If you live in Arizona, you probably already know how tough it is to survive the sweltering heat, the burning sun, and even the occasional sand storms that rage through the desert. But your car, arguably one of your biggest investments, likely isn’t faring much better, either. Many Americans pride themselves on keeping their cars spotless, but you might need a helping hand when the weather goes to extremes to keep your car in perfect shape.
Therefore, you might end up searching “professional mobile car detailing near me” and wonder just how much that endeavor will cost. But – surprise – it might be a lot less than you might think.
Let’s delve into the costs of car detailing and how to pick the best mobile car detailer.
Average Car Detailing Costs
Now, if you don’t do your research quite right, you might find confusing results in terms of pricing for car detailing. For example, going to Google, which for many people is one of the most reliable sources of information, results in the average car detailing cost of around $175.
However, Google's figures are based on all car detailing companies around the Phoenix area, rather than the entire state. So, what’s the actual cost of mobile car detailing – with the word “mobile” here being the operative one – in Arizona?
As it turns out, it’s difficult to ascertain the exact average due to the sheer number of companies that offer the service. According to the IBIS World research from 2024, there are approximately 1,270 businesses offering car detailing and washing services in the country. But the research doesn’t necessarily specify whether they offer mobile car detailing, the conventional “you-go-to-them” service, or even if it's just a regular car wash.
With that in mind, in general, you should expect the base package for a “one-off” car detailing to go for at least $150 with prices increasing based on additional features added from there.
What Affects Mobile Car Detailing Prices?
There are several considerations to take into account when pricing a mobile car detailing service, which is typically based on the vehicle you own and its condition:
- Vehicle size or type: Trucks and SUVs have a significantly larger interior and exterior surface size than traditional sedans or hatchbacks. The size directly influences the amount of time and effort needed to clean the vehicle, which ramps up the price. Additionally, larger cars often have more interior compartments, nooks, and crannies, which all add to the complexity of deep cleaning.
- Condition: In general, it’s recommended to have the car detailed professionally at least twice a year (and even more in Arizona, which we’ll cover a bit later), but many car owners don’t do that. If the car is heavily soiled or dirty or regularly driven off-road, it will need much more work.
- Location and travel distance: As its name might suggest, a mobile car detailing service will drive to your garage or driveway to clean your car. That means you might have to pay extra for the time and fuel they spend in transit if you happen to pick a service that’s far away.
- Materials or equipment: Not every car detailer will use the same tools and products for cleaning. If the service uses high-grade equipment and higher-quality cleaners, that will likely be reflected in their pricing.
- Types of services: In most cases, the $150 price tag mentioned above only covers “basic” interior and exterior cleaning. While this will make your car look clean, it won’t give it that “showroom” look. Additional services such as spray ceramic or wax application, deep shampooing, and even headlight restoration and cleaning are extras you need to ask for and pay for separately.
- One-time vs. frequent customers: Most mobile car detailers and cleaners value repeat customers over one-off services. After all, they benefit from having a regular customer whose car needs only minimal work each month rather than a one-off cleaning that will take multiple hours to complete. On the other hand, regular detailing work means you’ll need to have it done much less thoroughly each time than if you wait until you need to take it to a car wash which can require more work. You can save you money in the long run.
- Market competition: Mobile car detailers in large cities can paradoxically charge both less and more than their peers in small towns. The price increase comes from the higher cost of renting space, tax, general operating costs, or higher demand and margins. The price lowering comes from increased competition.
- Experience and quality of work: Finally, companies that prove their worth with high-end services can justify pricing on the higher end. The aforementioned market competition will balance the price out eventually, though.
In the end, there’s only one reliable way to determine “interior car detailing near me prices,” and that’s by checking the services and seeing the results for yourself.
Why Do You Need Car Detailing?
Earlier on, we mentioned that cars in Arizona might need more detailing than usual. The reason for that is the sun and the fact that Arizona receives plenty of it. In fact, Arizona has the highest average number of sunny days, at over 85% of the time spent in sunshine. Yuma, Arizona is the world leader in the number of hours of sunlight in a year, with Phoenix taking the coveted second place.
All that sun can do severe damage to your vehicle through UV radiation. In fact, research has shown that car upholstery loses as much as 50% of its strength and tensity after being exposed to sunlight for 3,000 hours. That’s less than what Phoenix receives in a year, by the way.
And car detailing is one of the best ways to protect against sun damage. Apart from cleaning your vehicle, professional car detailing services will apply UV protection coats on your car upholstery and other interior surfaces, preventing them from cracking or fading. All you have to do is schedule a detailing service and marvel at the results.
