For some people a car is just a transportation device to get you from A to B, but for others, it’s a passion, a personal statement piece, or even an investment. No matter what person you are we all know the importance of maintaining a vehicle, mechanically and aesthetically. People with well-kept cars are socially recognised as responsible, detail-oriented, and tasteful. Luckily, this is not valid just for new car owners. Thanks to advancing car detailing techniques and technology, even owners of old cars past the 50,000 mile mark can enjoy great-looking autos and the prestige that comes with their eye catching shine. That being said, the processes used for detailing an old car may vary from those for a new one. Let’s go through some of the key contrasts.
Inspection
Not only does detailing an old car take longer, but so does its inspection. Sometimes cosmetic damage occurs where you’d least expect it. It’s a professional detailing expert’s job to scan every nook and cranny, and identify any potential issues with the paint work that may need to be rectified before a full correction/ protection is done. This is when The Bodycente Ltd comes to the rescue and provides the accident repair and refinishing services required to solve these issues. Car detailers also have to be cautious of damage that may have been covered up temporarily by a cheap polish. The polish may hide the swirls and scratches for a few weeks, but would later reveal all kinds of imperfections. Furthermore, it should not be assumed that everything in an old car has the same manufacturing date. Some parts could have been replaced and, therefore, require less attention than others.
Exterior Cleaning
Regardless of whether you are detailing an old car, or a new one, you will always need to wash it first. Obviously an old car may require some extra cleaning to remove certain stuck on grime such as tar, but this is all dependant on how the car has been maintained up until that point, it could actually be in better shape than a newer car. When detailing new cars, the focus is rarely on the wheels. A thorough soapy wash is often all you need to have your wheels and tires looking fresh out of the dealership again. In contrast, old cars require lengthy treatments. One of the key steps to treating old car wheels is removing brake dust. Brake dust is the residue left over by brake pads as they scrape against the metal discs or drums. Over time, a mix of adhesive carbon fibers and metal shavings gather on the wheels. The danger of leaving the brake dust to accumulate is that the intense heat and friction generated by the moving wheels will cause the dust to become highly corrosive. If not scrubbed off with the correct cleaning agents, rusting can occur on the wheels.
Interior Detailing
Interior detailing for old and new vehicles is largely the same. The process includes;
The most apparent difference is likely to be colour fading of interior trrims/ seats etc due to sunburn. Now we in this situation have products that can help revive most interior materials, but it’s impossible to naturally bring them back to their original condition. In severe cases these are replaced.
Claying
Once the car has been cleaned as best as it can, it then goes through a process called claying. Now some people prefer to use clay towels and some prefer a clay bar, but this is a conversation for another day. A clay towel/ bar is used to pick up microscopic contaminants from the car’s surface. Thus making the paint feel smoother, returning it to a perfectly clear surface, ready for a paint correction to begin. However, the claying process for an old car is typically more complicated. Older cars are likely to accumulate more debris, therefore, it takes additional materials to prevent abrasion of the paint surface. One such material in the proper car wash kit is the clay bar lubricant. It helps prevent the debris picked up by the clay from further damaging the paint coat.
Paint Correction
Once the car has been fully clayed, it’s then time for the paint correction. I know what you’re thinking, surely this doesn’t apply to a new vehicle? Well despite new cars having a fresh paint job, everyday elements, transportation and other processes involved when getting the car to a showroom/ customer can effect the quality of the paint work. This is why our New Car Protection Package still includes a paint correction. We’re not saying it will need a full three stage paint correction like old cars would, but it may still need a one or two stage correction before any ceramic coat is applied. It is essential that the paint work is immaculate before applying ceramic coating as the purpose of this product is to protect and enhance the high gloss paint work, so if there are any marks whatsoever, these will be highlighted.
Ceramic Coating
Now we arrive at the stage where you apply the ceramic coat. Providing all the previous stages have been completed correctly, there is no difference in application between new or old cars. You will however still need to ensure that all areas of the vehicle have been coated evenly.
Summary
As a result of the above we are aware that each car has its own individual needs when it comes to detailing, and this certainly varies when it comes to either new or old cars. Because of this, TBC Detailing have created a system whereby packages can be tailored, and this allows the customer to make the decision to what extent they want their vehicle to be detailed. We still do offer expertly crafted packages, such as the New Car Protection Package, which gives a new car the attention to detail and the protection it deserves, ready to hit the road and extend its longevity. We also have our Full Premium Detailing Package which is the ultimate choice for any customer who wants to bring their older vehicle’s interior & exterior back to pristine condition. No matter what condition your car is in, we have the tools and the experience to give your vehicle exactly what it needs.
We are now accepting estimate requests via our website. So if you are interested in detailing your vehicle, then please do not hesitate to contact us either through our website or over the phone/email. You can find all these details on our website.
If you would like to check out some of the previous work we have completed, then make sure you head over to our social media platforms;
TBC Detailing Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TBCDetailing1
TBC Detailing Instagram handle – @tbc.detailing
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5mwvkowNK7_JVzYo7MVIA
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