Detail By Vinny

Auto Detailing

1. What sets Detail By Vinny apart from his competition?

   Detail By Vinny prides itself on providing a level of work that cannot be matched. My business slogan "Perfection is an Obsession" could not be more true. A job is not complete to me unless it is perfect. To reach this level of perfection, I go above and beyond in all of my services.

   1. Correction: I do not believe in covering or masking any imperfections. I will always completely remove an imperfection, or correct it. If an imperfection is covered, over time it will eventually show again. But if an imperfection is corrected, it will not show again. I will stop at nothing to completely remove an imperfection. Very few detailers are capable of true paint correction, this is what I would consider my specialty. 
   2. Protection: After a vehicle has been corrected, it is vital that you properly protect the new finish, especially when the surface is in pristine shape (after my correction process). Most detailers will cover up an imperfection (not correct it), and then proceed to wax the vehicle. I do not believe in solely waxing after correcting a finish. Instead, I will seal the new surface with strongest paint sealant currently on the market. And I do not seal once and call it done; instead I will seal the surface two times, and then top the sealant with a premium carnauba paste wax. This will provide the highest level of protection possible, as well as the deepest new shine possible. 
   3. Perfection: When I use the word "perfect", I do not want it to be overlooked. I do not use this word lightly; I will stop at nothing to deliver perfect results. This is what makes my details take longer than others to finish. I will not, under any circumstances, take a short cut or let something slide. With me you are paying for the best, and that is exactly what you will get. After my details, your car will be in perfect condition, period. 

2. What is Auto Detailing?

   Auto Detailing is the proper maintenance  of your vehicle's finish. This includes stain removal, vinyl rejuvenation, leather cleaning and conditioning, claying, sealing, waxing, compounding, polishing, and water sanding. There are many options when it comes to detailing, some of which are not mandatory, however protecting you paint (claying, waxing, sealing) is absolutely vital for the life of your paint. 

3. How often should I detail my car?

   There are several different aspects of detailing that all need to be looked at. I will list them and how often each should be addressed.

   1. Leather: Leather at some point in its life was actually living. While it was alive it was being fed water daily, keeping it healthy. But now that it is in you car it is no longer being rejuvenated, causing it to dry and crack if not addressed. To prevent permanent cracking, leather should be cleaned and conditioned once every four months.
   2. Carpet: Carpet needs to be shampooed at least once every year. After the one year mark, stains can become physically bonded with the fibers, making them impossible to remove without replacing the carpet. 
   3. Paint Protection: The paint on a vehicle needs to be protected once every three months. This includes claying, waxing, and also sealing(once a year) if you want to maximize the shine and protection.
   4. Paint Correction: The finish of a vehicle can become excessively scratched due to poor washes, and daily use. Paint will also become oxidized over time, from weather and daily use. Scratches and oxidation should be corrected (via the Concours Exterior Detail) a minimum of once a year. The appearance of the swirls and oxidation will vary on color, and in extreme cases exotic owners may want their car detailed as often as once every six months (primarily black exotics). 
   5. Engines: Every engine is treated differently, and dirt and grime will build up at different rates, but on average an engine needs to be detailed once every year. 
   6. Rims: The rims of a vehicle receive brutal punishment on the road. When a car brakes, the brake pads will actually rub down, causing molten brake dust to stick to the rim, as well as the wheel well. Rims should be detailed once every year.

4. What is Paint Correction?

   Paint Correction is the physical correction of the paint's finish, the removal of scratches, swirls, and oxidation. This is achieved though my Concours Exterior Detail process. A glaze does not qualify as paint correction. Glazes are cover up products and will break apart over time, slowly revealing the previous swirls. A true polishing will physically remove swirls in the paint, and the only way to make the swirls show again would be to physically make swirls in the finish again. Paint correction isn't just the removal of swirls and scratches, it is also the correct sealing of the newly finished surface (sealing and waxing). Paint correction is not complete until the finish has been sealed and waxed. 

5. What is the difference between Compounding and Polishing?

   1. Compounding: Compounds are used for heavier paint damage. A compound may be used to remove paint overspray, stubborn tree sap, molten rubber, severe oxidation, water spots, and also heavy scratches. The physical property of a compound is much more robust than a polish, helping to repair heavily damaged paint, but it cannot break down and fill smaller scratches.
   2. Polishing: Polishes are used to correct "less" severe damage to a vehicle's finish such as swirls, fresh water spots, fresh acid stains, and fine scratches, to name a few. Polishes will cure any lighter imperfections in the paint, and remove scratches that are smaller then the thickness of your fingernail. They can break down into incredibly small particles and leave a completely immaculate finish on any vehicle. 

6. What is the difference between a Sealant and a Wax?

   The main difference between a sealant and a wax is the strength and durability of each. 

   1. Sealant: A paint sealant application will actually bond with the vehicle's clear coat, protecting the finish for a full year. A sealant acts like a knight's coat of armor as it repels dirt and debris from the finish, minimizing the possibility of re-scratching the finish. 
   2. Wax: A wax application will sit on top of the vehicle's clear coat, and will begin to deteriorate as soon as the three month mark. Waxes help to protect the vehicle's finish, but are not nearly as strong as a paint sealant. However, a wax will leave a very deep shine and leave the finish with a "wet" look.

   With that said, you should seal and wax your vehicle. It is necessary to clay, seal, and wax your vehicle once a year, and then proceed with a clay and wax every three months until it is time to re-apply the paint sealant. 

7. What is a Maintenance Wash?

   A maintenance wash is the extremely in-depth car washes that follow a Complete Exterior Detail; I call these Exotic Washes. After a car is given a Complete Exterior Detail, the finish is so pristine that the slightest mistake will leave a swirl in the finish. This is why you need to take every precaution not to leave swirls. 

8. Why do you Clay?

   I clay a vehicle to properly prepare it to be detailed or protected. Claying a car is absolutely vital to a detail because if it is not performed, the products cannot work at their full strength and will deteriorate faster than they should. A clay bar will remove all contaminates from a vehicle's surface such as tree sap, tar, early paint overspray, mild oxidation...etc. Once a car has been clayed it will feel smooth to the touch and not rough in the slightest. A clay bar will enhance the overall effect of a compound, polish, sealant or wax. 85% of "auto detailers" don't even attempt to clay. This is just one of the many aspects that sets me apart from my competition. 

9. Why don't you use Glazes?

   I do not use glazes because glazes only cover up imperfections as opposed to removing them. Anyone can cover up an imperfection, but it takes a very precise set of skills to completely remove an imperfection. I pride myself on being one of the few people who can correctly remove an imperfection in a vehicle's finish. Even a "premium" quality glaze will not remove an imperfection, and this is why I do not carry glazes. Any detailing shop will be glad to glaze your car, but here at Detail By Vinny, I provide only the highest quality service, glazing is not one of them. 

10. What is Water Sanding?

    Water sanding is the sanding down of the vehicle's clear coat. Water sanding is needed for extremely heavy scratches, those that are too large for even a compound to work out. Water sanding will "bleed" the clear coat just enough to get down and remove the scratch. Water sanding will not remove the paint, nor will it ever work through the clear coat.

11. Is bird feces that bad for my finish?

    YES! Bird feces is extremely acidic and needs to be removed from the finish immediately, especially on black vehicles. The acid in the feces will eat straight though the wax and into the clear coat. If the sun has time to heat the surface with feces on it, the acid can actually etch a permanent image into the clear coat. This can only be removed by compounding, and in extreme cases water sanding will be needed. The sooner feces can be removed the better.