EXCESSIVE DIRT

Because every car is not created equal, that means dirt, stains, spills, etc… are also not created equal. Excessive dirt build up will absolutely affect the price of the detail. A sedan that has not been cleaned in 6 months versus one that has not been cleaned in 6 years will require very different things in order to get the job done correctly, and therefore will not be quoted at the same rate. There is a difference between what I call “excessive dirt” and “surface dirt.” Surface dirt is exactly what it sounds like, it is the simple dust and dirt that has not been allowed to sit for extremely long periods of time that is relatively easy to clean and therefore detail. Excessive dirt is of course the other end of that, dirt that has been allowed to sit and more or less become part of the car. Vehicles with excessive dirt tend to be Family sized vehicles.  For the most part these are mini vans, expeditions, and sedans that are used to cart the kids around. They tend to have excessive crumbs, dirt, staining, etc… Cars with kids, as a rule, are always dirtier, there’s really just no way to get around it.  One person’s clean is another person’s dirty.

In these kinds of situations, I like to ask extensive pre-screening questions with all my new customers over the phone before I arrive to evaluate the condition level of the vehicle.  The price may be adjusted based on the size and condition of the customers vehicle.

TRAVEL TIME

Because I am a mobile detailer, I am accustomed to driving in order to get to a job, however there are instances when I am traveling too far not to charge. At the end of the day, I am having to pay for gas, as well as simply my time. As a rule, if the job is under 35 minutes away, I do not charge anything extra, however when I start stepping into traveling 45 minutes to an hour, I charge anything from $15 to $50 extra. This is an area where I sometimes tell customers that it may be a better financial decision simply to have someone closer to their area to do the job, of course there is no promising they will bring the same value to the table that I bring, but that is a decision you have to make.

EXTERIOR GRIME BUILD UP

Cars that are not washed, clayed, or waxed regularly will obviously take more time to raise to a level 10 condition, and therefore may increase the cost.  Things like tree sap, bugs, regular tar and grime on the paint and tires, brake dust, etc… will be much more difficult to remove when left to sit for long periods of time. To keep up with these issues, we suggest booking a maintenance wash within every 8 weeks.