ESTEVAN —A new business looks to help vehicle owners in Estevan get their rides to shine again by getting any mess, dirt and stains cleaned.
With 44 years of autobody experience, Trent Monteyne wanted to explore a new niche of the industry, and this past summer he and his wife Rhonda Monteyne opened Out Back Auto Detailing.
"I quit autobody and I had to do something," Monteyne recalled. "I've been watching stuff on TV, and I saw all these car detailers. I still felt like working on vehicles, I've been working on them for 44 years, so I thought, I could do something like that."
Monteyne was one of the owners of 5th Street Autobody for years. But he said his body started feeling rundown and it was hard to keep going with autobody work. He sold his share of the business last year, which opened up time for new ideas and projects.
Monteyne researched auto detailing services, watched many videos, learned all about the product he would need, acquired the necessary equipment and started practising.
"I just started detailing my friends’ and family's vehicles just to get the hang of it. And then we decided to start the business and do it legit," Monteyne recalled.
The Out Back Auto Detailing name was inspired by a song the Monteynes like, in addition to the work being done out of their garage located at the back of the house.
The new business was started last August. Out Back Auto Detailing provides carpet and seat extracting, steam cleaning of hard-to-reach areas, exterior and door jam wash, rim and tire cleaning and detailing, engine detailing, clay polish paint, removal of scratches and swirl marks, paint power polishing, hand waxing, interior detailing, and plastic, vinyl and leather conditioning.
Monteyne said while he used videos to guide him through auto detailing basics, as he worked more on vehicles, he found his own ways and methods to get the best results. And his approach has been paying off, as even though the business is still new, he has a lot of repeat and happy customers and many good reviews. Now that spring is here, it's getting busier and busier for him. A nice bonus is that "it's fun work to do”, he added.
Depending on the amount of work, it may take one to two days to get a vehicle done.
"I usually like to tell my customers to drop it off the night before. And then I just wash them and put them in the garage overnight," Monetyne said. "But now that the weather's getting warmer, I can do it all in one day. It all depends on how big the job is. It takes anywhere from five to eight hours. And if it is getting polished, then it'll carry into the next day."
"Trent and I would like to thank our clients, family and friends for spreading the word and helping get our business known," said Rhonda.
Out Back Auto Detailing is located at 306 Third Street. For more information, prices or to book an appointment call 306-421-6918 or 306-634-7638 or check out their Out Back Auto Detailing Facebook page.
