Is Further Reflections insured to work on my car?
What areas do you cover?
Do you offer a free paint inspection service?
What is the difference between your ‘Enhancement' and ‘Correction' details?
What can I expect in terms of defect removal?
Does machine polishing remove paint?
Why does it take so long to detail a car, when my local roadside hand car wash does it in about 10 minutes?
Do you offer any packages without the time consuming paintwork correction?
What is ‘claying'?
Can you remove dents / repair stone chips / do smart paint repairs?
Can you repair or refurbish alloy wheels?
Is a dry day needed to detail?
How do you finish the paintwork?
How long will the finish last?
How do I maintain the finish Further Reflections has created?
Are painted bumpers and plastics safe to machine polish?
What about difficult areas or corners?
Do you wash the car before machine polishing?
Do you do other aspects of detailing in addition to the bodywork?
How much can I expect to pay?
Is Further Reflections a Swissvax Authorised Detailer, as you offer a 'Swissvax Detail'?


Is Further Reflections insured to work on my car?

Further Reflections is insured via Coversure Swindon for up to £2m in respect of Public Liability, Product Liability and Service Indemnity. We are also insured against damage to any vehicle whilst being worked upon at an indemnity of £100k.

Further details on this insurance can be provided upon request.


What areas do you cover?

I provide Detailing services to much of West Yorkshire, including the Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield and Wakefield areas.

Click the map opposite to see my normal area of coverage. If you are outside of this area, I can still come to you, but additional travel costs may be incurred. This will be discussed individually with clients prior to any work being commenced.


Do you offer a free paint inspection service?

Yes, for clients within an approximate 7 mile radius of Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Otherwise, the car's paintwork is assessed on arrival, and detailing agreed with the client.

Click the map opposite to see if you are within my coverage area for free assessments. If you are outside of this area, I can still come to you, but additional travel costs may be incurred.


What is the difference between your ‘Enhancement' and ‘Correction' details?

For the Enhancement details, the car is given a single-stage machine polish using polish which has a small to medium degree of abrasiveness, to reduce or remove swirls and light scratches, enhancing the appearance of the paintwork. Deeper swirls and scratches are unlikely to be fully removed.

For the Correction details, a multi-stage approach is taken, using polishes with varying degrees of abrasiveness, depending on the severity of the defects and the hardness of the paint. More time is spent on this element of the detail and, where the thickness of the paint allows, deeper scratches can usually be removed.


What can I expect in terms of defect removal?

The end result will depend on the initial condition of the paintwork, and the time available for work to be completed.

For example, many medium-sized cars, such as a Ford Focus, can be corrected significantly - around 70-80% - in approximately 8 hours (Not including washing and claying).

For an example of what a Correction detail can achieve, click the photo to the right which shows a 50/50 shot of a bonnet from a 2004 Audi A6 I corrected.

If the vehicle's paintwork is particularly severe, it is a larger vehicle, or a particularly high level of correction is required, then additional time (at additional cost) may be required.

Alternatively, a lower level of correction may be required. This can be discussed at the beginning of the detail, or at the paintwork consultation.


Does machine polishing remove paint?

Yes it does. Typically, 5 or more microns* of paint can be removed per Correction detail. For the Enhancement details, the amount of paint removed is typically less.

The average total thickness of vehicle paintwork (primer, paint and lacquer) is usually around 110-130 microns*. A paint thickness gauge is used to determine the thickness of paintwork and the safe amount that can be removed.

If the paint is too thin, some defects will always be left uncorrected, rather than achieving total defect removal which could compromise the paintwork.

* 1 micron = 1/1000th of a millimetre


Why does it take so long to detail a car, when my local roadside hand car wash does it in about 10 minutes?

To achieve a quick turnaround, many roadside hand car washes use high concentrations of chemicals such as caustic Traffic Film Remover which, whilst removing most of the surface dirt, will also strip off any protective wax or sealant on the vehicle, and if used regularly over a long period of time, may actually damage the paintwork.

The services I offer differ significantly from these.

The detailing process ensures that more care is taken with the products, using the correct concentrations to achieve the best results, and ensures that all contaminants are fully removed from your car - This includes contamination which even high concentrations of chemicals cannot always remove - whilst at the same time ensuring that the paintwork is not damaged in the process.

