Frequently Asked Questions

The prices are higher because of the additional work and attention that is required on those vehicles. A specific estimate will be provided after your vehicle is checked out on the day of your appointment. Gift Certificates can be purchased for any service or dollar amount you choose.

Paint Correction is a trade name for polishing, compounding, or buffing. Compounding and polishing are techniques used during the process of repairing paint, together with special rotating, power-driven orbital machines, sanding pads, and products.

This process covers all areas beyond and above the common deterioration. This includes the removal of all imperfections including deep scratches, swirl marks, oxidation, holograms, etching, paint overspray, and most surface damage. Many of these problems can be corrected using the Advanced Painting Correction Technique. This process gently lifts away microscopic layers of the clearcoat, to make the surface look and feel smooth and mirror-like once more.

Unlike a polish, it is not a simple matter for anyone to perform a paint corrector. This technique is a time-consuming process that should be performed by a specialized technician with years of experience. There are also specific products to be used to accomplish the paint correcting.

These top-quality polishing products are developed using nanotechnology, containing ultra-fine abrasives. They are carefully selected and imported from all over the world. Each of these exquisite products is used at varying levels of paint restoration, and a technician needs to know how to apply each individually. The art of safe, up-to-date, proper polishing techniques is what sets a real professional detailer apart from everyone else, and it is a skill set very few have ever truly mastered.

The difference between removing and filling defects in your paintwork is the difference between eliminating a problem and concealing the problem.

Filling defects is a temporary fix which conceals scratches and needs to be repeated frequently to keep your correct paint looking right. Scratches and swirls are filled using products containing glazing agents and glazing wax. These products have oils within them which will fill the scratches and conceal them for a brief time. When you wash off the glazing compound or the glazing wax, the scratches and swirls re-appear. Unfortunately, glazing and filler wax are often used in an unscrupulous manner to give the appearance of better condition on a vehicles paintwork than they are.

Most of these products are still used in an effort for cost effectiveness in the dealerships of your local area, or by the large-volume automotive detailing facilities.

Paint Workability: The hardness or softness of your paint. The only way to tell whether your paint is hard or soft, or workable, is to test spots of it on the bodywork. Some people can even tell by experience. For instance, a professional car detailing shop, or someone that is an expert at repairing paint.

Harder paints can be very hard to shine and are time-consuming. It may take anywhere from 8 hours to several days to polish a hard paint job depending on your car’s dimensions and condition. This includes prep, decontamination, masking, painting repair, and applying a wax or sealant. Any reputable car detailing shop should offer multiple stages for polishing.

Be prepared to pay more if your paint is tough and has many imperfections (scratches and swirl marks), because polishing a car once may require upwards of a couple hours. Softer paint is usually slightly easier to polish but may still need an additional polishing step depending on the severity of imperfections. Hard or Soft Once you get the paint right, you need to properly wash it and keep it looking good to minimize scratches and swiping the clearcoat. Someone who has personally polished thousands of cars will know from experience that manufacturers such as Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes generally have a harder paint, while Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus (most Japanese manufacturers) have a soft paint.

Porsches are generally in a bit of the middle between those two categories.

As far as American manufacturers are concerned, they are across the board, ranging from the harsh to the mild, and they can differ factory-to-factory, even dealing in the same car. There are many variables with regards to the hard vs. soft paint. Manufacturers may vary their paints year-to-year, so just because one manufacturer specific paint code is truly soft over several years, that does not mean all years of that specific paint code are going to be.

These are only guidelines, and there are plenty of exceptions, so you must perform an in-depth testing section for every car to determine exactly how hard or soft a paint is and establish the correct mix or process to correct your paint. If you try a lighter polish/pad combo at the beginning and it makes almost no difference, then you know that this is a harder paint and that you must go aggressively with combinations to figure out which will provide the best sanding and finishing.

Again, there are many variables, and this becomes a science-based test routine of determining which machine, backplate, pads, polish, and techniques are going to perform the best.

Depth of Defect You are Looking to Remove: The deeper the defect, the more layers of clearcoat you are going to have to strip off to get rid of it. If too much clearcoat is removed, your paint may become damaged. Most professional car detailers will know what amount of clearcoat is safe to remove. Some use a paint thickness gauge, which provides important information on overall paint thickness, as well as providing hints on how much clear is left.

