# rough price guide for machine polishing a car



## Harkus

just wondering but whats a rough price guide for machine polishing a car?

my mate wants me to do a full machine polish on his mrs focus st its white and its been key'd along the O/S not to deep bit of G3 and a good polish should sort it but wants me to do the whole car while im at it.

any help as what to charge would be great as i normally charge around £50 for it but been told its way to low by a few people.


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## TooFunny

What state is the paint in, are you going to need to compound and then refine?


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## Harkus

paint is in good condition. yeah thats the plan fella


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## TooFunny

If it's good nick but still needs a compound and then finishing so what are you looking at something like M105 on a polishing pad and 205 on a finishing pad? There a few hours work there I would say you want to be looking at £100 mates rates easily to be fair! Especially if you're going to finish it off with a nice sealant or wax!

P.S he must also fully furnish you with drink and bacon sarnies throughout the process!


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## bigmc

A rough guide is anywhere between £60 and £500 if it's a normal sized car.


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## Dixondmn

£200 for an enhancement detail
£250 for a correction detail


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## Harkus

i normally give it a full machine polish and then finish off with a dodo juice hard candy wax. he always send his biys to me and ive mopped a good few cars including a noble and a few exotics. as i said its just a focus st in white so was just trying to get a rough idea as to what most people would charge


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## TooFunny

Jesus, this is a mate he's talking about!


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## bigmc

I don't charge good mates/family for my time, I just point them in the way of the off licence and tell them how much product is.


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## TooFunny

bigmc said:


> I don't charge good mates/family for my time, I just point them in the way of the off licence and tell them how much product is.


This! :thumb:


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## Harkus

i dont drink i work the doors in town every weekend so dont drink much no more as i dont go out, dont charge for the compund i get all that free from work , he knows im a busy man so always offers a bit of cash i say no but may as well talk to a brick wall but as its his mrs car he said charge her so... must niot like her much lol


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## TooFunny

Thats weird coz I do drink much and I too find myself calling it the weeend when I'm piddles too ;-) :thumb:


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## Harkus

meant weekend... typo my bad


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## TooFunny

Harkus said:


> meant weekend... typo my bad


I was joking fella! :thumb:


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## Harkus

i know dude


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## AaronGTi

For a single stage machine polish from a PRO you're looking at easily £300.
Any cheaper and the detailer won't be making any money really...


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## AllenF

Mates only pay Peanuts for chemicals.
Never know when you may want to call a favour in .
Normally anything upto 250 300 quid though depends what colour what state how nice she is etc etc


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## sean20

iv always been told charge what you think your worth but it is hard when it comes to friends 
iv got a mates astra estate to do in black in a few weeks and the paint work is in a real mess but im also doing all the interior taking all the seats out and replacing with another set so a good 2 days work but its for my best mate that iv known all my life so iv just told him to cover the cost of some of the chemicals ect i use plus hes passed me on quite a few jobs


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## stangalang

They provide the nutrition and entertainment, nothing more. 

If you are charging and need to ask how much on a forum, you don't "really" need that money


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## Kingshaun2k

Charge by the hour!?


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## The Cueball

£8,000

:thumb:


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## Gizmo68

All depends on your training, skill, tools and products used.

As a relative novice using basic kit then beer money is about your limit IMO, this obviously changes if you have had some pro training and have the right gear.

It’s all well and good charging £100+ to machine polish a car, but have you also got the necessary insurance or very deep pockets in case you screw it up?


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## bigmc

Why does the machine, a training course and expensive products make a difference? Is a silverline rotary or a paltry das6 and off the shelf product not good enough to polish some cars?


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## suspal

The Cueball said:


> £8,000
> 
> :thumb:


most expensive car wash in the world pmsl :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Gizmo68

The emphasis is on the skill of the person, if its all self taught then the owner is the guinea pig and therefore should not be paying top whack.

The tools used per say are not an issue, but yes if they are using a £30 Silverline polisher coupled up with a bottle of T Cut and no paint depth cage it’s all going to be pretty much trial and error.

You can also get a pretty good idea of someones skill by looking at his tools, someone worth his salt will not be using a Silverline polisher or have a toolbox full of Hilka tools etc to make their living.

There will always be someone with ‘all the gear and no idea’ mind, so just because you have the ‘correct’ tools doesn’t mean you know how to use them!

There is a market for this sort of thing, but expect to pay £10’s of pounds rather than £100’s

Personally even after owning a half decent Makita polisher and having spent a day on a training course I would still not be charging hundreds for my work (pay for the products used and a drink for my time)

Just because the product you are using cost YOU nothing, they are still costing your boss, I will not go any further on that subject as it’s a different argument altogether that I do not want to get into.


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## bigmc

Self taught or not it's results that matter, there's a lot of self taught amateurs on here that would put some of the pros to shame, my old boss was oxford educated but was as much use as **** on a bull!
Tools do not make a good job, the person weilding the tools do, if I'd never held a polisher before and went out and bought a flex or festool then I take it I'd be ok?


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## AllenF

Well said i totally agree and to add further to that.
If you screw it up do you blame yourself , the paint, the tools , someone who previously did it?????
Its all in the person, you can have all the training in the world but still be useless.
Nothing wrong with a silverline same as a rupes or a flex or a makita its how its used not what it is, results matter.
The more expensive the tool the more comfortable it is to use.
I have recently had to update my old sealy due to not being able to get parts for it any more mind you after 20 years what do you expect, ( admittidlly i did "aquire" it as being the one i leant on lol) the new one took some getting used to but its technique also.


