Compliance & Client Protections

1. Binding Nature of Agreement

These Terms and Conditions of Service ("Terms") govern all vehicle treatments, machine polishing, ceramic coatings, paint protection film (PPF) installations, and interior restorations performed by Dfine Auto Detailing. By scheduling an appointment, approving a quotation, paying a booking deposit, or releasing custody of your vehicle at our studio (16 Rising Sun Street, Chatsworth, Durban), you explicitly agree to these Terms.

2. Quotations, Inspections & Pricing Parameters

• Estimator & Digital Quotes: Quotations generated via our website treatment estimator or WhatsApp are preliminary estimates based on client-provided specifications.
• Physical Pre-Wash Inspection: Final firm pricing is confirmed following physical vehicle decontamination and inspection at our studio. Deep surface contamination, severe clear coat oxidation, heavy road tar, or pet hair requiring specialist chemical remediation may adjust the final scope.
• Validity Period: Written quotations remain valid for a period of fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of issuance.

3. Paint Integrity & Pre-Existing Conditions

Before machine correction, our master technicians perform digital ultrasonic paint depth readings across every panel. Dfine Auto Detailing accepts zero liability for:

• Pre-Existing Clear Coat Failure: Delaminating clear coat, crow's feet, micro-cracking, or factory defects where clear coat integrity is already compromised.
• Sub-Standard Prior Body Repaints: Non-OEM aftermarket paintwork, soft lacquer, excessive body filler (bondo), or poorly adhered clear coat applied by third-party panel beaters.
• Concealed Damage Unveiled by Decontamination: Deep road rash, gravel stone chips, or bumper scrapes that were masked by road grime, grease, or silicone glazes prior to studio chemical wash.
• Sub-Surface Acid Etching: Acidic bird droppings, bat guano, tree sap, or industrial fallout that has chemically eaten through the clear coat into the base colour coat. While machine compounding significantly improves these areas, complete eradication without panel repainting is physically impossible.

4. Vehicle Custody & Bailment ("Owner's Risk")

When your vehicle is placed in the care, custody, and control of Dfine Auto Detailing at 16 Rising Sun Street, Chatsworth:

• Standard of Professional Care: We provide secure, locked, and monitored premises. We exercise reasonable skill, diligence, and master craftsmanship during all vehicle movement, bay positioning, and treatment phases.
• Operational Bailment Disclaimer: To the extent permitted by Section 61 of the Consumer Protection Act (Act 68 of 2008), vehicles are parked, operated on premises, and left in the studio's custody entirely at the Owner's Risk regarding losses arising from act of God, severe storm, hail, flood, civil unrest, public power surges, or criminal acts beyond reasonable commercial security controls.
• Test Drives & Repositioning: You authorize our certified technicians to reposition, wash, and test-drive your vehicle within reasonable vicinity solely for verification of mechanical clearance, drying, or detailing quality.

5. Appointment Bookings, Deposits & Cancellations

Detailing is a meticulous, labor-intensive craft requiring multi-day bay allocation:

• Studio Bay Reservation: High-tier multi-day packages (Deluxe Ceramic, PPF, Full Correction) require a booking deposit to secure the studio bay and technician schedule.
• Cancellation & Rescheduling Notice: Under Section 17 of the Consumer Protection Act, cancellations or reschedule requests must be communicated at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the booked slot.
• Late Cancellations: Cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice, or failure to deliver the vehicle on the scheduled date, may incur a reasonable cancellation charge to offset lost studio bay capacity.

6. Payment Terms & Vehicle Release

• Settlement Timing: Full settlement of the agreed investment is due strictly upon completion of the detailing treatment and client inspection, prior to vehicle release from the studio.
• Accepted Payment Modalities: Instant Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT with verified studio clearance), Point-of-Sale Card Terminal, or Cash. No vehicle will be released on delayed payment or unverified payment receipts.
• Storage Fee on Delayed Collection: Completed vehicles must be collected within twenty-four (24) hours of completion notification unless prior written arrangements are established. Vehicles remaining on premises beyond 48 hours without authorization may be subject to a secure storage fee of R250 per day.

