First we get the paint completely clean
We are not putting a polisher on top of dirt. The car gets washed and decontaminated first. Then we get it under the shop lights where we can actually see the swirl marks, haze, sanding marks, oxidation, and deeper scratches.
A test spot tells us a lot. Some paint is soft and changes fast. Some is hard and takes more work. Repainted panels can react differently from the rest of the car. We need to see what one section does before we decide how to attack every panel.
What we're actually doing to the paint
Swirl marks are tiny scratches that scatter the light. Polishing levels a very small amount of clear coat around those defects so the reflection gets cleaner again. That is why the car looks darker, glossier, and deeper afterward.
But there is a limit. If a scratch is too deep, chasing it can do more harm than leaving it improved but visible. The same goes for thin paint, sharp edges, and areas that have already been repaired. We'll tell you where we think the safe stopping point is.
One step or two steps?
A one-step correction tries to cut and finish with one polishing stage. It is a good fit for a lot of daily drivers. Two-step correction uses one stage to do the heavier cutting and another to clean up and refine the finish.
We don't choose the bigger service just because it costs more. We choose it when the paint and the result you want actually call for it.
Related services
Questions we hear about Paint Correction
Can you remove every scratch?
No, and anybody promising that before seeing the car is guessing. Some scratches are too deep to remove safely. We can often make them less obvious.
Why does correction take so long?
The car has to be washed, decontaminated, tested, polished panel by panel, wiped down, checked under good light, and protected. It is a lot more than running a machine around the car once.
Should I coat it afterward?
You should protect it somehow. That could be a wax, sealant, or coating. We'll go over the options based on how you use the car and what you want to spend.