H2O Car Valeting understand that owning a prestige vehicle is a dream come true – but with it comes the responsibility of maintaining the vehicle correctly to ensure it always looks pristine, and the investment is protected as much as possible. A big part of a car’s appearance is its paintwork, which over time, can become dulled from micro-abrasions, wash swirls, etching from acid rain, pollution and bird droppings, stone chips and many other environmental factors over which the owner has little control. Understanding the makeup of a car’s paintwork, and how to correct it using machine polishing tools is a big part of restoring and keeping high-end vehicles in showroom condition.
Reasons why your car NEEDS machine polishing
Paint Defects
Vehicle paint is usually a 3 stage process. First, a grey primer is applied to the bare metal to improve paint adherence. Next, the coloured paint is applied. Last, a final layer of clearcoat or lacquer is added to add a layer of gloss and protection to the coloured paint.
Over time, your paintwork can become exposed to a number of external pollutants, all of which can cause physical damage to the top clearcoat layer, such as wash swirls, light scratches and chemical etching from bird droppings, This creates uneven areas which catch the light differently and are visible to the eye.
Glassy-smooth paint finish
The process of addressing the micro-abrasions, uneven areas and physical damage to the clearcoat is known as paint correction. This process uses a mechanical tool known as a rotary polisher (or machine polisher) and a specialised abrasive polishing compound to gently remove sections of the clearcoat to smooth out its surface.
This process, done correctly, removes the uneven sections where dirt and contaminants can accumulate and equalises the surface area, to create a smooth, mirror finish which reflects light evenly.
Protect your investment
Protecting your pride and joy is key part of prestige car ownership – having invested a considerable sum of money in acquiring it, it makes sense to maintain it in the most attractive possible condition to maximise your enjoyment of owning it.
Although you may not currently be thinking of selling your vehicle, when the time comes to hand the keys over to a new owner, they will be highly vigilant to the aesthetic condition of the vehicle. A well-maintained paint job will no doubt help maximise the value, while minimising the hassle, of selling your car.
Better finish
Washing your car regularly will always make it look better, but in combination with a smooth, defect-free paint surface, a good wash will have an even better visual impact. That’s because without all the pitting, scratches and uneven surfaces, it’s harder for dirt and contaminants to adhere to your vehicle. Machine polishing can boost the visual impact of a premium car wash for many years after the initial treatment.
Additionally, if you’re planning to apply a ceramic coating to your vehicle, it’s absolutely critical that you do so to a vehicle which has been paint corrected, otherwise all you’re doing is “locking in” those imperfections which will sit underneath the ceramic layer.
H2O Car Valeting provide specialist machine polishing services at selected locations. Book in for a consultation now!
Our experienced detailing professionals will fully inspect your vehicle to determine the level of paint defects and damage sustained, explain the process and discuss the expected level of results. In almost all cases, machine polishing will provide a dramatic improvement to both newer and older cars, as long as the paintwork is in good condition (no deep scratches or scuffs which have broken through the coloured paint surface). Complete the form below to book in a consultation at one of our participating locations – we’ll be able to answer any questions you might have once we have inspected the vehicle.
