valeting, Detailing and paint correction FAQ's from Auto Detox

Why not use a carwash ? Automated carwashes are not car friendly, use huge high speed wash towers that bash dirt from your car inflicting swirl marks,RIDS (scratches) & in some cases damaged to your vehicle but these can all be rectified by a comprehensive machine polish

Why not use a corner or supermarket "valeting" hand car wash ? These are no better than automated carwashes, on the whole they use the cheapest products, outdated methods (sponges,chamois leathers) dont care about the finish you get, are run on a conveyor belt system i.e. Get them in washed,dried & out as quick as possible. Sponges, chammy leathers, water blades all equal swirls,RIDS & worse. You might aswell wash your car with a handfull of stones

What are RDS or RIDS Random deep scratches can be caused by drying blades, cheap sponges, chamois leathers or can easily be inflicted by next doors cat climbing on your car & bushes at the side of the road

What hours do you work ? Working hours are 8am till it gets dark 7 days a week & during summertime till late to make the most out of the extra light available

Do you use acid to clean my wheels ? No, I only use acid-free wheel cleaner that is kind to your alloys & will not stain the laquer leaving white runs over them I leave cheap acid cleaners for others to use. All my products are PH neutral where possible, biodegradable & the best possible I can obtain

What is foaming & why do it ? Foaming helps remove dirt, grit & grime from your paintwork in preparation for washing. It can also be used to help wash the car, I foam the car once to lift grime & then pressure wash off foam the car a second time & use this along with shampoo & two buckets to wash the car.

Is Auto Detox a franchise No, I started Auto Detox on my own from the ground up, have no ties to any chemical manufacturers so can take the pick of the best products from all the top detailing, chemical & wax companies.

What is machine polishing ? Machine polishing uses a variable speed rotary polisher combined with a specialist buffing pad & polishing compound to buff a micron or two (thousanth of a milimeter!) from the top surface of the paintwork to remove all traces of swirl marks, RDS, holograms & bird lime etchings. The image clearly shows a "before & after" from a rear quarter panel on a BMW 3 series I polished. It's been polished on the right & not polished on the left, the line you see is left from the masking tape I used to clearly show the difference the process can achieve.

What if the weather is bad ? If you are booked in for a Paint Correction Detail I have a unit at my disposal so can accomodate you there so this is not an issue, if we have a valeting booking I will call in good time to find a suitable time & re-book your appointment

Why do you charge so much ? Restoring your car to its former glory wether it is machine polishing,detailing or valeting takes time I charge 25 pounds per hour. If you compare this to a service on your car at a normal garage you will be paying 40+ per hour minimum +VAT. Audi,Porsche,BMW,Mercedes etc all charge around 90 +VAT per hour compared to this I am a bargain

How can I pay ? You can pay by Credit or Debit card, Cheque accompanied by a valid bankers card or cash

Why do you take deposits ? On Detailing Bookings (only) Due to the nature of my work finding bookings at short notice due to a cancellation is impossible, for a confirmed booking for detailing work a deposit of £50 per day is required in advance which is 7 day non-refundable

Why Choose Auto Detox ? Ever since I bought my first car I can remember cleaning the inside & right to the back of the wheels (even though they were steel rims!) cleaning everything in sight wheel arches,engine bay, polishing the paint every week,dressing tyres,dash all trim, infact every weekend all weekend was spent on the car & in most cases it was washed during the week aswell the neighbours thought I was mad to me it made perfect sense. Back then I had no idea I was detailing. Things have changed a bit thesedays but now when I spend 2 or 3 days on a car I just wish I had more time

What products do you use ? Only the best, a selection of superior detailing products from Zymol & Swissvax arguably the best on the market. I spend alot of time & money on my detailing selection so you will only get the best used on your pride & joy I assure you (I am not affiliated with either Zymol or swissvax)

What are swirl marks ? Swirl marks are many many fine scratches robbing the paintwork of shine & clarity which are mainly inflicted by improper washing and drying methods, most commonly caused by sponges when washing & chamois leathers when drying.

What are holograms or buffer trails ? Holograms or buffer trails are left after high speed polishing by not refining the finish properly or using too harsh a compound & pad. They are quite easily taken care of but if not polished out properly can make a great car look very poor.