Before 1980, when there were only one-stage paints, a specific amount of existing paint had to be removed for defects to be removed. Older single stage paints tend to be incredibly simple to work with, which is why, for decades, almost anybody of any skill level could pick up a bit of rub compound and put it over the paint scratches, work with the product, clean up any residual, put some polish on, and the paint looked quite nice. Try this on today’s modern clearcoats or two-stage paints, and all you are going to be doing is scraping the surface.

Single stage paint is also a lot more work to maintain, and the paint eventually wore out, necessitating the car to get a new paint job. Today, a two-stage paint job can last a vehicles life, but to maintain its good looks, it needs to be polished and protected (waxed or sealed). If not maintained correctly, the clearcoat will eventually degrade and begin to peel and will therefore require a new paint job as well.

Your Level of Expertise: Each vehicle has a different paint job. Good vs. bad, tough, or soft paint, oxidization, imperfections, badly scraped clearcoat. The list goes on and on.

One must know there are a lot of variables and guidelines one must know before trying to do paint corrections with either a harder paint or a softer paint, or else, the result of your paint job may end up being much worse than it was when you started. Paint correction is a time-consuming process requiring a great deal of knowledge and experience and should be performed by an experienced automotive detailing professional.

We all know that when the sun is shining, it is great to be able to enjoy the shine of the paint, wheels, and glass, with no contaminants left on their surfaces. Some of those contaminants include, but are not limited to, dirt, road tar, grit, grime, salt, acid rain, and industrial waste. When these surfaces are protected by a paint sealant, sanding, or ceramic covering, much of the contaminants are pulled off those surfaces. Any contaminants that are not repelled are effectively stuck on said protective products rather than to the painted surfaces, so they are far easier to clean off than they would be if the car was unprotected.

A vehicle with no new coat of paint sealant, silicon spray, or ceramic paint is exposed to the cruelty of the elements. Exposure to bad conditions could condemn your prized paintwork to oxidation, scratches, swirl marks, and corrosion. By the time the summer arrives, your vehicles paint is in bad shape. Your detailing specialist will need to spend extra time cleaning and polishing your car.

It is certainly more cost-effective to keep the exterior looking its best all year long, and you will enjoy the luxury of having your vehicle always looking its best. To maintain the paint job on your vehicle correctly, you will want to get the paintwork re-composed, polished, and protected with a paint sealant or silicon spray at least once per year, along with a routine detailing.

Contaminants from the road can easily find their way inside and smear the carpets, seats, and upholstery. Your vehicles interior may also cause health problems due to germs and surface contamination. Over time, food particles, dust mites, mildew, and bacteria will all grow within your car, making you and your family sick. We have had minivans at our dealership containing bacteria levels equivalent to a whole childcare center.

Just like the outside of your car. It is about clean, protect against bacteria, and maintain.

This means that you are likely to end up with a lot less than what you are asking for. If the clearcoat is damaged or has worn away, the car would need repainting. A quality paint job could cost a few thousand dollars as opposed to the several hundred per year it costs to maintain the original finish of the car correctly.

Not only does having the details of your car maintain its value over the course of its life, but it also provides for a much more pleasurable driving experience. A clean car can project self-confidence and a higher level of professionalism. It is just one of the most essential maintenance services to perform on your car.

As the detailing industry experiences a fast-paced increase, many individuals see an opportunity for a large return and begin their own businesses with little or no formal education or training. The reason why they can get up and running and succeed is often due to one thing: the public is unaware of the actual technical skills and knowledge required to be a master in the field.

1st Class Mobile Detailing dedicates an exceptional amount of time to every car that comes through our shop, from our Inspection Process, through Quality Control, training of our technicians, and the pursuit of the highest-quality products from all over the world. The rates that 1st Class Mobile Detailing and other high-quality shops charge are comparable, but lower prices found elsewhere result in less time spent on your car, use generic, cheap products, lack quality control or inspections of your car, and generally do not guarantee their work.

Here at 1st Class Mobile Detailing, we not only clean on top of surfaces, but we also strip down below, removing front and rear seats, centre console, cup holders, carpet, number plate, spare tire, back bay, plastic engine covers, and cowlings. We service a niche market detailing just a handful of cars a day, cleaning areas in your car you never thought about cleaning, and which your average Express Service often neglects. If there is spill, foul odor, rodent nest, mold, mildew, damp insulation, water damage, or anything unusual hiding in a deep inside, we are the ones who will uncover and solve it first.

