Mobile Car Detailing: Everything You Need To Know

(what is mobile car detailing, pros and cons of mobile car detailing, common mistakes to avoid when selecting a mobile car detailing service, and more…)

Finding a reliable mobile car detailer for your car could be challenging

Mobile car detailing is a more convenient alternative to the traditional in-shop car detailing service.

But, just like everything else in life, you get some you lose some.

There is a price to pay for convenience, and a mobile car detailing service comes with a number of downsides.

What’s the difference between mobile car wash and mobile car detailing?

Simply put, it’s the same difference between a quick shower and a day at the spa.

The quick shower will get you clean and refreshed with minimal time and effort invested. But a day at the spa will get you completely rejuvenated, and make you feel and look 10 years younger.

The same concept applies to the difference between a mobile car wash and mobile car detailing.

Getting a mobile car wash is fast, usually pretty cheap, and does an ok job in terms of cleaning the exterior of your car (sometimes you get a complimentary quick vacuuming as well)

A mobile car wash will get the exterior of your car clean, in 10 minutes or less, for a few bucks.

Whereas a mobile car detailing will deep clean and restore your car as close as possible to a like-new condition, while taking from a few hours to a few days to complete, depending on the complexity of the procedure.

FREE BOOK REVEALS…

How To Have Your Car Cleaned Properly, At The Lowest Possible Price

Why should you have your car detailed?

Did you know that every day you don’t do anything about it, dirt degrades and devalues your car?

But even more importantly, it affects your (and your family’s) health?

You may already know that dirt left sitting on your car degrades and scratches the finish, making it look dull and unattractive. Glass gets covered with an oil-sticky film, making it difficult for you to see, especially at night.

If not cleaned in a long time, the glass gets covered with an oily film that makes it difficult to see outside, especially at night or when raining

Dirty leather seats fade and crack, leading to costly repairs (Did you know that one seat replacement for a Tesla Model X can cost just under $5,000 – one seat!).

The dirt you don’t see (and know about) could seriously hurt you.

Dust used to be simply that... Dust. Not anymore. Nowadays, dust is a toxic mix of chemical residue, environmental pollution and fallout, amongst many other things.

Doesn’t look like something you’d want to breath in, does it?

This is what a pile of dust looks like from up close. Notice the hair and the chunky bits.

Pollen, mold, fungus, fallout, lead, DDT, and dust mites find their way into (or already comfortably inhabit) the interior of your car, potentially making you ill without you even knowing it.

Here you are, treating yourself (and your loved ones) for flu-like symptoms, buying expensive supplements and strong medicine (did you know that most antibiotics are known to literally wipe-out your health-protective bacterial flora in your digestive system?), and worrying about your health, when in fact...

It could be your car that’s causing all the problems!

Studies show that one square foot of automotive carpet can contain over half a pound of dirt before even beginning to look dirty (over half a pound!).

Bottom line is this: Your car can be a toxic and dangerous place for your (and your family’s) health. Even more so, if you’re travelling in the car with young children or elderly people, whose immune systems are not as strong, and could quickly get overwhelmed.

What does mobile car detailing include?

Because there is no set standard of service across the car detailing industry, you will find that the answer to this question varies depending on who you ask.

At the very minimum, a mobile car detailing service should include the following:

Thorough vacuuming of the interior, including the trunk space
Meticulous wipedown of the dashboard, center console, and door panels
Thorough handwash of the exterior, including the rims and tires
Cleaning and degreasing of all windows and mirrors, inside and out

All this should be non-negotiable. It is also the main difference between “mobile car detailing” and a “mobile car wash”.

Aside from the basic steps listed above, a proper mobile car detailing service may also include some or all of the following, based on the car’s condition and owner’s budget:

Shampooing the interior carpet
Cleaning, conditioning and hydrating the leather car seats
Polishing the exterior car paint to remove scratches and oxidation
Application of a wax, paint sealant or Ceramic Coating to the exterior car paint for protection

Your car detailer should advise you what steps and packages are appropriate for your specific situation and your car. Beware of so-called professionals who will accept simple order taking from you, as they do not have your best interest in mind.

5 ways some mediocre mobile car detailing companies are cutting corners

Just like anything else in life, mobile car detailing companies come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. On the surface, they all do the same thing – detail cars.

How can you separate the wheat from the chaff, and pick the right mobile car detailing company for you?

Look out for these telltale signs:

#1: No Accountability (Declined Responsibility)

You may have seen this disclaimer, displayed prominently by some car detailing outfits: “Cars and contents left at owner’s risk.”

Let’s see... You are a “guest” at their place, you are about to trust them with one of your most valuable possessions (your Tesla) – and the responsibility is yours? That sounds a little backwards, doesn’t it?

#2: Inadequate (Or Complete Lack Of) Insurance

Liability insurance is expensive. Some mobile car detailing companies view it as an unnecessary cost that can be diminished, or even completely eliminated.

