Clay Bar Treatment
A standalone clay bar pass for vehicles that need contaminant removal but not a full correction, pulling embedded rail dust and overspray off the paint before it starts etching in.
What Is Paint Correction?
Paint correction is machine polishing that levels the clear coat to remove swirls, light scratches, and oxidation without removing more material than necessary. We work through one or more stages depending on how much defect is in the paint, checking the finish under raking light between passes.
Not every defect can be fully corrected. Light oxidation and fine swirling respond well. Heavy, chalky oxidation or scratches deep enough to catch a fingernail may improve significantly but not disappear entirely, and we will tell you which one your vehicle has before we start.
Swirl marks, water spots, and dull clear coat do not come out in a wash. They sit in the top layer of the paint, and every automatic car wash and dry wipe-down adds a few more. Paint correction is the only way to actually remove them rather than just hide them for a week.
What Is Included
Prep and Inspect
Paint Inspection and Prep
- Full wash and decontamination wash before any polishing
- Clay bar treatment to strip embedded contaminants off the surface
- Paint inspection under raking light to map swirls, scratches, and oxidation
- Test spot on a small panel to confirm the correction level needed
- Masking of trim, badges, and rubber seals
Correct and Finish
Machine Polishing and Finish Work
- Cutting stage to remove swirls, oxidation, and light scratches
- Refining polish to remove haze left by the cutting stage and bring out clarity
- Panel-by-panel inspection with a swirl-finder light
- Wipe-down with an inspection polish to confirm the finish before wrap-up
- Wax or sealant applied to protect the corrected paint
Our Paint Correction Process
- 01
Wash and Decontaminate
We wash the vehicle and clay bar the paint so nothing gets dragged across the surface during polishing.
- 02
Inspect
We check every panel under raking light to see exactly what we are dealing with and where it is worst.
- 03
Test Spot
We polish a small, inconspicuous area first to confirm how much correction the paint can take.
- 04
Cut
We machine polish to level the clear coat and remove swirls, oxidation, and light scratches.
- 05
Refine
A finishing polish removes any haze from the cutting stage and brings the paint to full clarity.
- 06
Protect
We seal the corrected paint with a wax or sealant so the finish holds until your next appointment.
Add-On Services
Headlight Restoration
UV exposure fogs and yellows headlight lenses over time. We sand and polish them back to clear, which restores nighttime visibility along with the look of the front end.
Why Paint Correction Matters
Central Texas sun is hard on clear coat. UV exposure oxidizes paint faster here than in milder climates, and that dull, chalky look sets in years before most owners expect it.
Correcting the paint now protects resale value and stops the problem from getting worse every time the car goes through a wash. It is also the right prep step before any long-term paint protection.
If you are planning to protect the finish long-term, paint correction is the step that comes first. We recommend pairing it with ceramic coating so the corrected surface stays protected instead of oxidizing again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will paint correction remove all the scratches on my car?
It removes swirl marks, light scratches, and surface haze that sit in the clear coat. Deeper scratches that catch a fingernail go past the clear coat and need touch-up paint or a repaint, not polishing. We will tell you which category your paint falls into before we start.
Does paint correction fix oxidation?
Light to moderate oxidation responds well to machine polishing and comes back looking clear again. Heavy, chalky oxidation may improve significantly but not fully correct, since at that point the clear coat itself has broken down.
How long does paint correction take?
It depends on the size of the vehicle and how many stages the paint needs. A single-stage correction on a sedan takes a few hours, while a heavily swirled vehicle needing multiple stages can take a full day.
Should I get ceramic coating after paint correction?
Yes, we recommend it. Correcting the paint and then leaving it unprotected means the same swirling and oxidation start building back up right away. A ceramic coating locks in the corrected finish.
Will polishing remove any of my clear coat?
Machine polishing does remove a microscopic layer of clear coat, which is how it levels out defects. We test spot every vehicle first and only remove what is needed to correct the paint safely.
Get Your Paint Correction Scheduled
Send us a few photos of your paint in direct sunlight and we will let you know what level of correction it needs.
Sun damage and swirling only get harder to correct the longer they sit.Book today