Car detailing is more than a car wash.
These facts about car detailing will help a car owner understand the benefits of maintaining a car’s value through regular car detailing, either at home or using a professional car detailer.
Doing it correctly should take a minimum of 1.5 to 2 hours. If done by a professional, it can take up to two days, depending on the age and condition of the vehicle. It involves intense car cleaning and reconditioning your vehicle, inside and out.
Car Detailing
Vehicle detailing and cleaning do not involve body repairs. A professional detailer will use the three-bucket interior and exterior cleaning method. The process involves a three-stage car polishing (if needed) method, paint decontamination to remove scratches, swirls, bat, and bird droppings externally, and a thorough all-surface internal clean. The result is like getting behind the wheel of a brand-new car.
Why is a professional car detail recommended?
Professional vehicle detailing and cleaning create the most fantastic finish, protect the car’s overall condition, and help maintain its value. Not keeping your car clean and leaving damaged paint has the opposite effect, leading to costly repairs and a significant reduction in the value of your vehicle. Whether you want to maintain your car, prepare your vehicle for sale, or purchase a pre-owned car, Red Plum Automotive recommends regular vehicle detailing.
What we Offer
We do not offer detailing as a service. Red Plum offers ceramic coatings, so we understand the importance of expertly preparing your car and following best practices before applying ceramic coatings. Our studio is in Brisbane’s Northside and is easily accessible from most suburbs within a 10-km radius.
If you are looking for a professional car detail but don’t know what is involved, this will help.
These are the main types of service provided by a car detailer.
Premium Wash
Premium car wash is a regular bi-monthly or monthly wash.
- Hi-Foam Hand PH Neutral Shampoo Wash – Three Bucket Method
- Wheel Faces, Rims, Arches and Tyres cleaned
- Tyre Dress & Rim Shine
- Microfibre Hand Dry
- Engine Bay Pressure Wash
- Windows Exterior & Interior
- Mirrors
- Interior Vacuum, Rear Cargo Area, Trunk, and Shelf. Floormats Vacuumed Separately.
- Dashboard & Console
- Door Panels & Frames
- Leather Seats Wipe
- Upholstery Seat Vacuum
- Interior Plastic Dressing
Deep Clean Details
Maintenance car detailing should include an exterior wash using the three-bucket method and an interior clean.
- Snow Foam Application and Jet Pressure Rinse
- Hi-Foam Hand PH Neutral Shampoo – Three Bucket Method
- Wheel Faces, Rims, Arches and Tyres cleaned
- Tyre Dress & Rim Polish
- Exterior Plastic Scrub and Treatment
- Compressor Air Dry
- Microfibre Hand Dry
- Engine Bay Scrub and Deep Clean
- Windows Exterior & Interior
- Mirrors
- Interior Vacuum, Rear Cargo Area, Trunk, and Shelf. Floormats Vacuumed Separately
- Dashboard & Console Vinyl Treatment
- Door Panels & Frames
- Leather Seats Rehydrating Treatment
- Upholstery Seat Vacuum
- Interior Plastic Dressing
- Exterior Hydrophobic Gloss Sealant
Full Detail
A Full Detail restores your vehicle as near as possible to new. Paint correction is an integral part of this process.
What is involved in Paint Correction?
Paint Correction is the process of removing imperfections in a vehicle’s finish and restoring it to a better-than-new finish. The 3-step system is the gold standard. This is where various machine polishers and graded pads remove imperfections from the paintwork. A fully corrected vehicle will show only accurate reflections, and no swirl marks, scratches, or blemishes will be visible to the naked eye.
- Snow Foam Application and Jet Pressure Rinse
- Hi-Foam Hand PH Neutral Shampoo – Three Bucket Method
- Wheel Faces, Rims, Arches, and Tyres cleaned
- Tyre Dress & Rim Shine
- Iron decontamination and or Clay Bar to Paint Work
- Exterior Plastic Scrub and Treatment
- Polish Exhaust Tips
- Paint Correction
Stage 1 – 60-70 %
Stage 2 – 80%-90%
Stage 3 – 90%+ as assessed and price-based stage. - Compressor Air Dry
- Microfibre Hand Dry
- Engine Bay Scrub & Deep Clean
- Windows Exterior & Interior
- Mirrors
- Interior Vacuum, Rear Cargo Area, Trunk, and Shelf. Floormats Vacuumed Separately. Steam Clean Mats and Carpet if Required Price On Application
- Dashboard & Console Vinyl Treatment
- Door Panels & Frames
- Leather Seats Deep Clean and Condition Price On Application
- Upholstery Seats Steam Clean Price On Application
- Interior Plastic Dressing
- Exterior Hydrophobic Gloss Sealant
Pre-Sale Detailing
A Pre-Sale car detail prepares the vehicle for sale. The focus is on overall presentation to ensure value for money. Depending on the car’s age, budget, and overall condition, you should seek a recommendation of the most cost-effective approach to present the vehicle for sale.
The focus should be headlight restoration, car polish, paint correction, and engine cleaning. Leather and fabric upholstery cleaning and carpet cleaning should be included when discussing a pre-sale detail with a car detailer.
A Final Word Of Advice
We strongly advise against using Automated Car Washes. The reason? Regardless of their type, these facilities employ large spinning brushes that hurl wet, soapy fibres onto your vehicle’s surface. Unfortunately, these brushes are seldom thoroughly rinsed between cycles, posing a significant risk to your car’s appearance.
Moreover, the brushes used in automated car washes apply cleaning products to your car and leave behind tiny swirl marks on the clear coat, which become visible in bright sunlight. These marks are not easy to remove, and each time you attempt to do so, you diminish the clear coat and affect the paintwork’s thickness.
To avoid damage to paintwork and retain your vehicle’s value, we recommend either handwashing your car at home using the Three Bucket Method and quality cleaning products or seeking the services of a professional detailer.
To learn more about Ceramic Coatings.
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