Fair cost for full exterior detail? NYC/NJ area

Kennybar112 · 04-14-2018, 05:29 PM

Hi All,

Just looking to get some feedback on what the general fair price is for a full exterior car detail. My 340xi didn't fair well this winter season. Wondering if getting the below work done to it is a fair price for $575. Any feedback would be great!

-vehicle will be fully hand washed
-decontaminating and Clayed
-wheels will be cleaned
-compound and polish the hood, bumper and rear passages door to remove scuffs marks
-exterior of the paint will then be applied with ceramic paste wax (6-12 month Protection)

Thanks,
Ken

jtbazz · 04-14-2018, 09:35 PM

Thats insane. If you were in PA I would do it for just to help out another member , but what they are doing is worth about $150 if they aren't doing the interior.

Get a porter cable and some pads and watch some do it yourself videos on auto geek.

BrettKA7 · 04-14-2018, 10:02 PM

While it shouldn't be quite as cheap as the previous poster suggested, nearly $600 seems at least double what I would have expected.

FastF30 · 04-14-2018, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kennybar112

Hi All,

Just looking to get some feedback on what the general fair price is for a full exterior car detail. My 340xi didn't fair well this winter season. Wondering if getting the below work done to it is a fair price for $575. Any feedback would be great!

-vehicle will be fully hand washed
-decontaminating and Clayed
-wheels will be cleaned
-compound and polish the hood, bumper and rear passages door to remove scuffs marks
-exterior of the paint will then be applied with ceramic paste wax (6-12 month Protection)

Thanks,
Ken

That's ridiculous .... A good wheel and wax job should be around $150- $175... Unless it's black... then add another $50 ...

Otherwise... I'll do it for ya for $500 and I'll even drive to your place to do it... lol...

I just got this from Beverly Hills Detailing website over here in Astoria/ Elmhurst, Queens... Has good reviews...

Complete Detail $175-$350
Depending on Vehicle Size
• Complete Exterior & Interior Detail
• Clay Bar
• Four Stage Compound
• Glass treatment
• Trunk detail

FastF30 · 04-14-2018, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtbazz

Thats insane. If you were in PA I would do it for just to help out another member , but what they are doing is worth about $150 if they aren't doing the interior.

Get a porter cable and some pads and watch some do it yourself videos on auto geek.

Agreed... I use 1500 wet sandpaper instead of clay with windex... followed with a wheel/light polish(depending how bad the top coat is) then an orbital polish and then orbital wax... comes out like a mirror.... I use to detail cars a lot...

Kennybar112 · 04-15-2018, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastF30

Agreed... I use 1500 wet sandpaper instead of clay with windex... followed with a wheel/light polish(depending how bad the top coat is) then an orbital polish and then orbital wax... comes out like a mirror.... I use to detail cars a lot...

Thank you making me think with reason lol. During one of the snow storms a few weeks back a neighbors kid wanted to do me the 'favor' of shoveling out my car, even though I was working from home that day, & scuffed up my hood, door & rear bumper. I just wanted to drop it off & get it done because I really don't have the time or the equipment anymore to do a proper wash & clay to cut & polish. Plus I just wanted to throw money at the problem so its out of sight out of mind lol. I'm thinking about getting the chemical guys detailing kid but it comes with foam cutting pads. Does BMW paint respond better to microfiber or foam pads? Not sure if its hard or soft paint.

FastF30 · 04-15-2018, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kennybar112

scuffed up my hood, door & rear bumper.

I'm thinking about getting the chemical guys detailing kid but it comes with foam cutting pads. Does BMW paint respond better to microfiber or foam pads? Not sure if its hard or soft paint.

I don't know your experience with wet sanding and using a wheel but if you have scratches then you have to do it this way with wet sanding (scratches you can feel with your fingernail aren't gonna come out)... don't know about chemical guy products and been a while since I've done it to recommend... but if I was to buy today... I'd start here

This looks like a good kit for a wheel
Cheaper wheel
some 1500/ 2000/3000 grit wet
sponge blocks
Orbital Buffer
Polish
Oribital Polish
Then follow up with some spray wax... I just got this... haven't used it yet

Stay away from peaks/ corners/ edges as much as possible...less paint on them..

FastF30 · 04-15-2018, 06:26 PM

P.s. My daugther opened the back door of our suv while a car was driving by and put a nice line of white paint scuff mark on their brand new not a week old car.... I took some Colgate tooth paste (with whitning

) a rag and it buffed right out.... then our suv got the same thing happening to it with someones mirror driving by... again Colgate to the rescue.... just gotta love NYC...

04-14-2018, 05:29 PM	#1
Kennybar112 Private 11 Rep 49 Posts Drives: BMW 340i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: NYC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW 335i xDrive [0.00] 2005 BMW 330CI [0.00]	Fair cost for full exterior detail? NYC/NJ area Hi All, Just looking to get some feedback on what the general fair price is for a full exterior car detail. My 340xi didn't fair well this winter season. Wondering if getting the below work done to it is a fair price for $575. Any feedback would be great! -vehicle will be fully hand washed -decontaminating and Clayed -wheels will be cleaned -compound and polish the hood, bumper and rear passages door to remove scuffs marks -exterior of the paint will then be applied with ceramic paste wax (6-12 month Protection) Thanks, Ken __________________ 2017 340i xDrive Black Sapphire Metallic / Coral Red Fully Loaded
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04-14-2018, 09:35 PM	#2
jtbazz Private First Class 60 Rep 154 Posts Drives: 2016 340i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (1)	Thats insane. If you were in PA I would do it for just to help out another member , but what they are doing is worth about $150 if they aren't doing the interior. Get a porter cable and some pads and watch some do it yourself videos on auto geek.
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04-14-2018, 10:02 PM	#3
BrettKA7 Captain 568 Rep 776 Posts Drives: F22 M240i Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Huntington Beach iTrader: (0)	While it shouldn't be quite as cheap as the previous poster suggested, nearly $600 seems at least double what I would have expected. __________________ M240i \| Mineral White \| Coral Red
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04-15-2018, 06:26 PM	#8
FastF30 Lieutenant Colonel 521 Rep 1,288 Posts Drives: 2015 335i xdrive Msport Mbrake Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Middle of the Road iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW 335i Xdrive [0.00]	P.s. My daugther opened the back door of our suv while a car was driving by and put a nice line of white paint scuff mark on their brand new not a week old car.... I took some Colgate tooth paste (with whitning ) a rag and it buffed right out.... then our suv got the same thing happening to it with someones mirror driving by... again Colgate to the rescue.... just gotta love NYC...
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