Paint Correction

It’s the process of removing defects from your clear coat rather than filling or hiding them. Think of it like sanding and polishing timber, just on a surface measured in microns. We take a microscopic layer off to level out swirls, light scratches, oxidation and water spotting.

One Step Paint Enhancement starts from $699. Multi-step Paint Correction is quoted after inspection, because paint type, hardness, thickness and condition all change the work involved.

Send us a few photos and we’ll give you an estimate. We confirm the final price after inspecting your paint and running a test panel, before any work starts. A 30% deposit secures your booking.

That depends entirely on your paint, and we’ll tell you honestly after inspecting it.

• One Step Paint Enhancement. A single polish that boosts gloss and removes very light swirls and haze. Typically 65 to 75% defect removal. Best for newer or well-kept cars.
• Paint Correction, two step. A cutting step for moderate swirls and scratches, then a refining polish. Typically 75 to 85% defect removal, and the most common choice for daily drivers.
• Paint Correction, three step. A heavy cut, a mid step and a final polish for heavily swirled or neglected paint. Up to 95% defect removal.

Heads up: more isn’t always better. Every step removes clear coat, so if your paint doesn’t need three steps, we won’t sell them to you. Before anything touches your paint, we measure its thickness with a paint depth gauge, so we know how far we can safely go.

Swirl marks, haze, light scratches, oxidation and water spotting: yes, largely or entirely, depending on how many steps your paint needs.

Polishing can’t fix anything that’s gone through the clear coat. If a scratch catches your fingernail, it’s usually too deep to polish out, though some can be reduced with wet sanding if there’s enough clear coat left. Rock chips, rust, and peeling or failed clear coat need touch-up or respray work, which we don’t provide.

We’ll point out anything outside the scope during inspection and tell you straight what’s achievable before any work starts.

Done properly, the risk is very low. Done badly, it’s one of the few things that can permanently ruin a panel, which is exactly why technique and experience matter.

Your clear coat is only microns thick, and correction works by removing a tiny amount of it. We take paint depth readings, start with the least aggressive combination that will do the job, and reduce pressure and heat around edges, badges and body lines where the clear is thinnest.

Heads up: we’d rather leave a stubborn defect than chase it. Pushing for perfection on a deep scratch means cutting further into the clear coat than it can safely take, and burning through means a respray, not a polish. A safe finish and honest gloss always come before chasing “100% defect removal”.

Depends on your vehicle’s size, paint type and condition:

• One Step: roughly 4 to 6 hours
• Two step: roughly 8 to 10 hours
• Three step: typically one to two days

These times cover the whole job, not just the polishing. Every correction includes a full prep wash and paint decontamination, taping off rubber seals, trim and sensitive areas, and an IPA wipe-down to strip any oils before polishing.

Adding a ceramic coating takes it a step further. The paint gets another wipe-down before the coating goes on, and the coating needs time to flash and cure before we hand your vehicle back. After that, don’t wash it for 7 days and keep it out of the rain where you can.

This is just a base estimate. If a job runs overnight, we’ll need the car stored securely undercover.

That’s almost entirely down to how the car gets washed afterwards.

The defects we remove are gone for good, but new swirls can go back in with one careless wash. A corrected car that’s washed safely (two buckets, pH-neutral shampoo, clean microfibre) and kept protected can stay looking sharp for years. Run it through an automatic brush wash and you’ll undo the work in seconds.

We’ll walk you through the aftercare when we hand the car back, and if you’d rather not think about it, that’s what our Maintenance Detail is for.

Not compulsory, but it’s the smart move, and here’s the honest reasoning.

Correction leaves you with fresh, clear paint. Without protection, it starts collecting swirls again from the first drive, let alone the next wash. Every correction finishes with a 6 month ceramic spray sealant (not a ceramic coating), so you’re never sent off unprotected.

If you want that work to last years rather than months, our 5 year ceramic coating locks it in. It resists UV and chemicals and makes the paint hydrophobic, so washing is far easier and safer.

Heads up: a ceramic coating package is better value than correction on its own. The New Car Package (for cars under 3 months or 5,000km) includes a one step paint enhancement. Restore & Protect (from $1,649) and Full Protection include full paint correction, up to two steps. Three step, if needed, is quoted on top before we start. Doing it all in one visit is also cheaper, because coming back later means paying to wash, decontaminate and prep the paint all over again.

Yes, We’re fully mobile and work from your driveway, garage or parking space.

We’ll need access to your water and a power point, and enough room to open all the doors and walk right around the car, roughly a metre of clearance. For apartments and strata, check building access and strata rules before you book, and tell us about any restrictions such as height limits.

Undercover space like a garage or carport is ideal, especially for correction and ceramic coating work. 

Heads up: it’s your responsibility to make sure the location is safe, legal and permitted for the work, including any strata or building approval. If access is refused or unsuitable on the day, it counts as a late cancellation and the deposit is forfeited. Our full Terms & Conditions cover this in detail.

We won’t machine polish in rain or high wind, and coatings need dry, controlled conditions to cure properly.

If the forecast turns, we’ll contact you as early as we can and move your booking. Weather reschedules never cost you anything: your deposit moves to the new date, or we refund it in full if you’d rather cancel.

Heads up: if you have a garage or carport, mention it when booking. That way, bad weather rarely affects your appointment.