Paint Correction
Paint correction in Marietta, level by level
Machine and hand polishing from the shop at 2nd and Greene, in three levels starting at $475.
How to tell your paint needs correcting
Park the car in direct sun and look along the panels. Swirl marks and fine scratches make a finish look dull or spider-webbed, and they mostly come from improper washing or abrasive materials. Oxidation reads as faded colour that has lost its depth, and it starts on the hood, roof and trunk, where the sun hits hardest.
Etching is the third sign. Bird droppings, tree sap and hard water spots can eat into the clear coat and leave dull marks, and left alone they can turn into permanent blemishes. Texture is the fourth: a silky surface is a well-kept one, while a rough or gritty feel means contaminants have bonded to the paint.
You can test that last one yourself. Slide your hand over a freshly washed panel, in a thin plastic sandwich bag if you want to feel it more clearly. Or bring the car to Ben at 200 Greene Street, Suite B in Marietta, and he will assess it and tell you whether correction is necessary at all.
Hand polish on red Porsche paint in the bay
Three levels, and what each one aims to take out
Every level starts the same way: a two bucket hand wash, decontamination of all exterior surfaces and paint, a spot free rinse, a blower and microfiber dry, glass cleaned, fender wells scrubbed and dressed, tires and rims cleaned. The polishing is what changes from one level to the next.
Level 1 is light machine polishing and aims to remove up to 20% of oxidation and light swirl marks. Level 2 is one step polishing and aims for up to 50%. Level 3 is three step polishing, with the painted surfaces prepped and the engine bay lightly cleaned, and it aims for 90%+ of swirl marks and defects.
The packages say aims to remove, and that is the honest wording. Paint varies car to car, and on Level 1 deeper scratches and swirl marks may still be visible. Ask at the shop at 2nd and Greene what your paint can realistically give up before you pick a level.
Protect it once it is right
Freshly corrected paint is bare paint. Every level has an optional upgrade to wax, polymer sealant or ceramic coating, and the shop highly recommends one of the three. A coating is the long version, and Ben installs Aqua Tek coatings as an authorized installer.
The order matters. Correction goes before ceramic, never after, because a coating locks in whatever is under it. That is why both Aqua Tek packages require a paint correction or polish appointment first.
Time on the car runs from 3 to 5 days depending on the size of the vehicle, the extent of the imperfections and the level you choose. Pick-up and drop-off is complimentary within a 5-mile radius. Ben's polishing comes from the Intensive Polishing Training Course at Big Foot Detailing Academy. To get on the calendar, call (740) 525-0964.
Polishing trained through the Intensive Polishing Training Course, Big Foot Detailing Academy. Ben at 200 Greene Street, Suite B, (740) 525-0964.
The paint depth scale
How much each level aims to take out
Every price is a starting price for a 2 Door Sport Coupe/Hatchback. Ben confirms yours before any work begins.
Every level includes
- Two bucket hand wash
- All exterior surfaces and paint decontamination
- Rinsed with spot free water
- Dried with blower and high quality microfiber towels
- Exterior glass cleaned
- Fender wells washed, scrubbed and dressed
- Tires and rims cleaned
Optional upgrade to wax, polymer sealant or ceramic coating, highly recommended.
Level 1 Enhancement Polish
Turnaround: Approx. 3 to 4 days
From$475
Aims to remove up to 20% of oxidation and light swirl marks
up to 20%
- Light machine polishing
- Deeper scratches and swirl marks may still be visible
Level 2 Correction
Turnaround: Minimum 4 days
From$765
Aims to remove up to 50% of oxidation and light swirl marks
up to 50%
- 1 step (or stage) polishing
Level 3 Multi-Step Correction
Turnaround: Approx. 4 to 5 days
From$1,240
Aims to remove 90%+ of swirl marks and defects
90%+
- Engine bay lightly cleaned
- All painted surfaces prepped
- 3 step (or stage) polishing
Not sure which level fits? Call Ben at (740) 525-0964 or book online.