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      02-17-2016, 03:23 PM   #1
Matticus91
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Question What should I pay?

I have been searching far and wide in the DMV area for a good detailer and one thing I cannot nail down is price.

I have a dark blue 135i that has been mistreated for years. It's a 2013 with 50k on it and I don't think it has ever seen a proper detailing job.

What I want is just to get rid of the car's terrible swirls and some small scratches in the paint, just to set a base so that I can take care of it from this point forth.

How much should I expect to pay for paint correction like this? I don't need a fancy "full-detail" service... I can do most of it myself, but I need to get the paint to a better starting point first!
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      02-18-2016, 06:50 AM   #2
Greg@DetailedImage
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Depending on the severity of defects in your paint, the color of your car, and what condition you're hoping to have it restored to, this type of work can get quite pricey. It is a very time consuming job, and an expert detailer will charge accordingly for their work. Even on a compact vehicle like the 1 series, you might expect to pay upwards of $1,000 and leave the vehicle with the detailer for multiple days to have a complete paint correction service done properly.

Here is who I would recommend in your area:

TLC Auto Detail
Owner: David Miller
Phone: 703-517-8944
Web: www.tlcautodetail.com


You can also learn to do the paint correction work yourself.

While a professional may produce better results due to their experience, even a first timer will be able to make an excellent improvement and will get better each time you use your machine!

Thanks to dual action polisher, this process is extremely safe for beginners! Gone are the days when polishing your car meant you could easily burn through paint if you lost focus for only a few moments.

Here are some products & tools I commonly recommend for someone looking to put together a basic "DIY paint correction kit".

Polish:
Meg's D300 Cutting Compound (works best paired with microfiber cutting pad)
Meg's M205 Finishing Polish

Buffers:
Griot's Garage 3rd Gen DA Polisher - Affordable, Effective, Reliable, and most of all SAFE FOR EVERYONE TO USE! This product is backed by a lifetime manufacturer warranty.

Backing Plates:
5" Backing Plate
3" Backing Plate

Buffing Pads:
Meguiar's MicroFiber Cutting Discs - Great for removing heavier defects or for working with harder paint
Lake Country 5.5” and 3” Foam Pads (I typically recommend Orange Light Cutting Pads, White Polishing Pads, Black Finishing Pads, and Blue Fine Finishing Pads)


You will find a ton of information on our comprehensive Detailing Guide and Ask-A-Pro Blog.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions!

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
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      02-18-2016, 08:12 AM   #3
Matticus91
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg@DetailedImage View Post
Depending on the severity of defects in your paint, the color of your car, and what condition you're hoping to have it restored to, this type of work can get quite pricey. It is a very time consuming job, and an expert detailer will charge accordingly for their work. Even on a compact vehicle like the 1 series, you might expect to pay upwards of $1,000 and leave the vehicle with the detailer for multiple days to have a complete paint correction service done properly.....
Great information Greg thank you very much. Looking at the cost of all this vs the cost of the equipment I may consider doing this myself. I didn't realize you could get a solid buffer for such a fair price. I'll definitely be looking into the DIY section for some more info.

The only other thing that makes this tough is my lack of access to a garage... Or power and water for that matter. The apartment life is not for car guys!!
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      02-18-2016, 09:31 AM   #4
Greg@DetailedImage
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Matticus91 View Post
Great information Greg thank you very much. Looking at the cost of all this vs the cost of the equipment I may consider doing this myself. I didn't realize you could get a solid buffer for such a fair price. I'll definitely be looking into the DIY section for some more info.

The only other thing that makes this tough is my lack of access to a garage... Or power and water for that matter. The apartment life is not for car guys!!
Sorry - our username is a little confusing. Several Detailed Image employees post from this same account

My name is Zach McGovern (look for my signature at the bottom of our posts) - I am a professional detailer specializing in advanced exterior detailing (specifically paint correction and paint coatings). I am in Peoria, IL but work for Detailed Image as an author for the Ask-A-Pro Blog and also as a technical expert for the forums they support.

You can definitely save a considerable amount of money by doing this yourself, but as with any new skill, it takes a lot of time and practice to master it.

Access to power is pretty critical, but running water, not so much... there are plenty of great ways to wash your car with only one bucket of water which you can fill up in your apartment and carry outside. Check out this great write up of how to use Optimum No Rinse Rinseless Car Wash.

Winter Washing with Optimum No Rinse (ONR) by Ivan Rajic


Let me know what else I can do for you

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
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      02-18-2016, 09:49 AM   #5
Matticus91
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg@DetailedImage View Post
Sorry - our username is a little confusing. Several Detailed Image employees post from this same account

My name is Zach McGovern (look for my signature at the bottom of our posts) - I am a professional detailer specializing in advanced exterior detailing (specifically paint correction and paint coatings). I am in Peoria, IL but work for Detailed Image as an author for the Ask-A-Pro Blog and also as a technical expert for the forums they support.

You can definitely save a considerable amount of money by doing this yourself, but as with any new skill, it takes a lot of time and practice to master it.

Access to power is pretty critical, but running water, not so much... there are plenty of great ways to wash your car with only one bucket of water which you can fill up in your apartment and carry outside. Check out this great write up of how to use Optimum No Rinse Rinseless Car Wash.

Winter Washing with Optimum No Rinse (ONR) by Ivan Rajic


Let me know what else I can do for you

Zach McGovern
Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog Author
www.AttentiontoDetailingPeoria.com
Hah - sorry about that! Thanks Zach I really appreciate the assistance. I may be able to figure out the power situation by doing the "heavy lifting" in my garage at work. I have heard of the Optimum No Rinse stuff but have yet to give it a shot. I may have to add it to my list.

What do you recommend for keeping the car clean when it's not so easy to do a proper wash? Is a touchless-wash station a good alternate solution?
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