Field guide · 2025
Car detailing quote checklist for first-time customers
Car detailing quote checklist: use it to compare offers on equal terms. Every solid quote spells out the work, the products, the time, the state of your car and who pays if something goes wrong. If a quote leaves out any of those five, ask before you book.
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1. Scope: what exactly will be done
"Full detail" means different things at different shops. One may mean a wash and a vacuum. Another may mean paint correction and a deep interior clean. So ask the shop to list each job in writing.
For the outside, look for these lines: hand wash, wheels and tyres, clay bar, polish, wax or sealant. For the inside, look for vacuum, wipe-down of hard surfaces, leather or fabric clean, windows and boot. If something matters to you, such as pet hair or a smell, put it on the list by name.
Also check what is left out. Engine bays, headlights and stain removal are often extras. Ask whether they cost more.
2. Products and methods
You do not need to be an expert. You only need the shop to say what it will put on your car. Ask for the type of product, such as wax or ceramic coating, and how long the shop says it lasts.
Be careful with big promises. A coating that "lasts for years" is a claim by the seller. Ask what you need to do to keep it working, and whether the claim is in writing. If a shop cannot say what it uses, treat that as a warning sign.
Ask too whether the shop uses its own water and power, or yours. This matters for mobile detailers who come to your home.
3. Time and price
Ask three things about time. How long will the job take? When can you collect the car? What happens if the work runs late?
Under the Australian Consumer Law, if you and the detailer set no deadline, the job has to be finished in a reasonable period. What counts as reasonable depends on the work. A quick wash is very different from a multi-day paint job. Because the law leans on "reasonable", it helps to agree a time in writing and avoid a dispute later.
On price, ask for the total including GST. Ask what is included, what counts as an extra, and when you pay. Many shops ask for a deposit on larger jobs. Ask whether it is refundable and under what terms.
Be wary of a quote that is far below the rest. A low price may mean a smaller job, not a better deal. Put the quotes side by side and compare the lists, not just the totals.
4. Your car's condition before the work
Before the shop starts, you want a record of how the car looks. Walk around it together. Note scratches, chips, dents, cracked trim and any marks inside. Take dated photos on your phone, and ask the shop to note the same things on the job sheet.
This protects both sides. It stops a fight over damage that was already there. It also gives you proof if something is new when you collect the car.
Tell the shop about known problems too. Faded paint, peeling clear coat and cracked leather can react badly to strong polish or harsh cleaners. A careful detailer should tell you what is risky and what results are realistic. If the shop cannot promise a perfect result, it should say so before it starts.
5. Damage cover and your rights
Ask a direct question: if you damage my car, what happens? Look for an answer in writing. Ask if the shop carries insurance that covers customer vehicles in its care, and ask how to make a claim.
You also have rights that no sign or form can remove. The Australian Consumer Law says a service provider must use an acceptable level of care and skill. Their work must be at least as good as a competent provider with average skills and experience would deliver. They must also take reasonable steps to avoid causing loss or damage. The service must be fit for any purpose you stated, and any product that results must be too.
The ACCC says a business cannot avoid these guarantees by displaying a "no refunds" sign or by saying it is not responsible for problems with a service. If something goes wrong, the ACCC says your first step is to contact the business. Remedies can include repair, cancellation, a refund or compensation for loss, depending on the problem.
These guarantees have a price limit when the buyer is a business. For a business buyer, the ACCC says the service must cost less than $100,000 including GST, or meet another listed condition.
A short list to take with you
- A written list of each job, inside and out.
- The products and methods, with any durability claims in writing.
- The total price including GST, the extras, and the deposit terms.
- The drop-off and collection times.
- A signed record of your car's condition, plus your own photos.
- Who covers damage, and how you make a claim.
If a shop will not put these things in writing, that is useful information in itself. Another shop may be happy to.
Our own limit: the editors read what businesses and regulators publish. We do not test detailing services or products.