1. Master Ceramic Coating Warranty Scope

Dfine Auto Detailing guarantees that our certified 9H ceramic coatings (Deluxe 1-Year and Flagship 2-Year packages) applied by our trained technicians will maintain hydrophobic water-repelling properties, high gloss depth, and resistance to environmental UV oxidation for the designated duration, subject strictly to the aftercare protocols set forth below.

2. Required Maintenance & Washing Protocols

Ceramic coatings are advanced sacrificial barriers, not indestructible shields against poor maintenance. To preserve your certified warranty, the vehicle owner must adhere to the following maintenance routine:

• Two-Bucket Hand Washing Only: Wash the vehicle using the two-bucket method (one bucket for soapy wash solution, one bucket with a grit guard for rinsing your wash mitt).
• pH-Neutral Automotive Shampoo: Use exclusively pH-neutral, wax-free, high-lubricity automotive shampoos. Never use household dishwashing liquids, harsh industrial powders, or high-alkaline traffic film removers.
• Clean Microfibre Media: Use high-GSM plush microfibre wash mitts and dedicated, clean microfibre drying towels. Never use dirty sponges, chamois leathers, or squeegees.
• Prompt Decontamination: Fresh bird droppings, tree sap, and bug splatter must be gently softened with quick-detailer spray and wiped off promptly with a plush microfibre to prevent chemical etching into the coating.

3. Warranty Voidance Conditions

The ceramic coating warranty becomes null and void immediately under any of the following circumstances:

• Automated Mechanical Brush Car Washes: Taking the vehicle through automated mechanical brush or roller car washes (the high-friction nylon bristles inflict severe swirl scratches and abrade ceramic coatings).
• Abrasive Polishing & Compound Application: Any rotary, dual-action, or hand polishing with abrasive cutting compounds, clay bars, or scratch removers performed by third-party detailers or the vehicle owner.
• Harsh Chemical Exposure: Exposure to battery acid, brake fluid, aggressive acid-based aluminum wheel cleaners, or highly caustic degreasers.
• Accidental Physical Damage: Traffic collisions, panel scraping, stone chips, intentional scratching, panel resprays, or abrasive scuff marks.
• Neglected Water Spot Baking: Allowing municipal hard water or bore water sprinklers to dry under harsh Durban midday sun, resulting in severe mineral calcium calcification.

4. Annual Studio Maintenance Inspection

To maintain the integrity of our Flagship 2-Year Ceramic Warranty, an annual studio decontamination wash and ceramic rejuvenation spray treatment must be scheduled at Dfine Auto Detailing every 12 months. This allows our technicians to dissolve embedded ferrous fallout, inspect coating hydrophobic angles, and apply a top-coat sacrificial booster.

1. Statutory Notice Under PAIA Section 51

This statement serves as the official statutory notification in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, No. 2 of 2000 (PAIA) as amended by the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (POPIA), for Dfine Auto Detailing & Protection, operating as a private commercial enterprise within the Republic of South Africa.

2. Purpose of the PAIA Manual

PAIA grants requesters access to records held by private bodies, provided the requested record is required for the exercise or protection of any constitutional rights. The full internal Section 51 Manual provides an overview of the categories of records held by Dfine Auto and the formal procedure for lodging an access request.

3. Categories of Company Records Held

• Operational & Commercial Records: Customer service ledgers, treatment build sheets, supplier invoices, studio operational logs, and service checklists.
• Statutory Financial Records: Tax records, value-added tax filings, banking statements, and receipt books maintained in compliance with the Companies Act and Tax Administration Act.
• Client Records: Information furnished by clients for quoting and detailing fulfillment, including vehicle specifications and contact credentials.
• Studio Assets & Media: Photographic archives, video reels, and copyright assets owned by Dfine Auto Detailing.

4. Procedure to Request Records

Any person requiring access to records held by Dfine Auto Detailing must submit a formal request using the prescribed Form 2 (available on the Information Regulator's portal) to our Information Officer at:

The Information Officer will evaluate the request and provide formal notification of approval or grounds for statutory refusal within thirty (30) calendar days in accordance with the Act.