There are more than 50,000 automotive detailing operations in the U.S. and Canada.
Auto detailing services are offered at car washes, specialty stores and auto body repair shops with car washes generally offering consumers the lowest prices.
Sizable businesses that specialize in auto detailing typically serve car owners who are selling a vehicle, car enthusiasts or luxury vehicle owners, and fleet or government contracts.
According to Consumers' Checkbook, more and more mobile detailing operators are serving individual customers -- going to their homes or businesses with a truck, trailer and mounted water tank.
In short, detailing operations, large, small and mobile, are everywhere in Texas and a lot of people are spending good money to get their cars detailed.
Typically, auto detailing includes a thorough cleaning, polishing and waxing of the automobile, inside and out. That usually means a touchless or hand wash, wax, tire cleaning, vacuuming of the interior, and wipe-down or polish of all interior surfaces, such as the dashboard, windows, mirrors and trim.
But detailing can be expanded to include any or all of the following:
• Washing Door Jambs, Wheels, and Wheel Wells.
• Clay Bar Treatment -- the safest and most effective way to clean car paint. Detailing clay bars clean paint below the surface – gripping contaminants that have penetrated the clear coat.
• Floor mat Shampooing.
• Air Purging – Using ozone generators to remove smoke odors, stale pet odors, mildew and odors caused by leaky interiors.
• Cleaning Headliners and Trunks. (My young niece once had grand time writing on my car’s headliner with a tube of lipstick – who would have thought?)
• Cleaning Plastic Interior Panels.
• Carpet Shampooing.
• Interior Door Panel Cleaning.
• Leather Seat Cleaning.
• Cleaning Steering Wheel, Vents and Gauges.
• Road Tar Removal.
• Dressing (deep cleaning) Rubber and Plastic.
• Polishing and Waxing in One Step.
• Wax Removal and Surface Inspection.
• Chrome Trim Cleaning and Polishing.
• Window Cleaning: The Two Towel Method.
What’s the Best Way to Choose a Detailer?
Detailing is a largely unregulated industry. Anyone can hang up a shingle and there will always be detailers who have not been properly trained or certified in the art of detailing. Unsuspecting customers can sometimes be lulled into thinking they just had their vehicle professionally detailed when, in reality, they just paid a premium for an elaborate car wash.
It’s always best to select a detailer after getting a recommendation from a friend, but suppose you don’t know anyone who has used a detailer in the San Antonio area recently?
Check for recommendations and customer reviews on subscriber websites like Angie's List or free websites such as CitySearch and Yelp. Or better still, ask your Ancira Auto Group for a referral. And, as with most businesses, it's a good idea to see whether a particular detailing company has a history of consumer complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
Detailing: Luxury or Investment?
Now, let’s look at your reason for having your car detailed in the first place. Is it a luxury or an investment? Is it for your personal satisfaction? Are you preparing a classic car for a car show? Do you just want to preserve your car to improve its resale value down the road? Are you on your way to trade it in?
Your answer to these questions will determine whether you just need a quick, inexpensive once over, or THE WORKS!
Professional Pricing is Key
Once you’ve done your homework and narrowed down your list of potential detailers, pricing is the next factor to consider. How can you tell if the prices you are being quoted for the basic service and for each add-on item are fair? Choosing even one add-on can sometimes double the cost.
Does the detailer you are considering have a professional looking price list, or are you standing in the street negotiating a price?
It’s a good sign if your auto detailer has a professional looking price list -- one with different price breakouts for different sizes and types of vehicles, and with individual add-on items’ prices listed separately.
An SUV will take longer (cost more) to detail than a sedan – because there’s more surface area all around – body, interior, tire size, etc., And, it may get more wear and tear.
Most car trunks will usually just need a good vacuuming, but because in an SUV what would be considered the trunk might be used as play space for the kids, or for seating space, more cleaning may be required – say to scrape up embedded gum or mashed in French fries. A car with a serious soda stain on the upholstery will take longer (cost more) to clean than one without such a stain.
So, with all these variations to consider, it’s extremely important to ask your detailer upfront what services you are getting and what each individual item will cost, so your bill doesn’t come as a shocker.
A quick walk around with the detailer and a firm and mutual understanding of the price based on the size and condition of your particular car and any special add-ons you require, can be very reassuring.
To get an idea about what the average detailing costs, visit:
http://www.costhelper.com/cost/cars/car-detailing.html
Additional Considerations
If you decide to use a mobile detailer -- their rates are usually lower than one with the overhead of a stationary operation -- you may want to check out whether the company is environmentally sound, as well. Find out if the company you are interested in uses products and practices that are eco-friendly. How this detailer disposes of waste water in your driveway, in your neighborhood, or at your place of business is especially important.
Plus, Florida, Texas, California and other coastal states have special restrictions on runoff water.
Don’t forget to look for coupons before you go to the detailer: Sources such as Entertainment and ValPak may offer discounts specific to your area.
And remember, detailing for vintage or classic cars, boats, motorcycles, RVs, motor homes and trailers all incur their own variety of additional charges.
Here are some sites you may find interesting:
For do-it-yourself detailing help, visit: http://www.web-cars.com/detail/
For a look at how the industry views itself, visit:
http://automotivedetailing.com/assets/articles_htm/what_is_detailing.htm
And, finally, here’s a forum on auto detailing:
http://www.detailcity.org/forums/
Share with us your experiences and advice on detailing by visiting Ancira Auto Group's community forum and starting a conversation.
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