Paint Correction
Machine polishing and compounding to remove swirl marks, scratches, and oxidation. Restore your vehicle's factory finish.
1-Step Enhancement
From $465
A single-step machine polish to achieve glossy paint. Gets paint approximately 50% better with light defect removal.
- Hand wash & dry
- Tires & rims cleaned and dressed
- Paint decontamination & clay bar treatment
- One-step machine polish
- Achieves ~50% paint improvement
- 1-month paint sealant applied
- Small: $395 · Medium: $465 · Large: $525
2-Step Correction
From $995
1–2 days
Our full compound-and-polish correction for light scratch removal and maximum clarity. Gets paint approximately 75% better.
- Hand wash & dry
- Tires & rims cleaned and dressed
- Paint decontamination & clay bar treatment
- Step 1: Machine compound (cut)
- Step 2: Machine polish (refine)
- Achieves ~75% paint improvement
- 1-month paint sealant applied
- Small: $795 · Medium: $995 · Large: $1,200
Paint correction is the machine-polishing process that removes swirl marks, light scratches, water spots, and oxidation to restore the depth and clarity of your factory finish. Unlike a wax or coating that hides imperfections, correction physically levels the clear coat to bring back real gloss. At Auto Spa by Detail Driven in Jackson, WY, correction is also the foundation step before any ceramic coating — because protecting flawed paint just preserves the flaws.
What Causes Swirl Marks and Dull Paint
Most swirl marks come from improper washing — automatic brush washes, dirty wash mitts, and wiping a dusty car with a dry towel all drag grit across the clear coat and leave fine scratches. In Jackson Hole, blowing dust, sand kicked up on gravel roads and Teton Pass, and hard water spotting all speed up the process. Over time these tiny defects scatter light, and paint that once looked deep and glossy starts to look flat and hazy, especially on darker colors.
Paint correction removes a microscopic layer of clear coat to level those defects, so light reflects cleanly again and the color regains its depth.
1-Step Enhancement vs 2-Step Correction
We offer two levels of correction depending on how much your paint needs.
- 1-Step Enhancement is a single-stage machine polish that gets paint roughly 50% better. It removes light defects and delivers a noticeably glossier finish — the right choice for newer or well-kept vehicles, or as prep before a ceramic coating.
- 2-Step Correction adds a dedicated compounding stage before the polishing stage, getting paint roughly 75% better. It tackles deeper swirls and scratches for maximum clarity, and is our most popular correction for vehicles that have seen a few Wyoming winters.
Both include a hand wash, tire and rim cleaning, and full paint decontamination with a clay bar before any machine work begins, plus a 1-month paint sealant afterward. Pricing scales with vehicle size.
Correction Plus Ceramic: The Best Combination
Paint correction and ceramic coating work best together. Correcting the paint first brings the finish back to its best, and the ceramic coating then locks that result in and protects it for years. Applying a coating over uncorrected paint simply seals the swirls and scratches under a clear layer. If your goal is long-term protection and a showroom finish, we recommend at least a 1-Step polish before coating, and many owners step up to a full 2-Step correction before a multi-year ceramic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Paint correction physically removes swirls, scratches, and oxidation by machine-polishing the clear coat, which restores gloss. A ceramic coating is a protective layer applied on top of the paint. Correction fixes the finish; coating protects it. They are most effective done together, correction first.
Correction removes defects that sit within the clear coat — swirl marks, light scratches, water spots, and oxidation. Scratches deep enough to catch a fingernail have usually gone through the clear coat and cannot be fully polished out, though we can often reduce their appearance. We will set honest expectations after inspecting your paint.
Our 1-Step Enhancement gets paint approximately 50% better and delivers a noticeably glossier finish. Our 2-Step Correction gets paint approximately 75% better and handles deeper defects for maximum clarity. Perfect 100% correction is rarely realistic or advisable, since it removes more clear coat than a healthy finish should lose.
A 1-Step Enhancement is typically completed in a day, while a 2-Step Correction usually takes one to two days depending on the vehicle size and paint condition. The compounding and refining stages cannot be rushed without compromising the result.
Yes, we recommend at least a 1-Step polish before any ceramic coating. Because coatings are clear and long-lasting, they lock in whatever the paint looks like at application. Correcting first means you are protecting a finish that already looks its best.
Visit Auto Spa by Detail Driven
1655 Martin Lane, Jackson, WY 83001
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