What Does a Full Car Detail Include

Full detail means different things at different businesses, which is exactly why it is worth asking. At Detail 2 Drive a full detail is a complete interior and exterior reset carried out in the climate controlled studio in Pakenham, in a fixed order, finished under the light rig.

The Exterior Part of a Full Detail

1. 01Wheels, tyres and arches cleaned first, because they are the dirtiest part of the car
2. 02A touchless pre wash to lift loose grit before any contact
3. 03A contact wash with clean media and changed water
4. 04Clay and chemical decontamination to remove bonded contamination
5. 05Drying properly, then trim and tyres dressed

That order is not arbitrary. Doing wheels last drags brake dust back onto finished paint, and washing a dirty car with contact before a pre wash is how swirl marks get put in.

Does a Full Detail Include Paint Correction

No. Correction is machine work on the clear coat and it is quoted separately after the paint has been inspected under light. A detail leaves the car clean, decontaminated and protected. It does not remove defects that are already in the paint. If that is what you are after, look at paint correction.

The Interior Part of a Full Detail

• Full vacuum through carpets, mats, seats and boot
• Surfaces, console, vents and door cards worked through rather than wiped
• Seats treated appropriately for the material they are
• Glass cleaned on the inside as well as the outside

Will Every Stain and Smell Come Out

Not always, and anyone promising otherwise has not seen the car yet. Fresh spills usually come out. Old stains that have been through a summer, dye transfer from denim, and odours with a source still in the vehicle are all different problems. You will get an honest read on what is realistic before the work starts.

What Usually Sits Outside a Standard Detail

• Paint correction and machine polishing
• Ceramic coating of any surface
• Headlight restoration
• Engine bay detailing
• Heavy pet hair removal or biological contamination

None of these are hidden extras. They are separate work with separate value, and they are quoted with the job so you know what you are paying for.

How to Compare Detailing Packages Fairly

Ask three questions of any quote: what decontamination is included, is machine correction part of it or not, and how long will the car be held. Those three answers explain almost every price difference between detailing packages.

Book a Full Detail in Pakenham

The full stage by stage list is on the car detailing page. If you want it quoted for your vehicle, send an enquiry with the car and what is bothering you about it.