Dynamic Detailing Customer FAQ’s

This FAQ is designed to help answer any questions our clients might have about Automotive Detailing & Ceramic Coatings, Tint, and Paint Protection Film. Naturally this process is very intricate and so we’ve created the ultimate guide to help you understand the process a bit more and give you honest answers to questions you may not have even thought of yet.

What makes Dynamic Detailing different? Dynamic Detailing was one of the first Ceramic Pro Flagship locations in the country in 2016. We have protected over 5,000+ cars to date, and we are the Ceramic Pro Elite Dealer for San Jose. We also double as a training facility for Ceramic Coatings & Auto Detailing in general and we have trained over 200+ installers and businesses in the West Coast region, mainly. We always pride ourselves on quality and customer service as we continue to maintain our 5-Star status on Yelp & Google with 600+ reviews. Your vehicle will never leave our shop and all of our work is guaranteed and performed inside of our state-of-the-art facility. Our goal is not to just create clients, but also long-term relationships.

We recently opened up our brand new facility in Santa Clara that we custom designed and built from the ground up to provide the ultimate automotive service experience. Our goal is to change the overall impression and interaction clients have with taking their car to “automotive shops”. We look forward to protecting your vehicle and we hope to see you soon!

Ceramic Pro Coatings

What is a Ceramic Pro Coating and what does it do?

Ceramic Pro is a nano-ceramic coating made of titanium dioxide and silica dioxide that bonds to your paint on a molecular level. The nanoparticles fill in the pores of your paint permanently which helps to protect your car against environmental damage and create a hyper slick surface that’s incredibly easy to clean and maintain.

How long does Ceramic Pro last?

We have Ceramic Pro coatings that can protect your paint anywhere from 12 months to a Lifetime warranty depending on your protection needs and budget.

What makes Ceramic Pro different than other coating brands?

Ceramic Pro was designed from the very beginning with a high solids content and the ability to be multi- layered with the base coats of Ceramic Pro 9H. What does this mean? Paint as we know is a porous surface that can he damaged from the environment. With the ability to add additional base coats (9H), we can build up a true sacrificial layer of protection above the original substrate. In return, this provides more chemical resistance, better ease of cleaning, and superior UV protection compared to other coatings on the market.

What’s the difference between a DIY coating and a professionally installed coating?

A DIY coating is designed from the ground up to be easily installed by all consumers, however this doesn’t come without sacrifice. DIY coatings will provide ease of maintenance and protection from the elements however, they will also need to be applied more often.

What does “9H” mean?

The term 9H stands for an industrialized measurement to determine the scratch resistance of a surface; not to be confused with the Mohs Hardness Scale. In this test measuring from 1H-9H, a lead pencil is dragged across a panel coated with Ceramic Pro at different pressures; 1H, 2H, 3H, and so on. With Ceramic Pro 9H, the name was derived from the fact that the coated panel did not scratch from the pencil under 9H pressure. For comparison, most automotive clear coats are between 2-4H.

Are Ceramic Coatings scratch/swirl resistant?

The simple answer is no. Ceramic Coatings provide an extremely slick surface for your paint and therefore increases the scratch resistance of your paint however they are by no means completely scratch resistant. Paint is highly reflective surface especially on darker vehicles. It is impossible to achieve a perfect swirl free finish long term no matter what coating is applied to the paint. The goal here is not to achieve perfection but more so to reduce or minimize any potential damage that can happen to the paint.

What are the real-world benefits of Ceramic Pro Coatings?

For decades we have used carnauba wax and synthetic sealants on paint. While they offered great UV protection, this protection didn’t last longer than 3-6 months, and could be stripped off with a mild chemical or wax and grease remover. Ceramic Pro coatings on the other hand are completely chemical resistant and cannot be stripped off with chemicals. They can only be removed by abrasion or machine buffers. Because of this they offer superior and long-term UV protection for your paint, chemical resistant against environmental damage, and cut your cleaning time & maintenance for your vehicle’s exterior in half. Due to the hyper slick surface, your car will stay cleaner longer and cleaning it will be much easier. Think in terms of those non-stick pots & pans you may have in the kitchen for cooking. Much easier to clean, right? Same principal here.

UV Resistance • Oxidation Resistance • Chemical Resistance • Ease of Cleaning & Maintenance • Superior Gloss • Anti-Graffiti

Do I still need to wax my car?

