Albuquerques Premier Paint Correction Specialists
Restore your paints shine by removing the imperfections
Remove The Swirls and Get The Most Gloss and Clarity From Your Paint
The goal of paint correction is to remove swirls and imperfections so your car can shine. Depending on what you want, we can aim to remove 65% to 90% of the imperfection from your paint. This is where we do an intense cutting and polishing step, called a 2-step correction, to get the most gloss and clarity from your paintwork.
Some scratches or imperfection are far too deep to remove. This may be because of how deep the scratch is, the type of imperfection that it is, or maybe it’s unsafe to polish on a specific panel due to the clear coat being too thin.
This is where we’ll make the proper judgement call on what we can safely remove off your paint. It’s not just about removing as many imperfections. It’s also knowing when enough is enough to keep the integrity of the paint healthy and within good working boundaries.
We can spend 20 hours or 5 hours polishing your paint. It’s all just based on what you’d like to achieve.
Even New Vehicles Need Paint Correction
Even if your vehicle is only a few months off the lot, the paint can still require a 2-step correction service. Although it’s new to you, the car has already gone through several stages of transportation, handling, and storage — often being washed and moved multiple times by different people in different places. During this process, it's common for vehicles to accumulate swirls, light scratches, and other paint imperfections.
This is why even brand-new vehicles, regardless of their make or model, often don’t have flawless paint straight from the showroom floor.
Opting for a paint correction service is a commitment to restoring and preserving your vehicle’s finish. However, to maintain those results, it’s crucial to properly wash and dry your vehicle after the service is complete. Improper washing techniques can easily reintroduce swirls and scratches within just a few washes, undoing the hard work put into correcting the paint.
Paint correction is one of the most time-consuming and meticulous detailing services. Depending on the size of your vehicle, the condition of the paint, and the level of correction you’re aiming for, the process can take anywhere from 8 to 15 hours to complete.
Drop Off Your Vehicle At Our Shop In Albuquerque
Detail-N-Stuff Auto Detailing offers a wide range of services for your vehicle. Our goal is to offer the best quality service and results we can. Some of our popular services include:
Exterior:
• Ceramic Coating
• Headlight Restoration
• Overspray Removal
• Wash and Wax
Interior:
• Smoke Odor Removal
• Full Interior Cleaning
Our Paint Correction Process:
We've worked on a wide range of vehicles in various conditions. Whether it's a classic Ferrari you're looking to preserve for years to come or a newly purchased vehicle you want to refresh, we follow the same proven process to achieve exceptional results.
• Clean Wheels, Tires, & Fenders: The process starts with a thorough cleaning of the wheel faces, wheel barrels, tires, and inner fender liners to remove built-up dirt and grime.
• Gentle Foam Hand Wash: We apply a thick layer of foam followed by a gentle hand wash to safely lift dirt from the paint. During this step, we also clean the door jambs, gas cap area, and remove bug splatter from the paint.
• Iron Particle Removal: To ensure the surface is truly clean, we perform a chemical decontamination to remove embedded iron particles from the paint.
• Clay Bar Treatment: Next, we use a clay bar treatment to extract any remaining embedded dirt and debris, leaving your paint with a smooth finish.
• Tape Off Sensitive Areas: We carefully tape off trim, chrome, and other sensitive areas to protect them from polish buildup or staining.
• Step 1 - Compound Phase (Correction): Using a machine polisher, cutting disc, and compound, we safely remove a majority of swirls, scratches, and imperfections from the paint.
• Step 2 - Polishing Phase (Polish): This step refines the finish by polishing out any micro-scratches left from the compounding phase, enhancing the shine and clarity of your paint.
• Paint Wipe Down: To reveal the true condition of the paint, we perform a thorough wipe down to remove any leftover polish residue that may be masking imperfections.
• Apply Paint Protection: Based on your preference, we apply a layer of wax, sealant, or a durable ceramic coating to protect the paint and enhance its shine.
• Dress Tires, Plastic & Trim: To complete the look, we dress exterior plastic, trim, and tires to achieve a clean, even black finish without a greasy feel.
