Essential Exterior Detailing in Redmond, WA
At Metropolitan Detail in Redmond, our Essential Exterior is the entry-level exterior service, and our most popular. It is a deep clean, a polish, and a sealant for bare paint, and a great way to freshen up a car or clean it up after a season change. For drivers all over Bellevue and Seattle.
Essential Exterior: for bare paint.
This is the one to get if your car has no coating and no film. We start with a foam bath and a gentle 2 bucket hand wash, then decontaminate the paint to pull out the iron deposits left by brake dust, road tar, and environmental fallout. From there we run a single stage polish to bring the luster back, and seal it with a glossy, hydrophobic SiO2 sealant for temporary protection that lasts 3-6 months. A clean, protected finish without the commitment of a coating.
Depending on the finish you want, paint correction may be needed, and that is priced after a vehicle inspection. Heavy contaminants like overspray, moss growth, or hard sap take extra labor, also priced after inspection.
We take the swirls out. We do not paint over them.
Beyond an exterior detail, paint correction is a multi-stage polishing process that removes swirl marks, light scratches, and oxidation at the source instead of hiding them. A lot of shops fill those swirls with waxes and polishes that look good for a few weeks. We remove them for real. If the Essential Exterior polish will not get your paint where you want it, this is the step that will. Bring the car by and we will show you what it needs.
Learn about Paint Correction→
Contaminants a polish
will not lift.
Hard Water Spot Removal
Hard water spots are mineral deposits, and they will etch into your clear coat if they sit long enough. We remove them safely and bring the finish back smooth and clear, without damaging the protective layers underneath.
Overspray Removal
Paint overspray, industrial fallout, and stubborn road tar are a real risk with how much construction is going on around here, and it is often an unavoidable accident. We safely lift these bonded contaminants off the paint and leave the surface clean.
How an Essential Exterior goes.
Drop Off and Loaner Car
Hand off the keys and take a free loaner, based on availability.
Wash and Decontaminate
Foam bath, 2 bucket hand wash, then iron, tar, and clay decontamination. This is where most of the work happens.
Polish and Seal
A single stage luster polish, then a hydrophobic SiO2 sealant for gloss and temporary protection.
Drive Away Protected
We walk the finished car with you, then it is yours again.
Already have a coating or film?
What customers say.
Real Google reviews from exterior detailing clients across Redmond, Bellevue & Seattle.
Took my Crosstrek here and was not expecting the final details to be so good! When discussing what I wanted done detailing wise every concern was addressed. My car looks better than it did the day I bought it from the dealership! The exterior and interior is amazing! Highly recommend for a good detailing and fresh new look! Plus the customer service is really amazing. Clean workspace and professional!
Great customer service and communication. Dropped off my Tesla in the morning in exchange for their loaner car (a very clean and usable Kia Soul). I picked up my well-groomed car at end of the day. Every surface was seemingly cleaned. I am satisfied with the Wash, Decon & Protect package, and will return in the spring for an upgraded exterior package that includes a sealant.
Because of my work schedule, I had to make arrangements ahead of time for dropping off and picking up the car and they were more than accommodating. The staff was exceptional in greeting me and getting me checked in. I am very picky about my gloss black Volvo and absolutely fearful of swirled paint. When I went to pick up my car, I was ecstatic. The paint is flawless. I took it for an exterior detail but they went above and beyond and thoroughly cleaned the interior too! Highly recommended!
Recent exterior work in Redmond, Bellevue, and Seattle.
Drop off, grab a free loaner, drive away protected.
Quality work takes time, and you should not have to wait around for it. We keep a small free fleet, based on availability, so your day keeps moving.
Questions about Essential Exterior.
Who is this service for?
Cars with bare paint, no coating and no film. If your car is coated or wrapped, the Ceramic or PPF Maintenance Polish is the right one instead.
What does decontamination do?
It removes bonded contaminants a wash cannot touch. Iron from brake dust, road tar, and fallout embed in your clear coat, and an iron remover, a tar remover, and a clay pad pull them out. That is why the paint feels like glass after.
Will this remove my swirls and scratches?
A single stage polish improves the finish, but it will not remove real defects. For that you want paint correction, priced after we see the car.
How long does the sealant last?
3-6 months, depending on how the car is driven and stored. If you want years instead of months, look at a ceramic coating.
My car has overspray or heavy moss. Can you help?
Yes, but it takes real labor, so we quote it after an inspection.
How long does it take?
Most are a full day. A free loaner keeps you moving, based on availability.
Ask about availability
Tell us what you are booking and when you need the car. We will confirm what is open.