Besides price, how long one might be without their vehicle has to be the second biggest concern people have when getting their cars detailed. Now, if you have more than one vehicle and can get around quickly, this will be a non-issue. But for many people, being without even the option of hopping in their car can be a hassle. So here is a short article on how different extended services can take, on average.

One option to help is having a mobile detailer come out vs. dropping off at a shop. You don't have to worry about the drop-off and pick-up. Some shops even offer a ride or courtesy vehicle or will pay for an Uber or Lyft to make it more convenient.

Factors that Determined Time

Four main factors will determine how long a particular job will take. One is how big your vehicle is. A lifted Ford F350 will take longer than a Toyota Prius. The second factor is the condition. If your car has had two kids and a dog in for a month-long road trip, it will be a lot dirtier than a car that a single grandma takes to church on Sunday only. The third factor is what level of service you're having done. A simple wash & wax with a vacuum won't take as long as a full paint correction, with PPF & ceramic coating applied. The fourth factor is how many people the company will have working on it. Some assign one person to do each vehicle; others have teams or groups doing the service. We at Strong Auto Detail were a one-person mobile business for years, so our time is on the more extended size. According to IBIS World, the average car wash/detailing company size is 3.1 employees. the

Interior Detailing

For a 4-door sedan, in a normal dirty condition can take most companies 2-5 hours for a "full" interior detail.

Exterior Detailing

For that same 4-door sedan, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours without machine paint polishing/correction/or buffing.

Machine paint polishing/correction/or buffing can take 3- 10 hours on average. Then add on ceramic coatings or paint protection film(PPF), which adds more time.

Headlight Restoration

This is, in most cases, a more straightforward process and averages 1-1.5 hours.

Remember, the times above are only the average; it can vary from being quicker or taking longer to get done. This is meant only to give a rough idea before your appointment. Don't try to rush or have our detailer speed their process, whether they are mobile or shop, because this could cause spots or steps to be missed.

Thank you for reading, and let us know if you have any questions! If you are ready to schedule your next appointment and live in the Sioux City, IA area, fill out our booking forum here.