You might have read the term Paint Correction many times but were never sure if and why you need one. In this post I will try to explain why Paint Correction is a thing. First off, don’t feel bad if you cannot tell if you car needs a paint correction or not. I noticed that there are people that are bothered by swirl marks and some don’t even notice them (until they are gone). Swirl marks are super fine scratches on a paint surface. They are most commonly caused by wiping your car with a dry towel when it’s dusty. It can also happen during car washes, especially the automatic car washes but also cheap hand car washes can create swirl marks.
Another thing I often hear is “My car is new, it does not have swirls”. However, this is not necessarily true. Dealerships often wash vehicles for their clients before they pick up. Vehicles are usually transported to the dealership with a protective wrap on the paint which is removed by the dealership. All these things can create swirls already.
How Paint correction removes swirl marks
Before we can get a vehicle paint corrected, it has to be properly washed to remove all decontaminates and dirt off the vehicle. After a thorough wash, we clay bar every panel which safely removes any bonded surface contaminants like tar and such. The severity of the swirl marks and defects will determine how many steps will be required in the paint correction process.
The only way to remove scratches is by removing a thin layer off the clear coat of your paint. This is a time consuming process if done properly and you don’t want to rush it. There might be some detailing shops that offer a quick fix and call it paint correction. However, often this is just a seal that fills in the scratches and washes off after some time. Your scratches will still be visible then. So if you get a great deal on a paint correction, make sure it is a legitimate place. Paint correction cannot properly be done in 1-2 hours unless you never needed a paint correction in the first place.
Ceramic Coating
Often Ceramic Coating is recommended after paint correction, or paint correction is recommended before ceramic. The reason for this is that you do not want to seal in swirl marks after an expensive coating application. It also is necessary to prepare the paint for ceramic coating to properly bond with it. The reason why shops usually recommend a coating after a paint correction is pretty straight forward. If you keep polishing off thin layers of clear coat and you get scratches again and polish it again, it will make the clear coat thinner. This can create clear coat failure and flaking if paint corrected too often. To avoid that, we apply Ceramic Coating to create an extra layer of protection.
We always recommend our clients to maintain their vehicle with proper washes to avoid swirl marks. If for some reason you still get swirl marks or scratches, you would only remove the Ceramic Coating and not an additional layer of clear coat. So multiple layers of coating will protect your paint better than just one. But one is enough to give you a hydrophobic effect that will last way beyond a standard wax.
If you want to find out if Paint correction is an option for you, please stop by our studio or call 888.878.2213. A vehicle always has to be assessed in person to give you most accurate pricing. You can also email sales@evsmotors.com. Our specialists will be happy to assist you.
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