Our interior restoration services go way beyond cleaning, using our PurTeq Odour Removal & Anti-Bacterial System coating on touch surfaces like door handles, steering wheel, shifter knobs, radio knobs, etc. When you take your vehicle in for maintenance, not only will you receive aesthetic detailing, but you will also receive disinfection. We take pride in using mainly steam, and fewer cleaning products or chemicals, for our interior restoration. Our shampoos and general cleaning products used are also heavily watered down.

This is done to ensure there is no scent after-care, or a harsh scent. Our final products have clean, crisp, fresh scents.

Our business is structured around returning your car to its original cosmetic or near-original condition, and then offering our services for continued service. We are unique as we serve both those using their vehicles for transport as well as those that are avid car enthusiasts. No matter what your driving, when you take a car out of our dealership, it feels as though you have just left the showroom floor.

1st Class Mobile Detailing offers an extensive range of services for your car including interior, exterior, and complete reconditioning. We encourage our customers to drop in for a consultation and estimate prior to booking service. This often saves both parties quite a bit of time.

Free estimates are offered on an appointment-by-appointment basis, Monday through Friday, from 9am -3:30pm. We always deliver a stellar service while also trying to fit within your budget. You can rest assured you are always getting what you paid for when you bring your vehicle to 1st Class Mobile Detailing.

We also offer New Car Protection Services for a fraction of the cost that dealers charge, and the protection products that we offer are much higher quality than those used by dealers. Often dealers will offer “lifetime paint sealant” and claim that if you buy it, you will never need to wax your car ever again. These so-called lifetime sealant packages are often accompanied with warranties, sadly, what most consumers do not realize is these warranties require that the sealant is reapplied every six months to one year and forbids you from polishing or waxing your vehicle.

Since customers rarely, if ever, come back for sealant to be re-applied, it is easy money for the dealership.

We can help you make the decision on which paint protection products are best for your vehicle when you ask. We know that you are proud of your new car. Protect your investment with our coatings on paint, glass, wheels, and fabric tops.

However, over the last couple of years, the traditional paste wax has fallen by the wayside, making room for more sophisticated paint protection products.

Synthetic polymer paint sealants are sort of anti-carnauba. They are tougher, easier to apply, and have nothing natural about them. Synthetic paint sealants are made from polymers, composed of tens of thousands of synthetic particles linked together. When synthetic polymer sealants are bonded to the paint on your car, they create a hard, protective coating. They are shiny and slippery, but they lack the warmth and depth of carnauba wax.

Synthetic polymer sealants for painted surfaces are available in sprayed form today, and they last between four to six months if maintained regularly.

Silica Ceramic Spray is a simple, ready-to-use, high-performance, SiO2-infused sealant which provides ultra-hydrophobic, UV-ray-resistant coverage for all non-absorbent surfaces. When used on auto paint, Silica Ceramic Spray increases its shine, repels dirt, and protects treated surfaces from acid rain, salt water, and other environmental hazards. Silica Ceramic Spray lasts for up to 6 months when regularly maintained.

Ceramic spray is developed using nanotechnology. These advanced coatings are technologically manufactured ceramics and nano-glass particles. They do not simply stick-on top of a vehicles surface, they become a part of the surface itself. These coatings also improve the look and feel of automotive paint over the course of years, rather than months. The process involves using ceramic coatings such as CQuartz, which contains silicon dioxide, or Si02 (Quartz) to provide swivel resistance and improve gloss.

Tio2 (Titanium) contains ingredients to increase depth, self-cleaning, and other nano-scale components which chemically bond with painted surfaces at the molecular level. This glass-like, stealthy coat not only provides superior protection from all environmental contaminants, but it also makes washing and drying the car a lot easier. Your washing mitts will glide over the surface of the paint like never before, and drying is almost effortless thanks to these coatings’ hydrophobic properties. Ceramic coatings can last for years if maintained regularly.

