For proud car owners, simple wash won't do
Mike Iandoli is a self-confessed "car sicko." He's executive director of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, and the owner of -- count 'em -- six cars: 1969 Jaguar Roadster, 1961 Jaguar Mark II Sedan, 1995 Land Rover Defender, 1950 Willys Jeepster, 2007 Audi S4, and a 2001 Ferrari Maranello.
He takes pride in maintaining his vehicles, especially the Ferrari, which he regularly gets detailed. "It makes no sense to spend $150,000 or $250,000 on a car if you're not going to take care of it," said Iandoli. "It's like buying an expensive suit or watch; you want to make sure it lasts."
Whether it's for a Porsche or a Passat, today nearly 85 percent of the nation's approximately 17,000 car washes do some sort of detailing, according to the International Car Wash Association.
"As the price of cars increases and people keep their cars longer, they're detailing their vehicles more frequently," said Mark Thorsby, the group's executive director. "People feel better when their car looks good. It's an extension of their personality and persona."
Car detailing operations range from mobile (detail company comes to your home or office), express (while-you-wait service, often at car washes or auto dealerships) to full-fledged, site-based professionals who specialize in exterior and interior cleaning. Maintenance detailing, which is less through, typically costs between $50 and $80 and takes less than an hour. It's a bare bones cleaning meant to follow the more costly and complete restoration detailing, usually priced between $150 and $300.
"Restoration detailing is designed to return a vehicle to showroom condition," said Thorsby. "It covers everything -- vinyl or leather protection, rubbing compounds to take out minor scratches, dent repair of dings and chips, stain removal, and much more."
Detailing does more than clean your car. It helps preserve it by applying protectants and conditioners. Unlike the highly abrasive soaps used in drive-through car washes, a top-notch car detailing shop will hand-wash and hand-wax cars, often using deionized water to prevent spotting, then apply pure carnauba wax.
"I want my car detailer to hand-wash my car using a bucket of water and soft sheepskin-lined glove," said Iandoli. "I also make sure they are hand-waxing, not machine-waxing. A machine uses a buffing wheel that can cause swirl marks." Even if a buffing wheel is used, a good detailer will go over the vehicle afterward and remove the marks.
Show car detailing, often commissioned by classic car owners for competitions, can cost from $400 to $1,000, and often reach a fanatical point, said Don Taylor, author of the "Automotive Detailer's Handbook" (HP Books.)
Taylor, a Martinez, Calif.,-based author, said show car preparations can include steam cleaning of the engine as well as using fine brushes and swabs to dust every crack and crevice, inside and out. Leather on vintage cars often needs to be "fed" with linseed oil and saddle soap to keep it supple.
"After spending a quarter of a million dollars building or restoring a car, often the difference between Car A and Car B is how well-maintained and clean the car is when it hits the judging stand," said Taylor.
For the average car owner, however, getting the car detailed in the spring, after the harsh winter salt and sands, and again in the autumn, to prepare for the onslaught of the cold weather, is enough, said Taylor, with maintenance detailing in between as needed. Typically, detailers will offer various packages that start with basic washing and waxing of exteriors and a simple vacuuming and shampooing of interiors.
If your car is not just transportation but an investment, you'll want to consider more deluxe treatment, which can also include clay buffing to remove surface contaminants; cleaning and dressing rims, tires, and wheel wells; and cleaning and conditioning leather and vinyl.
"When you maintain your car, you are keeping its resale value," said Iandoli. "I don't feel right if I'm not in a clean car. McDonald's wrappers and cans rolling behind the back seat are not for me."
