Built On A Lifelong Love Of Cars

Before Speed and Shine was a car care business, cars were simply something Mike Sadler loved. Mike’s earliest memories with cars included his dad’s 1969 Chevelle and a Jeep Commando as well as always having Hot Wheels in his pockets. He was also influenced by a childhood spent watching his dad become involved in sand drag racing and Jeep pulling contests.

Mike’s dad wasn’t his only role model when it came to cars. He recalls uncles with Mach 1s, Mustangs, and other muscle cars whose public perception has evolved greatly over the years. “I remember being at the lake as a kid and seeing someone’s Superbird backed in with all the other cars. People had draped their wet towels over its enormous rear wing to dry them. I remember staring at that car and thinking it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. Nobody would dream of putting towels on one today!”

The Mustangs that Mike’s uncles drove had a lasting influence, with his dream car being a white 1966 Shelby GT350 with blue stripes to this day. “Mustangs have simply become embedded in my spirit.”

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In The Beginning

Long before Mike was teaching others, he was learning the car care trade himself. He began seriously cleaning cars as soon as he started driving. Mike’s solution to not always owning the newest and most expensive cars was to make up for that by making the vehicle as clean and presentable as possible.

People began noticing the condition of his vehicles, prompting Mike to start offering mobile detailing services. Those services continued until Mike’s 20s, when he temporarily left the detailing industry. Afterwards, he spent more than 20 years working as a parts specialist and managing automotive warehouses, where he met many mechanics, body professionals, and other invaluable industry resources. “I believe you should never stop learning, and I certainly haven’t.” 


Today, Mike’s credibility comes from dramatic and lasting product results and the awards his vehicles have won from them.

One of his proudest experiences was preparing his Mustang for the Mustang Memories 2019 at the Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn when he won Class Winner. Mike spent weeks preparing his vehicle and many of the other owners trailered their cars to the event, but he drove his. Once Mike arrived at the event, he spent about 45 minutes cleaning it again with his detail kit before putting it on display. He ended up winning and receiving a very high score. “I think that is a testament to what I do because my cars are real drivers.”

Today, all of that learning has come full circle. The same knowledge Mike spent years developing is now shared with enthusiasts through Speed and Shine's how-to videos, in-person demonstrations, and online educational content.

The Spark

Speed and Shine actually began as a television show where Mike visited museums and car shows. A couple of seasons were produced, which are still available on our YouTube channel (pictured above).

Whenever the Speed and Shine TV crew was in public, people would approach and ask, “How much would it cost to clean my car?” or “Where is your shop?” The name and logo immediately communicated car cleaning, even though that wasn’t originally the business. These frequent encounters helped lead Speed and Shine to where it is today.

At the time, Mike was using well-known detailing products while performing and videoing detailing jobs. Speed and Shine developed a sizable social media following and Mike eventually applied to be an ambassador for multiple brands. After several dead ends, a detailing products manufacturer approached Mike, who was hesitant at first. “If I couldn’t create products that worked better than the ones I was already using, there would be no reason to do it.”

The Speed and Shine car care line was built on that foundation.

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Community Building

For Mike, car culture has always been about the people as much as the vehicles. Speed and Shine is known for getting out from behind the computer and into the community. We regularly attend local and national industry gatherings, specialty events, and collector car shows.

“One of the most rewarding things I do at car shows is let people take a bottle and try it for themselves. They can compare it against the product they already use and when they return and purchase it, because it worked noticeably better and left their paint cleaner, shinier, and slicker—not because of some barely noticeable difference—that is what makes this worthwhile.”

Two men standing in front of a blue truck holding a bag containing the Big 5 Bundle

Let's Talk Cars!

The Woodward Dream Cruise is Mike Sadler’s favorite day of the year. This car show takes place along Woodward Avenue on the third Saturday of August and stretches from Ferndale to Pontiac, with just about every kind of vehicle imaginable.

You can also find Speed and Shine products at Autorama, the Fort Wayne Rod & Custom Show, Chrome & Ice in Flint, and many other car shows, sometimes two or three events in a single weekend.

These events are an opportunity to meet enthusiasts like us, discover incredible cars, share our knowledge, and learn new tricks, and support the people and organizations keeping automotive culture alive.

Upcoming shows include:

The Future Of Speed And Shine

Speed and Shine has come a long way, but Mike’s vision for the company continues to grow.

"Speed and Shine may remain more of a boutique brand created by a car person for other car people—and I’m okay with that. If I can make caring for a vehicle easier, help people overcome the roadblocks keeping them from enjoying a clean car, and spread the word one product at a time, then this is all worthwhile.”

The goal remains the same: make better car care accessible to more people who love their vehicles.

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