How much would you pay?

[gt03mustang]

I'm trying to get an idea of how much people value quality detailing. Detailing prices can range anywhere from $100- $1000+ depending on whose doing it and whats involved.

To keep this somewhat simple, lets just assume its an exterior only detail. And by detail I mean multi step paint correction process to get 95%+ correction and maximum gloss, NOT hiding imperfections with glazes or improper polishing, NOT leaving holograms or other buffer marks, the paint and glass is protected with a high quality wax or sealant, the rims are completely sealed, all rubber, plastic, tires, and wheel wells are dressed, lights and taillights are polished, all jams are cleaned and waxed, etc., etc. Virtually no surface untouched, a true show quality detail using high end products. More like a rejuvenation than a detail.

Lets say a detail of this quality will take 20+ hours. What is the maximum you would be willing to pay per hour?

 

[canadianbullitt]

I would cringe while paying but I would love to have that done. Good god!!!!

 

[SVT2122]

I remeber someone else posting on here, doing a similar process to yours, and I think he charged about 25 an hour. Executive Detail was the company name, maybe google will yeild a website.

 

[hand-to-ball]

About $20 an hour if it is not your day to day job. I enjoy doing it on the weekends, so getting paid is just a bonus for me, which is why I don't charge alot. The problem is getting people to realize what they're getting for their $100-$1,000. Everyone always looks at price first, never what they're getting. It should be the other way around - what you get then assess the price. So many ****in cheapskates out there.

 

[PSUCOBRA96]

edit, I didnt read the whole thing, i selected 80-100 but i meant that for the whole process

 

[oldmodman]

Since I do all my own work I know how much effort and sweat goes into a great detail job.

On an older vehicle, small coupe or four door that has never had a proper correction done it might take 20 hours, or more.

So even at 40 per hour that is 800$ Most people with just a regular daily driver would not pay that much.

It would be interesting to have some established, professional detailers post what there out the door prices average on their details involving moderate levels of finish correction.

 

[gt03mustang]

Since I do all my own work I know how much effort and sweat goes into a great detail job.

On an older vehicle, small coupe or four door that has never had a proper correction done it might take 20 hours, or more.

So even at 40 per hour that is 800$ Most people with just a regular daily driver would not pay that much.

It would be interesting to have some established, professional detailers post what there out the door prices average on their details involving moderate levels of finish correction.

I can tell you professional detailers who do it for a living charge anywhere from $50- $80+ per hour for paint correction. I hate using absolutes, but a cheap paint correction detail is usually never a good detail. Myself as well as several others constantly have to correct other "detailers" mistakes.

 

[sd04cobra]

this is actually a really good debate... i've never had a quote from a pro shop but like stated before, most people don't care if you use glazes and such, as long as it looks good at first. ive tried to explain real corrections to people and why it isnt cheap, and its a useless cause.

haha, i talked to my neighbor, did a free spot correction on his trunk using megs 85. now i as well as anyone reading this knows this is the first step, but the guy was happy with the results. he thought his whole car, which he washed with a dish sponge, brillo side down, would take a half hour.. ha! i tried to explain to him how its about surface area, prep, etc. even if i did just do 85 and a wax it would take at least a few hours. nope, hes a pro, 30 min max... this is why noone should deal with people that arent car people. waste of time!

edit.. i would imagine it should be worth about 40/hr, considering the cost of tools, polishes, experience, and shear time. i usually charge ~250 for a 2 stage paint correction with lsp.

 

[446runner]

I dont know if charging by the hour would be a fair representation of whats in involved, $250-$400 for a really good detail would be about the highest I would go for a car in decent shape but with your "typical' spider-web/oxidized paint.

Just my .02

 

[ttk53]

it would be hard to pay more than 20 an hour but thatjust me plus i Just bought $500 is supplies to do my car and I forgot to order clay:bash::bash:

 

[V-Sicks]

I can tell you professional detailers who do it for a living charge anywhere from $50- $80+ per hour for paint correction. I hate using absolutes, but a cheap paint correction detail is usually never a good detail. Myself as well as several others constantly have to correct other "detailers" mistakes.