• Clean Exterior Windows & Mirrors: We ensure all exterior glass surfaces are streak-free for maximum clarity.
• Final Touch-Ups: Before we finish, we conduct a meticulous inspection of all exterior surfaces and touch up any areas that need extra attention.
Our Approach:
We're not a high-volume car wash pushing vehicles through as fast as possible. Our process is detailed and time-intensive, ensuring every step is done correctly. Depending on the size or condition of the vehicle, some jobs have taken us up to three days to complete.
This level of effort is necessary to achieve the best results, and we take the time to ensure your vehicle leaves us looking its absolute best.
How Long Do The Results Last?
The purpose of our paint correction service is to eliminate swirls, scratches, water spots, and other paint imperfections, restoring your vehicle’s gloss and clarity.
Once we've completed the correction, your car will have a shine like never before. However, maintaining those results requires proper care. One of the quickest ways to undo the work is by taking your vehicle through an automated car wash. The high-speed bristles used in these washes repeatedly slap against your vehicle's surface — and if there's any dirt or debris trapped in the bristles from previous washes, it can cause scratches or even damage your paint.
We see this all the time — vehicles come into our shop with deep scratches caused by debris being dragged across the paint during an automatic wash.
To keep your vehicle looking its best, it’s crucial to use high-quality tools, products, and proper washing techniques. Even if you go to a hand wash service, if they’re using low-quality wash mitts or drying towels, it can still introduce swirls and diminish your paint's clarity in just a few washes.
Whether you choose to maintain the car yourself or have us handle it for you, the key is consistent and proper washing methods to preserve your car’s shine.
When maintained correctly, you may only need a light polish once every couple of years to remove any minor swirls and keep your paint looking flawless.
What Is A Ceramic Coating?
Ceramic coatings are one of the most popular choices for protecting your vehicle’s paint after a paint correction. They provide a highly durable layer of protection that can last for several years, helping to keep your paint looking glossy and clean.
The main benefit of a ceramic coating is that it helps repel dirt, water, and road grime, preventing them from bonding to your paint. This makes washing your vehicle much easier — when you rinse it off, most of the dirt and grime will slide right off the surface, significantly reducing the effort needed to maintain its appearance.
However, it's important to note that ceramic coatings do not protect against rock chips or physical impact damage. If your primary goal is to protect your paint from rock chips, scratches, or road debris, paint protection film (PPF) would be the better option. Ceramic coatings focus more on making maintenance easier and preserving the shine of your paint, rather than impact protection.
Hire A Paint Correction Expert In Albuquerque
It’s important to hire a professional detailer to handle your paint correction so you only get results and not problems.
We’ve seen it dozens of times where we need to fix another detailers problem due to the tools or techniques they used.
One of the most common things we see is buffer-trails on the paint due to a detailer using a high-speed rotary buffer with a big wool pad and going to town on the paint. This leave what looks like smears all over the vehicle.
Or worse, if the detailer is not careful, they can burn through your clear coat or chip off paint and the only solution to those is getting touch up paint or a respray on the specific panel.
We use a variety of dual action and rotary polishers and a wide range of pads like wool, microfiber, or foam to deliver the best results we can.
The Right Tools and Products For Maximum Results
Achieving a like-new finish on your vehicle’s paint requires more than just one tool or product — it’s a combination of professional-grade polishers, pads, and compounds that work together to remove swirls and enhance gloss. Here’s a look at the key tools we use during our paint correction process:
Polishers: The Core of Paint Correction
Polishers are essential for any paint correction job, and we use different types and sizes depending on the vehicle and its specific needs. Sizes typically range from 1-inch, 3-inch, to 5-inch, and the types can include rotary, dual-action, and forced rotation polishers.
Larger areas like hoods and doors are corrected using a larger-throw polisher for maximum efficiency. For smaller, more intricate areas like bumpers or door pillars, a smaller 3-inch polisher allows for precise correction. Choosing the right polisher for each section is critical to achieving consistent and flawless results.
