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Do you have a shop location?
No, we do not have a service location. We find it’s more convenient for most of our customers to have the work performed at their home or work. Without the overhead of a fixed location we are able to give our cusotmers the lowest prices possible.
Why is my paint peeling and can touch up fix it?
The peeling is caused by clear coat failure. We don’t ever recommend letting anyone use a machine on your paint unless it’s in dire need. When someone uses a machine or clay bar on your paint, what they are actually doing is sanding the clear coat off very finely; and sometimes not so finely. The thinner your clear coat layer is the harder it is for it to protect itself, and your color layer, from UV rays and oxidizing. That is how hazing and flaking happen. Once the flaking starts your only option is to repaint the panel(s).
Rusting has already started. Can it be stopped?
Once rusting has started it cannot be stopped with touch up but its growth can be slowed to an extremely slow crawl. We make sure to remove all visible rusting before applying touch up to the damage without harming any more paint in the process. Once all visible signs of rust have been removed, the surface is cleaned and touch up is applied. All moisture and oxygen are cut off from the rust molecules that are left behind, crippling further growth.
What's the difference between washing and detailing?
Detailing traditionally included buffing though today many places misuse the term to describe a more detail-oriented wash and wax. Detailing at most places still includes a buff and/or polish with a machine.
Can I have my car detailed after the touch up is done?
You should not use a machine to buff, polish or wax the areas that have touch up for at least one month after the touch up is applied. To ensure our paint is easy to work with we have an additive in our paint that slows the curing process. If a machine is used before the cure is complete it may cause the touch up paint to dull or come off completely. If the depth of the damage on your car was deep and we filled it significantly it could extend the recommended wait period out even further than a month. Speak with your technician if you plan on detailing your car after the touch up appointment. They will have a better idea of how long you should wait.
How long until I can drive or wash my car after touch up is applied?
In 99% of all cases the car can be driven immediately. In most cases the car can be washed in 1-2 days after the touch up is applied.
Why should I have my car washed a day before the touch up is applied?
The car must be washed so that the damage is free of debris and dry to accept the paint that is applied. You will not be able to wash your car for at least a day or two after the touch up is completed. If the damage is confined to one specific area, and you don’t mind a driving a dirty car with a clead spot on it, you don’t have to wash your car. We will clean the area that needs the attention with you there so we can discuss the job with you. However, it is very difficult to see where the damage definitively ends on a dirty car and we cannot be responsible for any missed damage.
Can touch up be perfomed if it's raining on my scheduled day?
Especially in the bay area it can be hard to tell if it will be raining on the day and at the time of your appointment. In light rain the work can still be performed as long as the technician is capable of keeping the area for repair dry during application. If there is concern for the weather your technician will call you before your appointment to discuss the matter. If you do not recieve a call then the technician still plans to perfrom the work as scheduled. Since our paint is solvent based and not water based, after the paint is applied water will not have an effect on the paint other than to slightly slow the drying time. Your technician will let you know if you should take any additional precaustions during the drying time.
How long will the touch up last?
We use real solvent based car paint unlike many other touch up companies. Once the full cure is complete the paint should last at least 4 years. As with the paint on the rest of your car that life span is shortened by polishing a buffing.
I tried to touch up my car myself first. Can it be redone?
In most cases yes. Unfortunately, if the curing period for the paint you used has completed there is only about a 50% chance the touch up can be removed easily. We encourage you to give it a shot yourself first. The biggest reason to use touch up on your damage is to save money. Just be sure to call us right away if you are too unhappy with your results to minimize the additional cost to remove the old touch up, if any.
Can I get a bottle of the color for myself when the job is complete?
Unfortunatley there are additional chemicals that need to be added to the paint to make it usable. These chemicals evaporate very quickly. The paint would be no use within a few hours.
Do you offer shuttle service?
If your touch up invoice will be exceeding $150 and the location you would like to be shuttled too and from is whithin 3 miles of the cars location we offer free shuttle services.
How do you perform the touch up?
First we wll clean and degrease the entire area that is to be repaired. We then minimize the damage by buffing out any more shallow scratches and smooth sharp edges. Then we proceed to match the color by eye since, after a couple of years in the sun, certain hues in the color fade in addition to the factory color being a little off from the code. Factory colors are originally off from code because factory color is made in large batches and it is near impossible for any two batches to be identical. There are variances between batches and therefore a Red 2012 Toyota Camry with a manufacture date of 4/2012 is not the same color as a Red 2012 Toyota Camry with a manufacture date of 8/2012. The color code gets you very close, many times to an inperceptable difference, but not always close enough and it may need to be modified. This is the very reason no body shop can just remove your bumper and let you have your car while they paint just the bumper and why there must always be a blend into the adjacent panels. We find it easier to just make the color from scratch each time and keep our matching skills optimized.
The paint is applied by brush for small to moderate damage but we have the chemicals necessary to manipulate the viscosity of the paint so that it applies well. It’s very precise application with very small brushes. When applying the paint, moment the paint exits the damage you have now made the damage literally larger and more noticeable; that is counter intuitive. It is also very important to seal the damage completely so water cannot work it’s way under the paint through any tiny, improperly sealed spot in the repair. If not sealed properly, paint can continue to un-bond from the body and rusting will begin where metal lies beneath.
We also have another special procedure for road rash that occurs on the front of your vehicle from sand and small rocks on the freeway. This is what our paint is especially designed to handle. It would take a very long time to cover all the little holes individually with a brush, but with our procedure, it takes 1/4 the time.
I have a new bumper that needs to be painted to match the car. Can you do it with touch up?
No. The only way to apply that much paint to an area and have it look like the rest of your cars paint is to spray it on. In order to be able to use the durable paint we do the EPA does not allow us to spray. Additionally, the bumper needs a lote of prep work to make sure that the paint will stick. This involves cleaning, sanding, sealing (if necessary), primering, painting (blending into adjacent panels if necessary), applying clear coat, sanding, buffing, and finally polising it to a shine. A lot of work goes into a real sprayed paint job. If you are being quoted anything less than $500 (which is rock bottom for a halfway decent bumper paint job) you can expect to have serious compromises in the asthetic quality and durability.
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All of our services are mobile!
Please contact us for an instant estimate or to make an appointment.
Hours:
Mon. – Fri.
8:30am to 5:00pm
Sat. & Sun.
Closed for service but available for contact.