Please be aware that Carnauba Wax, Synthetic Polymer Paint Sealant, Silica Ceramic Spray, and Ceramic Coatings are meant to protect only. For these products to be effective, you will need to first decontaminate and repair the paint job. Remember that it is not until after you have polished the paintwork that you get the real shine. Carnauba wax, synthetic polymer paint sealant, silicone ceramic paint spray, and ceramic paint finishes will then improve this shine and protect your proper paintwork. All these said protective products need regular washing and re-coating to remain long-lasting and water-resistant.

Clay Bar is a flexible, putty-like substance used with a lubricant such as soap and water or detailing spray to lift microscopic contaminants off the paint job, making it ultra-smooth for compounding, polishing, and waxing. Because these contaminants cannot be removed simply by washing your car, it is never technically cleaned until it has been treated with clay bars. Clay bar treatment is the first step of our paint restoration process and is the most effective method of removing the contaminants from your vehicle. Using clay bars can be a bit abrasive, so we always do a follow-up paint job.

However, we also use a paint stripper called Iron X which is highly effective and is frequently used in our washing processes as maintenance in-between the clay bar treatments and the paint repairs. This said product makes it possible to non-abrasively decontaminate paint without using clay bars. Clay-bar treatments and paint restoration are recommended once or twice per year, whereas Iron X is recommended once per month depending on how original you want your paint to appear over the course of a year.

The auto wash automatic car wash tunnels spray heavy chemicals onto your car, over time, stripping away any existing paint protection such as carnauba wax, paint sealant, or ceramic paint protection. Brushless or no brushes, automatic car wash tunnels are also known to scrape, etch, micro-mar, and spin the finish of your clearcoat or paint. We call this the car wash haze. Car wash tunnels also can cause exterior parts damage, such as wheels, rubber moldings, license plates, glass, and antennas.

Unlike automatic car washes, at 1st Class Mobile Detailing, every handwash or detailing service we offer is customized for the make and model of your car. After our paint repair processes, we can keep the paint finish of your car looking great year-round thanks to our exclusive gentle, scratch-and-swirl-free hand washing processes. It is the only way to maintain that perfect finish. We would never advise taking a vehicle through a car wash automated tunnel.

However, life is busy, and some customers really use them for convenience once they have been through our paint repair process, and that is fine. They simply return here once per year to have their paint repaired by us again. Some pledge to clean themselves at home, or to take them down to the shop on an intermittent basis for our washing service or repairs. It is up to a person’s preference.

Recommendations for when you should change it vary from manufacturer to manufacturer — some say once every 12,000 or 15,000 miles, others more — and how frequently may depend on how much you drive and where. Check your owner’s manual for maintenance schedules. If you drive through heavy traffic in a metropolitan area with poor air quality, you might have to change the filter every year, or more.

However, this can be the case in desert weather as well, which has lots of dust. Some signs you will need a new cockpit air filter are reduced airflow from the HVAC, like cranking up your fans too loudly and getting louder noises than results. Another is persistent, foul smells.

Even if you are not experiencing those alerts, you should get your filters changed at least once per year. We offer cockpit air filter replacements here, and we typically replace these as part of our interior detailing services. FYI Some nasty smells are caused by mold, rodents, or rats droppings in the vents. We have the products, tools, and expertise to eliminate those said smells and clean up your ventilation system with our indoor detailing services, using hot steam and our Purteq Bacteria and Odor Remover system.

We are using the heat and air conditioning in your vehicle to dry your carpets after we shampoo it, and your motor needs to run. We also use this method for running our purTeq bacterial and odor-removing systems. This product cleans the air vents of bacteria, and it must run on the motor to be effective.

Your car should be in good working order as well when you send it off. Please let us know about any imperfections, or anything that might break down or be dysfunctional. If you have a spare tire, rack, or cargo carrier, leave the keys for them to us. It is recommended that all personal items are removed from the interior of the car.

This will save us time and makes it less likely your items will get lost in our cleaning process. If you do not have the time to remove all your belongings, we understand. In this case, we will place all items into storage while cleaning the inside of the vehicle and put the items back into the vehicle. However, we usually charge extra for that since this really takes additional time and we are not responsible for lost belongings.

If you want to have the toddler’s car seats cleaned, simply leave them in their cars. We can take them out, but we will not install them again for liability reasons.

Often, the engine compartment, cowling, sunroof, and all other door jambs will collect debris such as leaves, pine needles, and dirt, which will cause your drainage holes to become clogged. This makes it more likely you will have a water intrusion or water leak down the road. This is not good, because as soon as water gets below the carpet and gets to your insulation, you are going to get some major problems.

