Exterior Detail. Decontaminated. Sealed.
Exterior Detail is the paint-side reset. Foam pre-soak, 2-bucket hand wash, iron + tar chemical decon, clay-bar pass, wheels + tires + exhaust, 6-month synthetic sealant. Four vehicle-size tiers (no Compact — Compact cars get folded into Complete pricing). Same price mobile or shop.
Pricing
Four tiers (Medium through XXL). Compact vehicles fold into Complete Detail pricing.
| Tier | Price | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | $130 | ~2-3 hours labor |
| Large | $190 | ~3-4 hours labor |
| XL | $225 | ~4-5 hours labor |
| XXL | $285 | ~5-6 hours labor |
In every Exterior Detail
- Foam pre-soak + 2-bucket hand wash
- Wheel + wheel-well + tire scrub
- Iron + tar chemical decon
- Clay-bar paint decon
- Exhaust tip polish
- Tire + trim dressing (matte, not greasy)
- Exterior glass — streak-free
- 6-month synthetic sealant on paint
What this isn't
- Paint correction — $120/hr custom add-on (quoted on inspection)
- Ceramic coating — separate quote (see /services/ceramic-coating/)
- Headlight restoration — $75 add-on or $120 standalone
- Engine bay clean — $75 add-on or $120 standalone
- Undercarriage wash — $75 add-on or $120 standalone
Common pairings
Add at booking or any time before the appointment.
How a Exterior Detail runs
Foam pre-soak
Foam cannon pre-soak strips loose dirt + lifts bonded debris off the paint without contact. Cuts swirl risk in the wash step.
2-bucket method
Wash mitt in the soap bucket, rinse mitt in the rinse bucket. Keeps grit off the paint between panels.
Iron + tar + clay-bar
Chemical iron remover dissolves embedded brake dust. Tar remover lifts road tar. Clay-bar pulls bonded contamination the chemicals didn't catch.
Sealant + wheels + trim
6-month synthetic sealant on paint (upgrade to ceramic if booked). Wheels, tires, trim dressed. Glass cleaned last.
Exterior Detail FAQ
Why no Compact tier?
Compact vehicles (Mini, 911, 2-door sports cars) generally come in for a Complete Detail rather than Exterior-only — the labor difference between Exterior + Interior on a Compact is small enough that Complete is almost always better value. If you specifically want Exterior-only on a Compact, text us and we'll quote it.
What's the difference between Exterior Detail and adding a polish?
Exterior Detail is wash + decon + sealant. The +$120 polish add-on layers a single machine-polish pass on top — gloss reset that removes light swirls and oxidation. For deeper defects use the $120/hr paint correction line (single-stage 2-4 hrs, multi-stage 4-8+ hrs). We tell you on inspection which level your paint needs.
Will this remove swirls?
Sealant won't remove swirls — it adds gloss + sheds water. The +$120 polish add-on removes light swirls + oxidation. Paint correction at $120/hr removes deeper defects. We'll tell you on inspection what level your paint needs.
How long does the sealant last?
~6 months of hydrophobic + UV protection from the synthetic sealant. Ceramic coating (P&S STOUT or STEK Final Coat) extends that to 5+ years if you want the long-term option.
Mobile or shop?
Same price. Mobile across all 9 Bay Area counties — we bring water + power. Shop at 3425 Ettie St Oakland — drop off, grab coffee, pick up.
How do I prep?
For mobile: clear the driveway or parking spot. We'll bring everything else. For shop: drop off any time during business hours and we'll text when ready.
Add ceramic to lock in the gloss.
Sealant gives you ~6 months of hydrophobic protection. P&S Inspiration STOUT ceramic gives you 5 years, 107° contact angle, full UV layer. The ceramic upgrade pays back over the life of the car.