PAINT CORRECTION
RESTORE CLARITY. REMOVE DEFECTS. REVEAL THE PAINT.
Paint correction is the controlled process of refining automotive clear coat to reduce swirl marks, oxidation, haze, water spotting and other paint defects. Four Seasons Auto offers multiple correction levels based on the condition of the vehicle and the result the owner wants to achieve.
The Process
WHAT PAINT CORRECTION ACTUALLY DOES
Paint correction goes significantly beyond waxing or applying a glaze. Using professional machine polishing, compounds, pads, lighting and inspection techniques, small amounts of damaged or uneven clear coat are refined to improve the way light reflects from the surface.
Deep scratches that penetrate beyond the safely correctable portion of the clear coat may remain. Paint correction does not claim to remove every defect — it improves the finish based on what the paint condition safely allows.
Defects That Can Be Improved
Results
THE RESULT IS IN THE REFLECTION
Paint Correction
Swirl mark and defect removal
Finished Result
Clarity, depth and gloss restored
Service Levels
CHOOSE YOUR CORRECTION LEVEL
1-STEP
1-STEP PAINT CORRECTION
PAINT ENHANCEMENT / LIGHT DEFECT CORRECTION
Best For
Vehicles with lighter swirl marks, haze, wash-induced defects and reduced gloss.
Our 1-Step Paint Correction uses a carefully selected polishing combination to improve paint clarity, gloss and depth while reducing lighter surface defects. This service is designed for vehicles that do not require aggressive multi-stage correction but would benefit substantially from professional paint refinement.
Typical Process
- Exterior pre-wash
- Safe hand wash
- Wheel and tire cleaning
- Chemical paint decontamination
- Mechanical decontamination when required
- Paint inspection
- Test section
- Single-stage machine polishing
- Panel wipe / paint preparation
- Final inspection
2-STEP
2-STEP PAINT CORRECTION
ADVANCED DEFECT CORRECTION
Best For
Vehicles with moderate to substantial swirl marks, oxidation, scratches and paint defects requiring more aggressive refinement.
Our 2-Step Paint Correction uses a dedicated cutting stage followed by a finishing polish. The first stage targets more significant defects and damaged clear coat. The second stage refines the finish, improving clarity, depth and gloss.
Typical Process
- Complete exterior preparation
- Chemical decontamination
- Mechanical decontamination when required
- Paint inspection
- Test section
- Compound / cutting stage
- Finishing polish stage
- Panel-by-panel inspection
- Paint preparation
- Final quality-control inspection
3-STEP
3-STEP PAINT CORRECTION
MAXIMUM SAFE PAINT REFINEMENT
Best For
Vehicles with severe defects, neglected finishes, heavy oxidation, deeper correction requirements, collector vehicles, enthusiast vehicles or paint requiring extensive refinement.
Our 3-Step Paint Correction is Four Seasons Auto's most intensive correction process. This service is reserved for vehicles where extensive paint refinement is required and where the condition of the clear coat safely allows additional correction. Multiple correction and refinement stages may be used to progressively improve the finish while maintaining responsible clear-coat preservation.
Typical Process
- Extensive exterior preparation
- Multi-stage decontamination
- Detailed paint inspection
- Test sections
- Initial heavy correction stage
- Intermediate refinement stage
- Final finishing stage
- Panel-by-panel quality control
- Paint preparation
- Final inspection under professional lighting
Paint correction pricing is based on vehicle size, paint condition, defect severity and the level of correction required. Starting prices represent typical entry points for each correction level. Final pricing and achievable results may require an in-person inspection.
Quick Reference
WHICH CORRECTION LEVEL DOES YOUR VEHICLE NEED?
1-STEP
Starting at $750
Best for:
- Light swirls
- Paint haze
- Reduced gloss
- Minor wash defects
2-STEP
Starting at $1,750
Best for:
- Moderate swirls
- More visible scratches
- Oxidation
- Water spotting
- Heavier paint defects
3-STEP
Starting at $2,500+
Best for:
- Severe paint defects
- Heavy oxidation
- Neglected paint
- Advanced refinement
- Enthusiast / collector-level correction
The correct process cannot always be determined from photographs alone. Four Seasons Auto may recommend inspecting the vehicle before confirming the correction level.
Inspection
WHY WE INSPECT THE PAINT FIRST
Professional correction is not simply choosing the most aggressive package. Before major correction, the team evaluates the vehicle's paint condition, defect depth, previous refinishing, clear-coat health, paint hardness, panel variation and customer expectations.
Where appropriate, paint-depth measurement and test sections are used to guide the process.
The objective is not to remove the maximum amount of clear coat possible. The objective is to achieve the best responsible improvement for the vehicle.
What We Evaluate
The Difference
POLISHING ISN'T ALWAYS PAINT CORRECTION
Quick polishing can temporarily improve gloss. Professional correction is a more controlled process built around defect removal, refinement and inspection.
Four Seasons Auto determines the polishing system based on the paint rather than using the same compound and pad combination on every vehicle.
Clear-Coat Preservation
NOT EVERY SCRATCH SHOULD BE REMOVED
If a scratch extends too deeply into or through the clear coat, fully removing it through polishing may require removing an unsafe amount of material.
In those cases, Four Seasons Auto may recommend improvement rather than complete removal. This is not a limitation of the service — it is responsible clear-coat preservation.
Protection
CORRECT IT. THEN PROTECT IT.
Paint correction restores clarity and improves the surface before protection is applied. For customers investing in paint correction, ceramic coating is often the logical next step — it helps protect the corrected finish while improving hydrophobic performance and ease of maintenance.
Combined Service
PLATINUM PACKAGE
Paint Enhancement / Correction + 3-Year Ceramic Coating
Four Seasons Auto's Platinum Package combines paint enhancement / correction with a 3-Year Ceramic Coating in a single service.
Starting at $1,575
View Platinum PackageCommon Questions
PAINT CORRECTION FAQ
Four Seasons Auto — Sun Prairie, WI
NOT SURE WHICH CORRECTION LEVEL YOU NEED?
You don't need to diagnose the paint yourself. Tell us what concerns you about the finish, or schedule an inspection and we'll recommend the appropriate correction process.