An automobile detail takes a lot of hard work and perserverence. When I detail a vehicle, I make sure that every character flaw is addressed and is brought up to a perfectionist's standards, within reason. So how do I know what's within reason? A car's paint is extremely thin and its only protection is the thin layer of clearcoat that lies above it; when a car is polished to remove swirls, there is a small amount of clearcoat/paint that is removed from the car to return the paint to it's radiant shine. If a scratch is polished too much, all the paint would be removed and you'll see nothing but the metal frame.
When I detail a car...
- I hand wash the car with a swirl-free method, using a real lambswool washmitt
- I move the car into the garage and clay the paint, windows and wheels
- I tape off all the plastic trim and rough edges
- I set up a test spot and polish the paint with a random orbital polisher
- I apply a wax to the paint and remove the tape
- I apply a dressing to the plastic trim and tires and wax the wheels