car detailing and what it means to you

[coupe]

This is just a little question to gather some information on what detailing is to the public. If you all wouldnt mind posting up your answers, I would appreciate it, even if the answers are the same as other people who posted before you.

What does the term DETAIL mean to you?

What do you expect for results after having your vehicle DETAILED?

How much would you be willing to pay for a DETAIL?

thanks

[ryanbgb22]

well before seeing what polishes do it useto mean wash, clay, and wax followed by vaccuming and shampoing the interior.

after buying my sfx kit it now means doing all of that along with spending anywhere between 45min and 2hours using my pc on each body pannel.

After a detail i want all those damn swirl marks to dissappear. And as far as paying for a detail, its not for me...

[Bryan]

For me..pretty much the same as Ryan.
Detail to me is just getting rid of the swirls and making the car shiny as ****.
I don't really think I'd pay to have it done. I probably wouldn't spend more than $40 total in products and do it myself.

Although it would be nice to have a professional detail job done. If I were to get it done once I'd be willing to pay around $50-$75 which is probably significantly less than an average detail.

[lone_wolf025]

well before seeing what polishes do it useto mean wash, clay, and wax followed by vaccuming and shampoing the interior.

after buying my sfx kit it now means doing all of that along with spending anywhere between 45min and 2hours using my pc on each body pannel.

After a detail i want all those damn swirl marks to dissappear. And as far as paying for a detail, its not for me...

x2

Though if the amount was right I wouldn't mind paying. Figure 120ish for full exterior. I would however much rather do it myself and invest that 120 into products so I can do it myself.

Edit-

I cringe to think of how my car is gonna look when I wash it next and get all the salt and dirt off. Snow and snowbrushes FTL :(

[laxjax13]

i took my car in to get it washed finally since all the snow cleared. wow it looks great.

the place i go to charges $160 for full exterior buff + detail with zaino, carpets shampooed, and the engine cleaned and detailed.

SO yea id say about 120 is a good price.

[Gizm0815]

for a Full detail i would wash, claybar, polish, wax all by hand since i dont have a pc. would clean the wheels and add tire shine. eingine bay would be wiped down and cleaned along with some kind of shine to detail it up a bit. as for interior it would be vacumed and possibly shampoo'd depending on the condition at the time. door jams and dash would be wiped down. windows would also be cleaned.

as for results i would expect it to apear clean from a distance and up close. i would want the paint smooth and to have minimal scratchs/swirls since its by hand theres only so much i can take outta the paint. interior should just look clean no prints on the window and no super shiny glare off the cleaned dash. thats about it.

as for cost i do everything myself as i see more pride in doing it that way also i know the job gets done right and if somethigns goes wrong its my own fault for it. so expenses would only be materials.

[Ajaxus]

What does the term DETAIL mean to you?

Detail means to me that you go out and try to achieve more than simply a clean car. It means to get it clean and perfected to every single miniscule detail and do your best to restore it to showroom condition.

What do you expect for results after having your vehicle DETAILED?

I expect to get a car back that looks inside and out as close to being brand new as is humanly possible, and in most cases even better than brand new.

How much would you be willing to pay for a DETAIL?

Why pay when I can do it myself? :D Umm, I think a few hundred isn't unreasonable for a top of the line detail...and that's usually the going rate. Typically if I want a hack job I'll pay around $250 or less and expect as much.

[lone_wolf025]

What does the term DETAIL mean to you?

Why pay when I can do it myself? :D Umm, I think a few hundred isn't unreasonable for a top of the line detail...and that's usually the going rate. Typically if I want a hack job I'll pay around $250 or less and expect as much.

I'm suddenly reminded of the hack job piss poor performance I got from the last detail I paid for.

But I will say I have to agree with all your answers. Sums it up better than what I had said.

[kse73]

i took my car in to get it washed finally since all the snow cleared. wow it looks great.

the place i go to charges $160 for full exterior buff + detail with zaino, carpets shampooed, and the engine cleaned and detailed.

SO yea id say about 120 is a good price.

Where??!

[coupe]

Your answers are great guys, keep them coming!

[99blackSE]

What does the term DETAIL mean to you?


You take the car to someone and they make it look like or better than new. Detailing is about details.

What do you expect for results after having your vehicle DETAILED?

I should be able to pull up to a parking lot and have people stare at the car. Well at least the kids who are waiting in line for ice cream.

I wish... really though the car should look awesome.

How much would you be willing to pay for a DETAIL?

Where I live, 150 CAN for a full detail might be pushing it, but at a normal place, 200 bucks?

[Vimjah]

Where I live, 150 CAN for a full detail might be pushing it, but at a normal place, 200 bucks?

$179.95 with only hand wax, $229.95 with high speed polish is the goin rate at the shop I manage. Includes trunk, carpet & upholstry shampoo, inter vinyl cleaned and dressed, engine cleaned and dressed, headliner cleaned, and hand wax/high speed polish. My guys take about 3-5 hours depending on the vehicle and have very satisfied customers. :)

[laxjax13]

Where??!


