The LAB: Legends Auto Boutique — Local services in North Haven

Hey, if you're scrolling through reviews looking for a placed to have your car detailed, stop right now and try this bad boy on for size.

First of all, I'm going to assume that if you ARE, in fact, reading reviews to find the right shop to have your car detailed at, you're either: Just as into cars as I am Just as crazy as I am Both

And I of course don't mean crazy in a bad way, but us car people are undeniably our own breed. And that's a good thing.

That is why The LAB here in North Haven, CT is the right place for you!

And no, they aren't paying me to write this, though if they wanted to send something my way I wouldn't say no.

Jokes aside, I found them last year when a few coworkers and I went to their season opening car show. That was the first taste of what they had to offer for me, I had never even HEARD about these guys before that. Needless to say, I was very impressed with what I saw.

First of all, you can tell by the clientele they attract that this is a place for car people. I'm not talking your grandma's cars and coffee, though if your grandma is going to cars and coffee meets I can only assume she's actually probably pretty cool. But no, I'm talking huge trucks, modified supercars, American muscle, all things you want to see filling a parking lot. Plus, being able to walk through and tour the shop gives you the opportunity to see what the facility looks like and what they're working with, as well as the chance to see some of the stuff they're working on.

All in all, a very good first impression.

So, let's get on to what you're actually looking for, talking about detailing.

It was super easy to book a detail appointment online; they have slots every half hour, and, even though I booked mine a couple weeks out just because of my own schedule, they even had some next day openings later in the afternoon. Could not have been easier to set it up and be in my way.

Now, day of arrives, I'm fresh from vacation, it's a beautiful day and I'm ready to get my Mustang cleaned.

Enter Hunter, the detail guy.

We start going over the car and I can already tell he knows his stuff, I point out some things I've already had done and he takes it all in stride. Hand off my keys and I'm on my way.

45 minutes later, get the text to head back and pick up the car. Super excited, we go back, and it looks fantastic. Better than the day I first took it home, even, though that doesn't surprise me since dealerships aren't known for their professional level detail departments.

Then I get some bad news. Turns out, the place i had originally do my ceramic coat back when I first bought the car at the end of 2023? Well, I'm not going to name names, but if you ever run into me in person I will absolutely tell you, just so you know who to avoid. Anyway, turns out that they did a terrible job. I'm not sure Google would appreciate me swearing in my review, so let's just say that if you were to cut a donkey in half? That's the kind of job they did. Hunter went over my car with me, pointing out all the spots that SHOULD have been coated, but somehow weren't.

Now this is the part that won me over. Hunter never once tried to push any product or service on me. It was entirely my idea to have him redo the ceramic coat on my car.

A week later, i drop the car off. Hunter is there on a Sunday working in his own car, which is the kind of thing you want to see. The people who work here genuinely love cars, which means you know they're gong to treat your car like it's their own.

I gave Hunter a firm deadline based on my schedule, and he delivered. He even stayed over an hour past closed to get it done for me Thursday afternoon, which was the only day I could come pick the car up that week.

So, he did a fantastic job while the car was in the shop and he was working on it. Great, that's where this review ends, right?

Unfortunately yes, but not because I'm done saying incredible things about Hunter, the job he did, or The LAB as a whole, but because I've hit the limit on what Google will let me leave on a...

While I didn't necessarily have any preconceived expectations, when I first became aware of The LAB, noticed their presence on social media, saw what their shop looked like online, read the rave reviews, and saw some of the impressive work that they showcase, it was hard not to expect great work.

I am beyond happy to state that the experience I had with The Lab completely blew any and all expectations I had out of the water - this is probably evident from the time I'm putting into this review.

We're blessed in Connecticut to have a ton of incredible car shops - this one significantly stands out from the rest in my opinion.

I do a ton of deep research prior to making any major decisions in my life, whether it be financial, relationships, etc. It costs a lot of money to customize your dream car, but if you have a nice car, regardless of the make/model, and you want to customize it - THIS IS THE PLACE.

From start to finish (which transpired over a few months), The LAB, and more specifically Sam (who I worked directly through), were an absolute pleasure to work with.

I never felt like I was being sold to, or up-charged. This was my first time investing heavily into customizing a car, and there were moments where I had ideas/questions, and Sam either told me it wasn't a good idea, offered unique alternatives, and even proposed awesome ideas that I hadn't thought of.

I had a very clear direction I wanted to take with my 2025 Audi RS6 Avant Performance.

I knew exactly what body kit I wanted (Urban Automotive actually connected me with The LAB and Sam originally), and I knew what wheels I wanted (Vossen 3-piece, bronze).

Sam helped to guide me through numerous decisions around what exhaust to buy, how the paint matching of my headlights would look (I had no idea they even did paint matching before I met them) which intake/tune to utilize (we went with Unitronic), what springs to get, among other small decisions.

I could not be happier with the end result, and I would not change a thing.

Can't wait to attend some car shows with them - thanks again...

FULL TRANSPARENCY, if I take the time to write a review, it means the service is exceptional. While it's tempting to build up to a grand conclusion, the LAB deserves immediate recognition as a would class establishment.

Firstly, the environment at the LAB is remarkable—almost like a premier nightclub. The attention to detail in every aesthetic element is impressive. Whether you're a customer, employee, or just passing through, the space is truly special. Gio and his team are design masters, and it’s evident in every corner.

Beyond the incredible atmosphere, the quality of work produced here is unparalleled. The transformations they perform turn ordinary vehicles into extraordinary creations. I've had the privilege of seeing several of their projects. The level of craftsmanship here is second to none.

I brought my McLaren 720S to the LAB for some custom touches. The team sourced an incredibly rare set of wheels for the 720S, a process that took a few months but resulted in a truly spectacular set. Their ability to deliver on such a unique request is a testament to their expertise.

They also applied a custom graphics package inspired by an old video game character I used to play. The wrap is flawless—every cut is perfect, with no bubbling or peeling. It's the best graphics kit and wrap I’ve ever had.

The final touch was a custom light installed in the factory McLaren 720S wing. The LAB’s extensive knowledge of headlight modification and color matching made this project a huge success. The wing was disassembled, the light was mounted inside, and custom wiring was done, all integrated seamlessly with the factory harness.

Am I extremely satisfied with the service? Absolutely. Will I return? Without a doubt.

If you're looking for budget window tinting or a standard wrap, this might not be the place for you. But if you want an 11 out of 10 customization job that brings your unique vision to life, this is the only place to go.

A class act—thank you to the team at the LAB. I’m excited for our next...