A FINAL TOUCH DETAILING

Paint Reconditioning?

What is paint reconditioning and how is it different then a "detail"? That's a good question, and to answer that we have provided this page, which gets into the actual nuts and bolts of the procdures we do in a complete paint reconditioning job.

At the most basic level, in our opinion it's a matter of the actual labor and time involved in the work in regards to what we call the work. Boynd that, we don't call the work we do a "detail" because the word "detail" is overused by many in this industy in our opinion. For example, any business who spends 30 minutes washing your car and throwing some wax on it refers to what they do as "detail". If something that simple, with that amount of labor time, is refered to as a "detail", then the 10-30+ hours of labor we peform using many different products when we do paint reconditioning, shouldn't also be called a "detail". For those reasons we have named what we do as paint reconditioning.  

We also feel that paint reconditioning more accuratly reflects what we do. We feel the process actually reconditions the vehicles paint to a state that is better then when it left the factory. We can say this because the factory didn't have our products or procedures to work on the vehicles paint. The factory definitely did not have the time needed to work on the vehicles paint.

The following information is from a basic document we sometimes provide to clients during our consultation/estimates. It is a lot of information but we tried to be thorough. You can see from the amount of process and the number of steps why a job may take 30+ hours of work. Please take your time and read through it at your convenience. You may not need all these stages but this is the overview necessary to see what kind of procedures we use.

STARTING THE PROCESS- When seeing a vehicle for the first time we work with the client to decide what they want to accomplish with the way the exterior of the vehicle appears. This involves communicating with the client and talking about their vehicle. This also includes examining the vehicle at length to become knowledgeable with the current condition of the vehicle. Clients then may choose something as basic as hand wash and move all the way up to a full paint reconditioning to a level as perfect as the paint allows. Vehicles that have swirl marks, water etching, embedded particles, random deep scratches, or other significant issues with the paint will often determine if a client chooses to have a paint reconditioning process that starts with the “single stage” reconditioning done. Our details can be classified as a single stage reconditioning process, dual stage reconditioning process, and multi-stage reconditioning process. The general differences in the stages are explained below.

EXTERIOR- The paint reconditioning process for a single stage or higher job is explained below. The process is listed in the numbered ordered that steps in the process occur.

1. Cleaning the paint- This step removes any grease or contaminates from the paint so we can start with the paint in a bare unprotected state. This involves using specific car wash products to accomplish this. It may be a rinseless wash or may be a heavy pre-soak type. It may be a combination of the two.

2. Clay bar the paint- This step helps to remove any embedded type of material from the paint and helps to give you smooth surface on the paint to move to the next steps.

3. Cut the paint- This step involves using a machine polisher and compound product to actually “cut” or smooth the imperfections of the paint. This accomplishes removing things like swirls, random scratches, water spots, etc. A complete “cut” of the exterior vehicle surface is called a “pass”. Step #3 may involve more then one “pass” and may use more then one kind of product. The number of passes used on step #3 is what contributes to classifying the paint reconditioning as a single stage, dual stage, or multistage reconditioning. This step may also be combined into a single step with step #4, depending on the reconditioning package chosen.

4. Polish the paint- This step involves using a machine polisher and product to actually gloss up and add depth to the paint. Step #4 uses product made not to aggressively “cut” the paint surface but to instead gloss and depth to the paint surface. This is a step for someone looking to achieve a finish as perfect as the paint allows. A complete “polish” of the exterior vehicle surface is called a “pass”. Step #4 is generally a separate step from step #3. As such a separate step #4 would move the reconditioning process to a higher stage. This step may be combined into a single process with step #3, depending on the reconditioning package chosen.

5. Wash the paint- This step is done to make sure that all products used in step #3 and step #4 are removed from the paint. This assures that the paint reconditioning can move to the next step without any issues.

6. Protect the paint surface/Enhance the paint look- This step involves putting a product on the paint to protect it. The protection is provided by the product acting as a barrier between all the things that are working against the paint such as rain, bird poop, dirt, sun, etc. Stage #6 also adds an enhancement to the look of the paint. The product chosen for this step can add depth, pop, and clarity to the look of the paint. You can choose either a wax or synthetic based sealant product. The differences between a wax and sealant can be many. The basic difference between a wax and sealant is as follows: a sealant is synthetically based (man made) and a wax is based in products from nature (mostly carnauba or other oils). There are differences in how the paint is “enhanced” in looks with different sealants vs. wax. There is a difference in how long wax vs. sealants last before loosing the protection they provide. Protection of wax generally last between two to three months and sealants last four to eight months. The product chosen will be dictated by the owner’s requirements.

7. Detail spray- This step uses a liquid detail spray, which goes over the paint. Stage #7 adds a little more shine, depth, and pop to the paint, while giving the paint some general anti- dusting protection due to the product we use.

*Attention is also given to as many areas of possible of a vehicle with paint, such as door jams, the inside of trunk areas, around the inside edges of the wheel wheels, and others area of the vehicle. 

INTERIOR- You can choose to have your interior done with the exterior reconditioning if you choose. The interior process listed below is for a single stage paint reconditioning and higher. The interior process listed below, is for a normal wear and tear interior. Stains, discolorations, spilled liquids, stuck food material, etc are addressed on a case-by-case basis and not covered.

