New Car Detailing: Why It’s Important

Hello there, and congratulations on your new car! Ross Arthur here, your trusted car detailing specialist and the proud owner of Machine Polishing Central Scotland. In this article, I’m going to focus on new car detailing and why it’s important. Car detailing is an art and, as with any art, it’s all in the detail.

First things first, let’s clear the mist from the windshield and address what new car detailing is. For those who think it’s all about a quick wash and wax, buckle up, we’re about to take a detour. Car detailing is not just a casual jaunt through a car wash, it’s a meticulous, hands-on exploration of your vehicle, an expedition to every nook and cranny, bringing out the beauty that lies beneath the surface.

But why, you may ask, does your brand new motor need such a thorough going-over? Isn’t it fresh off the production line, gleaming and faultless?

While a new car may look overwhelmingly new at the dealership when you collect it. The journey from the factory to the dealer can leave its mark, both literally and figuratively. Your car’s journey might involve transportation on open trailers or sea freight, exposure to weather elements, and potentially, mishandling during the transit. All these factors can contribute to minor scratches, swirls, and imperfections that dull the finish.

A proper detailing job, as we do here at Machine Polishing Central Scotland, not only erases these little misadventures but also puts a protective layer between your car and the world. Think of it as your car’s very own suit of armour, helping it shine bright amidst the chaos of the open road.

Detailing your new car might seem like a small step, but it’s a giant leap for car-kind. It ensures that your vehicle retains its value longer, looks better, and gives you that unbeatable ‘new car’ feeling every time you take it for a spin.

Why does your new car need detailing?

A list of the most common new car defects and damage that we see as professional car detailers:

• Scratches
• Swirl marks
• Etching in the paintwork
• Overspray
• Factory defects – less likely nowadays

The most common causes of these defects:

• Birds and insects
• Water spots
• Poor wash technique
• Travel by boat, train, trucks, trailers and driving on the road

We recommend new car owners request that the dealership not wash the paintwork including polishing, cleaning, drying, waxing, etc ahead of your arrival. Ideally, you would have the protective white stickers (applied to some panels at the factory for protection during transport) left on. You will likely experience pushback such as ‘all cars need to be washed as part of our pre-delivery inspection (PDI)’ and that the sticker residue ‘needs’ to be removed. Stand firm, it is your car after all… but if you feel like compromising, the next best scenario is that they remove the protective stickers and only jet wash the paint (i.e. no physical touching).

Even if you follow the best advice, as your new motor is exposed to the world, it goes through many different stages of transportation to reach its final destination and therefore risks getting dirty, damaged and contaminated.

New Car Detailing: Our Process

As a professional detailer, I believe there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to car detailing, as the process can vary depending on the specific make, model, and condition in which we receive the car. However, there is a standard framework that most professional detailers follow, which includes both exterior and interior detailing.

The car detailing process below is a guideline, and is not a complete or exhaustive list, however it’s enough for a beginner or DIY-er to get started.

1. Pre-Wash: This is the first step where the car is rinsed to remove loose dirt and debris. This can be done using a pressure washer or a hose with a suitable nozzle. We always recommend using snow foam, in conjunction with a Citrus Pre Wash for insects, and hard to remove stains and dirt. This is also a good time to use a fallout remover or specialist wheel cleaner to clean your wheels.
2. Washing: This involves using a high-quality car shampoo and a microfiber wash mitt to clean the car thoroughly. Always start from the top and work your way down to prevent dragging dirt and contaminants across the paintwork. Wheel woolies and brushes can be used to agitate any difficult dirt.
3. Drying: After washing, the car should be dried using a car drying towel or an air blower – Big Boi is one of the most recommended in the UK with portable battery dryers and mains powered options. This is important to prevent water spots from forming, and reduces the risks of dragging dirt on the paintwork.
4. Claying: Clay barring the paint helps to remove any bonded contaminants like tree sap or tar spots that weren’t removed during the washing process. This leaves the paint feeling smooth to the touch.
5. Polishing: This step is optional for a new car but if there are any minor scratches or swirl marks, a machine polisher can be used to restore the paintwork to a high-gloss finish. It’s important to use a mild polish for new cars to avoid removing too much clear coat. In most cases a single stage gloss enhancing polish is all that’s needed.
6. Paint Protection: Applying paint protection will ensure your freshly polished paintwork continues looking new for longers. There are many options that can help by protecting against environmental damage, UV rays, bird droppings and even scratches and stone chips. We offer Ceramic Coating and Paint Protection Film.
7. Interior Cleaning: The interior of the car should also be cleaned and detailed. This includes vacuuming the seats and carpets, cleaning the dashboard and other surfaces, and conditioning any leather parts. We are also able to offer steam cleaning. As well as fabric, leather and plastic protection.
8. Window Cleaning & Protection: The windows should be cleaned last to remove any overspray from the other products used. A good quality glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth can be used for this. We offer 12-24 month protective coatings for glass.
9. Final Inspection: This is the last step where you take a step back and check your work, making sure no spots were missed and the car looks its best. It’s a sensible idea to do your final inspection in direct sunlight.

New Car Protection

Dealership Product Offers vs Dedicated Detailing Companies

Dealerships often offer their own ‘paint protection’ which usually comes in the form of Supaguard, Autoglym Lifeshine, GardX or Diamondbrite. These products are not always the same as a professional ceramic coating, and are often applied with very little to no training, surface preparation, and by someone with tight time constraints imposed upon them.