I go to We wash on lawrence. 4660 w lawrence, its between i94 and elston. 773-286-5809
Oh but i double checked they actually give 2 coats of "zymol" which is what i use on my car now and i think its awesome.

theres also a place on NW highway SE of harlem called Norwood Car wash. I hear they do a great job to but i havent checked them out yet. Place is usually pretty packed.

[bigbenSC]

Typically if I want a hack job I'll pay around $250 or less and expect as much.

For over $200 + they better be taking the carpet and seat fabric OUT of the car and steaming the crap out of them. You guys seriously pay that kind of money for someone to clean your car??

I treated my GA once for detail around $100, the interior was so damn shiny and greasy that I vowed to never let anyone else touch my car again. Any way, I think you should be able to get a top notch detail for around 100 bucks.

[Vimjah]

For over $200 + they better be taking the carpet and seat fabric OUT of the car and steaming the crap out of them. You guys seriously pay that kind of money for someone to clean your car??

I treated my GA once for detail around $100, the interior was so damn shiny and greasy that I vowed to never let anyone else touch my car again. Any way, I think you should be able to get a top notch detail for around 100 bucks.

Taking carpets out isn't necessary when shampooing and is unrealistic to expect a shop to take them out. You'd be lucky to get your Carpets and Seats shampooed in some areas for $100. Sounds like you had 1 bad experience and the detailer didn't know what they were doing. $200+ for a complete clean isn't unrealistic at all when at some places people pay $40 for a full serve carwash.

[GrandAmGT1996]

Taking carpets out isn't necessary when shampooing and is unrealistic to expect a shop to take them out. You'd be lucky to get your Carpets and Seats shampooed in some areas for $100. Sounds like you had 1 bad experience and the detailer didn't know what they were doing. $200+ for a complete clean isn't unrealistic at all when at some places people pay $40 for a full serve carwash.

The whole taking the carpet out statement, was being sarcastic i believe.

[bigbenSC]

^ Yup
$200+ is crazy for a carwash by any other name IMO.

[ryanbgb22]

Taking carpets out isn't necessary when shampooing and is unrealistic to expect a shop to take them out. You'd be lucky to get your Carpets and Seats shampooed in some areas for $100. Sounds like you had 1 bad experience and the detailer didn't know what they were doing. $200+ for a complete clean isn't unrealistic at all when at some places people pay $40 for a full serve carwash.

interior and a wash maybe for $100. there is no way your gonna get paint correction, or even a good wax/exterior cleaning for that price.

[ryanbgb22]

^Sorry, i quoted the wrong person, but you get my point.

[rocketfast123]

For me it vacuum, wash, wax. Electricity and water don't mix.

[Z3R0]

Heres what I do....I goto the local carwash and peep the rides already there a be all like "ayo my car is gonna have a sick shine after im done with it". I gather some money and use high pressure spray soap and high pressure rinse then pressurized wax. Then I use the tire cleaner.

Then I dry my car fully. I remove the brake dust build up on the rims.
Then I use Turtle wax ICE spray-on wax/detailer by hand with cloth paper towels. It doesn't haze and you can apply it in any temp gives the car a nice mirror shine. Then I use Eagleone glass cleaner. Then I use Black Magic Tire Shine and b outta that place like WHAT. Then I go home and i wipe down the engine bay.

Detailing to me is me making my car look new again. Having it standout in the Acme parking lot. Its not parking next to anyone else for fear of their lack of driving skill and to make your car stand out. I also like the smell of a clean car...with a new car smell air freshener...mmmmm that new car smell.

[coupe]

I hope you where joking lol

[Vimjah]

I hope you where joking lol
:werd if not.. I'm just going to pretend he is lol

[bballr4567]

Well if you are going to do your special treatment to the outside of the car Ill gladly pay about $200 for it. Its all about how good the end result is and you have made a lot of peoples cars simply stand out after years of neglect.

[Pontiac Ninja]

Well if you are going to do your special treatment to the outside of the car Ill gladly pay about $200 for it. Its all about how good the end result is and you have made a lot of peoples cars simply stand out after years of neglect.


:werd on that statement. I would still would have hard time paying 200 bucks though!

[XMBlackGT1]

Detail- Hand wash car and dry it. Then spend 25 minutes with a bottle of windex and paper towels on the chrome tec wheels. Then she's good to go.

I wish I had time and patience to wax my car- I'm sure it needs it, but I have zero patience to do it myself. I'll have to call around this spring and see what places I can find to do it for me.

[Z3R0]

I hope you where joking lol

Well i wasn't 100% serious, that crap about acme was crap lol. And alot of the beginning was crap too. I really dont trust other people touching my car tho >_>.