What Is Car Detailing?

What does it mean to detail a car? It means, at its root, to clean the car. But when done correctly, detailing involves much more than a thorough exterior wash and wax and cleaning of the interior.

A complete detailing service starts with vacuuming the interior and washing the exterior. Then it typically includes services such as steam cleaning door jambs, pressure-washing floor mats, removing upholstery and carpet stains and removing tar, road grime and oxidation (which dulls your paint job) from the car’s paint. Those types of “details” usually aren’t included in even a super-duper car wash and wax package.

Why Should I Get My Car Detailed?

Keeping a car clean and shiny is likely to increase its resale value (though mileage, mechanical condition, accident history and other factors can drag the value down). Car detailing can also provide a psychological benefit that boosts the owner’s pride of ownership.

Levels of Car Detailing

Shops that detail cars typically offer a range of services, running from basic to deluxe, and the prices escalate depending on how much work is performed.

Basic detailing typically includes an exterior wash; cleaning the exterior paint with a clay bar (which helps remove dirt); polishing the paint by hand or machine to remove minor scratches; and then applying wax and/or paint sealant to give the paint shine and help it last longer. The wheels are cleaned and waxed, and the tires get spiffed up with a shiny dressing.

A typical interior detailing includes vacuuming and shampooing the upholstery and carpeting; pressure washing or scrubbing floor mats; cleaning and conditioning leather upholstery; cleaning vinyl and plastic interior trim and coating it with a dressing; and cleaning the glass.

What Does Detailing Cost?

The starting prices are often just that – enticingly low starting points designed to grab your attention. If your seats or floor mats are badly stained and require extra elbow grease, expect to pay more. Have a dog that sheds year-round? You’ll probably pay more for additional vacuuming.

Prices for basic detailing packages typically start in the $125-$200 range, and larger SUVs and pickups usually cost $25-$50 more because of their larger size. Prices vary because shops offer different packages that can include more or fewer services, and detailing shops often advertise discounted prices. It pays to ask what’s included in the price and compare that to the deals that other shops offer.

Expect to hear sales pitches for extra-cost services such as touching up paint chips; repairing or repainting scuffed bumper covers; sanding off the clearcoat finish and reapplying a new coat; cleaning the brake calipers; cleaning the engine bay; headlight restoration; and more. Those additional services can remove blemishes and restore your vehicle to pristine condition (or close to it), but they also ratchet up the cost by hundreds of dollars more. Have a budget and stick to it.

Can You Detail a Car Yourself?

Can you detail your own vehicle? Sure. Some vehicle owners don’t trust others to touch their beloved car, so they have the equipment to do it themselves and are willing to devote the time and effort.

Bear in mind that professional detailers use an assortment of cleaners, polishing compounds, waxes and dressings, as well as power washers, polishing and buffing tools, brushes, and air hoses that can get into nooks and crannies, as well as other equipment that enables them to do the job quickly and do it well. Acquiring the right tools and materials might be more expensive than having it done professionally.

Running a vehicle through an automatic car wash every week or two will keep it clean on the surface, but a complete detailing periodically will keep it looking closer to what it was like when new.

When you’re getting ready to sell your car, it’s a good idea to get it detailed. The cleaner and shinier it is, the more you should be able to get for it at sale.

Deluxe Mobile Detailing offers an extensive range of packages to cover all your detailing needs! We service Port St Lucie, Palm Beach, Jensen Beach and most of South Florida