Regarding dealership offerings, It is important to remember:

• The person selling you a dealership executed ‘detail’ is on commission to sell you something, and is not the one who will be carrying out the work.
• The person doing the work may be paid per car or under strict time limits with each vehicle- it is not in their interest to spend longer periods on each job. Nor is it ‘their name on the line’ should you be unhappy with the result.
• The products used are whatever is available via the supplier they have a contract with. Nor are they likely to be sourced for any reason other than ‘low cost’. Even if the staff were well-trained, less than professional quality equipment can scratch your car’s paint. Heck, even a poor-quality microfibre cloth can damage your vehicle’s surface!

So poor training, experience (or lack thereof) and limited access to tools needed to properly prepare the paint before attempting to apply coatings could potentially result in:

• Your paint protection not being one of the far superior options available outwith dealership contracts.
• The product applied to your car may not last or perform as expected
• Defects being put into your paint and/or failure to remove defects, which- if you wanted to remove them at a later date- would mean the protective coating applied would be destroyed by polishing.

On the flip side, companies such as Machine Polishing – Central Scotland are:

• Not restricted in what products are used to aid us with our work. We have spent years trying hundreds of products for each stage of the process and the ones chosen are used because they perform the best.
• Have an arsenal of high-end, precision tools to do the job with.
• A custom-built premises designed to show (and rectify) even the smallest of defects. A bay that is both temperature and humidity controlled to ensure the coatings are applied in optimum conditions specified by the manufacturer.
• Trained and experienced in dealing with any issue on all paint types.

Dealerships offer their paint protection options solely as a high-profit margin side hustle to their main job. Car detailing is our ONLY job. Like the vast majority of detailers, we pride ourselves on knowing every in and out of our craft. We put many, many hours into every car- so the protection we offer lasts many, many years.

Sometimes a salesman will ‘throw x-product usually worth £400-500 in for free’ to sweeten the deal. This, to me, demonstrates just how little their service and product are actually worth and how much of their protection is simply profit…

Although ‘free paint protection’ may sound enticing, a car is likely the second largest investment you’ll ever make. In the grand scheme of things, a few hundred quid as an initial outlay on properly protecting your new car is a relatively small sum to pay.

At Machine Polishing Central Scotland we are proud to offer Pyramid Car Care ceramic coatings and Reign ceramic coatings.

New Car Ceramic Coatings

Our most popular choices are Pyramid Car Care’s 5 year Pro Ceramic Coating, and Performance PPL’s 7 year Reign Ceramic Coating.

Ceramic coatings available for your new car at Machine Polishing Central Scotland:

• 7 year ceramic coating by Performance PPL
• 5 year ceramic coating by Pyramid Car Care
• 3 year ceramic coating by Pyramid Car Care
• 2 year ceramic coating by Pyramid Car Care

There are 100s of ceramic coatings on the market today, and the right ceramic coating depends on your plans for the car, your budget and expectations.

Other popular ceramic coating brands include: Gtechniq, GYEON, Infinity Wax, Sonax, Meguiars and Autoglym.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a new car seldom arrives at its prospective owner in an ideal condition. Even if the vehicle has been transported well and not been washed by the dealership (which will likely scratch the paint)- it will nevertheless have unavoidable fallout contamination and embedded grime within. Removing said pollutants can’t be done with regular washing and only with specialised cleaners and tools, when, if used incorrectly, can damage your paint. Dealerships do claim to offer paint preparation and protection services, however, results are generally, at best- poor and ineffective, or at worst- detrimental to the finish of your car.

Professional detailing companies (such as Machine Polishing, Livingston) are specialised in this line of work and are best suited to provide the ultimate new car detailing package.

References

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2 Factory paint defects are actually rare (no date) New Old Cars. Available at: https://newoldcars.com/factory-paint-defects-are-rare-more-so-than-you- 2 think/ (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

3 How to ship vehicles between dealerships (no date) eCarsTrade. Available at: https://ecarstrade.com/blog/transport-cars-between-car-dealerships 3 (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

4 Priest, D. (no date) Is it really possible to have swirl marks on new car?! what to do now!, Is it really possible to have swirl marks on new car?! What to do 4 now! Available at: https://www.best-auto-detailing-tips.com/swirl-marks-on-new-car.html (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

5 Davies, C. (2023) Car polishing: What does it do and how does it work?, Diamond Cut Detailing. Available at: https://diamondcutdetailing.co.uk/carpolishing-what-does-it-do-and-how-does-it-work/ (Accessed: 15 June 2023).

6 How to ship vehicles between dealerships (no date) eCarsTrade. Available at: https://ecarstrade.com/blog/transport-cars-between-car-dealerships 6 (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

7 Benz, M. (no date) What is fallout on cars?, Mercedes. Available at: https://www.mercedes-benz-countryhills.ca/en/news/view/what-is-fallout-on-cars-/ 7 81904 (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

8 Hamber, B. (2023) Korrosol, Bilt Hamber. Available at: https://bilthamber.com/product/korrosol/ (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

9 Schwarzinger, A. (2021) The ultimate introduction to paint correction and polishing, Detail Freaks. Available at: https://detailfreaks.co.uk/blogs/news/theultimate-introduction-to-paint-correction-and-polishing (Accessed: 14 June 2023).

10 White, J. (no date) White details services, White Details. Available at: https://www.whitedetails.co.uk/services/new-car-detail/ (Accessed: 14 June 2023).