Data Source
Carnauba wax will serve as the barrier or protection for your paint which is really important. For this article, I visited the websites of 17 mobile car wash and detail companies. I stopped searching after 17 websites because it appeared that price lists were fairly consistent among all the companies. There was one company that charged significantly higher than the other companies and one company that charged significantly lower than the other companies. In the interest of presenting a fair price range, I excluded the highest and lowest prices and determined an average range from the remaining company price lists. Carnauba wax is contained in a wide variety of products – in fact, a lot more than I had ever realized before doing my research.
Mobile Auto Wash Service
Mobile car wash and detail services allow you to have your car washed at your home, office, or other convenient location. It is easy to schedule service. In fact, one such company, “Washos” headquartered in southern California, has an app that you can use to schedule auto detailing service in your area.Some people are dubbing Washos as the “Uber” service for the auto wash and detail industry.
P.S. I do not receive compensation for the mention of Washos.
No longer having to drive your vehicle to the car washing station, you can have it washed and detailed at your home, office, or pretty much any location that allows someone to be there washing your automobile. Call and schedule an appointment and the car washers come to you.
In my article, “Auto Detailing Prices – How Much Does it Cost to Get a Car Detailed,” I provide a thorough explanation of what a car wash and detail service should include. I also show the average price range to be expected for each service.
Extra Charges
Time is valuable. If you value your time, then you would rather be doing something constructive during the time your car or truck is being washed and/or detailed. How much is your time worth? Only you can determine that. And, when you find that number, you can apply it to the cost you are willing to pay to get something else done while your vehicle is being serviced. Expect to pay extra whenever extra time, fuel, or supplies are needed to service your vehicle.
Fuel Surcharge
Expect to pay more if you live outside the vicinity of the auto wash and detailing station. The cost of gas is considerable. Either you will spend money on gas to drive your vehicle to the car washing station, or the car washing station will spend money on gas to drive the station to you. This cost is addressed in the form of what the mobile car wash and detail industry calls a fuel surcharge. Many companies do not charge extra if you are located within a 10 to 15 mile vicinity of their primary location. Some companies charge a flat fee of about $15 for traveling beyond the immediate vicinity and some charge a fee of about $1.00 per mile for traveling beyond a certain point beyond the vicinity. For example, if your location is within 15 miles of the station location, then there is no extra charge, however if you live 20 miles away, then the station will charge an additional $5.00 (@ $1.00 per mile) to drive to your location.
Extra Cleaning
If your vehicle is excessively dirty or extra-large, then expect to pay a premium for the extra time it will take for washing and detailing. Remember, time costs money, so if your vehicle is dirtier or larger beyond what is considered normal dirt, grime, and size, you will pay more for your wash and detail service.
Extra Services
A cleaning or detailing service consists of standard services (see Table below). When you desire services that go beyond what is considered normal, you can expect to pay more. For example, if you order a standard wash and want your engine cleaned, then you will pay extra for that.
How Does a Mobile Auto Wash and Detailing Service Work?
Call the company and make an appointment to have the mobile auto wash and detail unit meet you at your home, office, or whatever location you desire. Normally, two people will be sent out to work on your vehicle together. It will take about 1 hour to complete a basic wash and wax, about 2 to 4 hours to complete a basic detail, and about 4 to 8 hours to complete an ultra-detail service.
Waterless Car Wash
Sometimes, a mobile automobile wash service will claim to be “waterless.” But, I have found that waterless means that they simply provide the service using a small amount of water, typically washing the vehicle with as little as two 5-gallon buckets of water.
Whatever location you choose, make sure the following are considered:
- You have authorization to allow your vehicle to be washed at that location.
- The mobile unit has access to water and electricity. Some mobile units bring their own water and electricity, nevertheless, be sure to ask if you will need to provide access to water and electricity.
Cancellation Fee
Once again, time is valuable. When you schedule an appointment, the company is expecting to be paid for the time allotted to wash and/or detail your vehicle. When you cancel an appointment at the last minute, you have just cost the company a considerable about of money. Expect to pay a cancellation fee of approximately $25 – $45 if you cancel in less than 24 hours before the scheduled appointment.
TABLE: Mobile Auto Washing and Detailing Prices – How Much Does it Cost to Have Your Car Washed and Detailed at
Your Home or Office?
The following table shows the most common price range found for mobile car wash and detail prices. Prices vary based on the size and condition of the vehicle. Expect to pay more if your vehicle has stains, an unusual or faded color, excessive pet hair, scratches, water spots, or hard to remove substances (such as tar).
