(Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Why should I have my car detailed?
Detailing does more than just clean your car. It preserves it. For older vehicles, detailing restores your vehicle back to an “as new” condition. Moreover, regular detailing extends the life of your car and actually adds to its value. Auto detailing is extremely effective in cases where cars sit outdoors where it is subject to the cruelties of the environment such as tree sap, pollen, bird droppings, bugs and more. Auto detailing is for anyone who wants to get the most out of their vehicle and keep it looking great for years to come.
2. How often should I have my car detailed?
We recommend that you have your vehicle detailed 2 – 3 times per year due to the harsh outdoor elements it is exposed to in the Low Country.
3. Do I have to wax my car even though it has a clear coat?
Yes! Clear coat finishes (also referred to as two-stage paint) are simply a layer of clear resin applied over the top of colored resin. Although a clear coat does protect the base coat, just like an older single stage finish, the clear coat needs to be regularly maintained to keep it in top shape.
4. What is clay and why do I need it?
After you wash and dry your car, run the palm and fingertips of your clean hand across the top surfaces. Don't be surprised if what you feel is rough and bumpy. The roughness you feel is the presence of harmful environmental bonded contaminants such as over-spay, fallout, brake dust, tree sap mist and more that have bonded to your paint finish. Most of these contaminants will wash right off if immediately addressed, however, others bond to the finish and week by week, if not dealt with, will gradually mask and blur the reflection. To remove these bonded contaminants and bring back that "smooth-as-glass" finish, this will require an extra step, prior to polishing and waxing, commonly referred to as "claying". By utilizing a clay bar, you can give it back that "smooth-as-glass" feel and properly prepare that surface for a quality coat of wax. By doing this, your car will not only feel incredible, it will ensure the wax that we apply is able to function properly.
5. How soon after purchasing my new vehicle should it be waxed?
A new car with a factory paint job can be waxed the moment it is rolled out of the manufacturing plant. Cars that have factory paint jobs are cured at much higher temperatures, sometimes as high as 300 degrees in special baking ovens. At a factory level, the car goes through the painting and baking process without any of the rubber, plastic, and cloth components installed. This is why they can expose the car and it's fresh paint to such high temperatures. These high temperatures and special paints used at the factory level insures the paint is fully cured by the time the car is completely assembled.
After-market paint finishes however, are cured at a much lower temperature to ensure the method of baking or heating the paint doesn't melt non-metal components such as wiring and vinyl. For this reason, it's best to follow the specific paint manufactures recommendations for care and maintenance of fresh paint. Most paint manufactures that supply paint to the refinish industry recommend that you allow anywhere from 30 to 90 days curing time after the paint is applied before you apply the first application of wax.