Another big reason for cleaning your engine compartment regularly and maintaining it is that rodents love living in your car, especially in the colder winter months. Rats and mice are known to crawl into your engine compartment from under your vehicle and create nests, chew on wire bundles, fan belts, insulation, and urinate within. This can result in foul odors coming out of the vents when you run your heater or air conditioning.

If you see any of these happening with your vehicle, you will want to call us immediately to set up an Engine Bay Cleanup and Rodent Removal, so that we can prevent them from doing more damage to your vehicle. We will first take off the cowl in the engine bay to clear out the debris and get rid of any rodents or rodent residue that we can find. Then, the entire engine compartment is cleaned. Then we can restore the interior, and we will do a PurTeq Bacteria & Odour Removal System, which cleans the vents system, as well as the interior, killing all the viruses left by, say, rodents.

It is highly recommended that you also replace the air filters in the interior as part of this process. You might even have an oil leak, and having a clean engine makes it easier for your mechanic to spot it the first time and fix it. Engine oil attracts dust which over time clogs up the air filters making your engine harder to breathe.

A cleaner engine is a better-running engine. Cleaning the engine and the door jambs is only part of the professional detailing processes of what we refer to as preparing the vehicle. We know the right steps to take to ensure that your engine is secure during this cleaning process.

If we were just washing or detailing your vehicle, but not cleaning your engine compartment or the jambs, that to us defeats the purpose. We think of automotive detailing as an art form, and it also has a lot to do with the aesthetics for us. After your vehicle is detailed by us, the engine compartment and the door jambs last for approximately a year, so there is no need to do the process each time you visit us, since our service includes a light touch-up of those areas.

First, you must do lots of research to figure out what the best car is for you and your family. Then you must decide whether you are going to buy from a dealership or a private party. Once you find the car that you like, then you should get it checked out by a certified mechanic. Then, if everything checks out, you will eventually make your purchase.

But wait a minute, you are excited to have your used (new to you) car and may have failed to realize it does not actually look or smell all that good. It could be the car was taken care of mechanically, but it wasn’t that well-cared for cosmetically. When you purchase used cars, a Germs Package is included. Remnants from others who used it remain in the car’s interior.
We know that is alarming, but the truth is, the level of bacteria found in a used vehicle could hold 10 times the amount found in a public restroom seat, or in a whole childcare facility. We offer incredible interior restoration services which includes a complete clean below surface layer, with the ability to add in our purTeq bacteria & odor removal system.

Your interior air filters also need to be changed during this time. When you come in to pick your vehicle up from us, your interior will look and feel like it is in a brand-new vehicle. More importantly, it will be disinfected and safer to be enjoyed by you and your family. Think of this as the start of a fresh start.

As for the exterior, we offer a Paint Repair Service, which essentially means the removal of minor scratches, swirl marks, micro-marring, and other imperfections from the clearcoat (paint) layer, then protecting it with a paint sealant, silicon spray, or ceramic paint layer. This process will also leave the outside of your vehicle looking like new.

Just give us a call or drop in for an appointment. We will take care of the rest.

We are not an automatic carwash, and do not offer Express Service. Rather, we are a full-service car detailing service.

Once you schedule a wash, our maintenance services are offered on an ongoing basis. Our Maintenance Services are designed to keep your car looking great.

You can even add partial interior or exterior detailing into our maintenance details should your car need a little extra time and attention rather than having to get the Full Service again. We will advise you if this is needed upon arrival following our Vehicle Inspection. We return your car to its original condition, or as close to it as we can, through our comprehensive services offerings.

Our Maintenance Services are then offered to keep your car super clean and looking great for an entire year. Maintenance services are also offered whether your car is brand new or just a few months old depending on condition.

All our prices are dependent on the condition, size, and type of vehicle. If you have an appointment with us, we will take an in-person look at your car when you arrive and provide you a final estimate, since not every vehicle is the same. Or, of course, you are welcome and encouraged to drop by ahead of time to get a free inspection and estimate before committing to your service appointment.

Free on-site estimates are offered by appointment Monday through Friday 9am – 3pm. We also offer a FREE car consultation. We can help you determine which is the best choice for detailing, car body repair, or pretty much any auto services.