1. Full vacuum of interior- This step uses a shop type of vacuum to clean the rug, seats, and other areas of the interior from dirt and misc. junk. This step is done at a maintenance cleaning level. Specific stains or other cleaning issues may not be addressed by this step.

2. Carpets vacuumed- This step is where the removable carpets in the vehicle are vacuumed and the back rubber/vinyl side cleaned. This step is done at a maintenance cleaning level. Specific stains or other cleaning issues may not be addressed by this step.

3. Plastic, vinyl, and rubber cleaned- This step uses a biodegradable cleaning product in all areas of the interior that are plastic, vinyl, or rubber. Areas such as rubber door jams, bottom seat plastic, plastic wrapping of steering wheel, and other out of the way areas are cleaned with this step. This step is done at a maintenance cleaning level. Specific stains or other cleaning issues may not be addressed by this step.

4. Plastic, vinyl, and rubber protected- This step uses a non-silicone product to treat the plastic, vinyl, and rubber areas of the interior. This leaves those areas with a matt finish and actual UV protection from the sun. The product used does not leave that greasy feeling/look you often get. Areas such as rubber door jams, bottom seat plastic, plastic wrapping of steering wheel, and other out of the way areas are protected with this step. This step may be optional depending on depending on the detailing package chosen.

5. Leather cleaned- This step uses specific products that will clean leather in the vehicle. This step would be recommended for leather that has not been cleaned in a long period of time or has specific stain issues. This step may be optional depending on depending on the paint reconditioning package chosen.

6. Leather protected and conditioned- This step uses specific products that condition the leather and also provide protection against UV rays of the sun. This step often leaves leather softer and darker then before the product.

WHEELS- This is the procedure that is done with all single stage and higher paint reconditioning jobs. This applies to wheels with stock brake dust and normal dirt. This process will not address years of brake dust, chipped paint, scratches, curbed lips, etc.

1. Wheels cleaned- This involves using a biodegradable cleaner to clean the wheels of the brake dust, dirt, and trash particles that accumulate from driving. This is done of the front side of the wheel only.

2. Wheels protected- This involves using a spray on sealant to give the wheels a moderate level of protection from the elements while enhancing the look for the wheel. This is done of the front side of the wheel only.

TIRES- This is the procedure that is done with all single stage and higher paint reconditioning jobs. This applies to normal stock tires. This process will not address cuts, nicks, decomposition of rubber, etc.

1. Tires cleaned- This involves using a biodegradable cleaner to clean the tires of the brake dust, dirt, and trash particles that accumulate from driving. This is done of the front side of the tire only.

2. Tires protected/conditioned- This involves using a spray on conditioner to give the tire a moderate level of protection from the elements while enhancing the looks for the tire. This is done of the front side of the tire only.

FINISH- At the end of the paint reconditioning process, the vehicles paint can end up looking at least as good as it did when it left the factory and most of the time better then when it left the factory. That gives the customer a vehicle that can be kept for future years with an as new look. If the vehicle is sold or traded, the paint reconditioning could add up to thousands of dollars to the vehicle’s value. Sense the vehicle obtains a defect free paint surface at the end of a paint reconditioning process, much smaller future processes can be done on follow-up basis. Customers may even be able to do their own upkeep of washing and QD spray, with whatever products they like, once the paint has been through the detailing process.

CONTACT US

Phone: (619) 253-5257

afinaltouchdetailing@yahoo.com

Ready for a no cost consultation or estimate or have specific questions? Give us a call or send us an email.

Our work prices start in the $25 price range and we offer no fee consultation and estimates within a 25-mile radius of the middle of San Diego, so contact us.

We are mobile paint reconditioning specialists who serve all of San Diego County (North and South). We also serve the Riverside and San Bernardino Counties on a case-by-case basis.

Don't be drawn in by a business using low one price fits all price structure. This is called "leader advertising" in the automotive world. It's an advertising trick to make you feel some sense of urgency to book work with a business. In our experience, businesses that use that pricing tricks will just add additional work and cost once they have your vehicle to work on. It’s no bargain for you, if you're paying a higher rate and for the same rate you could have had the work done by Final Touch Detailing. If you choose Final Touch Detailing, then you can have your work done by professionals who provides a complete no cost estimate before doing any work.  

If you’re locked into a price range or comparing our work to a competitor who has a set price for given work, please contact us as our prices are 100% competitive with our insured competition for given matched work. We can say this because we know the prices of our competition. We have detailed files with all our competitors pricing and if you provide us with a quote of specific work from our competition, 10 out of 10 we will be priced competitively. 

Inquire with us for our policies for a consultation outside that radius.

Run a car club?

Put on a car show?

Part of the active military?

Can you gather a group of people together that all need detailing work at one time?

Any of these scenarios are sure to get you a discount, free group consultation, demo day with product samples given away, or any combination of those things. Be sure to let us know if you fall into one of these categories when you contact us.

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CONTACT US

Phone: (619) 253-5257

afinaltouchdetailing@yahoo.com