A full car detail is a comprehensive and total process that is used to clean vehicles until it looks almost brand new. The cleaning enhances the car’s appearance, protects it from external wear and tear and damage, and increases its longevity.
However, there is a lot of information about full car details that the average person doesn’t know. Hence the team at JREK Autocare would like you to know what to expect from a full car detail.
Exterior Cleaning
Detailing the outside surfaces of a car is an especially involved process that involves the following steps:
- The car is washed by hand with soap and water. To avoid any scratches, a microfiber cloth is used to dry the car.
- Next, a clay bar treatment is used to eliminate grime, dirt, tree sap and other contaminants from the car’s surface.
- Then the car is polished with a mechanised buffer applying the polish. This also helps with minor scratches and swirls as the car is polished to a shine.
- When the polishing is complete, it is sealed in with wax or a sealant. This protects it from the elements like environmental pollutants and UV rays.
- The car’s tires are then cleaned as comprehensively as possible and dressed with a tire shine for a shiny aesthetic.
- All the windows and exterior mirrors are cleaned to a gleaming finish.
Interior Cleaning
The interior of a car requires a more delicate procedure, given how delicate some of the things inside can be.
- First off, the car’s flooring and seats are vacuumed to eliminate dirt and debris, particularly those caught in hard-to-reach areas.
- Then any stains or spills are cleaned off with shampoo. If the car has leather seats, they’ll be cleaned and polished till they regain their typical glossy visual.
- The other interior surfaces like the dashboard, console, door panels, etc are then cleaned and conditioned till they regain their previous appearance.
- The interior mirrors and window surfaces are then cleaned to eliminate smudges and streaks.
- If there are any odours that are not pleasant, they are eliminated with a deodorizer to give the car a clean and fresh smell.
How Long Does A Full Car Detail Take?
The amount of time needed to fully detail a car depends on several factors, like the car’s size, its current condition, and the specific services that the client requested.
A basic detail, which comprises an exterior wash, the sealing process and interior cleaning can take 2-4 hours. Additional services like headlight restoration or paint correction can extend the time to 6-8 hours, maybe more. A full-service car detail can take several hours to almost an entire day.
To get an accurate estimate of the process’s length, you should have a discussion with a professional.
How Much Does A Full Car Detail Cost?
The amount of money spent to detail a car will also vary when different factors are taken into account. Things like the car’s size, the servicing level, the service you choose, etc, affect the price of the detail.
- Larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs tend to require more effort than sedans and sports cars and, as such, will most likely cost more.
- Basic details that do not involve features like paint correction, engine cleaning, headlight restoration, etc, tend to be cheaper services.
- If your vehicle is in very poor condition or is very dirty, extra effort will be required to restore it to pristine condition and that will require more money.
On average, a basic full car detail costs from $100 to $300. A more thorough detail could increase the cost to $500, maybe more. To fully understand what you are paying for, a full breakdown of the services included in the vehicle detailing package will help you compare the prices. Do watch out for extremely low prices, they could be a sign of subpar, shoddy work.
How Long Does A Full Car Detail Last?
Generally speaking, the effects of a professional detailing service can last from several weeks to a few months. However, those time frames can be affected by several factors.
- How often you use your car and what conditions it is used in will affect the car’s detailing. Frequent usage or usage in extreme heat or cold can wear the detail off quickly.
- Regularly exposing your car to dust, dirt and pollutants will degrade the full car detail quickly.
- Washing, waxing and other maintenance on a regular basis can increase the lifespan of your car’s detailing.
Maintenance recommendations from your detailing service and taking good care of your vehicle will allow you to get the most out of your full car detail.
JREK Autocare – Your Auto Detailing Specialists
A full car detail cleans and restores your vehicle in a way that also protects it from damage and increases its longevity. This process is an investment that allows you to enjoy the benefits of a visually appealing vehicle for various occasions.
Please contact us if you are interested in a professional vehicle detailing service. JREK Autocare provided top-notch car detailing services to the Ottawa community since our inception in 2004. We leverage industry expertise and the best products on the market to give our clients the best service possible. We are trusted to provide the best because, in 20 years, we have seen it all.