Concours Auto Salon, offers a great variety in detailing services. Everything from weekly washes to meticulous mega-marathon detailing. We are often asked, "How much for a detail?" Yet this question is too basic and does not take into consideration that many detailers have something totally different 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 view a detail as the green light to tear into the car for the next 6 to 12 hours!

If you're in the latter group of people or if you're just tired of getting sloppy work done then maybe it's time you gave 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.

They look much like this:

Same hood after performing proper paint correction:

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:

The same Porsche hood after being properly corrected:

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. I 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 I do with about 95% of my clients cars. This means that I am not just waxing their cars but I am seeking to get the paint as defect free as possible BEFORE applying any wax. This way 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 but in reality I am removing or abrading away the surrounding paint where the scratch(s) resides. It only appears that the scratch is being removed. This phase or step is also called "paint leveling" because I am "leveling" the paint down. This can many times be done in 2 steps or some times it takes 5 or 6 steps to get the paint in as perfect condition as possible. In years past this step was (and still is) called "compounding" but the sand like compounds of yesterday are long gone being replaced with super micro-abrasive technology.

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.

Porsche Boxster interior before:

And after:

We do not offer a "menu" type price list but instead we charge by the hour. We do this because not all cars are the same thus some cars need an hour or two while others may need 8 or more hours of work to get them into better than new shape.

We charge $55.00 an hour. If you're interested in having your car thoroughly cleaned and detailed and also cared for by us then please call, Email or come by our shop located at 2450 Babcock Rd. San Antonio, TX 78229. (210) 616-9669

All work is done by appointment only.