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## Gizmo68

No, as I pointed out with the ‘all the gear and no idea’ comment.

Self taught is fine… just don’t charge a pro’s price whilst you are doing your practise!


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## VdoubleU

I got a quote for mine to be machine polished at £45 but that was from some one we've given loads of work to in the past but if it's for a friend enough for the products? and a nice meal ha


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## moxy89

Do it for free or jsut get him round and have a laugh for the day. I had to to do six of my mates cars last week, all came round at the same time on each car, was a top laugh they chucked me a little bit of cash but was more for the banter and jsut being together with the motors, what we enjoy most


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## Dave KG

bigmc said:


> Self taught or not it's results that matter, there's a lot of self taught amateurs on here that would put some of the pros to shame, my old boss was oxford educated but was as much use as **** on a bull!
> Tools do not make a good job, the person weilding the tools do, if I'd never held a polisher before and went out and bought a flex or festool then I take it I'd be ok?


Could not have put it better myself - there's far too much bull about having all the gear and the fancy website and talking the talk about being "pro" ... none of this makes a good detailer...


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## furby-123

depending on a cars condition it would take me between 10 to 14 hours normally, never charged anyone more than £120 because it was a mini bus covered in scratches and swirls and took me nearly 20hours from start to finish. for a good mate i'd do a car for £60-£80 depending on size and condition


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## james_death

A simple way despite whatever experience you have is charge whatever your paid by the hour for your normal job, at the least.

The fact your doing it on your time having worked a full week should actually be double.

This is irrespective of experience or mates etc, if they feel happy enough for you to do then charge at least what you would be paid for going to work normally.

Its up to you if you charge for your work or do it totally free.

The above however is a very simple guide simply taking into account just the time taken.


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## Damien

james_death said:


> A simple way despite whatever experience you have is charge whatever your paid by the hour for your normal job, at the least.
> 
> The fact your doing it on your time having worked a full week should actually be double.
> 
> This is irrespective of experience or mates etc, if they feel happy enough for you to do then charge at least what you would be paid for going to work normally.
> 
> Its up to you if you charge for your work or do it totally free.
> 
> The above however is a very simple guide simply taking into account just the time taken.


That's exactly what I do. Friends & family cars are free though as they alway have the decency to throw something your way when your done. They're also the cars that you can try out new products and combos etc.

There's plenty of info of safe techniques for washing, polishing etc on here and else where. Take your time, do it safe, do it right and charge what you would be happy paying for the same amount and level of work.

Damien


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## shinyporsche

When I look at all the incredible before and after examples here, and the skill and experience that goes into it, and then remember how expensive many of the products are, and consider you need to run a unit and pay rent, electricity and water charges...

I can't see how you can do that for very much less than £50 per hour.


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## andy665

I'm doing a friends Porsche 911 next week, clay, machine polish, topped with Permanon, glass done, wheels off and cleaned back and front, arches cleaned, engine bay cleaned, interior fully cleaned, carpets cleaned, leather treated - so a fairly full job

Will charge circa £150 - represents much better value for him than a professional doing it and it will look significantly better than when I started plus it makes me enough for it to be worth my while

I only work on cars that appeal to me, already done his Morgan 3 wheeler and his Plus 8


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## deegan1979

i had a quote to have a enhancement detail on my st, 2 stage polish. and lsp was £450.


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## JakeVW

I got a quote on mine a few weeks back for a machine polish and wax, was told £200 at mates rates. 

Oh thats on a 1996 vw polo.


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## JamieB911

I was quoted £400 for a 911 already in decent condition! Bought all the kit & did it for less


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## woodym3

work yourself an hourly rate out, say £10/£12 per hour and take it from there.


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## asboman

If it was for a good mate who helps me out a lot, then I'd just tell him he owed me a favour, I'd also demand an endless flow of tea & a bacon sandwich, but if it was just for a mate who I don't have contact with all that much then I'd ask for £100 as its gonna be a 12 hour day


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## murkeywaters

Thing is most people have never worked for themselves and they just don't realize how much time and money is spent away from the actual job and this adds a lot to the customer costings - mates or not.

I'am a wedding photographer and what I charge per wedding looks a hefty sum for 1 days work in some peoples eyes, but what the average Joe don't see is all the editing for days on end, the cost of advertising, websites, camera & computer equipment, insurances, meetings with wedding couples, book keeping, album building, endless emails, still working at 1.00am and the biggest one of all *a guarantee of a professional service*

Lots of the above I imagine cross over with professional detailing so when you book a full correction don't just think of the time spent working on your car but all the behind the scenes work to keep that business running and of course *a guarantee of a professional service.*


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## Jdm boy

If it was me I would just get your friend too cover the costs of the products used (what maybe £40?) and then if he wants too give you a few pound for yourself all well and good 

I know the brother did just a machine polish and wax and he charged about €120 (£100) for a day amd a bits work which I thought was fair enough?!

I wonder how much the pros charge for a full enhancment/correction? Like the ones that do the lambos and ferraris etc etc


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