I agree. It is funny how many time people come to you asking for prices and when you tell them they seemed a little shocked. Needless to say i would see them again cause they took there car to a shop who did the car for $150 :bored:

 

[LSUstang05]

I know a place around here that charges, at a minimum, for one step polishing, $200 bucks. If you go for the whole shebang, you can easily expect a $450-550 bill when you go pick it up. It's a GREAT job, but expensive.

As far as how much I would pay the OP, I'd have to see your work, first, but assuming that it's absolutely amazing and you left no stone unturned, I'd say I'd be willing to pay ~$40/hour (assuming I didn't know how to detail my own truck).

 

[fly4navy117]

I think it would be a job to job thing. I would base quotes not off of an hourly rate, but a by the job rate. If a car is in terrible shape, then charge more because there will be more wear on your tools and more products used. If the car is in great shape, but could use a pro touch, charge less.

 

[gt03mustang]

I think it would be a job to job thing. I would base quotes not off of an hourly rate, but a by the job rate. If a car is in terrible shape, then charge more because there will be more wear on your tools and more products used. If the car is in great shape, but could use a pro touch, charge less.

Thats basically how its done. Maybe by the hour was the wrong way to say it. The car is inspected, a time estimate/ range is given, and the price is based on that estimate and correlates to how much someone wants to make in an hour.

Im just trying to get an idea of how much people value a quality detail. Not so much on how to charge.

 

[fly4navy117]

Thats basically how its done. Maybe by the hour was the wrong way to say it. The car is inspected, a time estimate/ range is given, and the price is based on that estimate and correlates to how much someone wants to make in an hour.

Im just trying to get an idea of how much people value a quality detail. Not so much on how to charge.

Oh ok well that makes more sense to me. How long does what your talking about last?

 

[gt03mustang]

What do you mean how long does it last?

 

[V-Sicks]

Thats basically how its done. Maybe by the hour was the wrong way to say it. The car is inspected, a time estimate/ range is given, and the price is based on that estimate and correlates to how much someone wants to make in an hour.

Im just trying to get an idea of how much people value a quality detail. Not so much on how to charge.

In my experince, the average person is attracted to a shiney car, not a swirless, halogramless, defect free finish. Thats why most of my buisness is people who want a wash/claybar/seal and then weekly/bi-weekly cleanings.

 

[SubnetSVT]

agree with V-Sicks

 

[thomas91169]

I get this alot too. People think that what i do is your standard $150 drive-through detail. **** no. I get people i work with all the time come up to me and ask "how much to take my pos and look like your car?" and i take a look, and go "$500 minimum" and they are speechless. Then i explain to them why, the steps i must take, the different procedures, etc. Then it makes sense, theres alot of labor involved. $500 for me to detail your Explorer thats likely not seen a product since it rolled off the assembly line is a steal! Ill easily have to buy $100 in pads and products to tackle the behemoth, and for a full on inside/out/engine bay/wheel wells/etc detail, thats going to take some time.

However on the flip side, most people get blown away with a quick detail job, and will easily pay $150 for you to wash, apply some crappy wax, wipe a few interior cracks away with a detail brush and apply some OTC interior spray. It looks clean and it shines, mostly because they dont know what to look for, thats how most "Detail" shops make their money. I had a neighbor that was all proud because he "washed and waxed his car" here im thinking dude, you just wasted 4 hours but to him it looks no different than mine. Its not because it does, its because he doesnt know what hes looking for in a detail, hes looking at the car, not through it to see the reflective depth and swirls, and a wax that will breakdown in 2 weeks and be worthless. People like this can easily be taken advantage of, and its sad. Later that month i detailed his Trailblazer for free, out of the goodness of my heart (plus i was experimenting with how far gone i could bring a paint back from), and still to this day (a good year and a half later) that detail still was my best one yet. It just started showing fine surface swirls.

I tell people first time for paint correction, swirl removing, paint protection, and interior/engine bay/wheel wells is very expensive the first time. Theres alot that needs to be done to bring the car back to a certain level. However you can also sell them on the fact if they come back in 6mo and keep returning on that regimen, that it is cheaper every time since you will be doing less and less once the car is at a certain level. If you do a full on detail in spring and tell them to come back in fall to do a winterizing to protect it through the winter and to spring again, hell $150 ought to cover it, all you will need to do is a quick claybar, AIO, seal and wax/glaze, you shouldnt have to do any heavy paint correction. Get them on that schedule.