You will never need to wax your car again with Ceramic Coatings. Not to mention wax won’t even bond to the surface anymore because of how slick the surface is. It’s best to use PH balanced soaps and detail sprays that do not have waxes in them. Note: Do not ever use dish soap to clean your car. Dish soap is very aggressive and can harm your clear coat.

How do I care for my car and the coating after the service is complete?

Caring for your car now couldn’t be any easier and this is actually one of favorite benefits that our customers mention to us. You don’t need to wax or polish your car anymore. All you need to do is wash it as you regularly would and we suggest doing so every 2-4 weeks. Keep in mind if you wash your car at home though and especially in the sun, be careful of using unfiltered water coming out of the side of your house as this can create hard water spots if left on the surface too long. Most importantly, you should avoid automated car washes with the brushes that come in contact with the car. These brushes spin at high speed and are rarely cleaned, so you’re getting dirty brushes slapping against your paint that have cleaned hundreds if not thousands of cars before yours. Included below are some safe & popular methods for cleaning a coated car:

Touchless Carwash • Hand Wash • Pressure Washer • Foam Cannon • Waterless Wash

Does the coating protect against hard water spots?

Unfortunately, there is nothing on the market that can protect against hard water spots, and this is something that is not covered under the warranty. Even glass which is a much less porous surface can still get water- spotted. Water spots are created from hard water that comes out of sprinklers, hoses, and any water source flowing through man-made pipes. When the water evaporates off the surfaces, hard minerals and deposits are leftover on the surface. The coating can still get spots on top of it, however removing these water spots is much easier with a coating than with bare unprotected paint.

Note: Rain or condensation will not create water spots on your car since it is completely pure.

Paint Protection Film (PPF)

What is PPF and what does it protect from?

To put it simply, PPF is a stretchable clear shield for your paint. In other words, Paint Protection film is a self-healing optically clear film that is installed on top of the paint to help prevent rock chips & road debris to high impact areas of the vehicle. The film is around 8mils thick which allows for superior clarity and protection. It can also protect from acidic bug splatter and even bird droppings that would normally eat through the top clear coat of your paint.

How long does Paint Protection Film last?

Ceramic Pro Kavaca PPF also has a 12-Year warranty against yellowing or fading however some pieces might need to be replaced sooner due to wear and tear over the years. For example, the PPF on the bumper would need to be replaced faster than a fender since it receives more abuse as a forward facing panel.

Will I notice a difference between panels that have PPF versus panels that don’t?

Since the film is optically clear once installed, you won’t notice any differences between panels even if they are right next to each other.

Can PPF be applied to repainted panels?

Yes, it is entirely possible to apply PPF to repainted panels, however there is much more risk involved. If the previous body shop skipped corners or the paint didn’t fully bond to the surface properly, there is a greater chance of the PPF lifting paint when it is adjusted during installation or removed down the road. For this reason, we have all clients sign a waiver as we cannot be responsible for repainted panels.

How long does it take PPF to cure?

We always tell customers to wait 1-2 weeks before washing the car so that the PPF has time to fully cure and bond with the paint. Within that two week period, we will also have clients come back for a complimentary check-up so that we can make sure everything is performing the way it’s supposed to. Small bubbles will dissipate on their own within the two week curing period however any larger bubbles, edges not fully sealed, etc would be taken care of during your check-up, which usually takes about 5-10 minutes.

Do you use Pre-Cut kits or Custom Bulking for your PPF installation?

We get asked this question a-lot and while there are some incredible bulk installers out there, it’s not a method that we believe in for various reasons. The main difference between these two methods is that Pre-Cuts are plotted beforehand by a precise machine whereas Bulk installs are hand-cut by the installer on or very close to the paint. 99% of the time when we hear a client say they don’t want a pre-cut, it’s because they are used to seeing lazy dealership precuts, or they remember what the install looked like on their previous car 10+ years ago. PPF has been around since the 90’s and at the time bulking was necessary with the lack of software editing tools and older PPF technology.

Now, with major film & software advancements that have happened in the last 5 years, we have the ability to literally customize every part of the film for your panel. We can make pre-cuts look similar to a bulked install without disassembling your car, using a knife on/around the paint, and having precisely cut straight lines. Another major benefit to Pre-Cuts is that they are typically going to be cheaper as they require less time to install and use 30-40% less film. We always encourage any new clients to come see our facility in person to see real-time and post installs of what modern day pre-cuts look like.

Do you wrap film around the edges, though?