Machine polishing is often a two stage process starting off with a medium abrasive and finishing with a fine abrasive/glaze. On some occasions, a heavy abrasive may need to be used first.

Ensuring each panel is properly cleaned, prepared, polished and waxed to a high standard takes time.


Do you offer any packages without the time consuming paintwork correction?

Yes. The Protection detail will ensure the sealants or waxes will perform their best and last as long as possible.


What is ‘claying'?

A special automotive clay product is used to remove bonded contaminants from the paintwork. These are such things as industrial fallout, tree sap, brake dust, fine tar spots, etc, which washing may not always remove. If you would like to see what claying can remove, have a look at the Detailing section of the website.


Can you remove dents / repair stone chips / do smart paint repairs?

We don't currently offer dent removal or a ‘smart repair' service to repaint scuffs, scrapes or stone chips.

However, tiny stone chips around the size of salt grains can be visibly reduced by machine polishing, as this process rounds off the sharp edges, which reflect sunlight.

For a totally perfect finish, you will always need a respray.


Can you repair or refurbish alloy wheels?

We don't currently offer a service to repair, touch up or refurbish alloy wheels.

However, through having my own wheels repaired, I can recommend Ryan at Platinum Wheels Ltd. You can contact him on 07904 331339 or by email at: platinumwheels@hotmail.co.uk


Is a dry day needed to detail?

Unless you have access to a garage or another undercover area that is large enough to work in, then a dry day is preferred. As a guide, if both of the car doors can be opened, then there should be enough space.


How do you finish the paintwork?

After polishing, sealant and / or wax is applied to ensure the paintwork is protected and easy to clean. A variety of sealants and waxes are used, including a range of Dodo Juice, Auto Glym and other products. Upgrades to luxury Swissvax waxes are also available.


How long will the finish last?

Depending on your washing regime and the type of sealant / wax used, this protective coat of wax or sealant could last around 3 months, or even more, before it is exhausted and needs re-applying.

For the Enhancement and Correction details, defects in the paintwork are fully removed. Theoretically, this finish will last forever. However, by using poor washing techniques, you can introduce new swirl marks or scratches.


How do I maintain the finish Further Reflections has created?

Hand washing with care is essential in maintaining a swirl and scratch-free finish. It is best to steer clear of automatic roller car washes, dealer ‘free' washes and the local roadside hand washes!

If you would like to maintain the finish yourself, advice and guidance can be given at the time of your detail on the best way to maintain the appearance.


Are painted bumpers or plastic panels safe to machine polish?

Yes they are. However, as plastic cannot take a build up of heat in the same way a metal panel can, more care needs to be taken. This means that the same degree of correction may not always be possible.


What about difficult areas or corners?

For areas which are difficult to get to with a machine polisher, for example around raised badges, lettering and trim, the level of correction may be less than the flatter or more open areas of paintwork.


Do you wash the car before machine polishing?

Yes, all vehicles are washed first. However, this will take up time which could be used for polishing. The cleaner the car is on arrival, the more time can be spent on the machine polishing element.

Please let us know if your car has recently been clayed or cleansed, as this can reduce the time spent on this part of the detail.


Do you do other detailing services in addition to the bodywork?

Yes, we can offer additional services, for example engine bay detailing. Additional services can be discussed and quoted on an individual basis. This type of additional service must be taken at the same time as an exterior detail, and cannot be performed on their own.


How much can I expect to pay?

Please see the Prices page, where we quote guideline prices for small, medium, large, 4X4 and Extra-Large / Sports vehicles for all our details.

However, for Correction details where the paintwork condition is particularly severe, or an extremely high level of finish is required, more time may be required to achieve this which would incur an additional cost. This will be discussed on an individual basis.

Prices do not include VAT, as Further Reflections is not registered for VAT. All prices will be agreed before any detailing work is started.

Is Further Reflections a Swissvax Authorised Detailer, as you offer a 'Swissvax Detail'?

Although Matt has completed two one-day training courses with Swissvax UK (On 'Basic Valeting' and 'Paint Correction'), this does not make Further Reflections a Swissvax Authorised Detailer.

Detailers who are not Swissvax Authorised are allowed to offer a service named a 'Swissvax Detail', provided that specific Swissvax products are used within that service.

Matt has sought advice from Swissvax UK before offering this Detail to ensure he complies with these criteria, and they are fully aware of Further Reflections offering a Detail of this name.