Honolulu Automotive

A crack staff of ASE-certified technicians maintains all makes and models of auto at Capital Auto Service, a repair shop open for more than 20 years. The team of mechanics specializes in European-made vehicles such as BMWs and Volkswagens and refurbishes clunkers into smooth steering machines with a line of repair and routine-maintenance services from oil changes to battery inspection. Patrons can drop off vehicles or rest in the air-conditioned waiting room while gazing at the big-screen television, sipping complimentary beverages, and using the free WiFi to look up their vehicles' daily horoscopes.

Automotive Emporium’s owner has worked in the auto industry for the better part of his life, including long stints detailing luxurious and exotic vehicles. Under his keen eye, though, every car is treated as if it were a luxury vehicle. Gentle microfiber mitts lather exteriors with shampoos while conditioners reanimate faded dashboards and steam cleaners renew the interior upholstery. The attentive technicians here offer tiered hand-wash and detailing packages that range from basic cleanings to extensive treatments that last for hours.

The following manuscript was recently discovered in Westminster among the personal effects of Samuel Pepys, a 17th-century English gentleman, diarist, and chief secretary of the admiralty. It is thought to be the first written evidence of the existence of tinted windows.

Thursday, 14 June 1667

Up very betimes with the great brightness of the sun, and so to meet with Sir Carteret¹, who come to speak to me on the horrible newes such as we shall hear shortly of: that for the want of boats, our Navy has been routed by the Flemings on the waters of Medway², that our sailors refuse to mount their vessels, and that want of money causes prevents Parliament from sending out a fleete for a proper answer. Then go we by water to Deptford, and to a good dinner of plain pheasant and much wine.

After dinner, Carteret shewed his new coach, which doth defend the eyes from the fury of the sun with windows painted with pitch. Back to Whitehall by coach, as sundry youths and maidens cry out at the pleasant appearance of our noble hoopty. Though without, summer heat doth oppress and sweat the rabble, I remain undisturbed, despite my seventeen 17 stone of cloth finery, powder, jewellry, and wigs. I do understand but little of it, but welcome any respite from Apollo’s rays. So to supper, and then to bed, with thoughts of vexation and jealousy for Sir Carteret’s good fortune.

¹ Sir George Carteret, member of the Privy Council and staunch Tory

² Pepys refers to the Raid on the Medway, a decisive Dutch victory in the Second Anglo–Dutch War, in which the Dutch fleet launched a surprise attack on the docks at Chatham, towing away more than a dozen English ships as well as the Royal Navy mascot—a hardtack biscuit with pasted-on googly eyes named the Rt. Hon. Captain Crisp.

The experienced technicians at Stadium Detail meticulously wash, wax, and vacuum vehicles from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. They also offer mobile services, traveling to homes and offices to leave cars and trucks spotless, and dress tires for sashays down asphalt-covered fashion runways.

For more than a decade, the ASE Master–certified technicians at One Stop Auto Center have tended to the automobiles of Pearl City residents and customers passing through town. Detailed inspections and oil changes allow the staff to keep cars running smoothly, unlike a marathoner that jogs on a trail of hot coals. A Bosch 3D camera system calculates the adjustments needed to restore wheels to their factory alignment settings, helping to extend the life of tires.

Master tinter Tony Sumibcay's decades-long career took him across the country shading windows for clients ranging from real-estate magnates to the FBI before he set up shop in Kapolei with his son, Eric. Together, the family team protects vehicle interiors from harmful UV rays and helps reduce energy costs for homes and businesses with window tinting. Each sheet of high-tech Solar Gard film adheres to windows with a limited lifetime warranty, adding an attractive shady aesthetic to glass surfaces and shielding them from sunlight and the occasional supernova.