Paint correction. Swirls, scratches, gone.
Paint correction is a multi-stage machine polish that removes defects inside your clear coat, instead of hiding them under a glaze. Swirls, wash marring, scratches, oxidation and water spots come out. True gloss and clarity go back in.
For owners of used cars with tired paint, black or dark cars that show every mark, and anyone booking a ceramic coating who wants the paint locked in at its best.
What it costs.
Single-stage correction, then a sealant. Coating it afterwards is the most common package we do.
| Service | Hatch or sedan | SUV or ute | 4WD, van or 7-seater | Motorbike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paint correction | from $497 | from $597 | from $697 | Quoted |
Paint correction
- Hatch or sedan
- from $497
- SUV or ute
- from $597
- 4WD, van or 7-seater
- from $697
- Motorbike
- Quoted
Single-stage machine correction for swirl marks and haze. Deep scratches need a multi-stage job, quoted from photos.
On a bike, this is part of the full detail at $150. Text us the bike and we'll sort the rest.
Afterpay available.
Swirls in. Gloss out.
A Ford Raptor tailgate under the inspection light. Swirl marks and wash scratches on one side. On the other, the finish after a two-step paint correction and a ceramic coating.
Drag the handle. Same tailgate, same light. Two-step correction, then a ceramic coating.
How we do it
Most "scratches" on a car aren't scratches. They're swirl marks and wash marring from rough sponges, dirty microfibres and automatic car washes dragging grit across the clear coat. Under bright light they look like fine cobwebs radiating out from the reflection.
We start with a full decontamination wash so we're never polishing over grit. Then we measure paint thickness at multiple points on every panel with a digital gauge. That tells us how much clear coat we're working with and where we can and can't be aggressive.
A single-stage correction uses one polish to clean up light swirls and restore gloss. A two-stage correction uses a compound first to cut deeper defects out, then a finishing polish to bring gloss back. A three-stage adds a heavier cut for paint that has been neglected for years.
Between passes we wipe the paint with an isopropyl solution to strip out polish oils, so we see the true corrected finish, not a filled-in one. When we're done the paint is inspected under the same LED, photographed, and either handed back or protected.
You get an honest assessment before we start, including what will and won't come out, a written record of paint thickness readings, and paint that looks visibly deeper, wetter and more reflective than when we arrived.
Common questions
How many stages does my car need?
We inspect the paint under strong LED and a paint depth gauge before we quote. Light swirls and holograms usually clear with a single-stage polish. Deeper wash marring, buffer trails or scratches you can catch with a fingernail edge need a 2 or 3-stage correction.
Can you remove every scratch?
No, and any detailer promising that isn't being straight with you. Correction removes defects within the clear coat. Scratches that have cut through the clear into the base coat need touch-up paint or panel work, not polishing. We'll tell you which is which before we start.
Is machine polishing safe for my paint?
Yes, when it's done properly. We measure paint thickness before and after each pass, use the least aggressive pad and compound that will work, and stop well before we'd risk the clear coat.
Keep reading
Also useful
Also see: Ceramic coating and Exterior detail.
Book a paint correction.
Tell us about the car and we'll come back with availability and a fixed quote.
- You send the car and your suburb.
- We text back a fixed price and the next open days.
- You pick a day. For coatings and correction we call to confirm the details.
- Book at least a day ahead. Same-day is sometimes possible by phone.
- Mobile service across Canberra and Queanbeyan, no call-out fee
- Fully insured and finish-guaranteed
- Afterpay available
- Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice incur a $50 fee.
- Prefer to talk? 0426 661 820, Every day, 8:30am to 5:30pm