About the Studio
Built on 40 Years of Hawaii Automotive Knowledge
I'm Kolu — born and raised on Oahu. This is my story, and why it matters when someone trusts us with their vehicle.
Where It Started
My father founded Auto Chem Systems Hawaii (ACS Hawaii) over 40 years ago. Today it's Hawaii's largest wholesale automotive chemical distributor — supplying over 80% of the island's car dealerships, detail shops, body shops, and automated car washes with the chemistry they rely on every single day.
I've been part of that operation since the very beginning. Not as a salesperson — as someone who tested, developed, and refined products for Hawaii's specific environment. I've worked directly with chemists at major manufacturers, evaluated products in real-world conditions on Oahu's roads and coastlines, and provided the feedback that shaped those products before they ever went to market.
From industrial fallout removers to ceramic coatings — I've had a hand in how these products perform in our climate. That's not something you learn from a certification course.
The Work Behind the Work
Before Custom Auto Accessories, I spent five years at my uncle's shop — Shiroma's Autobody — learning paint and panel work from the ground up. Real autobody. Real paint correction. Understanding what's underneath the surface before anything gets applied on top of it.
I've owned my own autobody and paint shop. I've run a car wash. I've spent most of my career doing product demonstrations for what my father's company supplied — getting in front of dealers, shops, and professionals and showing them how to use these products correctly.
I started Custom Auto Accessories 12 years ago with one belief: every vehicle deserves the level of preparation and protection it actually needs — not a rushed job, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Certifications
Certified by multiple coating manufacturers and industry organizations — not just one brand, not just one system.
Lead Technician — Darrell
Darrell brings 15 years of hands-on experience to every vehicle that comes through our studio. His attention to detail and paint correction expertise is what our customers come back for — and what they mention by name in their reviews.
Our Test Vehicle
Our shop truck is a 2013 Toyota Tacoma — repainted about 10 years ago. It's been ceramic coated and maintained by us ever since, and it's how we evaluate every product before we offer it to customers.
Right now it's running live tests on experimental formulations from DuraSlic and Jade Ceramic — coating sections applied at different stages over the past two years, evaluated under real Hawaii conditions: daily UV exposure, salt air, vog fallout, and regular maintenance cycles. When we recommend a coating, it's because we've already watched it hold up on our own paint.
The truck itself is also a reflection of how we think about vehicles — TRD supercharger, big brake kit, DJM control arms, Feal coilovers, QA1 rear shocks. We're not just people who clean cars. We care about how they're built, how they perform, and how they hold up over time.
Why This Matters For Your Vehicle
Most shops apply products. We understand them from the chemistry up. We know what works in Hawaii's UV intensity, salt air, and coastal humidity — because we've spent decades testing it here, not reading about it somewhere else.
My favorite moment is still the same as day one: watching a customer see their vehicle when they come to pick it up.