Pads: The Contact Point with Your Paint
The polishing pad plays a crucial role in the correction process since it’s what actually makes contact with your vehicle's paint. Different pads offer different levels of cutting and polishing power, allowing us to customize our approach based on the condition of your paint.
For heavy swirl and scratch removal, we may use a wool pad with a rotary polisher, which provides aggressive cutting power to tackle deep imperfections. In other cases, microfiber or foam pads are used for less aggressive correction or final polishing. Before starting the job, we test different pad and compound combinations to find the best setup for your vehicle’s clear coat.
Compounds & Polishes: The Finishing Touch
The compounds and polishes we use are equally important in the correction process. Compounds are designed for heavy defect removal, helping to cut through deep swirls, scratches, and oxidation. This step often requires a rotary polisher paired with a wool pad for maximum cutting power.
After the heavy correction is complete, we move on to a refining polish, which enhances gloss and restores clarity. This final step is crucial to achieve a smooth, mirror-like finish. Every product we use is carefully selected based on the vehicle’s condition and the desired results.
By using the right combination of polishers, pads, and compounds, we’re able to restore your vehicle’s paint to its highest level of clarity and shine. Every step of the process is tailored to your car’s specific needs, ensuring we deliver the best possible finish.
When polishing your car’s paint, you’ll likely come across the terms "hard" and "soft" clear coats. Knowing the difference can help improve both the process and the outcome.
Clear coat is the protective layer over your car’s paint, but not all clear coats are the same. They generally fall into two types: hard and soft clear coats.
Hard Clear Coat: This type is more resistant to scratches and swirl marks, keeping your paint looking shiny and well-maintained for a longer period. However, when imperfections do appear, they’re harder to remove. Hard clear coats often require stronger compounds, pads, and polishers to restore the finish. The advantage is that once corrected, the result lasts longer.
Soft Clear Coat: This type is more sensitive, making it easier to scratch and swirl. On the plus side, imperfections are simpler to fix, usually needing less aggressive polishing and less time. However, because it’s more prone to swirls, it’s important to use gentle washing and drying methods to maintain its appearance.
Whatever type of clear coat your vehicle has, we have the right tools, products, and techniques to help it shine.
Hard Vs. Soft Clear Coat: What’s The Difference?
Paint Correction FAQs
Where are you located?
We are located in Ventana West. Depending on the level of service required, the job can take 2 to 3 days to complete, meaning for vehicles needing 2-step paint corrections we will book you to drop your vehicle off. For lighter corrections and “paint enhancements” we also offer mobile detailing in Albuquerque and surrounding areas.
What tools and products do you use?
We use a range of polishers, pads, compounds, polishes, towels, and lighting to achieve the best results. Our 1", 3", and 5" polishers allow us to tackle even small or hard-to-reach areas. For heavy swirl marks, we use more aggressive tools and pads to safely achieve the desired outcome.
Before starting the polishing process, we measure the paint thickness to ensure we don’t go too aggressive on panels with insufficient clear coat. This prevents any potential damage while removing swirls.
What’s the difference between waxing and paint correction?
Waxing doesn’t remove swirls or scratches. It merely hides light imperfections and can be done in a few hours. Paint correction, however, removes those imperfections, bringing out a stunning shine. It’s a much more time-consuming process, typically taking one or two full days, depending on the size, condition, and desired result.
My paint is chipping. Can you still polish it?
If your paint is chipping, cracking, or heavily oxidized, we may not be able to work on it. However, if other panels are still in good condition, we can polish them normally. If the damage is too severe, repainting the affected panels may be necessary.
Does the color of the car affect the polishing process?
The process is the same, but darker colors, like black, tend to show swirls and imperfections more than lighter colors, like white. While black looks great, it can be challenging to maintain as every flaw is more noticeable. White tends to hide these imperfections since they blend with the paint.
How often should I polish my car?
Polishing doesn’t need to be done every year. Clear coat is limited, and excessive polishing can thin it out over time. To extend the results, it’s important to maintain your car with proper washing techniques, which will reduce the need for frequent polishing.
View Pricing & Book Any Service Online 24/7! No Credit Card Required.
OR
Submit This Short Form For a Personalized Quote!