What Makes a Detail?

A Detail is in the Details!

No matter which package you choose, our work will drastically improve the appearance of your vehicle! Has your vehicle been neglected? We have the skills and experience to take years off its age and make it shine the best it possibly can. If there is a problem area that is irreversible, we will let you know up front. 

​Do you already maintain your vehicle and would just like a problem area or two addressed? Or maybe winter is coming and you want to protect it from the salt and brine? We are more than capable to do that too! Check out our seasonal detailing page. 

​Ceramic Coatings

Ceramic coatings have been popular for quite a while now. They are available from a simple Si02 infused quick detail spray, all the way up to 9h (highest hardness rating) coatings that last for years. 

Industry-grade ceramic coating is a chemical polymer solution that incorporates a high percentage of SiO2 – Ceramic or Glass- solids, that when applied to the exterior of a vehicle, it protects the surface from external chemical and UV damage. Ceramic coatings also provide heightened levels of gloss and shine, as well as self-cleaning properties. Applied by hand, the coating blends with the paint of your car and creates an additional hydrophobic layer of protection. Due to this chemical bonding and creation of a new layer, the car’s factory paint job remains untouched.

​While many car enthusiasts and even detailers believe it to be an alternative to clear bra (paint protection film), ceramic coating, in reality, is an alternative to waxing. The main idea is to prevent dirt, grime, and stain marks from appearing on the paint and ruining the clear coat.

​Ceramic coating, also sometimes called nano-ceramic coating, is a permanent or semi-permanent solution to your worries depending upon the coating and type of polymer used. Due to its chemically intrinsic properties, it does not break down in normal atmospheric conditions in the rain or summer time.

​Benefits of Ceramic Coatings

• Protection from Harmful UV Rays   You can only imagine the damage that the sun’s harmful UV rays can do to your car’s paint job. Ceramic coating will protect your car’s paint from oxidizing, preventing it from fading and wearing a dull look. This is absolutely critical if you park your car outside.
• Protection from Chemical Stains   Chemical stains arising from acidic contaminants in the air is another potential damage to your car. A coating will prevent these contaminants from bonding into the paint. With air pollution rate only rising in the city, ceramic coating can be a huge relief.
• Hydrophobic Nature, Ease of Cleaning   When it comes to waxing and other types of detailing, washing your car becomes a headache. With ceramic coating, you don’t have to worry about the polymer wearing off. Not only does it blend with your car’s paint but also repels water. This means that all water-based dirt and grime will bead on the surface and eventually slide off. A quick jet wash afterward and you have yourself a spotless, ageless car.
• Candy-Like Gloss   This is where the aesthetics come in that all car owners will love. A ceramic coating adds gloss and depth to your car’s paint. It will give your car a glossy look, bringing the best out of the original paint job.

​What a Ceramic Coating Cannot Do

• Protection from All Types of Scratches and Swirl Marks   Ceramic coating will not protect your car from the usual threats: scratches, swirl marks, and rock chips. Despite its blending properties, it still retains the characteristics of paint. This is why you should still expect your car to be at the receiving end of these common, undesirable elements. For protection from scratches and chipping, paint protection film would be your best option.
• Protection from Water Spotting   As discussed before, after the application of ceramic coating, water-based contaminants will bead on your car’s surface and eventually slide off. But they still contain natural minerals and soluble particles that will stay on the surface after the water has evaporated.
• Ceramic coating cannot get rid of the water spots that are produced as a result, removal of which will require a far more hands-on approach.
• Stop the Need for Car Wash   You will still need to regularly wash your car. A layer of ceramic coating does not give your car superpowers to auto-clean itself. Although ceramic coatings do have a level of “self-cleaning” properties, your vehicle will still need a gentle bath from time to time. 

Click here to learn more about our Ceramic Coating offerings.

Paint Correction

Paint correction is at the core of auto detailing. It is the foundation of bringing a paint-job back to life before it’s protected with a coating. We practice four levels of paint correction here at TMD, depending on the level of correction that your paint needs.

One-Step Polish

A one-step polish is the most basic polishing process. This process is for painted surfaces that have very light swirl marks, scratches or oxidation, as well as paint that has faded over time due to sun exposure or just age. It consists of a finish polish with a medium cut polishing foam pad. We typically use use Meguiar’s M205, depending on the vehicle and the characteristics of the clear coat.

Two-In-One Polish

This process is intended for painted surfaces with more obvious swirls, scratches and oxidation. We use 3D One, or Sonax Perfect Finish, typically paired with a medium cutting/polishing foam pad. It is an excellent process that combines the cutting power of a compound, with the finishing (jeweling) ability of a polish. When prepping for a CQuartz ceramic Coating, we prepare the paint with CarPro Essence, an all-in-one compound, polish and ceramic protectant which not only enhances the surface of the paint, but also primes the surface to receive the CQuartz coating, helping the ceramic coating to bond better, and last longer.

​Two-Step Polish

A Two-Step paint correction is for painted surfaces that have heavy swirls, scratches, and oxidation. This process first involves a compound polish that has heavier cutting power (Meguiar’s D300 Microfiber Cutting Compound). We follow up with a second pass using a separate finishing polish (Meguiar’s M205). This process leaves the paint 90-100% free of all defects.

​Three-Step Polish

Depending on the year, make, and color of the vehicle and the characteristics of the clear coat, a third step may be necessary for the paint to really shine like a hard candy shell. The only difference between the Two-Step process and the Three-Step process is that an ultra-polishing pass is done at the end. We use Sonax Perfect finish exclusively for this step for the perfect finish!

It is to be noted that heavy or deep scratches won’t necessarily come out with even a heavy grade compound. We do not promise 100% paint restoration when deep scratches are present as this is not possible without having the vehicle repainted. Usually 90-99% perfection is possible with out burning through the clear coat, and ruining the vehicles finish. We can use a polishing compound that contains acrylic filler resins. These resins fill those deep scratches, giving the surface the appearance that they are gone or at least greatly reduced. The polishing process will also round over the edges of the scratch on a microscopic level, causing the scratch to refract less light. This is the safest method in eliminating scratches, however, it is only a semi-perminent solution.

If a scratch has gone through the clear coat, the color coat, and even the primer coat into the sheet metal, the polishing process can only hope to reduce the visibility of the scratch. Only scratches that have not gone through the clear coat only, can be entirely removed. Below is a diagram to make this easier to understand.