Would you pay 3 figures for a "detailing"?
Discussion
I live very near an extremely reputable car detailing place, whose top level valets nudge three figures, around £100-150 depending on exact spec. They also do valet and paint correction packages for £2-300. I'm toying with the idea of having my car done later in the year, as I've decided not to replace it (coming to end of 4year finance plan) but would like that buzz of a nice shiny, fully detailed car. I might even investigate an engine remap, although I fear my DMF wouldn't survive very long as it's a little chattery as it is (80k miles) to refresh the feel of the car.
Is it crazy to pay so much for what is basically a deep clean??? Would the results last more than a few months? I'm perfectly confident I can do a fairly good car clean myself, but love the idea of having it done totally thoroughly by experts, with as much paint correction as is possible without respraying as it has a few everyday knocks and scuffs now.
Is it crazy to pay so much for what is basically a deep clean??? Would the results last more than a few months? I'm perfectly confident I can do a fairly good car clean myself, but love the idea of having it done totally thoroughly by experts, with as much paint correction as is possible without respraying as it has a few everyday knocks and scuffs now.
I had my X-type transformed by a professional detailer. From dull and swirly to the shiny toy on my profile.
I've looked after the finish and almost 2 years later it's still getting positive comments.
I've topped up the finish 3 times by hand. The rest has been a careful wash, dry and detailing spray roughly monthly, if that.
Price depends on what you have done but I had no issue knowing the level of work which would go into it - more than 8 hours from start to finish, the technical approach and the skills used.
I've looked after the finish and almost 2 years later it's still getting positive comments.
I've topped up the finish 3 times by hand. The rest has been a careful wash, dry and detailing spray roughly monthly, if that.
Price depends on what you have done but I had no issue knowing the level of work which would go into it - more than 8 hours from start to finish, the technical approach and the skills used.
Edited by Six Fiend on Thursday 21st June 18:10
i know places that do 4, or even 5 figure details. it's worth every penny if you want your car to look good.
the coating i use on my car costs £50 (enough for one car!) in parts alone. been a keen detailer myself, i know what effort goes into the expensive details and they're worth it if you want it. it's all relative. £500 on a shed isn't worth it. i know of someone who spent north of £30k on a detail on his enzo....took them between 900 and 1000 hours.....words cannot describe the level of detail.
the coating i use on my car costs £50 (enough for one car!) in parts alone. been a keen detailer myself, i know what effort goes into the expensive details and they're worth it if you want it. it's all relative. £500 on a shed isn't worth it. i know of someone who spent north of £30k on a detail on his enzo....took them between 900 and 1000 hours.....words cannot describe the level of detail.
TameRacingDriver said:
E38Ross said:
i know of someone who spent north of £30k on a detail on his enzo....took them between 900 and 1000 hours.....words cannot describe the level of detail.
Then surely you wouldn't want to drive it in case it got a speck of dust on it?!Six Fiend said:
I had my X-type transformed by a professional detailer. From dull and swirly to the shiny toy on my profile.
I've looked after the finish and almost 2 years later it's still getting positive comments.
I've topped up the finish 3 times by hand. The rest has been a careful wash, dry and detailing spray roughly monthly, if that.
Price depends on what you have done but I had no issue knowing the level of work which would go into it - more than 8 hours from start to finish, the technical approach and the skills used.
Who did yours Six Fiend? Someone in Bristol?I've looked after the finish and almost 2 years later it's still getting positive comments.
I've topped up the finish 3 times by hand. The rest has been a careful wash, dry and detailing spray roughly monthly, if that.
Price depends on what you have done but I had no issue knowing the level of work which would go into it - more than 8 hours from start to finish, the technical approach and the skills used.
Edited by Six Fiend on Thursday 21st June 18:10
vrsmxtb said:
I'm perfectly confident I can do a fairly good car clean myself, but love the idea of having it done totally thoroughly by experts, with as much paint correction as is possible without respraying as it has a few everyday knocks and scuffs now.
Felt the same way myself and finally got around to trying a professional after buying my M3 earlier in the year. This link shows the results.
Whilst I could have got it looking reasonably OK by hand I would never have got anywhere near the level which it has ended up at.
It looks just as good now as it did in February when it was done. All I've done to it since is wash it with a good mitt and stuck a coat of wax on when we had the sunshine a few weeks back.
Defintely worth it for me.
I've just had my 1M done. It's always been kept spotlessly clean but the dealer prep marks and scratches really used to bug me. I have to say they have done an exceptional job and the car shines like it never has before.
If you have a nice car more than a couple of years old I would definitely suggest a detail.
If you have a nice car more than a couple of years old I would definitely suggest a detail.
Most of the work is in the prep, so if the paint is swirled and needs a lot of time spent machine polishing that's where a lot of the time and money goes.
Slap a coat of £1k wax on swirled manky paintwork and it will still look s
t next to a coat of Autoglym on a freshly machine polished panel.
Slap a coat of £1k wax on swirled manky paintwork and it will still look s
t next to a coat of Autoglym on a freshly machine polished panel.Personally? No.
That said, I got quite into detailing a few years ago and purchased quite a bit of kit. I became borderline obsessive about keeping the car clean and realised it was a little, well, sad!
I then got a job, moved out of the parental home and simply don't have the time or inclination any more.
I wash my car every now and then, probably once every month or two months. I'd like to keep it clean but find it hard to get the motivation when my spare time and good weather aligns.
That said, I got quite into detailing a few years ago and purchased quite a bit of kit. I became borderline obsessive about keeping the car clean and realised it was a little, well, sad!
I then got a job, moved out of the parental home and simply don't have the time or inclination any more.
I wash my car every now and then, probably once every month or two months. I'd like to keep it clean but find it hard to get the motivation when my spare time and good weather aligns.
As has been said its all in the paintwork prep, get that right and it will look fantastic even with mundane finishing products applied. Put exceptional finishing products on crap paint and it will still look well crap.
I spent 3 hours machine polishing mine last night, im no expert I wont try and say I am but using a few recommended products in a way I was told to its literally transformed my black swirl effected paintwork to not far off a glass finish.
Ive done no paint correction as dont have the products or the skills just purely swirl removal and a polish, the difference is exceptional and thats with me doing it, someone who knows what they are doing will do wonders to your paint.
I spent 3 hours machine polishing mine last night, im no expert I wont try and say I am but using a few recommended products in a way I was told to its literally transformed my black swirl effected paintwork to not far off a glass finish.
Ive done no paint correction as dont have the products or the skills just purely swirl removal and a polish, the difference is exceptional and thats with me doing it, someone who knows what they are doing will do wonders to your paint.
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