Newer Paint
Typically about 2 days
| Assessment | Free |
|---|---|
| 1-step — coupe / sedan | $600 |
| 1-step — truck / SUV | $750 |
| 2-step — coupe / sedan | $1,100 |
| 2-step — truck / SUV | $1,200 |
Paint Correction
Creston, BC
Machine correction that removes swirls, hazing, marring and oxidation instead of filling them in. Free assessment before anything is quoted. Cars, trucks, boats and RVs.
This Is Refinishing,
Not Cleaning
Paint correction is the process of removing a thin layer of clearcoat — the layer that holds the defects. Hazing, swirling, micro-marring, staining, superficial scratches: all of it lives in that top film, and the only way to genuinely remove it is to cut it back and refine the finish underneath.
That is a different skill from cleaning a car. It's why this shop is run by someone who trained as an auto body technician in auto restoration before opening it.
Every correction project starts with an exterior decontamination detail, then a sequential process of compounding and polishing using various machines, pads and abrasives, and finishes with a hand-applied sealant.
A wax or a glaze can hide swirls for a few weeks by filling them. Correction removes them. If your paint looks dull or hazy in direct sunlight rather than simply dirty, that's the difference you're looking at.
Pricing
Assessment Is Free.
You Pay for the Stage You Need.
More stages means more cut and more refinement. The assessment decides which your paint actually needs — there's no point paying for three stages when one will do it.
Older Paint
Severe cases 4–5 days
| Assessment | Free |
|---|---|
| 3-step — coupe / sedan | $1,600 |
| 3-step — truck / SUV | $1,900 |
| Oxidation removal | $600 |
Why severe jobs take longer: in heavier cases the paint is left to breathe between steps,
which can mean holding the vehicle an extra day or two. That wait is the difference between a finish that
looks right under inspection lighting and one that hazes back a fortnight later.
What Comes Next
Correct It, Then
Protect It
Correction resets the paint. It doesn't stop it happening again — and in a valley that salts a mountain pass all winter and sands the highway on top of it, unprotected fresh paint doesn't stay fresh long.
The recommendation after correction is a protective coating: it deepens the gloss you've just paid for and holds the condition rather than letting it slide back. Doing both in one booking also means the paint is only prepped once.
Get a Free Quote
Book a Free
Paint Assessment
Send the year, make and model plus a couple of photos in daylight if you have them. Scott will tell you honestly which stage your paint needs.
- Free assessment before any correction quote
- Published pricing — no phone-call-only rates
- You talk to Scott, the owner
- Cars, trucks, SUVs, RVs and boats
Prefer to call? (250) 402-9986
Why the Kootenays Are Hard on Vehicles
Six Things This Valley Does
to Your Paint and Interior
These are the conditions that put the defects there in the first place.
Kootenay Pass Road Salt
The Salmo–Creston summit on Highway 3 is the highest paved pass in Canada and one of the most heavily treated stretches of winter road in the province. Salt and brine wick into seams, box rails and suspension pockets and keep working long after the road looks dry. Anything that commutes over the pass takes the worst of it.
Winter Traction Sand
Sand and crushed grit go down all winter on Highway 3 and 3A. At highway speed it sandblasts front ends, chips paint down to primer and pits windshields. Every chip is a bare-metal entry point, and bare metal in a salted environment is where rust starts.
Creston Valley Farm Dust
This is a working agricultural valley — grain, hay, orchards and a lot of gravel side road. Fine dust finds its way into cabin filters, vents and upholstery, and it behaves like a mild abrasive on paint every time a dry vehicle gets wiped down.
Orchard Spray & Hard Water
Irrigation overspray and hard water leave mineral deposits that bond to glass and clearcoat. Once they bake in summer sun they etch below the surface and stop washing off — at that point they have to be polished out rather than cleaned off.
Wildfire Smoke & Ash
Kootenay summers bring smoke and fine alkaline ash that settles on every horizontal surface. Left through a heat cycle it etches clearcoat, and it pulls into cabin air intakes where the smell sets into headliners and upholstery.
Kootenay Lake Grit
Boat launches, gravel approaches and lake water are hard on trailers, tow vehicles and hulls alike. Launch grit gets dragged across paint, and hard water spotting sets fast on a hot hull sitting in the sun.
Common Questions
Paint Correction FAQs
What is paint correction and do I need it?
Paint correction removes a thin layer of clearcoat that holds defects such as hazing, swirling, micro-marring, staining and superficial scratches. It is a machine process using compounds, pads and abrasives in sequence — not a wax that hides the problem. Wheel to Wheel Detailing gives a free assessment first: 1-step correction starts at $600, 2-step at $1,100, and 3-step for older oxidised paint at $1,600. If your paint looks dull or hazy in direct sun rather than simply dirty, correction is what fixes it.
How long does detailing take?
At Wheel to Wheel Detailing a maintenance detail takes 1.5 to 2.5 hours, an interior detail takes 2 to 4 hours depending on condition, and an exterior detail takes about 1.5 hours. Paint correction is a 2-day job on newer paint and 4 to 5 days in severe cases, because the paint is left to breathe between steps. Coating packages take a minimum of 2 days and up to 4 depending on the options chosen.
What coating do you use, and how long does it last?
Wheel to Wheel Detailing uses GTechniq professional ceramic coatings — a silicon and titanium based chemistry. Scott previously used System X and moved to GTechniq, and holds the certification GTechniq requires before their professional range can be bought or applied. Packages run 2 years at $500, 4 years at $900 and 6 years at $1,300 — each warrantied against oxidation and paint staining for the term, and each including full body, windshield and wheel faces. A carnauba wax is also available at $200 for cars and $250 for trucks, wash included, if you would rather not commit to a coating.
Do you detail boats and RVs?
Yes. Wheel to Wheel Detailing details and protects boats and RVs as well as cars and trucks, and paint correction is offered on all of them. On Kootenay Lake in particular, hard water spotting sets fast on a hot hull and launch grit is hard on gel coat and trailers, so protection is doing real work. RV and boat jobs are priced individually by size and condition — contact the shop for a quote.
Where We Work
Serving the Creston Valley
& Kootenay Lake East Shore
Based in Creston and serving the valley communities, plus the east shore up Highway 3A. Choose your community for local information.
What Customers Say
Creston Valley Drivers
On Working With Us
★★★★★
Absolutely amazing service! They made our 2022 Honda Sport look brand new again. We needed a deep clean after a pretty rough mess (including spills and odors), and they completely eliminated the smell , you’d never know anything happened.
Emma Mccallum
Google Review
★★★★★
Fantastic experience with Scott at Wheel to Wheel Detailing. He responded quickly to my request, gave me a better quote than the competition, and was a breeze to deal with. He drove me home after I brought him my car and his car was immaculate...
Janna Wierenga
Google Review
★★★★★
To say my experience with “Wheel to Wheel” has been fantastic would be understatement! A truer gentleman and more service minded bro has seldom been met. Scott, the owner has been taking care of me for a few months now.
Kyler Oler
Google Review
5.0 ★ · Read all 18 reviews on Google|Read all 11 reviews on Facebook
Ready to Book
Your Vehicle In?
Free quotes across the Creston Valley. By appointment, Monday to Friday.