Sacramento’s Premium Paint Correction Specialists
Leave your paint looking better than new
There are two parts to the modern car paint; the base coat and the clear coat. Simply put, the blurriness, fading, and swirls are examples where your clear coat has been lightly damaged. These are some examples.
The most common issue is swirl marks. They are small scratches that appear due to improper maintenance or some type of agitation on the paint. This can happen when your vehicle is taken through automatic car washes, has been brushed up upon by people, or improperly washed.
Does your paint look blurry, faded or swirly?
Another common issue can also be random isolated scratches. These are a little deeper and are usually caused by more abrasive items like tree branches.
To continue, another issue we see in older vehicles is faded paint. Harsh UV rays in the Sacramento heat can wear down the surface level of the paint over the years and result in fading.
A frequent issue for repainted cars is orange peel. This happens when their new layer of clear coat settles unevenly resulting in an orange peel texture.
The last issue that most people have is chemical etching in their paint. When things such as bird poop or tree sap sit on car paint, they can chemically react with the surface of the paint and cause blurriness.
Paint correction or most commonly referred to as “car polishing” is the process of removing the top layer of damaged clear coat to reveal a fresh even layer. This results in a smooth, clear, and refined finish on your car.
It is an extensive service where we use a machine polisher and different grades of compound and polish to remove the damaged clear coat throughout the entire vehicle. In cases like orange peel where we need to remove more clear coat, then we may also use high-grit sandpaper.
What is paint correction?
You can review the rest of our work here.
Common Myths about Paint Correction
Most people believe that their brand new cars don’t need this service but it’s unfortunately not true. Regardless of the make or model, cars will unfortunately leave the show room with these hidden imperfections. Although the vehicle may be new to you, it has been transported and handled for many months. In this period of time, improper washing, rough handling, and transportation can cause these swirls throughout the whole vehicle.
Polishers in unskilled hands can be extremely detrimental to car paint. We’ve seen it time and time again. Many people will attempt paint correction on their own and end up needing a new paint job.
A common issue we see when clients try their hand at paint correction is hologramming. This happens when a rotary polisher is used to remove clear coat. These sanding trails happen naturally, however they must be removed after by a random orbital polisher. It’s a step that many clients aren’t aware of.
Don’t try this at home
Another common issue is uneven polishing. When a polisher is not held flat to the surface, it will dig into car paint and can compromise the longevity of the clear coat. This issue isn’t visible to the naked eye and can only be found by measuring the thickness of the paint. Regardless, the longevity of the clear coat will be a tell-tale sign.
The worst case scenario happens when clients polish the same spot for too long. This can remove all the clear coat in that area and revealing the base coat of paint. We call this “burning through the clear coat.”
The importance of hiring the paint correction specialists in Sacramento, CA
As demonstrated above, paint correction is time consuming and a delicate art. It requires a high amount of skill, concentration, and attention to detail. When done by professionals, it is completely safe for your car and can come out looking better than new.
Our level 1 service removes 50 to 70 percent of imperfections. For most vehicles, this service will make your vehicle shine like new.
Paint Correction Packages
Small
(Miata / GTI)
$280 - $320
Medium
(Corolla / Range Rover)
$360 - $480
Large
(Truck / Full Size SUV)
$520 - $760
Our level 2 service on the other hand removes 80 - 90 percent of the imperfections. This service is designed for older vehicles, show cars, weekend drivers, and those who are very detailed with their cars.
Small
(Miata / GTI)
$400 - $560
Medium
(Corolla / Range Rover)
$580 - $760
Large
(Truck / Full Size SUV)
$760 - $1080
Our level 3 service is an aggressive sanding process specifically designed to remove orange peel. This service is designed for clients that want to achieve a near-perfect finish on their repainted cars.
With that being said, depending on the condition and age of the vehicle, there is certain damage that we can’t remove. That first is paint fracturing. This is where the clear coat has almost faded completely in a certain area. This happens most commonly on horizontal surfaces like the hood or roof because they are exposed the most to the elements.
