Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Slychan.
Thomas, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My start actually begins in Germany; I was serving with the German Air Force EGRESS (Emergency Global Rescue Escape & Survival System) unit, and I was given orders to be stationed in the USA at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico in 2014. At the time, the German Air Force, in cooperation with NATO and US military, had a flying training center at Holloman Air Force Base. I served as a Staff Sergeant and specialist for the ejection seats and cabin glass of the PA-Panavia-200 Tornado Multi-Roll Fighter Jet. One of my main jobs was to polish and restore the cabin glass of the fighter jet to crystal-clear condition; a task that took up to 8-weeks. Crystal clear cabin glass is important for the pilot’s visibility, and not to mistake a scratch on the glass for an enemy jet while in the sky. Restoring the cabin glass to pristine condition was always an incredibly satisfying job for me, and I have always had a love of beautiful and classic cars. With the knowledge and training received from the military, I started detailing on the side in my home garage. The first cars I detailed were of course mine and my wife’s car, and soon my own friends and colleagues started to notice and comment on how “amazing and shiny” our cars looked; they started asking me to detail their cars! Soon, almost every weekend, I was in my garage detailing all sorts of cars, and I became well-known among the German community, and thereafter, the general community in the city of Alamogordo. I became very serious about educating myself more on proper detailing techniques, tools, and chemicals to provide the best possible detailing results one can achieve in a car.
In 2018, I traveled to one of the leading detailing-supply companies in California, Chemical Guys, for further education and certification as an Automotive Reconditioning Specialist and Headlight Restoration Specialist. I also made friends who are leading detailers as well as mentors in Florida and Switzerland who I have learned much from, and still continue to learn from to this day. Last year, marked the end of my military service in the German Air Force, and I moved to Phoenix specifically as my wife is currently studying to be a Naturopathic Doctor at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, and with the American dream and intention of owning my own detailing business. I officially opened Diamond Perfection Details in July of this year, and thankfully the business has been taking off amazingly! It took 5-months of searching for the ideal location, and I finally found it in June! The location was perfect but needed a make-over, and through a lot of love, determination, sweat, and hard work I am proud to have turned it into the detailing garage I have always wanted to have! Since opening, I have had the pleasure of working on a variety of cars, from those that have taken a beating from the Arizona sun and have a lot of oxidation to high-end cars that were previously poorly detailed and therefore damaged. All of the cars that come through my shop are treated as if they were my own, and are given the best gloss and high protection that can be achieved on them! I very passionate about detailing to the highest standard; giving a new lease on life on the cars; and most importantly, making the owner of the car proud of their ride!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would definitely not say that it has been a “smooth road”. There are so many talented and successful detailers in the Phoenix and surrounding area which have been established for many years already. I remember there were times where I would question if opening a business was a good idea, and questioning “IF” I would be successful or fail in the first year due to my established colleagues. Thankfully, my wife and best friend, Cecilia, would always build me up and encourage me to not give up and keep on my dream. HERE WE ARE LIVING THE DREAM, and the dream keeps growing!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Diamond Perfection Details, German Quality Auto-Detailing, specializes in high-end, world-class quality detailing. All vehicles which come into my shop are given a paint analysis, and if necessary a paint-thickness analysis measurement to tailor the customers detailing needs and budget. A walk-through of the car and an in-depth conversation of what the customer is looking to fix and what can be achieved to improve the aesthetics and protection of the vehicle takes place. As I am the owner and the detailing specialist (AKA “one-man show”), depending on the packages and needs of customers, a proper detail may take from one day up to three days. I am incredibly proud of offering a high standard of quality in my detailing technique and talent. No matter what package a customer chooses, whether it be the highest protection and detailing package, which requires the car to stay for several days, or just a simple wash and seal, I do not cut corners. I listen to my customer’s chief complaints regarding the aesthetic of their vehicle when it comes in, and I take pride in fulfilling their needs to 100% customer satisfaction!
What were you like growing up?
My wife is always complaining that I have “cleaning OCD” *hahaha*. She is not wrong. Ever since I was a little kid, I would always organize my room without my parents needing to tell to clean my room. I have also always been a very hands-on person, and always enjoyed crafting various things in fine detail. In middle school, for example, I crafted a fine-detail diorama for a history class assignment of a German City in 1943, and I really enjoyed working on the fine details that made the diorama come to life! In general, I have always been the person who likes to organize, clean with attention to detail and make things shiny again. I have always loved classic cars since I was a kid, and one day, I hope to own my dream car: a 1969 Dodge Charger!
Pricing:
- Paint Correction Package Starts at $250.00
- Headlight Restoration (one year guarantee) $60.00
- Engine Bay Detailing-$40.00
- Comprehensive Interior Cleaning-$130.00
- Wash and Seal Starts at $40.00
- Window Polishing Haze Removal and Light Scratches $20.00 per window
- And much more! Visit: www.DiamondPerfectionDetails.com
Contact Info:
- Address: 3222 East Corona Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85040
- Website: www. DiamondPerfectionDetails.com
- Phone: 480-734-2028
- Email: DiamondPefectionDetails@gmail.com
- Instagram: @Diamond_Perfection_Details_
- Facebook: Diamond_Perfection_Details_
Suggest a story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
