Paint Correction
Swirl marks are not dirt. They are thousands of fine scratches in your clear coat, usually put there by automatic washes and dirty towels, and no amount of washing removes them. Correction machine-polishes the clear coat back to flat so it reflects light cleanly again.
- From
- $450
- Typical time
- 1 — 2 days
- Where
- Shop only
Multi-stage correction · Range Rover Sport
Everything in the paint correction.
Measurement first
We read paint depth across the panels before starting. Clear coat is finite — knowing how much is there decides how aggressive we can safely be.
Cutting stage
Machine compounding removes the defect layer. This is what takes out swirls, water etching and light scratches.
Refining stage
A second, finer pass removes the haze the cutting stage leaves behind. Skipping this is why some “corrections” look great in the shop and hazy in sunlight.
Inspection under light
Checked panel by panel under dedicated correction lighting, not shop fluorescents or daylight.
The process, step by step.
- 01
Decontaminate
Wash, chemical decon and clay. Polishing over contamination just grinds it into the paint.
- 02
Measure & test
Depth readings, then a test section to find the least aggressive combination that works.
- 03
Correct
Cut and refine, panel by panel. This is the day-and-a-half part.
- 04
Protect
Correction leaves bare, unprotected clear coat. It has to be sealed — with wax, sealant or a coating.
Can you get every scratch out?
No, and anyone who promises that is guessing. If you can catch a scratch with a fingernail, it is through the clear coat and polishing will not remove it — it would take more clear coat than is safely there. We will tell you exactly what will come out and what will not before we start.
About paint correction.
A one-stage polish improves gloss and removes light defects in a few hours. Two-stage removes significantly more and takes a day or more. We recommend based on what the paint reading and test section show, not on what is easier to sell.
Yes. It needs controlled lighting to see what you are doing and a dust-free environment. This is one of the services we will not do mobile.
The correction itself is permanent — that clear coat is gone. Keeping it that way depends on how the vehicle is washed afterwards, which is why we pair it with a coating and show you the maintenance.
What usually comes next.
Ceramic Coating
A hard, hydrophobic layer bonded to your clear coat. Built to survive an Iowa winter of road salt.
$800Wax & Paint Sealant
The step most shops skip. Depth, slickness and real protection between full details.
$120Premium Full Detail
Interior and exterior taken back to the condition you remember buying it in. Our anchor service.
$190Ready for the paint correction?
Get a real range in about thirty seconds, or call and talk it through with one of the owners.
Obsessed with every detail.