What won’t be removed?
Paint fracturing can appear like faded paint so it can be tricky. However, a great give away is that the paint starts to crack or “fracture” in that area. This issue can only be solved by a repaint. Paint correction can’t solve this because if we remove more clear coat, it will give way to the base coat.
Another example happens often on older vehicles. There might be scratches in areas of thinning paint and can’t be removed safely.
Or it can also happen where newer vehicles might have plenty of paint to work with but the scratch has gone all the way through the paint. A tell-tale way is by rubbing your finger on the scratch. If it catches your nail, then it is too deep to fix with paint correction.
We take the necessary amount of time to get the job done correctly for you. It can take somewhere between 1 to 2 days to complete. Unlike our other services, we ask that your vehicle be dropped off so that we can properly service it. We will take the best care of your vehicle while it’s in our hands.
However, none of these efforts will be worth it if you do not maintain the paint correctly. If it is taken through $5 car washes or improperly washed then the paint will be swirled again in a couple weeks. Paint correction is an investment into your vehicle. Most of our clients ask for a ceramic coating to go along with it to offer the highest level of protection possible.
Paint Correction is an extensive process
To keep it short, it is a hardened layer of protection that bonds to your paint so that the clear coat won’t deteriorate. Sealants and waxes aren’t hardened and can’t protect your clear coat as efficiently. You can read more about it here.
If you are looking for a complete makeover for your vehicle, a full interior detail would be a great add on. Your vehicle will be gleaming on the outside and squeaky clean on the inside.
Our Paint Correction Process
1
Clean the wheels
Detail starts with a cleaning of the tire, wheel face, wheel well, and inner wheel liner.
2
Thorough hand wash
Using a gentle wash mitt, we’ll remove bugs, wash the paint, door jambs, and gas cap.
3
Clay Bar Treatment
This removes any embedded dirt and makes your paint feel smooth.
4
Iron Decontamination
We apply an iron removing spray to break down any corrosive iron particles.
5
Preparation Step
Tape off any sensitive areas to prevent damage or compound build-up.
6
Step 1: Compound
Safely remove the harsh imperfections in the paint using a machine buffer and compound.
7
Step 2: Polish
8
Removing minor swirls left over by the compound and restoring clarity
Wipe down
Your vehicle will be wiped down to remove any remaining polish so we can inspect the true condition of your paint.
9
Paint Protection
We’ll apply a protectant of your choice on the paint.
10
Dress the tires
We’ll leave a light gloss finish on your tires.
11
Clean the glass
Your windshield and windows for crystal clear vision.
12
Finishing Touches
We’ll touch up any detailed areas like the grille or emblems.
FAQS about Paint Correction
You can read the rest of our faqs here.
Absolutely! We offer ceramic coatings that will add protection from the weather and gloss to your vehicle for years to come. However, if you’d like to stay with a regular wax then it’s already included with the polish.
Do you offer ceramic coatings?
It all falls on maintenance. It’s like maintaining your engine. If you don’t regularly change the oil then the engine can fail without many miles.
In the same way, you have to take the proper steps to wash your vehicle correctly so that the swirls won’t return. However, if it is neglected then it will return to the same state after a couple of weeks. If you’d like us to maintain it for you, then you can sign up for one of our maintenance plans.
How long do the results last?
For most of our other services, we will come to your house and service your vehicle. However, in this case we require you to drop off your vehicle because it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 days to complete depending on the size, condition, and services.
Will you come to me?
We have all the necessary tools to get the job done. We use machine polishers, an assortment of pads, compound, polish, lights, and soft towels. Every vehicle is different and will require different methods.
What tools do you use?
A wax doesn’t remove any swirls in your paint, it only covers the paint and hides some of the imperfections. It can be done mobile and only takes a couple hours. Paint correction on the other hand is an extensive process that removes the top layer of the paint to reveal a new layer of untouched paint. In a sense, it “cuts” out all the imperfections.