Question about getting flawed finished detailed...

[mds1001]

Hey guys,



My wife`s car hasn`t held up too well in just the 2 years we`ve had it(2007 Civic). It has several dings in the back bumper, mostly due to the screw heads of other peoples front plates digging into it when they get too close. A few of them are through the paint to the plastic, some are just dents in the paint, etc. There are also a few scratches around the car, and a few spots with little dings where a rock or something chipped the paint. The finish doesn`t seem too resilient to say the least.



The car was waxed once when we first got it at some car wash place and since then its been run through a touchless here and there. My wife neglects it a bit. I recently got a new car and have been taking really good care of mine, and thanks to this site, have learned a lot about what to do to keep a car`s finish looking good. Her car needs a good going over, including some clay barring and probably a good healthy polish and wax/seal.



My question is: Is there any point in getting this car detailed when it has so many flaws? Will the detailing process just damage the paint more where its been comprimised? I`m considering having the bumper and other flaws fixed by a body shop at some point. Should I do that before having it detailed? And lastly, anybody know a good place near Hollywood/Glendale that could do the touchup work and detail the car for me?



Thanks!



Mike

[Accumulator]

My wife`s car hasn`t held up too well in just the 2 years we`ve had it(2007 Civic). It has...[*REALLY* awful, serious issues]...



My question is: Is there any point in getting this car detailed when it has so many flaws?



Yes, absolutely. The `93 Audi I just bought is in *TERRIBLE* condition (clearcoat failure on all panels, some *peeling* paint, rust...you name it and this car suffers from it) yet after a good detail it looks a zillion times better. And further decline will now be retarded if only because a well polished/waxed car sheds dirt and moisture better than a neglected one. Hey, as a "20/20" car (from twenty feet away when it`s going 20 mph) it looks OK now.






Will the detailing process just damage the paint more where its been comprimised?



Not really as long as you don`t *really* overdo it. Yeah, you might shed some compromised paint and expose more undercoat, but it shouldn`t be a big deal. It`s a three-steps-forward-one-step-back sort of thing.


I`m considering having the bumper and other flaws fixed by a body shop at some point. Should I do that before having it detailed?



I can go either way because if the bodyshop messes up something you`ll have to redo it. I *think* I`d detail it while you consider having the work done, that`s what I`d do. At least do *something* even if you don`t make a huge reconditioning project out of it. Every time you see it I think you`ll be glad you did ;) And the shop will see that you *care*, when they see something in ratty shape they might get the wrong impression (namely, that they can do a hack job on it).




And lastly, anybody know a good place near Hollywood/Glendale that could do the touchup work and detail the car for me?



You might oughta detail it yourself.