Car Detailing Packages: Prices, Mini vs Full vs Interior

What car detailing packages can you choose from?

Most detailers sell the same basic levels, even when the names change. Here is how our mobile detailing packages line up, like a simple price list. The last row shows where a full-service car wash stops.

What do Gold, Silver and Platinum packages mean?

There is no industry standard for these names. Each shop picks its own. Still, many follow a rough pattern.

Basic or Bronze is often an outside wash. Silver is often a light clean inside and out. Gold is often a full detail. Platinum often adds a polish or a sealant (a longer-lasting layer of paint protection).

So a gold interior package is often close to a deep inside clean. But read the list, not the name. Before you book any package, ask these questions:

• Is it a hand wash, or do you use brushes?
• Are the seats and carpet steam cleaned or shampooed, or just vacuumed?
• Is pet hair removal extra?
• Is the price a starting price, and what can raise it?
• What is left out of this package?

Mini Detail vs Full Detail: what is the difference?

The big difference is how deep the inside clean goes. Both packages clean the inside and the outside of your car.

A Mini Detail, sometimes called a mini auto detailing service, is a standard clean. It is surface-level work for a car that is already in good shape.

A Full Detail goes much deeper inside. Our technicians work into the seat fabric and carpet to lift stains, grime and odor. The outside gets cleaned too.

For a sedan, the Full costs $150 more than the Mini ($399 vs $249). Here is a fast way to choose:

• Pick the Mini if the seats look clean, the car smells fine, and you vacuum now and then.
• Pick the Full if you see stains, smell food or pets, or cannot remember the last real detail.
• Pick the Full if you just bought a used car or plan to sell soon.

Interior vs exterior detailing: which one do you need?

Look at where the problem is. If the mess is inside, you need interior work. If the cabin is fine but the outside is grimy, you need exterior work.

Our Deep Interior Only package is for mess on the inside. It uses steam and enzyme cleaners. Enzyme cleaners break down stains made by food, sweat and pet accidents. It costs the same as a Mini Detail, but all the work goes into the cabin.

Our Exterior wash + spray wax is for dirt on the outside. It lifts off road grime and adds a quick layer of shine.

Paint that looks dull, hazy or swirled is a different problem. Soap and wax will not fix it. That needs paint correction, which starts at $399 for 1 stage.

Need both, with a rough inside? Book a Full Detail.

What does exterior detailing include?

It depends on the shop, so always ask before you book. Our Exterior wash + spray wax is just what the name says. You get a wash plus a spray wax for shine and a bit of protection.

Polishing and ceramic coating are separate services with us.

Across the industry, full exterior detailing can include any of these steps:

• Hand wash: a gentle wash with soft mitts, not spinning brushes.
• Wheel cleaning to strip brake dust (the dark dust your brakes shed).
• Clay bar (a soft clay that pulls stuck grit off paint).
• Iron removal: a spray that dissolves tiny metal bits stuck in the paint.
• Polishing, also called paint correction. It levels the clear coat (the clear top layer of paint) to remove or reduce swirls.
• Wax, sealant or ceramic coating to protect the paint.
• Dressing to make tires and plastic trim look dark and fresh.

Which car detailing package fits your car?

Use this quick check. Start at the top and stop at the first line that fits your car.

• Kids, pets, stains or a smell that will not leave? Book a Full Detail, or Deep Interior Only if the outside is fine.
• Well-kept car that just needs a refresh? Book a Mini Detail.
• Clean inside but dirty outside? Book the Exterior wash + spray wax.
• Just had a Full Detail and want to keep it that way? Book a monthly Maintenance Detail.

What is a Maintenance Detail, and what costs extra?

A Maintenance Detail is our monthly upkeep visit. It costs $149 for a sedan and $199 for an SUV, per visit. It is only available after a first Full Detail.

Do not mix it up with the Ceramic Maintenance Detail. That is a yearly visit for coated cars, at $250 for a sedan and $300 for an SUV. It is required to keep our coating warranty.

Some work sits outside the packages. Headlight restoration is its own service, at $79 to $119. Heavy pet hair and stubborn odors have their own services too.

Size matters as well. Trucks, minivans and 3-row SUVs are quoted on size and condition. Our truck detailing cost guide has more.

How does Bay Area life change which package you need?

Where you park and drive matters as much as how you use the car. Here is what we see most around the city, the Peninsula and Marin:

• Beach days: Sand from Ocean Beach or Pacifica sinks deep into carpet. A vacuum often leaves some behind. A Full Detail or Deep Interior Only gets far more out.
• Street parking: Trees, birds and city dust land on parked cars daily. An exterior wash or a monthly Maintenance Detail keeps it in check.
• Fog and salt air: Near the water, the marine layer leaves a damp, salty film on paint and glass. Regular washes matter more there.
• Rain season: From fall to spring, wet shoes grind mud into the floor. That is a good time for a deep interior clean.
• Hills: Steep streets mean lots of braking, and that means more brake dust on your wheels.
• Apartment garages: No hose? That is fine. We bring our own water and power. We can work in your garage or at a legal street spot.

When should you call a pro instead of doing it yourself?

Home care keeps a clean car clean. Vacuum the mats every week or two. Wipe the dash with a damp microfiber towel. Wash with two buckets and a soft mitt, then dry right away.

For a quick self-check, sit in the back seat in daylight. Look for stains, crumbs and hair. Then sniff the cabin after it sits shut on a warm day.

Home care rarely fixes a car that has slipped too far. Here is what each warning sign points to:

• Smells that come back or stains that will not lift: Deep Interior Only or a Full Detail.
• Pet hair woven into the carpet: our pet hair removal service. You can also note it when you ask about a Full Detail.
• Rough paint, swirls or haze in bright sun: paint correction, from $399 for 1 stage. No wash package fixes these.

Frequently Asked Questions