The Best Paint Correction in Copperas Cove/Killeen/Harker Heights

Table of Contents

Benefits of Paint Correction before Ceramic Coating:

1/2/3 Step paint correction explained:

Slide to Polish

What is paint correction?

Paint correction before ceramic coating: also known as cutting and buffing, paint enhancement, or polishing. More broadly, paint correction before ceramic coating is a subset of auto detailing. The paint correction/polishing process removes swirls, scratches, holograms, marring, and other defects from your vehicle’s clear coat (paint). There are various chemicals and machine polisher combinations that achieve this result.  Of course, paint correction before ceramic coating (but not clear bra/paint protection film) is a fairly common request.

Even brand-new vehicles off of the lot will often have imperfections in the paint. Some, as we discussed in another question and answer, are actual paint or body defects from the factory. Often, we have seen painted-over fuzz, bubbling, denting, dinging, scratching, lack of paint – you name it. Other issues usually revolve around improper washing techniques at the dealership. In addition, some people rub up against and scratch the paint. This is especially true if the vehicle is kept in a high-traffic area like the dealership showroom.

For people not buying a brand new vehicle, this is usually needed after some time of washing and having the vehicle exposed to the elements. Over time, vehicles will get scuffed and scratched, and the shiny new paint is now duller and swirled paint. These clients usually want paint correction before ceramic coating.

What causes the defects in your car's paint that require Paint Correction?

Did you know, the number one cause of swirls and defects in your vehicle’s paint that causes us to conduct paint correction before ceramic coating it, is improper washing techniques?

Automatic/automated car washes

Automated car washes, such as Galaxy Car Wash, Mister Car Wash, and Today’s car wash, will actually destroy your car’s paint over time. Even one trip through these car washes could cost you a thousand dollars to correct. Sadly, automated car washes are popular in the Copperas Cove/Killeen/Harker Heights area, with Galaxy Car Wash being the newest. 

Unsurprisingly, car washes have dirty and damaging brushes that rub against your paint, causing deep scratches and swirls! In addition, automatic car washes can rip pieces of your vehicle off and cause more harm than good. Automatic car washes are effective for the average car that needs to be clean, but not good for a vehicle that you are trying to preserve for long term.

If your vehicle has been through a car wash, you will definitely want paint correction before ceramic coating!

Improper washing techniques GENERATE THE NEED FOR PAINT CORRECTION:

Unfortunately, improper washing techniques can cause you to need paint correction before ceramic coating. Many things could cause these issues. Foe example, using the same towel for wheels as you use to detail the rest of the vehicle, or dirty towels scrubbing dirt into the paint. Additionally, using too much pressure when washing or drying your vehicle could cause swirls in the paint.

Fortunately, we believe in preventative care when possible so you don’t need paint correction in the future. Additionally, have an entire playlist on our YouTube channel dedicated to helping you! Hopefully, you have found this page prior to having swirls and you can avoid it! If not, we have you covered, and we can conduct paint correction before your ceramic coating with no issue!

Google reviews of damage caused in the Copperas Cove/Killeen/Harker Heights area by automated car washes such as Galaxy Car Wash, Mister Car Wash, and Today's Car Wash:

The sun will damage your paint (oxidation and clear coat failure):

Sadly, this is also a very common occurrence and question that we get at Harker Heights Ceramic Coatings. The sun in the Central Texas and Copperas Cove/Killeen/Harker Heights area is very harsh. Over time, the sun will cause UV damage to your car’s paint, known as oxidation. Oxidation is the process of the paint’s oils drying out and fading. Automatic car washes will speed up this process because they degrade the clear coat (reducing UV protection). Most automotive clear coats are rated for 10-15 years, but the Texas sun might make this closer to the 10 year mark. This is something where you absolutely want to conduct paint correction before ceramic coating.

Ceramic coating and clear bra have UV protection and can help extend the life of your paint, vinyl wrap, or clear bra/paint protection film/PPF. 

Hard water spots that make paint correction before ceramic coating a necessity:

Typically, you can remove water spots if you catch them right away, with vinegar and water. For hard water spots that have been on a little longer, you can use a product like SB3 Destroy water spot remover. However, they can etch the paint if water spots persist over time. In some cases, we need to polish them off. Hard water spots can also persist to the point where it is nearly unfixable or requires sanding or more aggressive compounding if left untreated. It’s best to solve the issue of water spots prior to conducting paint correction before ceramic coating, so the money and time is not wasted. If whatever is causing the hard water spots, such as a sprinkler system, is not addressed, you will just waste money.

