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Is auto detailing worth the price, or will a car wash suffice?

I want my car to look nice before I put it up for sale on Craigslist. A friend has offered me his Groupon deal for an auto detailing place, and I'm debating between that and the much cheaper Gold package at Elephant Car Wash. I don't understand why auto detailing is so much more expensive than what Elephant offers when they seem very similar.

The exterior is kinda gross because my parking spot is under a tree - bird shit, pollen, mildew on the windows, dried pine needles stuck in the cracks. The interior could use a good vacuuming and maybe some dusting, but I don't eat, smoke or allow pets in there so it doesn't smell nasty and there aren't any stains. The seats are cloth (not leather) and the floor mats are missing. The hubcaps are scuffed and the body has a few small scratches and dents, so no amount of washing will make it look brand new. It would be nice if someone would slap a little paint on those minor imperfections, but it doesn't seem that detailing places actually do that.

lindsay l asked in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report

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  • Photo_on_2012-01-03_at_17
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    I would probably go for the detailing, because of all the stuff that is on your car. It will make it look way way better.

    I only say this, because I had mildew/mold growing on my car, because it was parked under a tree and I didn't drive it much for like a year and a half. I couldn't get the mold off just with car washing, so I had to get it detailed. It looked really fantastic when it was done! The guy who did it did a fabulous job that would have taken me weeks or months to do! I didn't get the inside detailed, because it was clean. Just the outside.

    I would say if you are going to sell it, just make it as clean as possible. You could buy some cheap floor mats to put in there to spruce it up. Vacuum the interior and make sure all the dust is gone. And maybe spray the seats with Febreeze or something so it smells fresh.

    Kristin Bell answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report
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  • Dscf6268_for_web_small
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    Detailing will almost always pay for itself when selling a used car. I like Derek's on Aurora, and they frequently run Groupon-type deals.

    mister_fusspot answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report
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  • 6521205-0-large_small
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    Both services wash your car and that's where the likeness ends. I've taken my car to Elephant and had it come out dirty. They are really bad.

    Detailing will make the car sparkle inside and out, but since it's unlikely to sparkle (no leather and old paint) it may not be worth it.

    Best thing to do for the price and results is take it to a DYI place (on 23rd for e.g.) and wash it and vacuum it.

    If you want someone to do it right, take it to a detail shop and get their cheapest option.

    infernactual answered in Cars & Motorcycles 10 months ago | Report
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