How Much Does Car Detailing Cost? Prices by Service

TL;DR: A basic detail generally runs $100 to $200, and bigger SUVs or pickups can add $50 to $100. Full-service details average about $278 across the country. Our own Full Transformation runs $300 to $425, with vehicle size setting the final number.

How much does car detailing cost? The short answer

Car detailing usually costs $100 to $200 for a basic package, and larger SUVs and pickup trucks can add $50 to $100 to that. Full interior and exterior details cost more. Nationally, basic details average about $158 and full-service details about $278.

Here in Everett, Washington, our Exterior Detail is $150 to $250, our Interior Detail is $250 to $350 and our Full Transformation is $300 to $425, depending on vehicle size. Paint correction, ceramic coating and odor or mold treatment are quoted separately.

What you pay comes down to the package, the size of your vehicle and its condition. A clean sedan on a basic package sits at the low end. A muddy pickup with dog hair and a spilled latte sits at the high end.

Car detailing prices by service

Detailing is sold in packages, and every shop names them differently. One shop's "deluxe" can include fewer steps than another shop's "basic."

When you compare quotes, line up the checklists side by side. Look for the same steps in each one: hand wash, clay bar, wax, upholstery shampoo and door jambs. A price only means something next to that list.

Exterior detail cost

Our Exterior Detail is $150 to $250. Exterior detailing here means a hand wash, wheels and tires, bug and tar removal, a clay bar, wax and windows.

Some shops sell a quick wash and wax for less. Steamtown Auto Detailing charged $50 for an exterior hand wash and wax on a BMW truck. Detail Studio Products puts a wash and wax at about $80.

That cheaper service usually skips the clay bar and other decontamination steps. A clay bar lifts bonded grime, tree sap and rail dust that soap leaves behind, so the paint feels smooth and the wax bonds better. That extra step takes time, and time is most of the price gap.

Interior car detailing cost

Our Interior Detail is $250 to $350. Interior detailing covers a full vacuum, sanitizing, upholstery shampoo, stain treatment, glass and door jambs.

Two add-ons come up a lot. Extra pet hair removal is $40 to $80, and a quick odor bomb is $75.

As Chemical Guys points out, pet hair gets into more than the carpet, which is why heavy hair costs extra.

How much is a full car detail?

Our Full Transformation is $300 to $425. This full car detail is both packages together, plus extra stain treatment and extra attention to high-touch areas. High-touch areas are the spots your hands hit every day, like the steering wheel, shifter and door pulls.

Nationally, full-service details run $200 to $300. Prices at other shops spread much wider than that. Steamtown Auto Detailing has charged $100 for a full interior and exterior detail on a second car, $400 for another detail and $650 for a full detail on a different car.

That spread comes from vehicle condition and scope. A cheaper full detail usually means fewer steps or less time on the car, so ask what is included before you book.

Paint correction and ceramic coating cost

We quote paint correction and ceramic coating by vehicle size and condition. Our coatings last 3 to 10 years, and our paint correction comes in 1 to 3 stages.

Paint correction polishes out swirl marks and light scratches so the finish is clean before anything seals it in.

At one shop, a ceramic coating is the most expensive service, priced at $1,500. Whether a coating pays off for your car is its own question, covered in a separate post on whether ceramic coating is worth it.

What changes the price of a car detail

Two cars booked for the same package can get different quotes. Size, condition, paint and where the work happens all change how many hours the job takes.

Vehicle size

A three-row SUV has more seats, more carpet and more glass than a sedan. A pickup truck adds a bed, tall wheels and big panels of paint to wash, clay and wax. Every extra surface is more hand labor.

That is why our prices are ranges, and vehicle size is a big part of where your car lands in that range. When you ask for a quote, give the year, make and model so the price fits your vehicle.

Condition, stains, pet hair and odors

Vehicle condition changes the price too. Heavy stains take more time, and a food delivery driver's car full of stains is a job a detailer can charge more for. Pet hair, sand and crumbs packed into carpet add time as well.

For strong smells, our odor elimination starts at $345. It treats smoke, pet, food, mildew or lingering smells with source treatment, enzyme cleaning and neutralizing. Smoke smell in particular needs more than a standard interior detail.

Our mold and mildew treatment starts at $365 and is quoted by how bad it is. It handles moisture-related mold from leaks or damp conditions with antimicrobial treatment, deep cleaning, drying and odor control. It is not certified structural or hazardous mold remediation.

Specialty paint and high-end vehicles

Higher-end vehicles and cars with specialty paint such as matte cost more to detail.

Matte paint can't be polished or waxed like gloss paint, because rubbing it leaves shiny patches that are hard to fix. It needs matte-safe soap and a lighter hand at every step.

High-end cars often have soft leather, delicate trim and expensive wheel finishes. A careful detailer slows down on those surfaces, and slower work costs more.

Mobile vs. shop detailing

We are fully mobile and detail your car at your home or work. We only need your water, not your power. We work rain or shine.

Mobile detailing saves you the drive to a shop, the ride home and the second trip to pick the car up. Your car gets cleaned in the driveway or the office lot while you go about your day. Mobile and shop prices vary by business, so compare the checklist and the total.

