# Detailling market in the UK - $1100 for a polish and ceramic?



## NorthantsPete

So, im sitting here wondering why our detaillers are earnign £14k-30k, and why its not as crazy as the states - are we missing something?

Watching wheeler dealers, Mike takes the corvette to a well known detailer, how in my eyes, is not the best, hes a businessman, he runs a business and makes a healthy profit ,cars in cars out. He uses Meguirs products readily available.

I cant help think theres a bit of smoke and mirrors here, or the americans pay better for labour... I wonder if this model could be replicated in the UK

Maybe the in the coteswolds or somewhere posh like Windsor... detailling for mega bucks


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## \Rian

We do have high end detailer hear in the UK, but the view is greatly different, in the UK people want a cheap valet not a expensive detail, when I mentioned in work that a detailer is different to a valet I was met with shock.

Unfortunately the way the UK is going is most people that would need a detail have leased cars and don’t give a crap, a guy in work has a brand new merc and it was filthy, when I said you should be keeping it clean he said he didn’t care as it want his, and he would just stick it though a car wash.

US is much bigger and diverse than the UK

Hear in my local town we have many valets who are always busy, one guy was boasting how he done 14 mini valets in one day, that’s the problem, consumerism must change but that’s unlikely


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## NorthantsPete

Maybe the Waitrose crowd who like to pay over the odds for something that's obtainable cheaper may be the crowd.

Maybe not the range rovers going through back lanes but the aston martin owners


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## Shiny

That's £850. I'm sure there are plenty of detailers that charge that sort of money for a full correction and ceramic in the UK. 

How much time did he spend working on the car?


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## NorthantsPete

Shiny said:


> That's £850. I'm sure there are plenty of detailers that charge that sort of money for a full correction and ceramic in the UK.
> 
> How much time did he spend working on the car?


It looked like not very long tbh... couple of hours tops


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## \Rian

NorthantsPete said:


> Maybe the Waitrose crowd who like to pay over the odds for something that's obtainable cheaper may be the crowd.
> 
> Maybe not the range rovers going through back lanes but the aston martin owners


The waitros crowd likely can't tell the difference between a 2bm wash and an automatic car wash lol and would not likely want to spend that much on their run around to keep clean,

As mentioned there are high-end detailer but there just isn't a market for it in the UK compared to USA, its a shame and im not saying this to argue with you as I wish this wasnt the case but sadly it is


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## Derekh929

Wow what's with the stereotyping Waitrose customers, I shop mostly at Lidl and asda but use M&S on occasion as a tight Scot, so what category do I fall into:tumbleweed:
Cuey and Kerr excluded form this answer:lol:


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## Kerr

There's plenty of detailing companies in the UK. I can think of quite a few off the top of my head locally that charge the same if not more. 

You'd probably find once you take in head of population into account detailers probably aren't that much more common in the USA than here. 

Maybe it's more popular in certain parts of the USA, but most parts I've not seen this culture rife on the streets. The car shows6are amazing though. 


In some parts you'll see vastly more beaten up old cars than you will in the UK.


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## Kerr

Derekh929 said:


> Wow what's with the stereotyping Waitrose customers, I shop mostly at Lidl and asda but use M&S on occasion as a tight Scot, so what category do I fall into:tumbleweed:
> Cuey and Kerr excluded form this answer:lol:


Given your location I'd have put you in the shoplifter category. :doublesho


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## garage_dweller

There’s a detailer near my office charges between £495 and £1600 for applying ceramic pro. The £495 option doesn't include paint correction. He seems to be pretty busy. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Derekh929

Kerr said:


> Given your location I'd have put you in the shoplifter category. :doublesho


You do realise I don't stay in Livingston:lol:


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## \Rian

Derekh929 said:


> Wow what's with the stereotyping Waitrose customers, I shop mostly at Lidl and asda but use M&S on occasion as a tight Scot, so what category do I fall into:tumbleweed:
> Cuey and Kerr excluded form this answer:lol:


Generalization, we are talking in general not specifics, there will always be exceptions to the rule


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## Kerr

Derekh929 said:


> You do realise I don't stay in Livingston:lol:


Neither have I for about 20 years! It went downhill after I left. :lol:

You'll love the Asda, used to be, might still be, the biggest in the UK.

The shopping centre, outlets and retail park is much bigger than up here. Clearly enough people still pay.


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## big dave 666

I don't think it's about the money...to a degree. There's plenty of people driving supercars in this country and I'd bet one time or another some of them have seen an automated carwash, or have been washed on a Tesco carpark. I just think there's far less people over here who give a toss about their cars, whatever cars they drive. I've been going to the car auctions regularly since the 1980's, and certainly in the last 5-6 years it's alot more noticeable that the more expensive stuff, ie 0-5 years old are not looked after. Scratches, dents kerbed wheels..people just don't care anymore, because a car now is like a TV....gets to a certain age and then it becomes a disposable item.
That's what I think is the main difference between the UK and the USA....they have a much larger scene, and an awful lot more enthusiasts who are willing to spend on their car.
Tell anyone over here that it could take 40+ hours to perform a full paint correction and cost a grand or more, and they'll look at you like you've got two heads.

We have to remember....those of us on this site are in the vast minority!!


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## Derekh929

Kerr said:


> Neither have I for about 20 years! It went downhill after I left. :lol:
> 
> You'll love the Asda, used to be, might still be, the biggest in the UK.
> 
> The shopping centre, outlets and retail park is much bigger than up here. Clearly enough people still pay.


The best thing I see was all the cameras in the carpark I made sure they were all on my car:lol:

The shopping centre is all nicely done up know, never been in the Asda though


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## NorthantsPete

I cant get over on this show the prices of the cars! $3000 for a **** heap you wouldnt spend £200 on, $8000 for an old knackered mr2

The Lotus just got a valet by the same guy above, meguirs detailer range sprays that I use at the weekends, squirt on, rub, steam clean, $250


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