What Does it Cost to Have a Vehicle Detailed and Ceramic Coated?

     Detailing is the process of thoroughly deep cleaning the exterior or interior of a vehicle. Detailing a vehicle usually takes multiple hours to complete. Depending on the size of the vehicle and what is being done it could be 2 to 5 hours or a little more. A ceramic coating is a service that a detail shop offers for those looking for long-term protection as compared to a wax or sealant. Detailing is the process of removing the dirt. That is 50% of the service. The other 50% is the protection. A wax or sealant is considered short-term because it lasts months. Coatings are considered long-term because they last for years. That is the reason for the price difference in the 2 services.

     Not all detail shops are created equal. Some are just starting out and some have been detailing for 20 years or more. Then, there's everyone in between. Detailing in general, is a premium service. Other premium detailing services include PPF, vinyl wrap, window tint, and liquid paint protection film. Even if the only two services offered are interior and exterior detailing, that is considered premium. So long as it is thorough, deep cleaning and protecting.

     In contrast to premium detailing is maintenance detailing. This is a fairly new term. This term came from the ceramic coating services. Since a coated vehicle doesn't really need the same deep cleaning, but it still needs to be cleaned. The term, maintenance detail was coined to educated those who have purchased the coating service to encourage them to have their vehicle cleaned every once in a while. Now, maintenance detailing is a service some detail shops offer in place of the thorough, deep cleaning. This service is performed on coated and non-coated vehicles. I'm not going to go into why some shops only offer maintenance detailing at this point.

     The best way to tell what is being offered is by looking at the cost of a given service. The shops that are charging $250 to do inside and out "detailing" are doing the maintenance service. The maintenance detail is designed to keep the vehicle clean instead of making it clean. A premium detail service, depending on what area you live in should have a starting cost of at least $500 for both in and out. More than likely, that $500 will be the lowest level of detailing offered. In other words, wax for the exterior, no polishing and a short-term protectant for the interior.

     Spending somewhere between $500 to $1,000 for detailing of your vehicle is common. In the city, you will pay more. Ceramic coatings will start somewhere around $1,800 for both in an out and go up from there. Your PPF and liquid PPF will be the most premium services. Those services start around $2,000 and go up to around $10,000. Interior coatings usually start around $700 and go up from there. These prices are subjective because some shops separate the detail service and the coating service. In other words, the detail may cost $300 or whatever and the coating may be $500 or whatever.

Some shops may just have a, sort of, flat rate where the price for the interior coating is $800 with everything included.

     Seeing a nice, low price when getting your car detailed or coated my be a tempting offer, don't do it. It is not a premium service. If you are looking for a detail or coating and you want to avoid the premium service to save a couple of bucks you will miss out on the amazing and wonderful experience you can repeatedly have over time. A premium detail or coating really is quite an experience. At my shop I strive to make the service more and more premium in every way possible as much as I can.

     My name is Tug Bankert. I am the owner/operator of Wax On Wax Off Pro Detailing and Ceramic Coatings in Hanover , PA. I have been in the detailing industry since 1999. I opened my shop in 2013.