Of course! Our goal is to give you the most seamless install as possible however we always want to make sure the film is going to stick and last for the full 12-year warranty period. With modern day software, we can customize any panel to wrap edges, tuck corners, shrink around side markers and badges, etc as long as there is a large enough edge for us to tuck the film around and have it lay flat. We encourage you to stop by our facility anytime so you can see some cars in process as well as some finished work.

Do you remove badges before installing the film?

We give you the option if you’d like to remove badges for a cleaner installation however a-lot of badges cannot be re-installed to a “factory standard” once removed so it’s best to just purchase new badges to go on top of the film post install.

What are relief cuts & seams?

PPF is about 2-3x thicker than vinyl and therefore does not have the same stretchability as colored vinyl wraps so the software manufacturers will put relief cuts or seamed pieces into the pre-cut kits to allow for the film to lay down properly on a very complex or curvy panel. Usually these are only seen on bumpers and they are fairly inconspicuous if they are installed by a properly trained tech. The trade-off for this is that it relieves the tension on the film and greatly reduces the chances for any pullback/lifting on the film. Bulk installers usually have to push the limitations of the film to get a seamless one-piece bumper install on a car and down the road the film can pull back because it was overstretched in order to complete the install. Remember, PPF was always designed to be be Paint Protection Film, not Paint Perfection Film.

Ceramic Tint

What is KAVACA Ultimate IR Ceramic Tint?

Ultimate IR is Ceramic Pro’s most advanced Luxury Ceramic Window Film. It is a multi-layered 2-mil film that not only protects your skin and interior of your vehicle from 99.9% of harmful UV rays with SPF500. It allows you to get better heat rejection qualities even with the lightest of tint percentages.

How much heat rejection do I get from a Ceramic Tint?

Ceramic Pro’s Ultimate IR film offers up to 95% IR blocking in the 80% VLT film, which is the lightest percentage film offered. This means you can enjoy a nearly clear and factory look with incredible heat rejection.

What is the warranty for Ultimate IR?

KAVACA Ultimate IR is backed by a Carfax documented lifetime warranty against adhesive failure, peeling, delamination, fading and cracking.

How long do I have to wait before I can roll my windows down?

After completion of a new window film, it takes 3-5 days to fully cure before you can safely clean or roll down any of the windows.

Will there be any imperfections or contamination from the installation?

Although we strive for the highest quality installs, due to the nature of the product, some degree of dust contamination and/or minor imperfections are present in every window film application. Pre-existing flaws or scratches and metal deposits on the glass are often much more noticeable after the windows are tinted. Older vehicles will have more imperfections due to age.

Does the Ultimate IR Ceramic Tint cause any signal interference?

KAVACA Ultimate IR film uses nanotechnology to replace metals and crystalline materials found in other premium window films. The result provides you with crystal-clear radio, cell, and satellite signals.

What Is Paint Correction And Why Is It Important?

What is paint correction?

Paint Correction is the process of using a machine buffer/polisher to remove defects in the paint such as bird stains, swirl/wash marks, light scratches, scuffs, sanding marks, and water spots. Paint correction must be done with standalone direct lighting to see all defects in the paint and to determine whether or not they have been fully removed. Overhead lighting is great for illuminating a work area, but it will not show all defects in the paint. This is definitely the step where a lot can go wrong and you want to make sure that the installer has adequate experience before they touch your paint with a buffer. You wouldn’t look the cheapest doctor to perform heart surgery, would you? Poorly installed coatings can be fixed, but once paint is burnt, that’s that.

Are there different levels of paint correction?

We offer 3 different levels of paint correction depending on the color, age, and condition of the paint. We call these three levels: Quick Polish, 1 stage, and 2 stage. These three stages are differentiated based on the methods used to polish the car and the number of hours that will be needed to complete the service and guarantee the percentage of defects removed. With that said, remember there is no such thing as perfection and we can only guarantee a maximum of 95% defect removal.

Why is paint correction so popular now and why is so important?

Paint correction has become so much more popular because of the recent Ceramic Coating movement in the last decade. Ceramic Coatings are completely clear and do not have the ability to hide any defects in the paint like waxes do, so before the paint is sealed the customer may choose to have these imperfections removed before sealing the paint. Before Ceramic Coatings, most detail shops would “speed buff” the paint with rotary buffers and leave “holograms” and haze all over the paint. Instead of taking the extra time to do a polishing/finishing step, they would just hide their work with a thick wax or sealant. Wax has the ability to hide these defects for a period of time. Once the wax has worn away months later, customers would think they messed up their paint again, however in reality, the detail shops unfinished work was just being revealed. Body shops and Dealerships are also known for doing this before delivering a car to the customer.

