Auto Detailing For San Antonio

Services

Concours Auto Salon, offers a great variety in detailing services. From a simple hand wash and hand waxing to the most comprehensive auto detailing in San Antonio. We are often asked, “How much for a detail?” This question is too basic and does not take into consideration that many San Antonio auto detailers have something totally d

ifferent in mind when they hear the word “detail”. To most people a detail is a basic car wash, vacuum, slop some shiny stuff on the tire, rub some wax on and call it done. Sadly many so called “professional detailers” view a detail in the same manner. Then there are those who take pride in their vehicle and can appreciate the work and time it takes to do a job the right way! We are not about doing the job as fast as we can but as best as we can.

If you’re tired of conveniently sloppy work then it’s time to give Concours Auto Salon a try.

Understanding The Terminology

Swirls:

Swirls are micro scratches within the paint which were caused by the use of an electric polisher. They are many times also referred to as “wheel marks and buffer trails” and most commonly called “holograms” because they look like a 3D hologram or ribbon which appears to “flow” through the paint. These are especially visible on dark colored cars and are the sign of an inexperienced detailer and also an unfinished polishing job.

Now swirls are caused by the operator of the polisher not fully finishing out his or her polish work. The swirls below we purposely introduced into the hood of a black Lexus because we wanted to demonstrate that even something as ugly as this can be corrected.


Unfinished Polishing Job	Proper Paint Correction

Halo-Scratches:

These types of scratches are caused from improper washing, drying and just normal wear and tear on the exterior of the car. They take on the appearance of circular “halos” whenever light catches their raised edges but in reality they are a mass collection of random scratches of various depths. These types of scratches can be very difficult to correct because they vary in depth.


Halo-scratches look like this	Properly corrected:

Waxing:

Here is where a lot of confusion comes into play. Many people believe that waxing and polishing are one in the same but they are 2 truly different steps…..unless of course I use a “1-step” polish and wax. In a nutshell a wax is a sacrificial barrier between your polished paint and the elements. Most waxes will not clean your paint, remove contamination, correct scratches, remove tar, gum or last much longer than 2 months. Most waxes are meant as beauty enhancers and that’s pretty much it.

Now there are some waxes which can clean paint but even those are limited in what they can do. We also have today many waxes which are crossed with man made waxes (synthetics/polymers) to create much stronger and more durable waxes in both paste and spray form. We use Optimum spray wax which is the only wax/polymer hybrid which is formulated with the very same UV absorbers applied to your cars factory paint job.

Another myth is that wax protects or shields your cars paint against the suns harmful UV rays. It doesn’t. Car wax in and of itself has no UV absorbers and if any wax maker or detailer makes that claim they have no idea what they are talking about. UV absorbers must be added to products the same way they are added to your cars clear coat.

Now many may ask, “Why do I need UV absorbers in my wax if my paint already has them?” It’s not necessary but it’s a great advantage. Your cars clear coat has a half life of 5 years which means that after 5 years you have half the UV blockers, in ten years there is only about 25% left. With people keeping their cars longer we at Concours Auto Salon believe it’s very important to “preserve” the beauty of your car for years to come which is why we use waxes and sealants with added UV absorbers, not just sunscreen additives, but the very same UV absorbers which are added to your paints clear coat from the factory.

Paint Sealants:

Polymer paint sealants are the result of science. Manufacturers felt that waxes alone, while good, could be improved upon. Polymers are longer lasting and more durable than traditional waxes. They cross link as they bond with the paint which creates a strong “chain” of sorts. Waxes only lay on top of the paint and begin to wear away as the elements set in.

Paint Correction:

Paint correction is what we do with about 95% of our clients cars. This means that we are not just waxing their cars but we are seeking to get the paint as “defect free” as possible before applying any wax so that the paint will be highly reflective and the wax will enhance and add to that gloss. Now scratches are never removed when performing paint correction. What we are really doing is removing or abrading away the paint surrounding the scratch. It only appears that the scratch is being removed. This step is also refered to as “paint leveling” because we are leveling the paint. Many times this can be done is 2 steps or it can take as many as 5 or 6 steps to get the paint in as perfect condition as possible.

Now don’t worry because it’s a very tiny amount of paint being removed, not enough to effect any long term paint health.

Interior:

In performing interior detailing and reconditioning we look to the advances in science and technology to help out. Through the use of steam vapor and the correct chemicals we are able to clean interior fabric, leather and vinyl in a more timely, safe and efficient manner. Carpets no longer stay wet for hours but are dry in minutes. Coffee, tea and punch type stains are emulsified and extracted with 80% less chemicals. This means that as we detail we are having less impact on the environment. When your interior is thoroughly cleaned we will condition all of your leather, vinyl and plastic with a water based conditioner. It will not be slick, shinny or greasy. You will have a nice, clean natural feel and it will look showroom new.


Steam Vapor	Porsche Boxster before	Porsche Boxster after