Detailing prices come down to six things: the size of your vehicle, the condition it’s in, the scope of work, the specialist services added on, the products used and the time the job takes. Two quotes for a “full detail” can differ by hundreds of dollars because they describe different jobs. This guide shows how each factor moves a price, with published Australian ranges and our own package prices, so you can read a quote and know what you’re paying for.
TL;DR
- Vehicle size and paint condition are the two biggest drivers. Larger vehicles and neglected paint need more product, more labour and more time.
- Scope matters more than the label. “Full detail” has no fixed meaning, so compare the written list of inclusions, not the headline number.
- Paint correction, ceramic coatings and odour treatments are specialist services with their own prices, usually priced separately from a standard clean.
- Our packages are priced as ranges by vehicle size and condition, for example Deluxe Detail at $375–$575 and Ultimate Protection Package at $1,500–$2,200.
- A good quote names the areas covered, the exclusions and what happens if the car turns out dirtier than described.
Table of Contents
- The short version: why one detail costs $200 and another $2,000
- Vehicle size
- Condition: the factor that surprises people
- Scope: what “full detail” actually includes
- Specialist services: correction, coatings and odour treatment
- Products and equipment
- Location and mobile service
- Frequency and maintenance
- Our packages, and what drives each price
- Our perspective
- Reading a quote: a quick checklist
- Book a detail on the Sunshine Coast
- FAQ
- Sources
The short version: why one detail costs $200 and another $2,000
Detailing is mostly skilled labour, backed by specialist chemicals and equipment. Anything that adds hours or demands better materials adds cost. A 2026 Australian guide puts a mid-size sedan’s full detail at $180 to $420, averaging about $270, and says vehicle size and paint condition are the main reasons the number moves. Ceramic coating in the same guide runs from $800 to $3,700. That spread is the difference between cleaning a car and protecting its paint for years.
The sections below take each factor in turn, in roughly the order it affects your quote.
Vehicle size
A bigger vehicle has more paint to wash, polish and protect, more carpet to extract and more glass to clean. The same 2026 guide says size shifts average prices by 20 to 40 per cent. Its size table lists full interior-and-exterior details like this:
| Vehicle type | Full detail range |
|---|---|
| Hatchback or small sedan | $180–$280 |
| Mid-size sedan or wagon | $220–$320 |
| SUV or people mover | $280–$380 |
| Large 4WD or ute | $320–$420 |
The jump isn’t only surface area. Seven-seaters have a third row of seats and carpet. Dual-cab utes have large tubs and tall panels. Roof racks, bull bars and tow bars add awkward areas to clean by hand.
That’s why our published prices are ranges, not single numbers. Our Deluxe Detail and Revival Detail are priced at $375–$575 and $575–$775, and where your vehicle sits in the range depends on its size and condition.
Condition: the factor that surprises people
Two cars of the same model can need very different amounts of work. A garaged sedan with a light layer of dust is a different job from a family car with sand ground into the carpet, sunscreen stains on the seats and months of bird droppings on the bonnet.
Condition affects price in several ways:
- Paint contamination. Iron fallout, tar and bonded grime need chemical decontamination and a clay or similar step before polishing or coating. Skipping that step means sealing the contamination in.
- Paint defects. Swirl marks, light scratches and oxidation call for machine polishing. Coastal sun and salt air are hard on paint, so this is common locally.
- Interior soiling. Pet hair, spilled drinks, food and ingrained dirt need extraction, agitation and time.
- Odours. Smoke, mould, pet smells and spilled milk need treatment at the source, not just a fragrance.
A detailer who quotes properly will ask about condition up front, or ask for photos. One quote guide for Australian mobile detailers says terms should explain how the price changes if the vehicle’s condition, size or contamination level differs materially from what was described when you booked. That protects you as well as the detailer: you know the number before work starts, and you know what would change it.
Scope: what “full detail” actually includes
This is the most common reason quotes don’t match. A $150 “full detail” and a $450 “full detail” can be very different services. One may be a thorough wash, vacuum and wipe-down. The other may include decontamination, interior extraction, leather care and a protective sealant.
When comparing quotes, check these points:
- Exterior. Wash method, wheel and tyre cleaning, wheel arches, door shuts, decontamination, and what protection is applied at the end (wax, sealant, graphene or ceramic).
- Interior. Which areas are covered: seats, carpets, mats, dashboard, centre console, door trims, cup holders, boot and interior glass. One Australian detailing business advises that a quote should list these areas rather than just say “interior clean”.
- Extraction. Whether seats and carpets are hot-water extracted or only vacuumed.
- Exclusions. Common exclusions are severe mould, bodily fluids, excessive pet hair, heavy tar removal, paint correction, engine bay cleaning, roof lining cleaning and child seat cleaning, all quoted separately.
- Time. A job that takes 90 minutes and one that takes six hours aren’t the same service, whatever they’re called.
Our approach is to spell out what’s in each package, and our protection packages are designed as all-inclusive with no hidden extras. That makes it simpler to compare our written scope against anyone else’s.
Specialist services: correction, coatings and odour treatment
Some services sit outside a standard clean and are priced on their own.
Paint correction and cut and polish
Machine polishing removes a fine layer of damaged clear coat to level out swirls and scratches. The more defects, the more stages and the more hours. The 2026 LeadKit guide lists one-stage correction at $400 to $1,050 and two-stage correction at $600 to $1,350, with the top of each range for large 4WDs and utes. Dark colours show defects more and often take longer to finish well.
If your paint looks dull or hazy, our cut and polish service is the place to start. Because the work depends so heavily on what the paint needs, we assess the vehicle rather than publish a flat figure.