Scratches on car from improper car washing with a dirty cloth

But insurance protects the customers against unexpected events. Like a harried employee rushing to finish a job, and accidentally damaging the customer’s car. Or the said employee somehow getting injured while cleaning a car.

#3: Cheap and Harsh Cleaning Chemicals

Most conventional cleaning chemicals used in the car detailing industry are harsh, even toxic. Car cleaning companies use them because they are usually cheap to buy.

When you have your car detailed by a mobile car detailing company using this kind of chemicals, traces of the chemicals will linger around in your car, creating a toxic “chemical bath”. The more time you spend in your car, the more you are exposed to this toxic environment, potentially making you ill.

#4: Overscheduling

Some mobile car detailing companies, in an attempt to make more money, and compensate for unprofitable low prices, fill up their schedules with more customers that they can reasonably and efficiently handle.

This typically results in rushed jobs, low quality results, and inferior customer service.

#5: No Guarantee

Mediocre mobile car detailing companies usually do not guarantee their job.

Which means they are placing all the risk on you – and you are forced to accept the results, whether you like them or not.

Avoid these costly mistakes when selecting a mobile car detailing service

Below are the most common and costly mistakes car owners make when looking for a mobile car detailing service:

Mistake #1: Choosing a mobile car detailing service based on low price

Low price could be a problem in three ways:

Low price can be the bait that attracts your phone call. But once the car detailer starts the job, he pressures you into a much more expensive package.
Low price can be for “basic” cleaning. Rarely does the consumer know what this means and, when told, asks for “detailed” cleaning instead, which costs MUCH more.
Low price means the car cleaner has cheap chemicals and equipment (perhaps even rented), which cannot match the cleaning performance of the superior chemicals and equipment designed to remove the most soil and contaminants, and leave the least residue behind.

Mistake #2: Choosing a mobile car cleaning service based on a single telephone call

Instead, invite the person to see the car and ask for a specific dedicated quotation. Then you’ll know exactly what the car detailing company recommends – and you won’t be the victim of high-pressure tactics when the technician arrives to do the scheduled job.

This also allows the car detailer to see your car model and its condition, so he is able to give you an accurate quotation.

Mistake #3: Choosing a mobile car detailing service who doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee

Every mobile car detailing company should be fully accountable for its work. And if you aren’t pleased with the job in every way, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Period.

Mistake #4: Choosing a mobile car detailing service without getting comments from its other clients

Any car detailer can say anything about his past jobs. And, sadly, some of what he says may not be true.

Make sure you ask for references or read comments from current customers so you can depend on the car detailer and his work.

Where to find quality mobile car detailing services

As a car owner, the first impulse is to go to Google and type in “mobile car detailing services near me”.

But that only complicates the problem, as it will serve you an abundance of results with car detailing companies you know nothing about.

And, even though these car detailing companies show up in the search results, some of them may not even specialize in mobile car detailing.

Tesla Model 3 Dualmotor detailed by Clean My Car in Vancouver BC

So, how to separate the wheat from the chaff, and pick out the best mobile car detailing service for you?

A good place to start is by asking your family and friends, especially the ones who might be car owners. Ask them if they’ve used a mobile car detailing service in the past, and if they would recommend that company to you.

That last part of the question is very important. Just because someone used a service in the past that doesn’t necessarily mean they would use it again. (In a recent study, over 50% of the customers asked said they would not do business again with the service company they’ve recently used.)

Generally, getting a firm car detailing price over the phone, before the car detailing company had a chance to look at your car, is not a good sign. At the lower the price, the worse it is.

You may be the target of a bait-and-switch tactic, where you are lured in by the promise of a low price, but once you go in for your car detailing appointment, the company switches instantly to pressuring you into paying a different higher price than agreed.

Best case scenario, the car detailing company honours the low-price deal, but you get very little detailing for your money.

Once you’ve found a couple of promising car detailing companies, make sure you interview them thoroughly before you commit to giving them your car and your money.

The way you learn about a company is to ask specific questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are nine questions to ask a car cleaning company to help you feel more confident about the one that you choose:

What do you recommend for my specific needs, and what are your detailing steps?
What type of chemicals do you use to clean the car?
How often should I get my car cleaned?
Who is going to perform the job, employee or contractor?
How much will it cost me?
How long does the job take?
Do you guarantee your work?
Are you insured?
Do you have any references of clients whom I can call regarding your work?

Conclusion

You are ready to take it one step further and arm yourself with the Car Owner’s Information Kit, which contains everything you need to know about selecting the RIGHT car detailing service.

Here are just a few of the “goodies” included:

Special Report - 7 Ways Your Own Car is Destroying Your Health (and 6 Steps to Protect Yourself)
Special Report - All Car Cleaning Sources Are NOT Equal (Your “Insider’s Defense” against the Money-Grabbing Car Cleaning Industry)
BONUS: A copy of my book “Confessions Of a Car Cleaner” (where you’ll discover How to Have Your Car Cleaned Properly, At the Lowest Possible Price)

Go here to check it out.