Car Detailing - Best bang for $

[FamilyGuy]

Looking to get my Honda Odyssey detailed out. Since it's a minivan and will get messy again faster than I would like (summer road trips + kids), I am looking for something at a reasonable cost. Don't mind paying if the quality is exceptional.

Have to sell this to the wife :D, otherwise I will have to do it and I just don't have the time or desire to do so, but it has to be done :banghead:

Any suggestions/ recommendations in Calgary?

[rage2]

I used to go to Johnny Rockets and another place in Crowfoot before they shut down, perfect interior and exterior quick clean to make things half ass presentable. Those places are gone now but Bubbles is around. Haven't been there but I'm guessing it's the same shit, cheap interior/exterior wash for around $50.

[speedog]

Originally posted by FamilyGuy
Looking to get my Honda Odyssey detailed out. Since it's a minivan and will get messy again faster than I would like (summer road trips + kids), I am looking for something at a reasonable cost. Don't mind paying if the quality is exceptional.

Have to sell this to the wife :D, otherwise I will have to do it and I just don't have the time or desire to do so, but it has to be done :banghead:

Any suggestions/ recommendations in Calgary?

Sell kids/wife? :dunno:

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by speedog


Sell kids/wife? :dunno:

Bubbles does good work here.

But maybe try paying the kids to do it? haha

[FamilyGuy]

Oh I would, they are just too small..... few more years and I will have my own "Bubbles"



Originally posted by Neil4Speed


Bubbles does good work here.

But maybe try paying the kids to do it? haha

[Maxx Mazda]

Do it yourself? Even the most haggard ass minivan shouldn't take more than a Saturday.

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by Maxx Mazda
Do it yourself? Even the most haggard ass minivan shouldn't take more than a Saturday.

Honestly, I get where he is coming from... Sometimes its just worth it to have the time. I used to love cleaning my old cars, now I just want to take it somewhere, pay the $50 bucks and call it a day.

[georgemagana]

Top Gear car wash in the NW

[Sorath]

i used a groupon with lux detail and they were amazing for my odyssey

[FamilyGuy]

Exactly.... gives you more time to spend on more important things in life - Family


Originally posted by Neil4Speed


Honestly, I get where he is coming from... Sometimes its just worth it to have the time. I used to love cleaning my old cars, now I just want to take it somewhere, pay the $50 bucks and call it a day.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Detailz is the best price/value I have found for a fully professional quality job. Careful with those groupons - lots of stories of vehicles coming back dirtier than they went in, or with damage. I get not wanting to slave over it for a whole day but if you're just after a $50 quick & dirty detail, you could probably do the same yourself in a half hour. You can also expect clear coat damage/swirls with all of the cheaper wash places but you may not care on the minivan.

[rage2]

I use Detailz myself, and agreed definitely the best price/value out there. But at 200-300 bucks I doubt that's what the OP is looking for since shit gets dirty quick.

[lasimmon]

So I can skip over my "never use a company with a z in the name instead of an s" rule and use Detailz?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by lasimmon
So I can skip over my "never use a company with a z in the name instead of an s" rule and use Detailz?

Myself or my family/friends have used them multiple times now with really good feedback. They have also found a way to go above and beyond almost every time. On my brother's car it was spending extra time getting huge amounts of stubborn sap off without extra charges, and on my car they used touch up paint to flawlessly cover up some scratches and chips on my old car. As for their detailing work it's as good as the places that cost way more, based on what I have seen anyway. So far so good, at least from where I'm sitting.

For a mini van you can probably skip the exterior detail and just do the inside, which for ~$200 I think is a good deal for what you get. Do that once or twice a year depending on how dirty the kids get it and you're probably good to go.

[spikerS]

I am going to be dropping my truck off at Top Gear car wash in the near future.

$130 for a wash, wax, and polish, and clean the interior as well for a full size truck. Hard to beat that in my eyes anyways.

[ExtraSlow]

Let's see before and after pics and discussion and then how happy you are. If that's even a halfway decent job, it's a great deal.

[rage2]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
For a mini van you can probably skip the exterior detail and just do the inside, which for ~$200 I think is a good deal for what you get. Do that once or twice a year depending on how dirty the kids get it and you're probably good to go.
I'd say it's overkill, considering I've seen first hand how quickly kids destroy a minivan. The Detailz interior job is like a brand new car mint out of the showroom clean.

[idriveabox]

Originally posted by spikerS
I am going to be dropping my truck off at Top Gear car wash in the near future.

$130 for a wash, wax, and polish, and clean the interior as well for a full size truck. Hard to beat that in my eyes anyways.

