Car Washing vs Car Detailing: Pros and Cons

Car Washing vs Car Detailing

Pros and Cons

If you ever wanted to clean your car, I’m sure you’ve asked the question: Do I need a detail or will going to a car wash work alright? Maybe you’re thinking that your car isn’t too bad. Well, this article will give you the pros and cons to both a car wash and car detail (and hopefully convince you that car detailing is worth it).

Here are the HUGE differences in the two ways that you can rejuvenate you car:

Car Wash Pros and Cons

We’ll start off with the Pros and Cons of the good ol’ car wash:

Pro: Speedy Service

• A car wash is usually in-and-out. It’s like going through the drive-thru, but instead your burger is a semi-clean car! It’s always a good choice if you need a quick exterior, like in between storms or if you need to look fancy in a jiffy. It’s a speedy choice for the interior, if you can manage to get out the car and vacuum, because they usually have larger vacuum heads that will get all the surface-level dirt.  

Con: Not a Complete Clean

• Don’t get me wrong, a car wash will make the exterior shinier in the light of the sun. However, with all the intricate parts of a car, it’s hard to for a car wash to complete the job. They usually don’t clean off brake dust on the wheels, the dust on the engine, or help you get the reeking smell out of the carpets. If you’re satisfied with a 50-65% clean, then a car wash is for you!

Pro: Budget-Friendly

• On average a car wash costs $10-50 depending on the package you get, according to 4seasonsautodetailing

• If the look of your car is making you cringe a bit and you just need to get it cleaned, but it’s not in the budget, a car wash is a great place to clean it! It’s not an essential need, but sometimes we like to be organized and clean in life, so for around $30 you can fulfill that want at an affordable cost.

Con: Cheap Cleaning

• I’ve mentioned how a car wash doesn’t completely clean a car, but it also uses cheap chemicals and inefficient processes. For example, they might say they use a ceramic coat wax to entice you for a premium package. But, that’s not a real ceramic coating process and may just be an oversell on a car wash! Even for some exterior car washes they’ll barely dry the vehicle afterwards and leave tough water spots.

Pro: Monthly Subscriptions

• Car washes offer subscriptions services that allow people to have unlimited car washes for a monthly fee. For some people, that’s convenient and allows them to worry less about paying when at a car wash! Usually the car washes offer a discount for a few months just to get hooked on the idea of keeping a car clean.

Con: Convenient but to a point…

• The illusion of conveniency may lead people to preferring a quick car wash, but it’s not entirely convenient. For one thing, a car wash is not mobile like some detailers are. If you wanted to clean your car you would drive to car wash, wait in line, and then get out to do the interior yourself. Also, when you get a wash and not a detail, you end up with leftover messes on a unsatisfactory clean. Sure the car will look clean and have a little shine, but only the surface level. 

  
  

Car Detailing Pros and Cons

Now lets shine some light on the Pros and Cons of getting a Car Detail:

Pro: Saves Your Energy

• Car detailing is a strenuous process to make sure your car is as clean as humanly possible. When you go to a car wash, you have to drive, wait in line, sit through the whole process, and may even get out to vacuum the inside. However, with a detail all you do is leave the car with the professional and let them put in the time and effort for a spotless clean. Even better, If you get a mobile detailing, all you have to do is contact the detailer and they travel to you! You save all that energy!

Con: Longer Wait Time

• Let’s say you had to use your car in the afternoon, but it was real dirty. If it’s already around noon, you wouldn’t be able to book a detail! You would probably have to rush around to a car wash and get out to clean the interior yourself! Because of the detailed process and labor that goes into a detail, it takes longer to complete the job. This may be an inconvenience to you, so it’s better to book a detail when you have extra time at home, or have a second vehicle to get you places.

Pro: Stain Removal and Protection

• There is little that car washes do about a tough stain. However, that’s one of the main benefits of a car detail. Detailers take extra care of a car’s paint and eliminate stains from the car’s interior. Instead of the scratchy clean that car washes use, detailers are careful and even have services such as paint correction, paint protection, and ceramic coating. Those services add protection for the future of your vehicle to make sure it STAYS CLEAN. Carpet extractors, steamers, and interior protectant (which are rarely seen at car washes) are used to remove sticky interior stains and add a protective layer.

Con: Better Clean at a Higher Cost

• According to NerdWallet, a car detailing can be $50-300 for a cleaning. There are even high end services that range around $300+ 

• Depending on the type of services you need, a car detail may be out of the budget. It can be expensive to take care of your car with everything it comes with: gas, insurance, and god-forbid a trip to the service shop. This makes keeping it clean another aspect of car ownership. So, if you’re spending more to keep your car clean, make sure you get your money’s worth whether through car detailing or going to the car wash. You could even contact a detailer and find the right package clean for you!

Pro: A clean that Lasts

• Cleaning all the hard-to-reach places, removing old stains, and adding protection makes car detailing is a clean that lasts. The amount of work that goes into a detail means there is a reason to get a detail in the first place. And that’s because of the long-lasting effects of a good smell, a shiny look, a protected car, and the pristine car look you get after a detail. The tools and products detailers use are superior to any car washes which leads to a more gratified clean.

Con: Once a Month Feeling

• Like most things in life, it is hard to keep a car clean. The amount of times people use their car, daily even, eventually leads to a disastrous spill or some unsightly scratches. That’s why a car detail may be a once a month feeling that you get before a car gets dirty again. It will last longer than a car wash, but things happen. That why some detailers offer maintenance detailing that takes car cleaning off your to do list, and automates it to help you follow a tidy lifestyle.