Why Get Your Car Detailed?
Everything You Need to Know

Owning a vehicle comes with a great deal of upkeep – that is, if you want your ride to last for many years to come and maintain its value. You can’t just focus on the hidden mechanical aspects, like your engine and suspension. You also need to think about your vehicle’s outward appearance.

Professional car detailing is a crucial aspect of keeping any vehicle in pristine condition. But, even if you vacuum your seats and give the exterior a rinse once a week, there are certain elements that DIY car washes (or quick drive-thru centers) miss.

As a professional mobile detailing company, we’ve seen the true difference that the occasional deep clean can make. So let’s talk about what detailing involves and why you need to get your car detailed on a regular basis.

What Does a Detailing Service Include?

Most detailing services take at least a couple of hours to complete, in comparison to a generic wash that can be accomplished in under thirty minutes. That’s because a detailing service involves precise, in-depth cleaning elements, including:

• Vacuuming all interior seats and carpeting
• Bug and dirt removal from paint
• Protective wax coatings
• Wheel and wheel well cleaning
• Steam cleaning when necessary
• Hand drying with microfiber towels

Unlike a “traditional” car wash experience, a detailing appointment tackles every little crevice and hidden corner in your vehicle. You’re paying for a true clean, and that involves cleaning and conditioning all leather, carpets, and exteriors. It’s a more expensive car washing service, but it’s also a more valuable one.

The question is, why is detailing necessary? First, we want to explain why detailing is more than just a luxury.

1. It Protects Your Car’s Paint

The first thing we want to talk about is your car’s paint. Over time, it doesn’t matter how careful you are or where you live – vehicle paint dulls, chips, scratches, and fades.

One of the only ways to keep your paint job looking great is to apply professional-grade wax. This adds a layer of protection over the paint to fend off weather damage and physical wear and tear.

A professional car detailer applies a coat of luxury wax to your vehicle’s paint to fend off harsh sunlight, damaging hail, dust, dirt, and debris.

Not only does this detailing service protect your paint, but a professional wax also keeps your vehicle looking cleaned and polished. Most wax jobs last about three months, which means that you’ll need to book a detailing appointment at least 3-4 times a year to protect your vehicle truly.

Ceramic Coating VS Wax

Waxing isn’t the only way to protect your car’s paint. At Big’s Mobile, we also offer ceramic protectants that provide an even higher level of durability and defense. These ceramic coatings are heat-resistant and able to withstand harsh UV rays, environmental contaminants, and detergents.

If you’re trying to decide if wax or ceramic protectants are a better choice for your vehicle, talk to a detailing expert. They’ll guide you in the right direction depending on your environment, vehicle, and personal preferences.

2. Detailing Preserves Your Leather and Plastic

Another reason to detail your car every few months is to keep your leather seats and plastic elements in tip-top shape. Unless you have serious window tinting, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage interior fabrics and finishes, especially during the summer months.

Don’t wait until your leather and plastic elements start to show their age. Being proactive is the best way to ensure every part of your vehicle stays in good shape.

A professional auto detailer will apply conditioner to your interior leather elements, as well as interior and exterior plastics. This significantly reduces the amount of sun damage on those materials and general wear and tear.

Even if you think your leather seats look pretty clean, don’t underestimate the amount of dirt, embedded pet hair, and moisture they can hold. Getting your vehicle detailed at least three times a year will prevent that dirt from building up, as well as ward off undesirable smells.

Don’t Underestimate the Value of Clean, Well-Kept Leather Seats

As Autolist has stated, adding leather seats to a vehicle can increase its worth by several thousands of dollars. However, that’s only true as long as the leather seats stay in good shape. If you allow them to rip or incur serious stains or smells, you can kiss that bump in resale value goodbye.

The good news is that leather seats can be brought back to life with a practiced hand and the right products. However, if your vehicle’s leather elements look faded or have experienced damage, let us know. We’ll assess the situation and help you recover as much of their initial value as possible.

3. You Need to Remove Stains, Tar, and Sap

The quicker and more frequently you attend to stains in your vehicle, the easier they are to remove. So whether it’s a water stain in the passenger seat from a wet swimsuit or a puddle of spilled coffee in the back row, you need to clean all stains as soon as possible.

Although you can tackle stains on your own as they occur, there’s no real substitute for stain removal during a detailing appointment. Professionals use high-level degreases and enzyme cleaners to remove the stains and eliminate any attached odors.

Stains don’t just happen inside the vehicle. Here in Washington, tree sap and tar can also leave permanent stains on the exterior of your vehicle, which diminishes the car’s polished appearance and overall value. In addition, if left untreated for too long, sap and tar can erode the exterior paint, leaving you with an even uglier and pricier problem to deal with.

If there’s a stubborn stain in or on your vehicle, don’t give up hope just yet. A professional detailer can help you remove your current stains and combat future ones with proper protectants.

4. Deep Cleans Maintain the Resale Value of Your Car

In general, our top reason for recommending regular detailing is to preserve the value of your vehicle. As you probably already know, a brand-new car loses between 9 and 11 percent of its value as soon as you drive off the lot. After that, it’s up to you to slow the rate of depreciation.

Keeping your vehicle clean – truly clean – reduces the rate of value depreciation significantly. Sure, hand-washing your car seasonally helps, but there’s nothing like a professional detailing service to make your car look years newer.

Whether you’re thinking of selling your vehicle soon or not, it’s smart to prevent wear and tear through frequent cleaning sessions. The newer and cleaner your car looks, the higher the price, and the easier it will be to sell in the future.

5. You Want to Take Pride in Your Vehicle’s Appearance

Our last reason to schedule detailing services regularly is for your benefit. You should take pride in your vehicle’s appearance. Whether you’re driving it to meet business partners or old friends, you should feel that your vehicle reflects your aesthetic and value.

A clean, well-polished vehicle is especially important when meeting potential clients. You need everything about your appearance to help win over a new customer, and your ride plays a big role in your persona as a professional, trustworthy business person.

Any drive-thru car wash can help remove visible dirt and grime, but professional detailing services go above and beyond. They’ll leave your car looking polished and noticeably shinier, and that makes a big difference in your pride and satisfaction.

Schedule Your Next Detailing With Us

Although you should at least have your vehicle professionally detailed at least once a year, ideally, you’ll schedule an appointment every four months or so.

Our signature detailing service costs $349, and our interior or exterior details start at $279. Although these might seem like high prices, consider how dramatically a thorough cleaning can impact your car’s value and appearance over time. Regular detailing can add thousands of dollars to the resale value of your vehicle.

Additionally, we make vehicle detailing as hassle-free as possible. Our professional cleaners will drive to your house or place of business. At Big’s Mobile, we want your car washing experience to be simple, luxurious, and impressive.

To schedule a detailed appointment for your vehicle, give us a call at 425-243-9155. You can also schedule your cleaning online. Just tell us what time and place works for you and we’ll make it happen.