Car Detailing in Stoke-on-Trent

What is car detailing and other FAQs

Detailing is not just cleaning a car – it’s a way of life, it’s an art, a science and a skill.

My aim when detailing is to enhance the car’s visual aesthetics, returning your car in a better than new standard, new or used.

I follow one process when detailing a car – it doesn’t matter the car, age, make or model. I treat every car like it’s my own.

BMW 330d finished in Sapphire – Take a look at this example

A picture speaks a thousand words, so here’s an example of a car recently detailed by Carl at Detail Thugga. This BMW 330d entered the detailing bay in a bad way. Every inch of the car’s paintwork, black trim and plastic light fitting were marred and covered in swirl marks, simply due to poor wash technique.

Before

Swirl marks and marring like this are often hidden in plain sight. Masked by poor lighting and products that fill the scratches, these defects leave your car looking dull and make your car more difficult to keep clean.

After

Following a single stage car polish, covering all paintwork and plastics, as well as two stages of polishing in the worst affected areas. Carl was able to remove virtually all marring and swirl marks, making this BMW 330d look better than the day it was collected from the dealership. The car was protected with Pyramid Car Care’s 5 year ceramic coating.

What does car detailing include?

Every car detailed at Detail Thugga receives a thorough paint safe wash, decontamination, car polishing and application of a wax, sealant or ceramic coating.

I start with a FREE inspection and paint depth readings, to help me advise the best package for you. There’s 4 base packages to choose from, and each one can be customised for your car, needs and budget.

When should I get my car detailed?

Our car detailing packages are designed for cars of any age.

One of the best times to have a car detailed is new from factory. A factory ordered car will have had minimal contact with the outside world. The paintwork, plastics, and trim are likely to be in their best condition. 

Many new cars are sold from stock – stored in warehouses, showrooms and forecourts. By the time you get your new car home, it’s already been washed multiple times by a valeter and exposed to the roads, traffic film, rainwater, salt spray, fallout from breaks, tar, and other chemicals. I regularly treat new cars at Detail Thugga to a single stage enhancement detail and ceramic coating. If you’re concerned about your new car, please call and arrange a FREE new car inspection.

It doesn’t matter if your car is 50 years old, it will benefit as much as a car with 1,000 miles on the clock.

I regularly detail a lot of classic Fords i.e. 70s and 80s Mk1 and Mk2 Escorts, Focus RS’s, and Sierra Cosworths – I really enjoy those jobs, because I can make a big difference and that’s really satisfying! With the advances in polishing technology, and coatings, some of these cars leave Detail Thugga probably looking better than they did when they left the factory.

What is car polishing

Car Polishing is the technique used to enhance and correct your car’s paintwork. It’s often referred to as machine polishing, paint enhancement and paint correction.

Using polishes and compounds, polishing pads and machine polishers, I safely remove a small amount of clearcoat, and at the same time remove fine scratches, swirl marks, marring, buffer trails, holograms, etchings and other paint defects.

Polishes and compounds – are abrasive formulas designed to remove paint defects. There are 100s of different types of polishes and compounds, each designed for a specific purpose such as cutting or finishing. At Detail Thugga I use a combination of polishes and compounds to suit your car’s paint type, paint thickness, condition, and the level of perfection you are aiming for.  

Polishing pads – are small pads used to apply polishes and compounds which come in a range of materials including foam, microfibre, wool and denim. I primarily use polishing pads, in combination with a machine polisher but you can also find polishing pads for hand-use. I use a combination of polishing pads to suit each car.

Machine polisher – I have a collection of Flex polishers to tackle every area of your car from the largest panels to the most hard to reach areas, such as behind the door handle, plastic trims and exhaust tips.

Before I start car polishing I use a paint depth gauge to gather readings of the paint thickness on each panel of your car. This can inform the combination of polishes, compounds, pads and machine polisher to be used, and how much clear coat I have to work with. A full report is available on request to demonstrate the paint thickness before and after I’ve finished polishing.

What’s the difference between detailing and valeting?

The biggest difference between detailing and valeting is time and cost.

Time – most car’s spend 1-2 days in the studio, while polishing and ceramic coating is completed. During this process I clean areas of the car most people don’t even think about, including steam cleaning waters runs and polishing behind your number plate. In comparison a mobile valeter might spend 1-2 hours with your car.

Cost – our prices are extremely fair but whether you choose a detailer or valeter, what you’re really paying for is time, experience and skill level. If you choose Detail Thugga, you’re also getting 10 years of experience, the latest polishing technology and some of the very best coatings available today. Plus our work is completed in a detailing studio in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent.

How much does it cost to get your car professionally detailed?

Our prices range from £170 to £1,250 depending on the size of the car, condition of the paintwork, type of paint, the package, products and the level of perfection you are looking for.

Please take a look at our packages above, or book a free inspection by calling Carl at Detail Thugga on 07595 893068.

What is ceramic coating?

Ceramic coating is a polymer-based chemical solution which can be applied to paintwork, plastic, metal, wheels, glass and exhaust tips.

What does a ceramic coating do?

• It protects against UV damage, oxidization, chemicals, stains, etchings
• It increases gloss
• It makes your car easier to clean and maintain
• Some Ceramic Coatings also have scratch resistance, self-levelling and self healing properties

What doesn’t a Ceramic Coating do?

• It doesn’t eliminate the risk of scratches, swirl marks and rock chips but it greatly reduces the risk of your paintwork being damaged by them. Ceramic Coating’s are designed as a sacrificial layer, to take the brunt of every day wear and tear, protecting your clear coat and paint. The only way you can eliminate these risks is to keep your car bubble-wrapped in a garage and not drive it – but what fun is that?
• It doesn’t stop water spots – ceramic coatings do a great job of repelling water from your vehicles surfaces but some water spots sit on your car’s surface long enough to evaporate and leave behind dirt, dust and minerals.
• It doesn’t completely remove the need to wash your car. However it does making washing and maintaining your car easier.