I can almost hear these words through people’s actions.  “I will wait until it is obvious that my car needs detailing, to save money.”  “Scratches are easy to fix.”  “Those swirls are not that deep.”  “A detail is a detail.”  “I will get a something done under the term ‘protection’ or ‘ceramic’, for the best price from any detailer.”  Usually whether it is in the short and/or long term, this mentality carries significantly more costly consequences.  Costly by both definitions.

Not everybody has a real emotional connection to their car.  Sure, you are not as into your car as most people who fall into the enthusiast category.  I get it!  It is not worth it to you to book a $2,000 to $4,000 detail.  But you do not have to choose the top of the line experience, when you prioritize a service from a reputable detailer in an unregulated industry.  Your car can actually look good 5 years from now.

Could this be your mindset?  Maybe you actually are very particular about your car, but do not think the work that goes into these transformations are as arduous or risky as detailers make them out to be.  You think waiting until it gets really bad will add value to the cost of a detail.  You think a new car does not need what you call ‘protection’ or polishing.  You are a one time detail with a minimal future maintenance guy or girl.  Maybe you will price shop for the cheapest option, to have the person you should have booked with fix the detail without additional cost/consequence to you.  If you fall into those categories while having expectations of your car looking remotely like a new car 5 years from now, you are mistaken.  Most professionals receive inquiries from one of those people that we give bad news to, putting it mildly.  Often it is a conversation stating, “we can’t”, “we can only make it look better but not perfect”, or regardless of outcome it “will now cost significantly more.”

A frequent detailing inquiry, for most business owners, starts like the following. “Hey, I have this oxidation (that is NOT oxidation), can you detail the paint (that is no longer existent)?”  Most people who fall in the common non enthusiast, non detailer, or non crazy car obsessed category, think this is oxidation.  It is actually paint failure.  It often happens when you wait until it is too late to care or assume the paint doesn’t need appropriate care, and also obsessed with chasing scratches without the aftercare part accounted for.  UV protection is in your paint system.  Misunderstood words like protection, buff, and detailing are often in part the cause of this.

This post-it-note is symbolic of the clear coat (top paint layer), which is what is actually being detailed, polished, and protected.  This represents close to the working thickness, usually in best case scenarios.  Generally your clear coat is actually thinner.  When people think about buffing scratches, it is not uncommon for them to falsely assuming we are massaging or flowing paint.  That is not happening.  The proper term is paint correction, which is the leveling of paint to the point of the defects/scratches (that you can or often cannot see) which consequentially improves the appearance of paint.  Level paint is what provides the clarity and deeper reflections.  More often we (detailers) are just improving but not removing damage in what is referred to as ‘enhancement’ and not correction.  In some ways we are surgeons of car care.

Detailing is more than just a car wash.  Protection has become overused and over generalized.  When I mention the over use of the word protection, think of candy.  Candy is food.  But is it really nourishing?  Today quick detailers, cheap spray waxes, and even car soaps have something in them that will give you the allusion that you are putting something of substance on your paint temporarily.  But are they really doing anything for you?  Likely not!  That is one of the many consequences of often price shopping for the cheapest detailer or thinking that the ‘protection’ option at an automatic car wash is doing anything for you.

An argument can be made that even a true professional ceramic coating does not have the UV protection characteristics by itself to GUARANTEE prevention of failure.  From my experience, including personal observation of vehicles cared for over several years, it is often a combination of factors.  The obvious factor, a garage kept vehicle is going to last longer than a vehicle parked outside if all other conditions are the same.  The other variables that tip the scale include quality and reputable detailing appointments that are consistently scheduled appropriately with the expected life of the durable protection applied.  In addition, frequent hand washing of the vehicle is important.  Many of these factors are often in our control when we first purchase a car.

These common statements are made without a true understanding of the cost of the consequences. “I’ll just get it repainted.”   “What is the point of that expensive paint correction and ceramic coating detail when you can just get it painted.”  I became curious about the cost of a hypothetical full car repaint about two years prior to writing this article.  I asked about my car, at a reputable auto body shop, and was quoted at $7,000.  Putting a potential customer in my clients position, that does not include the cost of detailing that will happen after a repaint.  A repainted car is not going to wax, seal, or ceramic coat itself.  Granted for many of my clients they appreciate a higher level of service, that includes polishing to refine or also correct the holograms left in the paint from the body shop.

Like detailing, I am well aware there are cheaper alternatives.  Many of those budget friendly auto body repaints are going to come with problems.  Among other issues with a cheap repaint, the UV protection in the clear coat may not be as effective.  I have been told some of those cheap repaints have failed after 1 year.