I only ask because even when I give my car a full detail its still a wash, wax, vacuum and some armor all.

The other day I took my IROC in to be detailed and Ive got to be honest for $100 I couldnt believe the improvement in the shine of the paint, the wheels, interior etc--blew me away! PLUS the carpets were shampood which made them look brand new.

Just curious how many people pay to have their car detailed (at least once a year). IMO its so worth it.

 

I have everything to do it myself. Its a good way to make some extra cash on the side also.

 

Ill probably either buy a nice detailing kit or just pay my older brother to do it. Keep it in the family...haha.

My brother uses Meguiars, I always thought Mothers had nice products so I'll be purchasing a Mothers kit and we'll compare. Most likely the same company working under 2 names.

 

Sorta unrelated, but while over washing my daily-driver, a buddy of mine showed up. He was cleaning the inside of his car (2000 Chrysler Neon), and I joked that I oughta pressure wash his mats for him, since the two front mats (especially his side) were caked with dirt, salt and roadgrime. Long story short, I can pre-soak, brush, rinse, spray-wax and rinse a full-size sedan (Grand Prix, Impala, Bonneville) for between $6 (summer) and $10 (Winter) at this DIY carwash. It cost me $8 to wash his mats, and $4 of that was spent on the drivers side mat alone. The results were fantastic though, and well worth the cost.

Not suggesting you should throw a pressure washer spray at your Camaro, but if your mats get wicked dirty in your car, consider that before you pay someone else to do essentially the same thing.

This, however, is just one more reason I love my pursuit car. Plastic/vinyl seats and a rubber floor...literallly, I've pressure-washed the inside of the car on more than one occasion. Gets quite a few weird looks from passers by, though!

 

I was a autobody detailer and I can tell you some horror stories but I have also worked at detail shops and you find some freaky things in peoples cars. But I usually clean my car but ever since the clear started peeling, it hasn't been very often.

 

I've got all the stuff to do it myself, also do it on the side.

I don't daily drive any of my Camaros, so they stay fairly clean. Plus the 82 is all metal on the inside. I also don't keep anything in them...if it's in the car when I get out, it comes out too. They are stored inside and only come out on nice days.

When I do it though....the seats and counsel come out of the interior to get cleaned. Better way to do the carpet too.

FWIW, I charge $75 for a full detail. That's wash, wax/buff, rims, tires, interior. I use Mothers products.

 

Thats a good price. I know someone who uses the cheap of the cheap products like that crappy cherry wash crap everyone has tried but doesnt sudd or bubble at all. Uses regular towels and a quick clean to the interior and charges around $40-$50.

But then there are guys who use compressed air and make-up brushes to get into every little crevis in your interior then they vacuum it using a sented filter and soft brush end. It gets crazy when it comes to detailing.

Professionals like the one I stated above using air and $300 make-up brushes charge around $500/hr. But they do celebrities and such, but we all start at the bottom, just remember that.

 

i just use a coupon on the back of my groceries reciept for a wash/wax and detail for around 40 bucks, and they do an awesome job. but my auto instructor got me on this company that makes awesome waxes and chemicals to get my car immaculate. and i havent gone back to armor all since. check it out at pssales.com . theyre a local shop, but all their products are awesome, well, atleast the ones ive tried.

oh and by the way, try to stay away from armor all, it doesnt help at all with the cracks that develop on our dashes, the problem is that its a silicone based dressing therefor it has the tendency to dry it out over time.

 

I detailed cars for about 2 months. I thought I knew how to clean a car like an expert before because I cleaned my high school car like every weekend back in the day when it was it was in show car condition.

I was wrong and entered a whole new world of cleaning. They had me using compressed air to clean out every spec of dirt out of the interior, looking through the windows in direct sunlight to find any smudge missed, wire-brushes on the interior to clean solid stains, a handful of assorted brushes to clean out dirt embedded in the plastics, compressed air to dry out any water stuck in mirrors/emblems after a wash, using clay-bar, buffing the exterior, washing the door jams, shampooing the carpet.

Its worth it to have it done. Its also worth it to invest/research in some of the stuff so you do it yourself because it is a little fun and interesting to clean at such a high level.

 

I have managed and owned a detail shop in the past. As stated above a real detail is pretty involved and can take a couple of days if done right.

It is pretty amazing how people abuse their cars and then bring them to the expets to shine back up.

And there is a difference in pro products and commercial products. If you can find pro products I say go with them. If not Megiullars is the way to go.

Armour All with it's silicone will ruin your dash and flys off tires on to the body of the car. I have towo perfect dashes and that is because of NO Armour All.

 

Ill pay someone to do it as i really have limited spare time for my family and friends. I just drop it off an pick it up later while im sleeping ( work nights ). Get in and drive it and thats all plus I have no patience to wax it at all

 

I have you all beat. I am a painter, detailer, I do leather repair, cig burns, and paintless dent removal. I have done each professionally, and am working for a small boutique dealer, selling high end cars, I guarantee you have never seen a before and after detail like mine...I'm also the repo man, nothing like stealing cars for a living. (and yet my dd is trashed needs paint and I have been working on my camaro for over a year)

 

sorry to correct you gurkgurkgurk...but armorall isn't silicone based, it is petroleum based...so you car also doesn't stay dust free, it actually attracts dust. I myself use black magic, you can get it at walmart. the shine lasts for quite a while and unless your a smoker, it stay's pretty dust free... and it is not silicone, nor petroleum..

 

I do my car myself as well, although I've never done auto detailing at a professional level but I use professional products. I stumbled across an auto detail supply place close by where I used to work. They supply all the local professional independent and mobile detailers and really knew their products. I second the statement that armor all is junk. You might as well just throw it in the trash now. The best product I found for interior plastics is Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber Care. If you spray or rub it on and let it dry it has a high gloss finish, but if wipe it off it will leave a matte finish either way it has a good citrus type smell. All of their products are high quality and the guy at the detail place said that they are used on the royal cars in England (Not sure if I believe that, but it could be true).