Polish and detailing protection in Birmingham
Machine polish to bring tired paint back, then wax or sealant to keep it there through a Birmingham winter.
A lot of paint that looks finished is not. Swirl marks, light scratching and oxidation sit in the top layer of lacquer, and machine polishing removes a fraction of that layer to leave a flat, reflective surface underneath.
It is the cheapest transformation available on a car, because nothing is being repainted — the gloss was always there, under the damage.
What machine polishing fixes
Swirl marks, the fine circular scratching that shows up in direct sunlight and usually comes from automatic car washes and careless drying.
Light scratching that does not catch a fingernail.
Oxidation and dullness, where paint has hazed and lost its depth, particularly on older solid reds and dark colours.
Water spots and light staining that will not wash off.
What it will not fix
Anything deep enough to catch your fingernail. Those scratches have gone past the lacquer and need paint.
Chips down to primer or metal, which need filling and touching in.
Lacquer that has already started to peel or flake. Once lacquer fails it cannot be polished back — that panel needs repainting.
Protecting it afterwards
Polished paint is bare and unprotected, so it is sealed straight afterwards with wax or a synthetic sealant. That layer is what takes the abuse from rain, road salt and UV rather than the paint itself.
Sealant lasts considerably longer than traditional wax and is the sensible choice going into winter, when salt on the roads does the most damage.
Polish & detailing, answered.
Will machine polishing remove scratches?
It removes scratches that sit in the lacquer, including swirl marks and light scratching. Anything deep enough to catch your fingernail has gone past the lacquer and needs paint rather than polish.
How long does a machine polish last?
The correction itself is permanent until the paint is scratched again. The protection on top is what wears — a sealant lasts considerably longer than a traditional wax, and washing technique makes a large difference to how quickly swirls come back.
Is it worth polishing an older car?
Often it is the single most cost-effective thing you can do to it, provided the lacquer is sound. If the lacquer has started to peel or flake, polishing will not help and the panel needs repainting.
Can you polish a car you have just repaired?
Yes, and we do it as part of every paint repair. The repaired area is flatted and polished so its gloss matches the panels either side of it.
Other things we do.
Car respray & paint
Colour mixed to your car's code on a scale, laid down in a controlled booth, and blended into the panels either side so the repair has no edge.
Read moreScratch & dent repair
Key scratches, car-park dents and trolley damage. Some of it polishes out, some needs paint, and the honest answer usually comes from a photo.
Read moreCar body repair
Panel damage repaired and refinished so the repair disappears into the car. Fifteen years in the trade, working out of a spray booth on St Paul's Road, ten minutes from Birmingham city centre.
Read more