Hampton Automotive

Seen fluttering their stuff in Marie Claire magazine and on CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, CarLashes gussy up previously undecorated headlights by dressing them in black or pink eyelashes and spangling them with richly glimmering eyeliner. The adhesive CarLashes—which fit all types of cars—are easy to apply; comprehensive instructions await online to help drivers update their vehicles' peepers. Designed to withstand the effects of driving, the adhesive is not expected to chemically interact with car paint, chrome, or glass.

Call me Oldie.

Rusted and beaten, hard-boiled but soft under the hood. An '89 Oldsmobile—full of dirt, grit, and not much else. My paint job’s got more holes in it than an amnesiac’s alibi.

He keeps me tucked away in some out-of-sight garage while his new prize—a Chevy that still stinks of the assembly line—glistens in the driveway like she owns the place. I'm washed up. Broken. Just one more casualty of that cruel mistress, Time.

That's what he thinks, at least.

In my day, I could turn a stoplight green with one blink of a headlight. I could hustle a quarter from a stingy tollbooth. I was good. But ol’ Oldie, well, he ain’t nothing now. Just a hunk of steel one sputter away from the local junkyard.

Hmph. What’s this? Sunlight floods the joint. I can’t remember the last time I saw him, but here he is. He looks older—though who am I to talk? The years ain’t exactly done me well, either. He climbs in, turns the key. I feel that old warmth of his khakis on my upholstery. I had forgotten. Well, off we go: no doubt one last joyride, a final lap for the old man and his busted wheels. If he wants to squeeze this old boat for one last drop of nostalgia, I’ll let him have it. It was good while it lasted, anyway.

SeCar Auto Wash. Hm. Seems too clean a place for a dirty car like me.

Must be some kind of sting, I think, as I feel my fuel gauge fall like a wino’s hopes at last call. I'm being sold off—cleaned up before they peddle me to some poor chump who couldn’t tell an odometer from a hood ornament. I'm through. Sayonara.

Who’s this guy? Hm. A technician. His coveralls are as clean as his hands are calloused. That smile—it stirs something in me. Something deep. It’s all I can do to stop my engine from purring.

"What will it be?" he asks my owner. I feel my brakes tighten in anticipation.

"Let's go with the bumper-to-bumper. This one's still got a whole lot of life to live."

Mr. Smiley pulls out a sponge as silky as the mane of a '65 Mustang. I succumb to its soapy embrace, but there’s no time for romance. The kinetic swirl of a buffer soon follows, then the soft purr of a vacuum, the jacuzzi kiss of shampoo. That filth that sat on my hood like an albatross for so long—it falls away so easily now, like meat off the bone.

Well, I’ll be a Stingray’s tailpipe. Look at me now! The glow of my paint could light up a prison hole. We pull out of the lot and turn onto the street. Ah, here she is, that old stoplight. Her red light claps shut, and the green eye invites me through with a wink.

With his foot on the pedal, he asks for gas. I give it to him.

That's right, Oldie, you dog. You still got it.

No matter how reliable their parts or how trusted their manufacturer, cars run their best after a trip to the garage. The technicians at Advantage Autosports diagnose and cure common auto maladies, repairing and servicing engines, transmissions, and electrical systems suffering from clogs, malfunctions, or feelings of inadequacy stemming from childhood drag races. In addition to performing diagnostic and repair services, Advantage Autosports offers performance-boosting accessories.

At Richie's Express Carwash, cars roll through an automated, brush-free tunnel where a cutting-edge computer system hones in on each vehicle's dirtiest spots. It cleanses exteriors with soft cloths and a secret eight-ingredient solution, and then blasts away suds with high-pressure hoses. Patrons can build on this express package with luxurious extras such as underbody rust inhibitors, applications of Richie's Wheel Brite, and triple-coat protectants. At the end of each session—which takes about four minutes—cars travel through a drying tunnel whimsically decorated with stuffed animals. There, a system of 15 high-velocity fans brings exteriors to a spot-free shine. Drivers can blow raspberries at their newly cleaned rides from the viewing station before sprucing up interiors at complimentary self-serve vacuum stations.

At T-Mac's Auto Detailing we specialize in providing quality cleaning and finishing services for every class of vehicle owner, while utilizing the very best in tools and products the market has to offer. We strive to lead the industry by our integrity, craftsmanship, client relationships and continual driving spirit to be

For Robert Stokes Jr., making a vehicle shine like it did the day it left the assembly line isn't just a talent, but a family dedication passed on from generation to generation. His father first taught him the value of caring for an automobile, giving him the inspiration to open his own mobile auto-detailing service in 1995. Robert's down-to-earth approach to dealing with clients and his scrutinizing eye for detail helped his business grow into a full-service production with two physical locations and several mobile cleaning units. No vehicle is too big or too small for Robert’s crew at The Gift Auto Detailing Center; they have serviced everything from tiny coupes and honey-I-shrunk-the-station-wagons to speedboats and large storage trailers.