How long does paint correction take in the Lake Norman area?
6-14 hours depending on defect severity and correction level. Single-stage correction (light to medium swirls, one compound and polish pass) takes 6-8 hours. Multi-stage correction (heavy swirls, scratches, oxidation, multiple compound stages) takes 10-14 hours because we're working each panel through heavy, medium, and light compounds plus final polish to achieve mirror finish.
Do I need to be home while you work?
Nope. Most customers in Cornelius, Mooresville, Huntersville, and Charlotte leave keys and let us work in the driveway all day. We send progress photos showing gloss meter readings at baseline and after each correction stage on different panels. You're welcome to watch if you want to see the measurement and correction process, but it's not required.
How is paint correction different from buffing and polishing?
Paint correction is the comprehensive multi-stage process (inspect every panel, measure defects, determine correction stages needed, execute heavy/medium/light compound plus polish, verify final gloss). Buffing and polishing is typically single-stage (one compound pass, one polish pass, done). Paint correction takes longer (6-14 hours versus 3-4 hours) but achieves better results because we're addressing specific defects panel by panel instead of doing a general correction.
Yes, but there are limits. Automatic wash damage (swirl marks from spinning brushes) is usually correctable if you still have clear coat thickness remaining. We measure and assess before starting, and if your clear coat is already thin from previous bad correction attempts or aggressive washing, we'll tell you honestly what's safe to remove versus what risks breaking through to base coat.
Yes, but there are limits. Automatic wash damage (swirl marks from spinning brushes) is usually correctable if you still have clear coat thickness remaining. We measure and assess before starting, and if your clear coat is already thin from previous bad correction attempts or aggressive washing, we'll tell you honestly what's safe to remove versus what risks breaking through to base coat.
Absolutely, unless you want to repeat paint correction every 12-18 months. Paint correction creates a perfect 90-100+ gloss surface, but if you just wax it and keep using automatic car washes, you're back to swirled and hazed within a year. Ceramic coating locks in that mirror finish for 3-5 years and prevents swirl marks from forming (washing is safer on ceramic). 95% of our paint correction customers add ceramic because it makes financial sense.
Absolutely, unless you want to repeat paint correction every 12-18 months. Paint correction creates a perfect 90-100+ gloss surface, but if you just wax it and keep using automatic car washes, you're back to swirled and hazed within a year. Ceramic coating locks in that mirror finish for 3-5 years and prevents swirl marks from forming (washing is safer on ceramic). 95% of our paint correction customers add ceramic because it makes financial sense.