Short answer: A car detailing price list typically runs from $50 for a basic wash and vacuum to $300 for a full interior and exterior detail, with add-ons like ceramic coating or pet hair removal costing extra. Prices depend on vehicle size, condition, and whether you book mobile or shop service.
Car detailing price list by service type
Here's what a typical car detailing price list looks like in Tampa:
- Basic exterior wash and interior vacuum: $50 to $80
- Basic detail (wash, vacuum, wipe-down, tire shine): $50 to $125
- Full interior and exterior detail: $150 to $300
- Interior-only deep clean: $100 to $200
- Exterior-only detail with wax: $75 to $150
Industry pricing data puts a basic car detail between $50 and $125, while a full interior plus exterior detail typically lands between $150 and $300. Where you fall in that range depends on your car's size, how dirty it is, and what the pro includes in the package.
SUVs and trucks cost more than sedans because there's more surface area and more seats to clean. A minivan with three rows of cloth seats takes longer than a two-door coupe, and pros price accordingly.
What affects your final price
No two cars cost the same to detail. A few things move the number up or down:
Vehicle size. Sedans are cheapest. SUVs, trucks, and vans usually add $10 to $40 to the base price.
Condition. Dog hair embedded in carpet, spilled coffee, or months of dust take longer to remove than a car that just needs a refresh. Heavier soil means more labor, which means a higher quote.
Interior material. Leather seats often cost more to condition properly than cloth. If your leather is cracked or stained, expect an upcharge for conditioning treatment.
Location of service. Mobile detailers who come to your driveway sometimes charge a small convenience fee, while shop drop-off pricing can run slightly lower since the pro isn't hauling water and equipment to you.
If you want a full breakdown of what drives cost up or down, this guide on how much car detailing costs walks through it in more detail.
Basic detail vs full detail vs interior-only
Most car detailing price lists break services into three tiers:
Basic detail covers a hand wash, tire shine, window cleaning, and a quick vacuum. It's a good option if your car just needs upkeep, not a deep clean. Expect to pay $50 to $125.
Full detail is the most requested package. It includes everything in a basic detail plus shampooing carpets and seats, cleaning air vents, conditioning leather or vinyl, cleaning the engine bay in some packages, and applying wax or sealant to the paint. This runs $150 to $300.
Interior-only detail skips the exterior entirely and focuses on carpets, seats, dashboard, and door panels. It's popular for people who spend a lot of time in their car, or who just had a mess to clean up. This lands around $100 to $200.
A guy in Tampa booked a full interior detail on a Thursday morning after his golden retriever had claimed the back seat for six months. He sent us a photo afterward. The seat looked brand new, no more hair, no more smell.
Mobile detailing vs shop pricing
Mobile detailing means the pro comes to your home or office with a water tank, vacuum, and supplies. Shop detailing means you drop your car off at a fixed location.
Mobile detailing usually costs about the same as shop pricing, sometimes a bit more for the convenience of not having to drive anywhere. The tradeoff is time savings versus a small premium. If your building doesn't allow water use in the parking lot, some mobile pros work around this with waterless or low-water techniques.
One thing to check either way: does the price include water and power, or do you need to provide access? Most mobile pros bring their own supply, but it's worth confirming before booking so there are no surprises on service day.
According to the EPA's guidance on car washing runoff, washing at home can send soap and grime straight into storm drains, which is one reason many mobile detailers use reclaim systems or biodegradable products. It's worth asking what a pro uses if you care about runoff.
Add-on services and their costs
Beyond the standard packages, most price lists include optional add-ons:
- Ceramic coating: a premium paint protection option, priced separately from standard detailing
- Headlight restoration: often $30 to $75 depending on the shop
- Pet hair removal: sometimes bundled into interior detailing, sometimes a separate line item if the hair is heavily embedded
- Engine bay cleaning: typically an add-on to a full detail package
- Odor removal or ozone treatment: priced separately for smoke smell or mildew
Add-ons can push a detail from the $150 range into the $250 or $300 range fast, so it's worth asking upfront which extras you actually need versus what's being upsold.
How to get accurate pricing before you book
The biggest complaint people have about car detailing isn't the price, it's not knowing the price until the job is already done. That's a real problem with phone-based booking, where quotes are estimates that change once the pro sees your car in person.
On Wind, every detailer listing shows the exact price and how long the service takes before you book anything. There's no back-and-forth over text trying to pin down a number, and no surprise charges added on after the fact. You see the price, you book it, and that's what you pay.
If you're comparing options, it helps to look at a few detailers side by side rather than booking the first one you find. Pricing for the same package can vary by $50 or more between pros depending on experience and demand. You can compare car detailing costs across Tampa before deciding which package fits your budget.
Tipping and paying for car detailing
Tipping isn't required, but it's common for a job well done, especially if your car needed extra work. Ten to twenty percent is standard for services that meet or beat expectations.
On Wind, you don't need cash or a separate app to tip. Once the detailer marks the job complete, you get an in-app prompt to add a tip if you want to, and it charges the card already saved to your account. No awkward cash exchange in a parking lot, no Venmo requests after the fact.
Payment itself works the same way. You see the price upfront, the pro completes the job, and your saved card is charged through the app. No invoices, no chasing payment, no calls.
For comparison, other home services follow similar pricing logic. Average house cleaning costs run $120 to $235 depending on home size, which shows how much service pricing depends on scope and time, not just the category of work.
The International Detailing Association notes that pricing consistency across the industry has improved as more detailers move to itemized, transparent pricing models rather than vague estimates. That shift is part of why platforms showing upfront pricing have become more popular with drivers who got burned by surprise fees in the past.
Common questions
How much does a full car detail cost?
A full interior and exterior detail typically costs $150 to $300. The exact price depends on vehicle size, how dirty the car is, and which add-ons you choose.
Is mobile detailing more expensive than shop detailing?
Mobile detailing is usually priced similarly to shop detailing, sometimes with a small premium for the convenience of the pro coming to you instead of you driving to a shop.
What's included in a basic detail?
A basic detail usually includes an exterior wash, tire shine, window cleaning, and a quick interior vacuum. It runs $50 to $125 and skips deeper interior work like shampooing seats.
Do I need to tip a car detailer?
Tipping isn't required but is common for good work, typically 10 to 20 percent. On Wind, you can tip directly in the app after the job is marked complete, no cash needed.
Why do prices vary so much between detailers?
Prices vary based on vehicle size, condition, materials used, and how much labor a job requires. Comparing a few listings side by side with upfront pricing is the easiest way to find a fair rate.
Can I see the exact price before booking a detailer?
Yes. On Wind, every detailer listing shows the exact price and estimated duration before you book, so there are no surprise charges after the job is done.