Detailing questions answered

They solve two different problems. Ceramic coating is a liquid nano-polymer that bonds chemically to the clear coat, giving deep gloss, UV resistance, protection from bird droppings and road salt, and a slick finish that makes washing easy. It is too thin to stop flying stones. Paint protection film is a thick 8-mil self-healing urethane skin that physically absorbs rock chips and car-park scuffs. Many owners put film on the bumper and bonnet, then ceramic-coat the rest of the car, film included.

Almost always a light single-stage polish, yes. New cars travel uncovered on rail cars and transporters, pick up embedded iron rail dust, and are wiped down hurriedly during dealer prep. A single-stage polish levels those light transport swirls and removes shipping waxes so the coating bonds to bare, glossy clear coat.

We advise against spinning-brush tunnel washes, which drag grit from the last twenty muddy trucks across your paint and bring the swirls straight back. A coated car releases dirt so easily that a 20-minute two-bucket hand wash at home, or a touchless wash with gentle soap during freezing weeks, keeps it gleaming.

Interior restorations take 3 to 4 hours and the Signature Reset 4 to 6 hours, with morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. Ceramic packages stay about 1.5 days so the coating cures indoors overnight, while multi-stage corrections and full-front PPF usually take 2 to 3 days.

No. Dry-vapour steam is superheated, low-moisture vapour that sanitises vents and seams and dries in seconds. After hot-water carpet extraction we run warm air movers and dehumidification inside the cabin, so seats and mats are dry and fresh when you drive away.

A good rule: if your fingernail catches in a scratch, it has gone through the clear coat into the colour coat or primer. Polishing removes or greatly softens swirls and scuffs that do not catch a nail. For deeper chips we can apply factory-coded touch-up paint before polishing so they are far less noticeable at normal viewing distance.

Please remove valuables, child car seats and bulky boot cargo so every cubby and the spare-wheel cover can be reached. For safety we do not unbuckle or refit child seats, but we gladly clean the seat itself and underneath it once it is out.

Most daily drivers stay in great condition with two visits a year: a spring reset to flush corrosive winter salt from carpets and wheel arches, and a late-autumn detail to apply fresh sealant and nourish the leather before cold, dry air arrives. Ceramic-coated cars usually come in once a year for a decontamination wash and topper inspection.