“Detailing” is a broad word. At one end it is a very thorough wash; at the other it is machine work on the paint that takes a day or more. Knowing the difference helps you spend the right amount.
Stage one: getting the grit off without grinding it in
Most swirl marks in paint are put there during washing. That is why we start with a thick snow-foam soak and let it dwell — it lifts and floats the abrasive grit off the surface before any cloth touches the car. Anyone going straight at a dirty car with a sponge is making the paint worse.
Stage two: decontamination
A clay bar pulls out the bonded contamination a wash leaves behind — rail dust, overspray, tree sap. Run your fingers over the paint after a wash; if it feels gritty rather than glass-smooth, this is the step you need.
Stage three: correction
This is machine polishing, and it is where the real difference comes from. It removes a microscopic layer of clear coat to level out swirls and light scratches. One pass fixes most of it. Multi-stage work goes further, and on dark paint the difference is dramatic. It is also the step that takes the time.
Stage four: protection
Wax, sealant or ceramic coating. Coatings last longest and make the car far easier to keep clean, which matters more day to day than the shine does.
And the inside
Steam and extraction through the carpets and seats, leather cleaned and conditioned rather than just wiped, vents and crevices by hand. If you have kids or a dog, this is usually the half people actually care about.
Our detailing starts at $99.99. Tell us what state the car is in and we will tell you honestly which stages it needs and which it does not.