Essentials Detail
Are you more concerned with having a car that’s easier to clean, over maximising removal of defects? Then the Essentials Detail may be for you, giving your car a deep clean with a single stage polish plus entry level ceramic coating.
Taking less time than our enhancement or correction details, this is a lower cost, budget friendly option which offers a decontamination of your vehicle to the same standards as our more premium services, alongside a light single stage machine polish, with some serious protection applied.
Perfect for preparing your vehicle for sale, or to spruce up your car and help it stay cleaner for longer.
It could also be an option as a “top up” for vehicles which have previously had an enhancement or correction detail.
Furthermore this is a very popular option for the return of lease vehicles, often saving you money on excessive wear and tear fees by presenting the vehicle to a high standard.
Volvo XC90 Having a Protection Detail
An example of an Essentials Detail is above - As you can see, whilst some deeper marks remain, the polished area has a considerably higher level of gloss as many of the lighter marks have been removed. Please note that this is a “worst case scenario”, and often a higher level of correction can be achieved in a single stage polish depending on the condition of the paint.
If an ultimate level of paint correction is required, then please check out the enhancement and correction services.
The Process
The decontamination process is the same as in our enhancement and correction details.
The wash and decontamination phase
The wheels are cleaned, with a number of PH neutral cleaners , fallout and tar removers and soft brushes are used to gently clean the faces, inner barrels, brake calipers and tyres. Additional brushes are used to clean the wheel arches.
During this process we use a number of pre-cleaning agents, not limited to citrus pre cleaners, PH neutral snow foams and a variety of brushes to agitate the hard to reach areas such as around badges, vents, exterior trim, door hinges and window channels. As well as a thorough clean of the engine bay, the vehicle is then rinsed once more to remove any heavy soiling and loose dirt before being washed from top to bottom with a PH neutral shampoo and a soft lambswool mitt. We use the two bucket method, including grit guards, to prevent any further imperfections to your vehicle.
Engine bay being cleaned
Once the vehicle has been cleaned, we then proceed to use fallout and tar removal products, prior to using a non abrasive clay bar if necessary, as the final step in the decontamination process.
Decontamination of Iron on a VW Transporter
The vehicle is then rinsed once more and dried using a combination of high powered heated air and ultra-soft premium drying towels. This ensures water does not drip down later, which can interfere with the polishing process, and means we do not inflict any further damage during the drying process by making it as contactless as possible.
After being completely dried, the delicate parts of the car (such as trims and unpainted plastic bumpers) are taped up using a specialist low-tack tape and the car is given a final inspection. The paint depths are then checked using state-of-the-art gauges before any polishing takes place.
Audi A5 prior to polishing after having delicate areas taped up
This is where the process varies from our typical Enhancement or Correction Details - rather than using multiple stages of polishing, a single stage polish is performed, to remove some minor defects and light swirl marks, and improve overall gloss. This also helps ensure that the paint is as perfectly clean as possible prior to application of your wax, sealant or ceramic coating of choice, to ensure maximum longevity.
Heavier marks in the finish will remain, but an overall improvement in gloss will be noticeable and those marks and defects that do remain will be less noticeable as a result of the increased gloss. Typically this process would remove at least 30-50% of defects in the paint. Typically a higher level of defect removal is achievable bt can vary on the original condition and paint type.
After the necessary machine polishing work has been carried out the vehicle is then completely cleaned of any polishing dust and residual oils by means of a specialised panel wipe, ready for the coating of the customer’s choosing, whether this is a traditional wax, sealant, or multi-year ceramic coating - in the case of vehicles with ceramic coatings, the vehicle is kept for a further 24 hours indoors to allow the coating to cure.
Optionally, alloy wheels are removed from the vehicle, with further decontamination as required, polished, and a high temperature ceramic coating applied to both the barrel and the face of the wheels, as well as the brake calipers. The wheels are then re-fitted and torqued to factory specifications.
We can also refurbish your wheels while your vehicle is with us, and even have replacement tyres fitted at the same time.
Ford Fiesta ST Line having a Protection Detail prior to return to the leasing company
The interior receives a vacuum and clean (we kindly ask that any personal items are removed prior to drop off). Glass internally and externally is thoroughly cleaned, with dashboards and door cards being wiped down and dressed with a natural finish non-silicon dressing. Unpainted / textured plastic trim is also dressed.
The exhaust tips are polished, tyres are dressed and final wipe downs completed prior to handing back to the owner.
Further options are available such as interior detailing, fabric and leather protective coatings, de-odourising and wet vac of seats, mats and carpets, steam cleaning, plus additional options, such as glass coatings, convertible roof cleaning & coating and more.
How long does it take and what is the cost?
As an idea of timescales, an Essentials Detail generally takes around 1-2 days
Typical Prices based on car size:
VW Up! / Toyota Aygo - £300
BMW 1 series / VW Golf - £349
BMW 3/4 series / Audi A4 - £399
BMW 5 series / Audi A6/A7 - £420
BMW X5/X7 / Range Rover - £475
It may be possible with some vehicles / services, to do a same day turn around with a 8:30am drop off and 5:30pm collection (Please let us know)
This is finished with a ceramic coating such as Gyeon CanCoat Evo which provides 6-12 months protection.
Popular Upgrades
Upgrade to 2-3 year ceramic coating is available starting from £100
2-3 year ceramic coating applied to wheels starting from £50
Interior deep clean (steam cleaning and wet vac treatment) from £90
We can build packages to suit, for example, if you'd like extra polishing instead of the interior clean, this can be done - Just let us know.
Please contact us for an exact quote for your specific vehicle and requirements. We can tailor our services to your specific needs and budget.