Why would a new car still need paint correction?

Even though a “new” car has 0 miles on the odometer, this doesn’t always mean the paint will look new. It’s most likely been washed at least once at the dealership and has already traveled thousands of miles to get to the dealership, potentially uncovered. The paint could also have factory defects and/or lacks a bit of luster/gloss because of new mass production painting methods. Paint correction can help fix all of these issues and can get your paint looking better than new prior to sealing it with a long-term coating. Keep in mind (as mentioned in the previous paragraph), your brand-new car may look great at first because majority of vehicles sold at dealerships are waxed to look as good as possible & potentially hide defects/swirl marks when selling. Wax is a filler and can hide defects so when that wax wears off naturally or we strip it off prior to coating, the defects will start to reveal themselves.

Is paint correction required before a Ceramic Coating?

Paint Correction is never required prior to a coating. We will always give you our recommendation on what level of paint correction is needed to get the paint looking as new as possible, however it is by no means required and will not affect the performance of the Ceramic Coating. Every client is different and it really just depends on how particular you about the paint. If you’re already satisfied with how your car looks, then we can most definitely skip to the next step and get your car protected! This is not uncommon, and sometimes 50% or more clients will skip the paint correction.

Why can’t I get a quote on paint correction over the phone or email?

Until we see the car in person and hopefully in direct sunlight, we will not be able to give you an accurate recommendation on paint correction. Even on cloudy days we will bring a mobile LED paint light outside to assess the paint with you and walk around the vehicle. We can however give you an estimated range over the phone/email for paint correction if the make, model, year, and color is provided. When booking any paint protection or detailing service with us, unless we’ve seen the car in person before we usually just leave the paint correction estimate TBD when you show up for your appointment.

Ceramic Pro Warranty & Annual Maintenance

What does the warranty cover?

To put things simply, the warranty covers all Environmental damage, UV damage & Coating performance. Environmental damages are things like bird droppings, tree sap, bugs, pollen, fallout, and other instances that might potentially stain the coating. As mentioned before, water spots are not covered under the warranty since Ceramic Pro does not consider them to be environmental. Water spots, which are created from minerals & deposits, come from man-made pipes such as the ones attached to sprinklers and garden hoses. Coating performance includes hydrophobic properties such as water beading/sheeting & ease of cleaning.
Note: If you do not wash your car at least once a month or live in a more contaminated environment, you may start to build up contamination faster & notice the ease of cleaning will start to decline.

What is the Annual Maintenance Detail?

Annual Maintenance Details are important to insure the best performance for your coating. You may notice as you near the end of your first year that your vehicle is starting to feel rougher to the touch, isn’t beading water as well, or is getting a little bit more difficult to clean. This is NOT because your coating is wearing off. It is simply because your car starts to builds up contamination on top of the coating while driving around and being parked outside during the year. The annual maintenance detail is focused on removing this contamination and making the surface as smooth as the day you first picked up your car after the initial coating service. This is achieved from a full wash & clay bar treatment.

Why do I need an Annual Maintenance Detail?

Think of the annual maintenance detail like going in for your annual teeth cleaning. Even though you do a fantastic job at brushing your teeth every day (washing your car periodically), eventually you will still build up plaque in those hard to reach areas (Contamination buildup on top of the coating). The annual maintenance detail does a much deeper cleaning than you’re able to do at home washing the car or even taking to a car wash, and ultimately resets the surface back to that glass-like smoothness you felt on day one.

Note: Keep in mind, this is something you should be doing to your car annually even without a Ceramic Coating as part of standard paint care.

How long does it take?

The annual Maintenance Detail takes anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on the day and staffing. Feel free to help yourself to a beverage/snack and kill time with your favorite Netflix movie or TV show in our lounge. Otherwise you can always drop off the car and pick it up later in the day.

How much does Annual Maintenance Detail cost?

$300 - First we maintain all of your painted surfaces, wheels, and exterior windows with a full wash & clay bar treatment. This helps to remove all of the buildup accumulated on the paint over the year before we rehydrate the surfaces with Ceramic Pro Sport. We then offer a complimentary cleaning of the door jambs and inside windows as well as vacuuming out the interior. Keep in mind however this is not a full interior detail and our main focus is the exterior for this service and maintaining your coating and/or PPF.

Note: Normally Annual Maintenance details must be done within 30 days of the Anniversary date of your original service, and failure to do so will void the Ceramic Pro Warranty. However, we understand that life happens sometimes and we give our clients a 60-day grace period due to any potential scheduling issues.