the perception of blight and heightens fear of gang activity" reports the U.S. Department of Justice.1 The appearance of graffiti is often perceived by residents and passers-by as a sign that a downward spiral has begun, even though this may not be true.
Safety - Patrons of buildings, parks, or public facilities where graffiti vandalism has occurred may feel that if graffiti is tolerated, then other more serious crimes, such as theft and assault, may also go unchallenged.2
Schools and youth - In schools, 52% of public high schools and 47% of middle schools reported incidents of vandalism during the 1996-1997 school years. Data shows little difference between cities, towns, and rural areas.3 Additionally, about 36% of students saw hate-related graffiti at school.4
Clean up costs - Although the cost of graffiti vandalism in the U.S. has yet to be definitively documented, for many communities, private property owners, and public agencies the cost is rising each year.
Figures from a variety of cities across the U.S. suggest that graffiti cleanup alone costs taxpayers about $1-3 per person each year. For smaller communities the amount dedicated to graffiti cleanup annually may be less than $1 per person.
A 2006 survey of the 88 cities, Caltrans and Metro in Los Angeles County on graffiti removal found the cost was about $28 million. With a population of close to 10 million, the per capita cost is about $2.80.5 With a population of just under one million, the City of San Jose, CA spent approximately $2 million in 2006 fighting graffiti.6
For communities with smaller populations, per capita costs are typically under $1.00. Pittsburgh, PA (population just over 300,000) spends around $350,000 annually for graffiti clean up.7 Omaha, NE spends about $100,000 a year on graffiti removal (population just over 400,000).8 In 2006, the Tennessee Department of Transportation spent more than $240,000 on removing graffiti along its roads and bridges.9
Denver, CO and Milwaukee, WI, with similar populations-just over 550,000-each spend about $1 million annually.10 This is a per capita cost of about $1.80. In Houston, TX (population just over 2 million), the city earmarked $2.2 million for cleanup of existing graffiti in 2006.11
Chicago, IL budgeted $6.5 million in 2006 for graffiti removal and Graffiti Blasters, the city's removal program (population a little over 2.8 million).12 This is a per capita cost of around $2.30. Las Vegas, NV with a population of about 1.7 million spends more than $3 million each year cleaning up graffiti.13
In my dealings with potential clients, I've noticed that there's a tendency to think that I'm a body shop, looking to get your painting business the way many fleets work these days. It's costly and keeps your truck off the road. But I'm not!
Some clients think that I'm a detailer who can cheaply grind and burn the paint bombs, 10 layers deep from your commercial truck or auto while damaging the original paint below. Most detailers I've talked to (and that's LOTS of detailers believe me) will admit they have to resort to scouring the paint in many tough cases. But I don't!
My process is cost effective because it keeps you on the road with your original finish.
I don't detail but what I do is apply my own special process I've developed after many years in the trucking business, learning what works and what doesn't. I use chemicals that emulsify and remove vandalism from your vehicle and leaving a restored "original" finish in far less time than it would take to prime, sand and paint. I do this all by hand; it is the only possible way to protect the paint below by keeping the temperature down during the cutting process.
| Before Graffiti Removal (larger photo) | After Graffiti Removal (larger photo) |
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To see the phases of the process in pictures, click here:
Vandalism is a big problem for commercial trucking companies whose image is important to customer confidence; when a truck is not able to haul because it's down for repainting everybody loses; the driver, the company, the customers. Maxwell has been in the trucking industry for 20 years as a driver and mechanic, and has seen it all! Maxwell fills the need for companies who want to keep their fleet looking sharp, and on the road.
Not Just A Detailer! Unlike what some detailers do, we do not burn the paint trying to excessively buff out the layers but rather gently remove the layers while maintaining the original paint underneath.
Why not just repaint? Before you go to the body shop, consider AutoVandal cost/value proposition: you can sand, paint and clear coat in 1 month, but why do that when you can restore the original finish in a day and get your vehicle on the road making money like it's supposed to? What is a week out of service costing you? A thousand or more for a rental vehicle? Lost business? AutoVandal can get it done, and on the road looking good!
| Before Graffiti Removal (larger photo) | After Graffiti Removal (larger photo) |
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Type of Vandalism: Graffiti bombing | Difficulty: EXTREME |
Techniques Used: Chemical stressing, cutting | Typical Mistakes: Detailers use cleanser (harsh abrasive), using distillates/thinner,gasoline high speed buffing burns the original paint. AutoVandal removes the paint with controlled smearing. |
Benefits to AutoVandal Service: The AutoVandal technique provides a minimum down time while restoring the original paint and is more cost efective. | 1. Assess risk to original paint before starting 2. Save removal and restoration without "body shop" work at 80 to 100 dollars an hour not including unit downtime 3. Insurance record intact, no "Bad Carfax" 4. 2-4 day service in most cases 5. Commercial equipment back on the road without 3-week downtime do to body shop work and insurance claim |
This is NOT GRAFFITI ART. In most cases you come across a lot of tagging, but GRAFFITI BOMBING is the most difficult. This graffiti bomb with the over sized letters called the “Graffiti Alphabet” and is mostly spray painted in a 3D look resulting from 5 to 22 layers of spray paint. The smaller single stroke spray painted lines are TAGGING, the signature used by the offenders to spread their name for bragging rights. This case was my worst removal so far. Jobs like this will not be same day service, but a 3 to 4 day turnaround which is better than many weeks in a body shop for repainting, branding, etc.
The removal techniques used include chemical stressing with very harsh chemicals (that burn to the touch of the skin and is handled with protective gloves), and then cutting and blending the graffiti paint and ink by stressing the unwanted graffiti to the point of total emulsification. The final touch will re-seal the original paint. The goal here is to remove thick layers without burning the original paint.
The longer the paint and ink remains untreated, the more difficult the process becomes. It is almost impossible to remove tagging paint that has been exposed to extreme sun light or dew (water saturation) on the unit, which magnifies the temperature as high as 200%, leaving a staining effect with smearing on the second and third layer of the original paint. Removal of graffiti as soon as possible will offer the best possible restoration to the original finish.
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Graffiti Removal Process: First Cutting With Controlled Smearing (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Second Cutting (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Third Cutting (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Fourth Cutting (below)
Graffiti Removal Process: Fifth Cutting (below)
After Autovandal Graffiti Removal
Type of Vandalism GRAFFITI: Tagging (Throw Up) | Difficulty: HIGH |
Techniques Used: Chemical stressing: | Typical Mistakes: Detailers use cleanser (harsh abrasive), using distillates/thinner, high speed buffing burns paint |
Benefits to AutoVandal Service: | 1. Assess risk to original paint before starting 2. Save removal and restoration without "body shop" work 3. Insurance record intact, no "Bad Carfax" 4. In most cases same day service saving down time |
The biggest problems with most jobs is what was used for VANDALIZING in this case, the offenders used spray paint, pink side walk chalk (right rear side middle) and shoe polish used for polishing shoes, the cheapest way for the up and coming GRAFFITI VANDAL to start VANDALIZING.
The staining/smearing effect is just as harsh as spray paint the longer the graffiti sits and bakes in the sun the difficulty of removal becomes much harder for same day service.
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After AutoVadal Graffiti Removal