Ford Edge rear seat and floor before the detail, dirty with a snow brush on the seat — Real job: a Ford Edge's rear seat before and after, June 2026.

Same Ford Edge rear seat and floor after the detail — Real job: a Ford Edge's rear seat before and after, June 2026.

How long does a car detail take?

Our Exterior Detail takes 1 to 2 hours, our Interior Detail 2 to 3 hours and our Full Transformation 4 to 6 hours.

Nationally, a basic detail takes 1 to 2 hours, full service 2 to 5 hours and premium work 4 to 8 hours or more.

Those hours explain why detailing costs what it does. Washing, claying, shampooing seats and wiping door jambs all happen by hand, and nothing speeds that up without cutting a step. More hours on the car means a higher bill.

Watch for add-ons and dealership upsells

Many detailers offer low introductory pricing and then sell add-on services. Ask for the full price, with every add-on you want, before the work starts.

Dealership detailing has its own version of this. Detail Studio Products says an $800 dealership "ceramic coating" is really a roughly $20 sealant application. A paint sealant protects for months, while a true ceramic coating is built to last years.

Before you pay for a package or a coating, ask a few questions:

What products will you use?
Is paint correction included, or is it extra?
How long should this protection last in real life?
Which steps are in the price, and which are add-ons?

Is a cheap car wash or DIY a good substitute?

A car wash cleans the surface fast. A detail cleans, decontaminates and protects every surface by hand, inside and out.

Self-service car wash brushes can scratch your paint. Automatic car wash brushes carry grit from the cars ahead of you, and that grit leaves swirl marks. Polishing those out later can cost more than all those cheap washes saved.

You can do a lot yourself. A full set of car detailing supplies can come in under $200. The harder parts are time, skill and bigger tools, like a carpet extractor for deep stains.

DIY works well for upkeep between visits. A pro detail fits deep cleaning, set-in stains, odors and paint work.

How to keep detailing costs down over time

Regular upkeep makes every detail faster, and faster work costs less. A car that gets attention every month or two never turns into a once-a-year rescue job.

After a Full Transformation, we come back once a month for $125 to $175 per visit, or every other month for $150 to $200 per visit. Each visit on this maintenance plan is a full interior and exterior detail.

Between visits, a few habits keep the next detail quick:

Vacuum the floors and seats often.
Blot spills right away, before they set into the fabric.
Use floor mats, especially in wet, muddy months.
Rinse off bird droppings and bug splatter soon.

Our detail packages compared

Package	Price	Time	Includes
Exterior Detail	$150 to $250	1 to 2 hours	Hand wash, wheels, bug and tar removal, clay bar, wax, windows
Interior Detail	$250 to $350	2 to 3 hours	Vacuum, sanitizing, upholstery shampoo, stain treatment, glass, door jambs
Full Transformation	$300 to $425	4 to 6 hours	Both packages plus extra stain treatment and high-touch areas

Car detailing prices near me: Everett and Snohomish County towns

Our prices are the same in every town we cover, with no travel fee. Based in Everett, we come to your home or work in Edmonds, Marysville, Mill Creek, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Mukilteo and the rest of Snohomish County.

Package	Coupe or compact	Sedan or 2-row SUV	3-row SUV, truck or van
Exterior Detail	$150	$200	$250
Interior Detail	$250	$300	$350
Full Transformation	$300	$375	$425

Getting a car detailing quote in Everett

Booking sends a request, and Josh, the owner, texts you to confirm the time. You pay after the job, by cash, Cash App, Venmo or Zelle.

For ceramic coating or paint correction, text or call (425) 877-7102 for a quote. When you're ready, you can see our detailing packages and send a booking request.

FAQ

Should you tip a car detailer?

Tipping is up to you and never required. Many people tip when the detailer handled a tough job well, like heavy pet hair, set-in stains or a car that sat dirty for months. A kind review or telling a friend helps a small local business too. If you do tip, base it on the effort and the result you see when the job is done.

How often should I get my car detailed?

Most cars do well with a full detail a few times a year, plus your own vacuuming and washing in between. Cars with kids, pets or long commutes need it more often. After a Full Transformation, we offer return visits once a month or every other month, each one a full interior and exterior detail.

Does a car detail remove scratches from paint?

A standard detail does not remove scratches. A hand wash, clay bar and wax clean and protect the paint, but swirl marks and light scratches stay. Removing them takes paint correction, which polishes the clear coat. Our paint correction comes in 1 to 3 stages and is quoted by vehicle size and condition.

What do I need to provide for a mobile car detail?

Mainly a spot to park and access to water. We detail your car at your home or work, and we only need your water, not your power. Weather is not a problem either, since we work rain or shine. You don't need to be home. For an exterior detail the car can stay locked; for an interior or full detail, leave it unlocked.

How should I prepare my car before a detail?

Take out personal items, papers, car seats you want kept safe and anything valuable from the cabin, trunk and door pockets. Toss loose trash so the time you pay for goes to cleaning. Point out any stains, smells or problem spots when you book, so the detailer knows where to focus and can tell you if an add-on is needed.