Foam baths, clay bar decontamination, and paint correction — the prep work that makes Ceramic Coating and PPF perform, explained in plain English.
Three services come up on almost every visit. Here’s what each one is and why your paint needs it.
A thick blanket of foam sits on the paint and dissolves dirt before anything touches the surface. We finish with a hand wash using soft mitts and clean water. No spinning tunnel brushes, which are the number one cause of swirl marks on daily drivers.
Washing removes dirt, but bonded contaminants like brake dust, sap, and rail dust stay stuck in the paint. Run your hand over the hood and you can feel them. A clay bar glides across the surface and lifts them out, leaving the paint glass-smooth.
Machine polishing that removes swirl marks, light scratches, and oxidation from the clear coat. A light correction refreshes gloss on a daily driver. Multi-stage correction goes deeper, restoring full clarity on paint with heavier wear.
Protection only bonds as well as the surface underneath it. Every car runs the same sequence before film or coating goes on.
Dirt and grime lifted safely by hand.
Bonded contaminants pulled from the paint.
Paint checked under shop lighting.
Polishing added if the paint calls for it.
Ready for PPF, Ceramic Coating, or tint.
Skipping prep seals the damage in. Coating over swirls and contaminants locks them under the protection, where no wash can reach them. Prep first, protect second — that order is the whole job.
Good habits between visits keep a corrected finish looking corrected. Four rules cover most of it.
One for soap, one for rinsing the mitt, so grit doesn’t get dragged back across the paint.
Touchless or hand washing protects a polished finish. Spinning brushes undo it.
Air-drying in the sun leaves mineral spots that etch into the clear coat over time.
Both are acidic and can etch paint within hours if left sitting in the heat.
In select markets, a fully equipped mobile van handles your wash, decontamination, and prep work at your home or office. Same process, same products, parked in your driveway.
Select markets · Contact your local shop
Once a year, select locations inspect your vehicle and apply a speed coating over your existing Ceramic Coating. The application reactivates the coating, restoring hydrophobic performance and gloss for another year.
Participating locations · Once yearly
Not every visit needs the full sequence. Here’s everything on the board.
We’re not a traditional full-service detail shop. Our focus is paint preparation, correction, and protection. Some locations also offer maintenance detailing.
No. Car care, mobile service, and annual reactivation are offered at participating locations only. Contact your nearest shop to confirm what’s available.
Not always. Our team inspects your paint first and recommends light or full correction only if it will improve the final result.
Once a year at participating locations. The inspection checks the whole vehicle, and the speed coating application restores the coating’s performance.
Schedule car care or find a participating Sun Stoppers location near you.
Automotive