Car Wash vs. Car Detailing

“I just need a quick wash!”

“I know a guy who’ll do it for less”

“That’s expensive! The car wash up the street charges $20! What makes you so special?!”

Whew! Hello there! We have a fun one for you folks! Twice, thrice, ten, twenty times a day we at Karma Detailing have to address some form or another of the question: “why do you charge the price you do, and – more importantly – what’s in it for me?”. Well, glad you asked! Join us as we demystify our automotive care process, and help you decide whether detailing is right for you. Let’s get started! 

What is Detailing? 

Larry Kosilla is the face of AMMO NYC; an industry thought leader, and a major influence on our approach to automotive detailing here at Karma. In his landmark “AMMO Training Academy” video series*, Larry defines Detailing as: “Restoring a vehicle to its original or better condition”. This is a guiding principle Karma embraces as our mission statement on every job we accept. This will be important later.

*Check out Ammo here!: https://www.youtube.com/@AMMO-NYC 

**No, they are not paying us for this. Seriously. We just think they’re awesome.

The Art of Automotive Detailing: 

At the heart of professional detailing lies a clear, measurable goal – to restore your vehicle to its original condition or better. It's a nuanced endeavor that encompasses both art and science. Under the watchful eye of a detailer, harmful surfactants are removed, interior leathers and plastic gain a second lease on life, and your vehicle as a whole shines brighter than the day it left the dealership lot. This process isn't merely cosmetic; it's a commitment to preserving your car's integrity and value.

“I just need a quick wash”

In 2023, almost every street corner of any major city will feature an in-n-out operation offering you a quick wash, often for less than the price of a good coffee. These are fine, respectable businesses, and we at Karma wish them all the success in the world. But for comparison’s sake, I’d like to dive deeper into to why “a quick wash” is not a service offered by Karma, and the hidden costs associated with a “quick wash”.

There are many reasons we will explore in a future post. But for now, I’d like to recall each time you’ve been in line at a mechanical car wash a few slots behind a heavily soiled Ford F-150 covered in construction debris. Now, visualize the brushes making contact with each surface on that vehicle as it passes through the machinery and ask yourself: all the gravel, all the wood chips, all the glass particles embedded in the muddy trim, where did that all go? Most of it will end up in the catch basin of the car wash. BUT. Some trace amount of that debris will end up in the fibres of the brush. And all it takes is ONE piece to turn that brush into a spinning wheel of death. Your “quick wash” has now destroyed the protective coating and cost you thousands of head-earned dollars in paint corrections. You get the message, and we haven’t even started on track damage to rims, water spots, paint etching, the list goes on. 

For the “tl;dr” crowd: your quick wash has left your vehicle in MUCH worse condition than it started in. And herein lies the biggest difference between a Quick Wash and a Detail. 

Protect your investment: Experience the difference a little Karma can make  

Alex Hormozi, founder of Gym Launch and author of the mega-viral “$100m Leads”, has said that “the business that offers the most value wins”. We at Karma are committed to being that business for you. A heartfelt Thank You to each and every one of you giving us the opportunity to prove it.