FAQS

A: Here we take you through a complete  step by step of our full detail.

We start with a Foam bath to remove dirt and dust. 

Your vehicle then receives a thorough hand wash, including wheel clean, under guards, engine bay and door jambs.  

We assess the condition of your paintwork and decide what type of paint correction is required (ranging from 1-5 stage paint correction), firstly we ‘Clay bar’ the paintwork to remove any contamination, and then begin our machine compounding steps. this will remove scratches and swirls, machine polish to enhance gloss, and Carnauba wax/Sealant/Coating to finish off.  

 Then it’s on to the interior - A full vacuum, followed by fabric steam clean or leather clean and conditioning if applicable. 

 All vinyl surfaces are cleaned and rejuvenated, vents dusted and interior and exterior windows cleaned.     

A pleasant deodorizing scent is applied to the interior (yes we give you a choice of fragrances), and can also include an essential oil based diffuser treatment. Tyres, and all exterior vinyl/rubber surfaces are treated with Meguiar’s products for long lasting effects.  

A: A full detail can take around 6 hours depending on the condition of the vehicle. Perfection can't be rushed!   

 A: NO! Dishwashing detergent is aggressive and designed for dishes, not paintwork. 

  A: Yes, but be sure to do smaller sections at a time and rinse off the soap before it dries. Once you have hosed the soap off wet the whole car again then towel dry. (Shade is better)  

  A; Quickly! Don’t let them sit on your paintwork as the droppings are acidic, and eat into paintwork. To remove droppings, hose them off as quickly as you can, or alternatively use a “dry wash” spray such as Meguiars “Quick detailer” on areas with droppings.  

 A; Definitely Micro-fibre towel, a Chamois doesn’t have the ability to pick up particles, it drags them across the paint, it’s not all about absorption. (Micro-fibre towels absorb more water anyway.)    

  A;  It is similar in consistency to ‘Play-doh’ and its purpose is to remove contaminants on the surface of the paintwork/glass prior to polishing and waxing. It is THE most important part of preparation you can do. Run your fingers gently over your paintwork (Once it is washed and dried) if it feels smooth, you may not need to clay bar your car, but if it feels rough, use a clay bar. Intensity Car Care always clay bar a vehicle prior to paint correction as a matter of course as you can’t feel every particle on the car.  Please feel free to contact us for more info on how to use this product.(We can also supply clay bars at a discount rate for customers!)  

  A; There are many products on the market designed to remove ‘Swirl marks’, or holograms. Doing this by hand is pretty labour intensive, and will not produce the same results as a professional detailer can achieve, however it will certainly make your paintwork look better! We recommend the Meguiar's range of products, after all it's what we use !. Please feel free to contact us anytime for more info on how to use these types of products.  

  A; Absolutely! Car Polishes are designed to enhance the gloss of the vehicle, not protect it. A good Carnauba Wax such as Meguiars can last anywhere from 2-6 months depending on conditions whereas a Polymer Sealant will help protect the paintwork for up to 9 months, again depending on conditions. 

  A; A technical question which I could go on about for hours, but basically a Carnauba wax tends to help enhance gloss levels, whilst protecting the paintwork , whilst a sealant may protect the paintwork longer, but has no noticeable benefit in gloss levels. Carnauba Wax is a natural by-product of the Brazilian Carnauba plant, long regarded as the best for your paintwork.  

 A: Washing your car is THE most important step in maintaining your paintwork, if it isn’t done correctly you can produce ‘swirls’ or love marks as we call them! 

Try to avoid drive through car washes at all costs; even the self-serve bays use harsh chemicals. ALWAYS rinse the car, starting from the top to the bottom, preferably using a pressure washer. 

If not, hose the car down as much as possible to remove excess dirt and dust before washing. Forget the sponge and chamois; it is old technology that isn’t designed for today’s paintwork. 

At Intensity we use micro-fibre wash mitts and micro-fibre towels to wash and dry our client’s cars, and this is the preferred method used by professional detailers. Use the ‘two bucket’ method, this involves having a spare bucket with clean water, rinse the wash mitt after you do a panel to remove dirt then keep washing! Easily purchased from your local car shop, and will save you a lot of grief!    

 A: Polishing your car is great to remove minor imperfections in the paint and restore gloss, however if offers NO protection against UV rays, and other harsh environmental factors, so if you polish your car, make sure you apply a coat of wax or sealant afterwards. This will help keep the gloss level high, whilst protecting the paintwork.     

A: It all depends on the material the wheel is made of. It is better to steer away from acid based wheel cleaners as they can dull the metal. 

Try one of Meguiar’s acid-free wheel cleaners with a soft brush, once that’s done hose off and dry. If your wheel is a polished alloy, it should only need car shampoo with a soft brush. 

For added protection you can use a wheel polish that will make cleaning easier in future.     

A: No, if you have surface contamination you will need to use a ‘Clay bar’ after washing and prior to polishing and waxing. This pulls off the contaminants, normally brake dust and acid rain.   

Please send through any questions you may have via the contact us page and we will get back to you and add it to our FAQ's for everyone to share!