Why is car detailing so expensive?
/Yes. Car detailing is expensive when compared to a simple car wash. Our Complete Detail with all of the extra services costs $520 for a car and $580 for an SUV, truck or minivan. Although, we don’t offer custom detailing services, the cost of adding custom services such as odour-removal, paint correction and luxury-steam-only detailing to a full car detail can push the total price even higher. Fortunately, with some simple explanations you will be able to book a car detail for a price you can feel comfortable with.
There are three ways customers over pay for car detailing services. Getting a full car detail when you don’t need one, getting a full car detail package that includes services you don’t need or getting a full car detail when all you really want is to solve a specific problem.
You may require a package less than a full detail.
If you book a full detail for a new, exotic or classic vehicle that doesn’t have stained or soiled upholstery, or a dusty dash and vents that require detailed cleaning, you may be over paying. Instead, of a full detail these types of vehicles require a package that includes just vacuuming and wiping the interior with a delicate hand wash, rim detailing and hand waxing or ceramic spray waxing. This type of package usually costs half the price of a full detail and has many names such as basic detail, express detail or valet cleaning. We don’t offer this type of detail package, but many detail shops do. Also, it is very often offered by mobile auto detailers, who because they have low over head, can offer this service at a very affordable price.
There are customers who just don’t care about the exterior of the vehicle, all they care about is detailing the interior-only. These customers could save by booking an interior-only detail. Many detail shops offer this type of package and it usually costs two thirds or three quarters the price of a full detail. The amount of work on the outside is not equal to the amount of work on the inside, for a full detail, so it may be difficult to find a shop that will do an interior-only for half the price of full detail. We also do not offer this service. Once again a mobile detailer may be able to offer this service at a lower price than a detail shop.
Not all full detail packages are the same.
From detail shop to detail shop there are differences in the full detail packages that they offer. You should be aware of these differences when comparing prices so that you get the best price and don’t pay for services you don’t want.
Some detail shops offer a full detail which includes engine detailing. Most people don’t need or want an engine detail, because it’s not important to them or they are concerned about the small risk of electrical or sensor damage that could occur when detailing an engine. An engine detail costs approximately $50 so it may make a full detail that includes it, seem more expensive than one that doesn’t.
A full detail includes waxing of the paint, most full detail packages include a spray-on ceramic wax that is sprayed-on then hand levelled with a microfibre cloth. A ceramic spray-on wax will improve the shine of the paint, be super hydrophobic and protect the paint for up to 6 months. However, some detail shops will include a traditional machine applied liquid or paste wax that is hand buffed, or they will even perform clay-bar, chemical decontamination and a single stage of polishing as part of their full detail package. Any full detail that includes something more than just a ceramic spay-on wax will always cost more.
Generally, cleaning and stain removing of the interior cloth ceiling or headliner and seat-belts is not included in a full detail because it is something that most vehicle don’t need cleaned. If you are comparing full detail prices that include the headliner and seat-belts be aware of this additional cost.
Many detail shops have conditions that exclude the removal of pet hair and the cleaning of extremely dirty vehicles from their full detail price. Pet hair removal usually isn’t included and has an additional cost. Many detail shops also require a preliminary inspection before honouring their full detail price. It is difficult to price shop full detail packages with vehicles that have pet hair or are extremely dirty. The surcharges added to a full detail price make determining final cost difficult. We specialize in pet hair removal and upholstery cleaning, so we don’t charge extra for extremely dirty vehicles or pet hair removal.
You may just need a custom detail package not a full detail.
If you have an odour that you would like removed from the vehicle, or you have had a spill that you fear may eventually cause an odour, you should get a custom odour removal service from a detail shop to resolve this specific problem only. Frequently, customers assume that odour removal is included in a full detail package, it is not. The upholstery cleaning included in a full detail may improve the smell of a vehicle. However, removal of a smoke smell, vomit, urine, aromatic food spills, the musty odour of mould and the odour of mice, require more specific cleaning steps such as the removal of seats, flushing affected areas and ozone or odour fogging treatments. Don’t book a full detail to solve an odour problem. Book a custom detail service to remove odour. Pay for exactly what you want and get the result you want. It is hard to appreciate a properly detailed dash and shiny waxed paint when the vehicle still smells of the odour you wanted to get rid of.
Paint correction is extremely time consuming and labour intensive it rarely is included in a full detail. Proper wet sanding and polishing of paint requires multiple stages of work. If you’re looking to remove scratches, over-spray, tar, sap or oxidization don’t just book a full detail. Instead, have your vehicle inspected and get a quoted price for a custom paint correction service that is fully explained by the shop, before having the work done.
Exotic vehicles, high-end luxury vehicles, classic vehicles all require more delicate steam-only cleaning and more expensive ceramic based protectants and dressings. They also do not require the same cleaning steps as a typical full detail for a daily-driver vehicle. More over, as the owner of this type of vehicle you are very concerned with supervising all that is done to your car. It’s best to meet and discuss a custom detailing service instead of just trying to book a detail shops full detail.