Neither ceramic coating nor clear bra/paint protection film/PPF can stop water spot etching. With clear bra, the etching can be contained to the protective film, but it will still etch

Bug guts and bird poop can etch your paint:

Both bug guts and bird poop are acidic, and can etch the clear coat of your automotive paint. Of course, in most cases, you can catch these issues prior to them etching. However, if they have partially etched beyond regular cleaning, you will need to conduct a paint correction before ceramic coating to minimize or remove them. Sometimes, they can etch beyond the help of paint correction/polishing, but in many cases the cutting and buffing can reduce their significance. 

Cutting and buffing/paint correction before ceramic coating?

Importantly, paint correction before ceramic coating is most commonly used in auto detailing to restore the shine of the paint. Typically, you will need a machine polisher, polishing pads, and either polish or compound and polish. Compound and polish are both gritty substances that clean the surfaces by abrading the surface, even if ever-so-slightly. Think of it like toothpaste – toothpaste is a gritty substance that cleans your teeth and makes them shine similarly.

Compound is a heavier grit substance, and polish is finer. They are often used interchangeably, but sometimes just one, or both, or more than one type of each is needed.

You can polish some things by hand, but larger defects will require a machine. Typically, car wash swirls, despite seeming fine, are actually quite deep. We primarily use Flex cordless polishers at Harker Heights Ceramic Coatings. Other brands you might have heard about are Rupes, DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, and more.

Often, we use these machines, polishing/cutting pads, and product (compound/polish) to reduce or eliminate scratches, swirls, and other defects. Additionally, we can return your car or truck to its original (or near original) shine. Believe it or not, most vehicles do not come off of the showroom floor in great condition!

Why do you need a one, two, or three step paint correction before ceramic coating? What makes each step necessary?

Let's talk about steps of the paint correction process:

Paint correction options before ceramic coating can be confusing, so let’s dispel any myths or misconceptions.

  • The number of steps required to get your paint to where you want it are largely dependent on your vehicle’s paint. Some manufacturers have different “types” of automotive clear coat – hard, soft, etc. The same exact scratch in a Mercedes will not come out the same as a Ford, in most cases.
  • Steps are not additive. If you conduct a single-step paint correction before ceramic coating, and later, you want to achieve greater perfection, doing another single-step paint correction is not going to create a two-step paint correction. Basically, if the single-step paint correction didn’t work the first time to remove deeper defects, it’s not going to work the second time.
  • Believe it or not, conducting more steps is not always necessary nor indicative of the quality of work. Sometimes, we can achieve in one step on one car and one paint type, something that might require three steps on another paint. 
  • Of course, we always strive to achieve the maximum results for minimum amount of money. 

Why do some projects require a two- or three-step paint correction instead of one?

Generally, a two- or three-step paint correction instead of a single-step is due to the depth of the defects in the paint. More aggressive methods to remove stubborn defects themselves leave a micro-marring of the paint surface, which often appears as a hologram. Those projects require a less aggressive second step to remove the micro-marring caused by the first step. A third step is required in paint correction before ceramic coating when the second step also creates micro-marring. Notably, some softer paints, such as GM black paint, might require three steps. 

What is paint correction before ceramic coating *NOT*?

Paint correction is not paint perfection. Sometimes, we cannot remove every defect in the vehicle’s surface. We must balance the appearance with the longevity of your vehicle’s clear coat. As we mentioned, polishing paint/paint correction before ceramic coating/paint enhancement removes clear coat. At a certain point, the risk of removal becomes not worth the additional defect removal, and some defects cannot be removed without repainting. 

Furthermore, some things do not fall into the paint correction realm at all, such as repairing rock chips, paint work, auto body work, or repairing dents, dings, or hail damage. You might not know, but we have a dent repair specialist who can take care of your vehicle as needed. 

Would you like us to conduct paint correction before ceramic coating/polishing to enhance shine even more?

