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Eliminate Swirls and Gain Maximum Gloss & Clarity
Paint correction is all about removing swirls and imperfections to bring out your car’s true shine. Depending on your goals, we can remove 65% to 90% of defects using a 2-step correction process—a thorough cutting and polishing technique that enhances gloss and clarity.
Some scratches may be too deep to safely remove due to their severity, the type of imperfection, or a thin clear coat. We carefully assess your paint to determine what can be corrected while ensuring its long-term health.
Paint correction isn’t just about removing flaws—it’s about striking the right balance to maintain your paint’s integrity. Whether we spend 5 or 20 hours polishing, it all depends on the results you’re looking for.
Additional services we provide:
Even New Vehicles Benefit from Paint Correction
Yes, even a car just 4 months off the lot can still require a 2-step paint correction. Despite being new, the vehicle has been handled, transported, and washed by many people, in various conditions, over several months.
From shipping to storage, to multiple washings, new cars often leave the showroom with swirls and imperfections—regardless of make or model.
Paint correction is a commitment to maintaining your car's appearance. To keep your paint in top condition, it’s crucial to properly maintain it after the service. Improper washing or drying can quickly bring those swirls and scratches back.
This is the most labor-intensive detailing service, and depending on your vehicle’s condition and desired results, it can take anywhere from 8 to 15 hours to complete.
With over 10 years of combined experience, we’ve worked on vehicles of all types and conditions—from preserving a 1970 Camaro for the long term to freshening up a recently purchased car.
Our process remains the same for every job, ensuring exceptional results every time.
Here’s a general breakdown of our paint correction service:
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Clean Wheels, Tires, & Fenders – We start by thoroughly cleaning wheel faces, barrels, tires, and inner fender liners.
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Gentle Foam Hand Wash – A thick layer of foam and a gentle hand wash, while cleaning door jambs, gas cap, and removing bugs from the paint.
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Chemical Iron Removal – We use a chemical decontamination process to eliminate iron particles from the paint.
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Clay Bar Treatment – This step removes any remaining embedded dirt, leaving your paint feeling silky smooth.
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Tape Off Sensitive Areas – We protect trim, chrome, and other sensitive parts to prevent polish buildup or staining.
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Step 1: Compound Phase – Using a machine polisher, cutting disc, and compound, we safely remove most swirls and scratches.
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Step 2: Polishing Phase – This step enhances shine and clarity by polishing out micro-scratches left from the compound phase.
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Paint Wipe Down – We wipe down the paint to reveal its true condition, removing any leftover polish residue that could hide imperfections.
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Apply Paint Protection – Depending on your choice, we apply either a wax, sealant, or a durable ceramic coating for lasting protection.
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Dress Tires, Plastic & Trim – We give the exterior a polished finish by dressing tires, fenders, and trim to restore an even, non-greasy black appearance.
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Clean Exterior Windows & Mirrors – We finish with streak-free glass cleaning on all exterior surfaces.
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Final Touch Ups – A final inspection to touch up any areas that need extra attention.
We’re not a high-volume car wash that rushes through jobs—we take the time to do it right. Our process can take longer than standard wash lots, with some cars requiring up to three days depending on their size and condition. This is a detailed, meticulous service that requires time, care, and effort to deliver the best results possible.
How Long Do the Results Last?
The goal of our paint correction service is to eliminate imperfections like swirls, scratches, and water spots to restore your car’s gloss and clarity. Once we’re done, your vehicle will shine like new. However, maintaining that shine requires proper care.
Avoid automated car washes with high-speed bristles, as they can damage your paint. The bristles may have dirt or debris trapped in them from previous washes, which can scratch your paint or leave deeper imperfections. We frequently see cars with fresh scratches caused by this type of wash.
To keep your car looking its best, use the right tools, products, and techniques. Hand washes are fine, but only if they use high-quality mitts and drying towels—low-quality ones can cause abrasions and swirls. A few improper washes could undo all the gloss and bring the swirls back.
If we maintain your car for you or you do it yourself, the goal is to wash properly to keep your paint glossy. With the right care, you may only need a light polish every other year to keep it looking pristine.
What is a Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic coatings are a popular form of paint protection after a polish. This durable layer helps repel dirt, water, and grime from sticking to your paint. The next time you wash your car, you’ll notice most dirt and grime will simply sheet off with a rinse, making maintenance much easier.
However, ceramic coatings don’t protect against rock chips or other impact damage—that’s where paint protection film comes in.
Paint Correction FAQs
Do You Come to Me?
Yes! We’re a fully equipped mobile detailing service, ready to wash your vehicle at your home, apartment, or workplace. We proudly serve Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, Georgetown, and more.
There’s no extra mobile fee, but depending on your location, we may require a minimum service price for travel.
What tools and products do you use?
We use a range of polishers, pads, compounds, polishes, towels, and lighting to achieve the best results. Our selection includes 1", 3", and 5" polishers, allowing us to reach tight or small areas. For heavy swirls, we use more aggressive tools and pads to ensure a safe and effective correction.
Before we begin polishing, we check the paint thickness with a gauge to understand how much material we have to work with. This helps us avoid being too aggressive on thinner areas, preventing potential damage.
What’s the difference between a wax and paint correction?
A wax only masks light swirls, adding shine and protection, but doesn’t remove imperfections. It can be completed in a few hours. Paint correction, however, actually removes swirls, scratches, and other imperfections to enhance the paint’s clarity and gloss. It’s a more time-consuming process, typically taking one or two full days depending on the car’s size and condition.
My paint is chipping. Can you still polish it?
If your paint is chipping, cracking, or heavily oxidized, it may be beyond repair. However, we can still polish other areas of your car where the paint is in good condition. For heavily damaged panels, repainting is the best solution.
Does the color of the car matter when it comes to polishing paint?
While the polishing process remains the same, darker colors like black tend to show more imperfections and swirls, making them harder to maintain. Lighter colors like white tend to hide minor imperfections, as they blend in with the paint, making them easier to upkeep.
How often do I need to polish my car?
Polishing isn’t something you need to do every year. Since polishing removes a small amount of the clear coat, doing it too often can thin the paint over time. Proper washing and maintenance can help preserve the results and reduce the need for frequent polishing.