How much to pay for detailing F150?

[JustMike]

I have an '02 Ford F150 SuperCab. The paint is in excellent shape but has a few surface scratches that I want buffed out/polished. What is a decent price to pay?

I've got two quotes for a full detail job from two local detail shops. One for $400 (excl. interior), and the other for $200 (incl. interior). Which one is realistic?

[ES_Revenge]

Depends on the job they do, the products they use, how much they use, how much they pay their employees etc.

For example if you go to a place where people take Porsches, Vipers, etc. there, expect to get better service and pay a LOT more than it's worth.

Stick around their shop for a while and ask completed cars' owners about what they thought, perhaps take a look yourself. If you're there and ppl are complaining about this and that, that's a sure sign not to have them do it.

Detailing is a little time consuming and it does require products (armour-all, soaps/cleaners, tire shine, wax/polish, etc.) be used in order to do the job. You've got the employees who have to get paid and then the shop overhead (most places will probably also do other auto work in addition to detailing though).

If they do a really good job, I'd say $300-400 with the interior is probably realistic... You might find the $200 shop is good as well though, but it all depends on the place. But no, detailing services are not particularly cheap no matter where you go.

[loho33]

The shop prices range about $170 for a cut polish here in Vancouver....


I recommend you save the money and buy your own machine and quality products.

To answer your question though....any average joe with experience can cut polish a car...just be adamant about specific scratches you want buffed out...leave the overpriced show quality details for the expensive cars

[Synthetic]

For a full, all-out detail, then I would say anywhere from $285 (on the low end) - $400 is the norm and somewhat "reasonable" - especially for a larger vehicle.

If you're just trying to get your truck polished or have certain areas/scratches buffed out, then $200< is going to be more like it.

Since you mention your paint is in good condition, I would suggest having a professional do the work to get all the scratches out, and then simply buy all the other products yourself to "complete" the job. This would be good since you could then do your own minor detailing between full details. That is unless your're rich or don't have time to do this yourself.

Just be careful who you choose because I have heard (and seen) a lot of detailing horror stories. Such as cars that end up finished with tons of spider web swirls or holograms on the hood.

[JustMike]

Thanks for the feedback, guys... much appreciated.

I am not rich but that's not why I can't do this myself. I do not have a place to do my own work right now. With the weather hovering around freezing, waxing is no good in the driveway.

I do intend on having the scratches buffed out professionally and then next summer I will do a minor detail myself. I have waxed the truck once before myself and it turned out fantastic with an electric buffer and regular off-the-shelf Meguiars car wax.

I don't need a show quality detail. I am more concerned about conserving the paint as I intend on keeping the truck for a few more years.