Ah, you've met mine too, it seems !

LOL either that, or it seems we all timeshare our SWMBOs angry side

Detailing involves removing all contaminants from the paintwork and wheels before re-applying protection.

I think detailing is just the restoration of swirled/scratched paintwork that a normal hand polishing will not remove unless using severe perserverance. That's why machine polishing becomes a good tool. I don't think I have ever "detailed" mine as intensively as some have done, but to restore the external paintwork you can actually see from day to day to get a nice finish is as far as I would want to take it. Door shuts might get a rinse & wipe down from time to time, but it doesn't mean nearly as much as having the outside looking better.

To me Detailing starts when you clean more than the average person would do, to clean a car.

The clue for me is in the name 'Detailing' its cleaning all those minor details, Wheel backs cleaned and sealed, Arches de-greased and dressed, engine bays de-greased and dressed, door shuts cleaned, door seals being fed, dust being removed from air vents, switches and hidden nooks and crannies, claying the paintwork even glazes, sealants and waxes being applied.

Yes you can call it 'A bloody good clean' but outside of car forum members how many people do you know that would go to this extent? Not many I would guess which is why the term detailing can be given.

Machine polishing is an extended form of detailing but I would add the term paint correction to that kind of work but you have to do all the aformentioned work for the paintwork to be ready to be able to machine polish and gain a high quality finish.

The cars that I have detailed have had no paint correction as such but all the owners have said 'Well I would never have thought to clean/dress/do that' to which I reply thats why its called detailing.

Other people may not agree with my thoughts but at the end of the day we're all entitled to our opinions, so dont all cane me at once.