Are you satisfied with the way your paint looks? Or, is it swirled from car washing and/or does it look bad in the sun? Did the car dealership wash the car improperly before you even took delivery? We have a solution for you! Regularly, at HHCC, we polish vehicles back to their original (or better) shine! When your paint gets swirled enough, it will appear to be a different color (especially if it’s dark)!

This is why many people choose to have us conduct a paint correction before ceramic coating in conjunction with one another!

At Harker Heights Ceramic Coatings, we have several options for polishing, ranging from $500 to $1000, depending upon the work’s complexity and desired perfection level you want to achieve! 

These are our options for paint correction before ceramic coating in the Copperas Cove/Killeen/Fort Hood/Harker Heights Areas:

Single-step paint correction before ceramic coating: $500-750

Two- or three-step paint correction before ceramic coating: $1000-1500

Why choose Harker Heights Ceramic Coatings to conduct paint correction before ceramic coating?

We have an amazing little shop.

It might be small, but it is incredibly clean, and organized, and has all of the tools we need to succeed to create an amazing clear bra or ceramic coating installation on your vehicle. The entire shop is filled with top-of-the-line equipment and materials, with no expenses spared. You will find brands such as Flex, Meguiar’s, Legend, STEK, SB3, System X, Lake Country, Autofiber, ScanGrip, Americana Global (owned by Ceramic Pro), P&S, and much more. 

Insured, registered, certified, and protected.

 From the moment your vehicle gets here, we have you covered under our insurance. And that goes for driving your vehicle from the Austin area up to the Killeen area (we have delivered vehicles from Copperas Cove to Temple, and beyond). Also, just having it at our shop in Harker Heights.

Additionally, the City of Harker Heights granted us permission to operate our home business, something some small businesses lack. 

Our shop is protected 24/7 by video recordings from multiple angles, both inside and out, stored on a hard drive and in the cloud.

Trained. Certified.

HHCC has received certifications from many different professional brands. We started with Ceramic Pro ceramic coatings and eventually attended Ceramic Pro Kavaca Paint Protection Film (clear bra) training in San Diego, California. Because we are no longer with Ceramic Pro, we have since added many other brands. From Legend Paint Protection Films, to Global Films, Llumar, and STEK clear bra/paint protection film/PPF.

And, System X and SB3 ceramic coatings, amongst others. We have completed advanced training with Auto Film Mastery in Houston, Texas, and attended several of their workshops. You may know, we maintain professional relationships with many ceramic coating and paint protection film/clear bra manufacturers within the industry. We regularly consult with actual former product developers from Meguiar’s compounds and polishes. This allows us to stay abreast on paint enhancement/paint correction topics.

Dedicated to your satisfaction.

Due to the fact that we are a small shop, our attention is always focused on only your vehicle. We are owner-operated, as well. There are many shops that have many good clear bra installers, but there are also shops where sometimes the clear bra installer working on your car might be hit or miss. We are proud of the fact that we amassed so many reviews! All for auto detailing, paint correction/paint enhancement, ceramic coating, and clear bra/paint protection film. And, in such a short period of time!

Your car doesn't disappear into a black hole.

With Harker Heights Ceramic Coatings, we remain in constant communication with you with pictures and video of the various steps along the way. We are able to accomplish this without sacrificing quality of work. This is because we don’t have a ton of vehicles lined up getting clear bra or ceramic coating behind you – only one at a time. We adopted this method of communication after experiencing so many personal situations with our own cars. Where you drop your car off, and it just shows up done and they call you. If you like that, we will absolutely abide by that method! But, in our experience, you’re spending a lot of money and would like to know that your car is being cared for, and where we are in the process. You should never have to call to ask for an update!

We are Texans, and we are here to stay.

We know that the Killeen/Fort Hood/Copperas Cove/Harker Heights areas are heavily in flux with military coming and going. However, this was our final duty station after 22 years, and we intend to stay here for life. Some things we have done are, we have participated in fundraising events for the Killeen Police Department, we try to raise money for pet adoption centers in town (Humane Heroes in Killeen or the Harker Heights Pet Adoption Center). You can choose between so many options to have your vehicle get clear bra/paint protection film or ceramic coating, and what makes us different is we treat you like family. Contact us today for more info.

See our paint correction before ceramic coating work in the playlist below!