What should I charge for detailing cars?

[I Vtec, do you?]

A little bit ago I cleaned up my moms car pretty extensively and one of her friends inquired about it. Now she wants me to do her car (it's a blue honda oddssey I beleive). Basically she wants a clean/claybar/heavy polishing (apparently her paint is pretty swirled up), sealed and waxed. At the end of her e-mail to me, she said "What would that run, about $200?" I feel like she's just trying to be generous since I'm her friend's son. Since it is a minivan and it'll prolly take a while, plus using up some materials, I don't want to work for nothing. Also a few other friends of hers commented one wanting it done too so I don't want them all thinking I'll spend 4 hours detailing a car for $20.

On top of that, my dad's friend now wants me to polish up his car. Unfortunately it's a Z06 and I'm somewhat afraid of touching it. He just wants a good polish done to make the paint pop followed by a sealant/wax. He washes his car every week so it's already in pretty good condition. I'd prolly just have to claybar and then jump right into the sealant. What should I charge for that?

They are family friends (sort of, I don't know them but my parents do) so I don't want to come across like an over-charged dick and put them in an awkward position, but I'd definitely like to earn a little money seeing how I've been cut down to like 8 hours a week at my job.

[asndragonboii]

I'm in the same boat as you! lol

I think $200 sounds right for that oddesey. or maybe $300 or 4

[xvoltm2]

charge based on the condition of the cars

[hmodel88]

well in this situation this is what i would do...

first price all ur products that you will be using and then estimate how
much you will be using on each car. then since u wanna be nice throw in anywhere
from 10-20 an hour depending on how u feel (so that either 40-80 dollars for urself)
This im guessing will get u anywhere around $100 including everything rite?
doesnt sound too bad to me and im prety sure this would normally cost over $100 at other places.
You could also check with some places to get prices and judge from there...

this is just imo tho..

[asndragonboii]

It cost my aunt $80 for a regular wash and hand wax on her BMW convertible at some place. Just to give you something to compare it to.

The van is gonna take longer (its bigger) and youre going to be doing more work.

[07_FG_4Dr_S.i.]

acura and honda charge litle over 100 dollars for wax detailing i say you charge about 150 to 180 since dealerships do good work but not GREEEEAT work GL go make that chedder

[I Vtec, do you?]

Alright thanks guys. The problem is, if you aren't into cars, I think spending more than $20 just sounds ridiculous to some people. Before I had found this site, I would've laughed if someone told me it was going to be $200 to fully wash/clean/seal/wax a car.

[ndtechie05]

I'm doing anywhere from 150-200 with 175 being around the norm. Detailing takes time not to mention each product I use runs from $20-$80 plus the polishers themselves

[I Vtec, do you?]

Do you guys actually get steady business doing this? I'm hoping if I do well with these guys, I can maybe get 1-2 guys a week during the summer so I can quit my shitty job. I'd make more doing two cars a week than I did working 25-30 hours a week.

[e60.deluxe]

dude theres a place that does wash/clay/selant/wax for $65 near me. and they are excellent.

yes a detail costs $200, but from what your saying it doesnt seem as though your doing a full detail, just a basic clay job with some extra polishing.

[20strong]

Yeah for that price you need to be detailing the inside of the car aswell. I would pay a good exterior guy $100 to $120 for the outside though. Also I would expect excelent work for that price, the money will get better as you get better. When you can do it faster to the same leval of qaulity you will invest less time.

[e60.deluxe]

yeah just for comparison, my parents have a BMW and the stealership for exterior detail, is like $140 for non black, non SUV.

i would say about $120 is a good price for what you are doing for a non pro, considering the size of the car. id say like $90 for the Z06.

[I Vtec, do you?]

Originally Posted by e60.deluxe

dude theres a place that does wash/clay/selant/wax for $65 near me. and they are excellent.

yes a detail costs $200, but from what your saying it doesnt seem as though your doing a full detail, just a basic clay job with some extra polishing.

What do you consider a 'detailing' of the exterior? Beyond cleaning, claying, polishing out the scratches, putting on a sealant and a wax, there's nothing else you can really do. Obviously I'll clean the wheels/tires/wells and the trim and whatnot. No one has asked me to do the interior.

[brazilianguy]

2 local places charge about 350 for a full 4 hours detail, clay bar polish wax everything

[inyong1988]

$250 oddyssey
$100 corvette.
if your not happy with price, dont do it. simple

[Vinc84]

You should clean the inside of the cars as well as the glass all around, inside and out, then you can charge $100~$200+ based on the car size as well as how much of your supplies you used (for resupplying).

[I Vtec, do you?]

Originally Posted by inyong1988

$250 oddyssey
$100 corvette.
if your not happy with price, dont do it. simple

I was more than happy with the one woman's offer of $200, just seems high IMO and I don't want to be price jacking anyone else that asks me how much.

Originally Posted by Vinc84

You should clean the inside of the cars as well as the glass all around, inside and out, then you can charge $100~$200+ based on the car size as well as how much of your supplies you used (for resupplying).

Glad I'd just spray down with stoner's glass cleaner, use my glass cleaning pad w/ the polisher, and then buff it. I'm not going to clean the inside of the car unless they ask me to lol.

[brazilianguy]

i think 200 is reasonable, for the amount of work, i dont think its high at all

[GSXRSpeed]

I'd go with the $100- $200 range, depending on the size of the car and condition. A big dull Van, $200. An already shiny Vette, $100. Extra if they want the interior done.

[I Vtec, do you?]

Alright thanks fellas, $200 it is.