What is meant by "Detailing"

Unfortunately for many people the word DETAIL has different requirements and conjures up multiple interpretations when describing vehicle cleaning required to meet your precise needs ! You want value - you get what you pay for. Detailing is a presentation service specifically designed to restore the vehicle to "as new condition", allowing for natural wear and tear. The word DETAILING is often confused with a simple wash & vac requirement.

Professional detailers possess a unique skill - often spending up to 6 hours to deliver a quality product, paying specific attention to each part of the vehicle's bodywork and interior trim.

WASH: wet sponge vehicle and hose off.

WASH & DRY: as above, with chamois dry-off.

WASH & VAC: as above, plus an interior vacuum.

POLISH: hand applied polymer in addition of the above. This service is commonly known as a "DETAIL", however, on dark vehicles, if not performed correctly the finish can suffer from "swirl marks" which are particularly hard to remove and detracts from the appearance of your vehicle. It can be rectified but may involve a long process. A polish will only last 2 to 3 months, depending upon how the vehicle is stored/garaged !

Note - polish will not remove scratches. Retail polishes many contain fillers which temporally give the illusion that the scratches have been removed, but after just a few washes the filler is gone and the scratches will reappear.

MACHINE CUT & POLISH: this is a 2 stage process with multi-speed buffing machine (this takes years of experience). Some amateurs consider that maximum results can be achieved by hand application as they simply do not have the expertise, knowledge or equipment to achieve a professional result (uniform results cannot be achieved by hand application). This process removes dullness, oxidization, minor scratches, scuffs and most forms of industrial fallout.

	( A) Overspray - This can be visually noticeable or felt by running your hand over the bodywork and observing a sandpaper effect. This is normally caused by airborne paint residue settling on your paintwork and glassed areas.
	(B) Paint blotching--normally an irreparable condition mainly caused by breakdown of the pigment due to age and neglect, normally rectification involves a repaint of the effected areas.
	(C) Hologram (swirl marks) is a fine array of swirl marks normally on dark vehicles identified in sunlight by its 3D effect. Specialized products and procedures are required to remove this effect. Depending on the severity it could be a simple or involved application.
	(D) Oxidization (faded paintwork) vehicle's oxidize within 60 days of being painted. Oxidization is caused by the Ultra violet rays from sunlight. This is particularly noticeable when vehicles have not had regular maintenance and upkeep to the painted surfaces - they are basically sunburnt. Regular polishing puts back moisture into the paintwork.

PROTECTIVE SEALANTS: this is a professional applied glaze containing "Temperaflex" a non stick all-climate sealant with the ability to absorb ultra violet rays eliminating oxidation. Sealants are NOT a polish. They form a rock hard shield to magnify lustre and repel foreign matter. Our sealant comes with a written protection warranty. Do not confuse sealants with paint protection, as most protections simply do not work effectively. In our harsh climatic conditions sealants help protect your vehicle's investment !

SHAMPOO: this is the process for washing, cleaning and extraction, for the removal of all imbedded dirt, grease, body fat and many other natural contaminants from the seats and carpet areas by using high powered professional equipment. Do not confuse this with dry cleaning which only removes surface spotting. Note - dog hair removal is a separate additional service, requiring a special appliance. Also, the removal of human and pet accidents is a separate process requiring the killing of any resultant bacteria.

LEATHER: this natural material requires a little bit of proper care and this goes a long way in maintaining the comfort and luxury appeal of leather upholstery and trim in your vehicle. Cleaning removes most embedded soil, food stains and other stains from virtually all leathers. Conditioning, remoisturises the leather and helps to maintain its soft luxurious feel, reducing its ageing and cracking.

SHOWROOM: this is the service that is requested for presenting vehicles for sale to get maximum price. It is a comprehensive service from front to back, inside and outside, removing minor scratches that are not through the paintwork - if there are deeper scratches these can be touched up at an additional cost and quoted on inspection. Our professional service can produce thousands of additional dollars to the value of your vehicle, should you be selling!

OFFROAD REFURBISH: this service is an involved process requiring the removal of seats, carpets and interior trim. It is ideally suited for vehicles that have been outback or on the beach for an extended time. This is the only successful way to remove all remnants of outback dirt and beach sand. This service would take approximately three days to complete and is an extended version of our Gold Presentation.

The word DETAILING is very confusing due to peoples interpretation - in fact it means that most of the public have not got a clue what is actually involved in a professional detail. Don’t be deceived - confirm first if you are not sure before it is too late - far too often we are being called into to rectify the 'BUCKET & HOSE' - it pays to deal with professionals!!

	Ensure that the cleaner with whom you contract is an accredited professional who knows what he is talking about
	Be sure that they are qualified to perform the calibre of work that you require - inexperience can cause irrevocable and expensive damage
	Do they stand by their work, do they offer a guarantee
	Do they use the latest technical procedures and quality products
	Do they have professional equipment or amateur tools
	How do they operate

Provided in the interest of professional vehicle cleaners and for protection of consumers.