Ceramic coating
Ceramic coatings are a long-lasting layer of protection over the paint, and they’re the biggest single swing in any detailing budget. The same guide puts coating at $800 to $3,700. Prices vary with the product, the number of layers, the vehicle’s size and, importantly, the preparation. Paint must be decontaminated and usually polished first, because the coating locks in whatever is underneath.
Our ceramic coating service uses premium coatings applied by certified installers, and the price depends on your vehicle and the prep it needs.
Smaller add-ons
Not every extra is a big spend. Some of our add-ons are published as flat prices:
| Add-on | Price |
|---|---|
| Professional Mobile Underbody Wash | $50 |
| Fabric Guard | $25 per seat |
| Leather ceramic coating | $50 per seat |
These scale with your vehicle. Fabric Guard on a two-seater costs less than on a seven-seater, which is the size factor again, just in smaller steps. Our ozone deodorisation and odour elimination services are for smells that cleaning alone won’t shift, and we quote those on the vehicle’s needs.
Products and equipment
Professional chemicals, pads, extraction machines, polishers and coatings cost far more than supermarket products, and quality varies by tier. Higher-end coatings and sealants cost more per bottle, and a careful detailer uses them sparingly and correctly, which takes skill.
Products also shape how a job is done. We use eco-friendly products, which matters if you have kids or pets in the car, or you simply prefer fewer harsh chemicals going onto your driveway or the ground at the beach. Product quality is one of the reasons a workshop-grade finish costs more than an express wash.
Location and mobile service
A mobile detailer brings the workshop to you, so travel, equipment and setup are part of the job. Some mobile services add a travel surcharge that grows with distance. If you’re comparing providers, ask whether the quote includes travel and whether the job needs access to water and power.
The upside is the time you save. You don’t drop the car off, arrange a lift or go without it for the day. We come to your home, workplace or even a beach car park across the Sunshine Coast, and you carry on with your day.
Frequency and maintenance
How often a car is detailed changes what each visit costs. A vehicle that’s been properly detailed and protected is easier to clean next time: dirt releases more easily from coated paint, and a treated interior resists staining. Regular maintenance details tend to be quicker than a restoration of a neglected car.
That’s the thinking behind our packages. Our Ultimate Protection Package at $1,500–$2,200 is built around protecting the vehicle after it’s been properly cleaned and prepared.
Our packages, and what drives each price
Here’s how our published packages map to the factors above. Prices were read from our site in September 2026, and each is a range by vehicle size and condition.
| Package | Price | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Deluxe Detail | $375–$575 | A regular, thorough interior and exterior clean |
| Revival Detail | $575–$775 | A car that needs real restoration work |
| Graphene spray sealant coating package | $339–$739 | Added gloss and protection for clean paint |
| The “Holy Grail” detail | $600–$1,000 | A deeper detail for enthusiasts |
| Ultimate Protection Package | $1,500–$2,200 | Long-term protection after full preparation |
For the current inclusions and prices, check each package page before you book.
Our perspective
Most people ask us “how much for a detail?” and the honest first answer is “it depends what you want the car to be afterwards.” A clean car and a protected car are different outcomes, and they take different amounts of work.
We built our packages around finished results rather than a list of cheap tasks. Every vehicle we work on gets a written scope, so you know what’s included before we arrive. Our protection packages are all-inclusive with no hidden extras, and we back our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
We believe the best value comes from doing the preparation properly. Decontamination, correct polishing and quality coatings take time, and that’s where workshop-grade results come from. We bring that standard to your driveway, office or beach, using eco-friendly products that are suited to families and pets.
If you’re weighing up quotes, ask each provider the same questions: what’s included, how long will it take, and what happens if the car is dirtier than described. We’re happy to answer those for any vehicle.
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Reading a quote: a quick checklist
Before you say yes to any detailing quote, make sure it covers the following:
- Your vehicle’s make, model and its condition as the detailer sees it
- The tasks included, listed by area, not just “interior detail”
- The exclusions and what they’d cost if needed
- The price, what’s included in it and how long it stays valid
- How a change in scope is handled, and who approves it
A quote template guide recommends recording vehicle identity, observed condition, included tasks, exclusions, price, validity and approval for any scope change, and naming areas and limits rather than relying on a phrase like “interior detail”. Quotes that do this are easy to compare. Ones that don’t are usually hard to compare for a reason.
Photos of the vehicle and reviews of the detailer’s past work also help you judge whether a price fits the job.
Book a detail on the Sunshine Coast
If you’d like a clear price for your vehicle, we’ll look at its size, condition and what you want from the finish, then tell you what’s involved. Start with the Deluxe Detail and Revival Detail packages, or see everything we offer on our website.
We come to your home, workplace or favourite spot on the coast, so the car gets looked after while you get on with your day.
FAQ
How much does a car detail cost in Australia?
Published 2026 ranges vary widely. One guide lists mid-size sedan full details at $180 to $420, while ceramic coating runs into the thousands. The price depends on vehicle size, condition and exactly what’s included. Our own packages are listed with their ranges on our website.
Why do two quotes for a “full detail” differ so much?
The label doesn’t define the work. One quote might cover a wash, vacuum and wipe-down, while another includes decontamination, extraction and paint protection. Compare the written list of inclusions and the time allowed.
Is paint correction included in a standard detail?
Usually not. Paint correction is commonly listed as an exclusion that’s quoted separately, because it takes extra hours and skill. If your paint has swirls or looks dull, ask for cut and polish to be quoted alongside the detail.
Does a bigger vehicle cost more to detail?
Yes. More paint, glass, carpet and seating mean more product and time. Size moves average prices by around 20 to 40 per cent in one 2026 guide. Our prices are ranges for this reason, and add-ons like Fabric Guard are priced per seat.