I'd be really apprehensive to let anyone touch the exterior for $130. Hope it turns out man.

[mzdspd]

Originally posted by idriveabox


I'd be really apprehensive to let anyone touch the exterior for $130. Hope it turns out man.

Something doesn't add up here.. Probably a quick orbital polish to the paint.. :barf:

[RealJimmyJames]

For that price, I hope they AREN'T doing any kind of polishing, jesus christ.

[SportEL]

Originally posted by RealJimmyJames
For that price, I hope they AREN'T doing any kind of polishing, jesus christ.

It's a drive-thru Machine Polisher. 15 minute process that individually alone costs $60.

http://www.topgearcarwash.net/get-your-shine-on.html

[bjstare]

Originally posted by SportEL


It's a drive-thru Machine Polisher. 15 minute process that individually alone costs $60.

http://www.topgearcarwash.net/get-your-shine-on.html

:rofl:

About the only thing that's suitable for is the 15 year old acura in that picture, which probably has ruined paint anyways. I'd love to know how much damage that thing has done to customer cars.

Sidenote, that works out to $240/hr. You can get a human who actually knows what they're doing to polish your car for less than that.

[Strider]

Country Hills Auto Spa is my budget detailer of choice.

Wasn't going to recommend them in this thread because $100 sounded overkill for OP, but since people are suggesting $200 options, here they are:
http://www.countryhillsautospa.ca/auto-detailing-packages/

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by Neil4Speed


Honestly, I get where he is coming from... Sometimes its just worth it to have the time. I used to love cleaning my old cars, now I just want to take it somewhere, pay the $50 bucks and call it a day.

This is like everything in life when you get older! You don't realize just how much your own time is worth. I used to love to tinker with my vehicles and even miss school to do so and the same went with cleaning it. I would always make a time to go and make sure it was done consistently.

Nowadays, I can't be bothered to clean any of my vehicles or even tinker with them. As much as I hate paying someone to do it, sometimes, it's just worth it. I have other shit to do like things around the house such as mowing, cleaning both the inside and outside and home renos. I reckon it's just a matter of time until I take the same route as my car and get someone else to do that shit!

Oh how life changes oh too quickly as well as our priorities!!

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by SportEL


It's a drive-thru Machine Polisher. 15 minute process that individually alone costs $60.

http://www.topgearcarwash.net/get-your-shine-on.html

Wow - looks like a great way to completely destroy your paint. Might as well go to the coin wash and hit it with the brush/broom after to finish the job.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by rage2

I'd say it's overkill, considering I've seen first hand how quickly kids destroy a minivan. The Detailz interior job is like a brand new car mint out of the showroom clean.

I don't have kids so you are likely correct :D

[lasimmon]

Question:

If I am taking my car to get the inside detailed and full clean on the outside, should I be giving it a quick wash after my road trip this weekend to get rid of excess bugs/dirt/whatever? Or just let them deal with it? Never thought of this issue before haha.

[ExtraSlow]

Doesn't hurt to get any big chunks off it. If you are paying by the hour that will save you money and if you aren't, they probably have a target time they spend, so they'll have more time to spend on other areas.

[rx7boi]

I bought a Groupon for In The Nik Of Time for my girlfriend's 2002 civic.

Her car is so :barf: :barf: :barf:

The groupon wasn't cheap, even after an additional $30 off it came out to $150.

That said, they advertised it as a full shampoo/vacuum/etc service.

The car's going in this Sunday so I will report back on how they do.

I tried to snag a groupon for Lux like Sorath did but they sold out and haven't opened them up again since :cry:

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by lasimmon
Question:

If I am taking my car to get the inside detailed and full clean on the outside, should I be giving it a quick wash after my road trip this weekend to get rid of excess bugs/dirt/whatever? Or just let them deal with it? Never thought of this issue before haha.

Most places charge for any excessive time spent on stuff like that, but they also may use that as an opportunity to go above an beyond. This is what I have seen Detailz do several times now.

I'd probably give it to them as-is. They likely have products/tools/methods that are much more efficient for dealing with that stuff than you or I could in our driveways anyway.

[lasimmon]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


Most places charge for any excessive time spent on stuff like that, but they also may use that as an opportunity to go above an beyond. This is what I have seen Detailz do several times now.

I'd probably give it to them as-is. They likely have products/tools/methods that are much more efficient for dealing with that stuff than you or I could in our driveways anyway.

I am actually booked into Detailz!

[SportEL]

^Detailz is good. I've went there before and Refine Automotive until I started just doing all the detailing myself.