The Summer Internship Program is sponsored by the New Canaan Racquet Club.
For New Canaan resident Christian Sanchez, starting a business wasn’t just about turning a profit, it was about combining two passions into a career.
Christian and his father, Maurice Sanchez, recently launched LCKD Auto Detailing (here on Instagram) a mobile detailing business serving New Canaan and surrounding communities. While Christian Sanchez developed the business concept and performs the detailing work, his father brings years of business experience and helps manage client relationships and day-to-day operations.
The idea came to the younger Sanchez while working at a car wash earlier this year.
“I found the passion for mobile detailing when I was working at a car wash,” he said. “I realized it was something I was really good at, and I’ve always loved cars.”
At just 22 years old, Sanchez said he’s already owned four vehicles and has always taken pride in keeping them in excellent condition.
“I’ve had four cars already,” he said. “I’ve always taken really good care of them, so I thought, ‘What business could combine my cleaning skills with my love for cars?’ That’s how the idea came together.”
That passion was further fueled while working at a high-end detailing shop in New Jersey.
“The first day I walked in, I thought, ‘This is my dream,’ ” Sanchez said. “They had everything I wanted dream cars, people detailing them, wrapping them, and an entire section dedicated to detailing products. It was beautiful. That’s my vision.”
After moving to New Canaan four years ago, Sanchez quickly recognized what he believed was an opportunity for a high-quality detailing service.
“New Canaan and the surrounding towns are full of car enthusiasts who really care about their cars,” he said. “Everywhere I go, I see really nice cars.”
Operating entirely as a mobile business, LCKD Auto Detailing brings professional equipment and products directly to customers’ homes or workplaces.
“We perform all of our work as a mobile service, so we’re able to come right to the client’s home,” Sanchez said.
The business offers several detailing packages, including express, interior and full detailing services. Customers can also choose from specialty services such as paint correction, ceramic coatings and headlight restoration.
“We have an express detail that’s a one- to two-hour job that’s more thorough than a traditional car wash,” Sanchez said. “We also offer interior details, full details, and additional services like paint correction, ceramic coatings and headlight restoration.”
The company’s name, LCKD, is inspired by the popular phrase “locked in,” reflecting Christian Sanchez’s commitment to staying focused on growing the business.
While Sanchez is the founder, he said his father has played a vital role in getting the business off the ground.
“I started the business and came up with the idea,” he said. “My dad has really been my backbone.”
Maurice Sanchez’s experience running businesses has helped guide the company’s early growth, his son said.
“He’s run businesses before, so he’s always had my back,” he said. “He’s great with clients and keeping everything organized.”
Looking ahead, Sanchez said he hopes to continue growing LCKD Auto Detailing and eventually open a permanent shop.
“I love what I do, and the passion is there,” he said. “If I keep scaling the business and building my clientele, I think opening a shop one day is the next step.”
I have used LCKD to detail my car. All I can say is Christian did a fantastic job. He came over to our house and worked extremely hard to make the car look brand new inside and out. He was meticulous, courteous, and dedicated to his work. It was also very convenient since I didn’t need to drop the car off anywhere and then pick it up. I would highly recommend LCKD to anyone that is looking for a professional detailing in the comforts of their own home or location. 5 stars for sure.
We’ve been using LCKD to detail our cars since moving to New Canaan last year, and Christian’s work has been consistently excellent. He’s detailed multiple vehicles for us, including paint correction and ceramic coatings, and the quality and service are always top-notch at a fair price. He uses high-quality products from brands like Koch Chemie, and I trust him completely. I’d definitely recommend him.
Christian came over and did a great job on my long neglected Atlas. Incredibly detailed job and he went above and beyond to make sure every inch of the car was perfect. Great work ethic and pride in the final result. Will definitely call him again!
My family has used LCKD on all our cars and it has been amazing. Christian was meticulous with getting all the dog hair out of all our cars. He made them look and smell brand new. It’s very nice and convenient that we didn’t have to drop the cars off anywhere to have it done. Will definitely be using him again and I recommend LCKD to all our friends.
Thanks for your article about Christian! I contacted him and got a timely response. He was polite, professional and skilled, my car looks like new, minus the dog hair! I shared his information with friends and will definitely be calling him again.
I can’t recommend Christian at LCKD Auto highly enough. His work is exceptional and his attention to detail is on another level. He took an older car of mine and made it look brand new inside and out — the kind of result where you keep noticing spots he caught that you’d long since given up on. He clearly takes real pride in what he does and goes above and beyond on every part of the job.
On top of the quality, the mobile setup makes it effortless: he comes right to you, so there’s no dropping off and picking up. Professional, meticulous, and genuinely passionate about cars. If you care about your vehicle, he’s your guy. Five stars.