A basic wash runs $50 to $100. A full interior and exterior detail lands somewhere between $150 and $400. Ceramic coating adds $600 to $2,200 depending on the product and how much correction your paint needs, and paint protection film starts around $500 for a partial front package and climbs past $4,000 for full-vehicle coverage. That’s the short version. The long version depends on your car, your city, and how long it’s been since anyone touched the interior.
If you’re trying to figure out what you should actually be paying (not just the number a shop throws out over the phone), here’s the real breakdown for BC in 2026.
Quick Answer: Average Price Ranges
| Service | Typical BC Price Range |
| Basic wash | $50 – $100 |
| Full interior + exterior detail | $150 – $400 |
| Ceramic coating | $600 – $2,200 |
| Paint protection film (partial to full) | $500 – $8,000+ |
These are starting points, not quotes. A two-year-old sedan and a work truck with three kids’ worth of car seat crumbs are not the same job, even if they’re both called “full detail” on a price sheet.
What Actually Changes the Price
Every detailer in the Lower Mainland uses roughly the same menu of services. What moves the number up or down is almost never the service itself, it’s the condition of your vehicle.
Vehicle size. A compact sedan takes less time and fewer materials than a minivan or a full-size pickup. Most shops add $20 to $50 for SUVs and trucks over the sedan price, simply because there’s more surface area and more interior to cover.
Condition. This is the big one. A car that gets washed every couple of weeks needs a fraction of the labour that a neglected one does. Ground-in dirt, oxidized paint, and stains that have had months to set all take longer to fix, and time is what you’re paying for.
Pet hair. If you’ve ever tried to vacuum dog hair out of carpet fibers, you already know why this comes with a surcharge. Embedded fur usually needs a rubber brush, a specialty tool, or several vacuum passes, and most detailers charge an extra $30 to $80 for it.
Mobile vs. shop. Mobile detailing (someone comes to your driveway or office parking lot) sometimes carries a small convenience premium over dropping the car at a shop, but you’re also saving your own time and gas. For a lot of people in Vancouver, Surrey, or Burnaby, that trade is worth it on its own.
Interior Detailing Cost Breakdown
Interior detailing is where price varies the most, because “interior” can mean a quick vacuum or a full teardown with steam extraction.
A light interior refresh (vacuum, wipe-down, glass cleaning) typically runs $75 to $150. That’s fine for a car that’s already in decent shape and just needs a once-over.
A deep interior detail, including steam cleaning upholstery, shampooing carpets, conditioning leather, and treating the dashboard, usually falls between $150 and $350. This is the level most people actually mean when they ask “how much does interior detailing cost,” and it’s where most of the labour hours go.
Add-ons like pet hair removal, odor elimination, or stain treatment can push the total higher. If your car smells like something happened in it, budget an extra $50 to $150 for proper odor treatment rather than a spray that just masks it for a week.
Exterior Detailing & Paint Correction Cost
A standard exterior detail (hand wash, clay bar, wheel and tire cleaning, a coat of wax or sealant) generally costs $100 to $250. This is different from a basic wash in that it actually removes bonded contaminants from the paint, not just surface dirt.
Paint correction is a separate service, and it’s priced separately because it’s labour-heavy. A light, one-stage correction that knocks out minor swirl marks can run $500 to $800. A more thorough two-stage correction, the kind that removes deeper scratches and oxidation, often lands between $700 and $1,200 and can take a full day of machine polishing.
If a quote for “paint correction” comes in suspiciously low, ask what stage of correction it actually includes. A quick single pass with a polisher is not the same job as multi-stage correction, even if both get called “correction” on a price list.
Ceramic Coating Cost (and Why “Cheap” Ceramic Coating Is a Red Flag)
Ceramic coating in the Vancouver area typically runs $600 to $2,200 installed, and the spread comes down to two things: the product tier and how much prep work your paint needs before the coating goes on.
Here’s what a lot of people don’t realize: the coating itself is a small part of the bill. The bottle of product might cost $100 to $300. The rest of the invoice is the decontamination wash, clay bar treatment, and paint correction that has to happen before a single drop touches the panel. Once that coating cures, whatever’s underneath it, swirls, scratches, dust, is sealed in for years.
That’s exactly why a $150 “ceramic coating” advertised online should make you pause. Either the prep work is being skipped, or what’s being applied isn’t a true ceramic coating at all, it’s a spray sealant being marketed with ceramic branding. A real coating, properly installed, protects your paint for years against UV damage, minor chemical etching, and makes it noticeably easier to keep clean between washes. It’s a real investment, and it should be priced like one.
Mobile Detailing vs. Traditional Shop Pricing
Mobile and shop-based detailing usually land in similar price ranges for the same service, so the decision mostly comes down to convenience rather than cost.
With a mobile service, someone comes to your driveway, your office, or wherever your car happens to be, with all the equipment already set up. You lose zero hours sitting in a waiting room, and you’re not rearranging your day around a drop-off and pickup window. For anyone juggling work, kids, or just a packed calendar (which, let’s be honest, is most people in the Lower Mainland), that convenience is worth something on its own.
A traditional shop can make sense if your car needs extensive work, like a multi-day paint correction, where a controlled indoor bay matters more than convenience. But for routine washes, interior details, and most ceramic coating jobs, mobile service gets you the same result without the drive.
How to Get the Best Value Without Cutting Corners
The cheapest quote and the best value are rarely the same thing. A few things worth checking before you book:
- Ask what’s actually included. “Full detail” means different things to different shops. Get the specific list of what’s covered before comparing prices.
- Check if products are named or generic. A detailer who tells you exactly what wax, sealant, or coating they’re using is usually more confident in their process than one who just says “premium products.”
- Look at how they handle condition surcharges. Reputable shops will tell you upfront if pet hair, stains, or heavy buildup might change the quote, rather than surprising you at pickup.
- Factor in your own time. A slightly higher mobile price often works out cheaper once you count the hours you’d otherwise spend driving to a shop and waiting around.
- Book before you actually need it. Regular detailing every 4 to 6 weeks keeps your car in a state where it never needs the expensive deep-clean version.
Yellow Star handles both routine maintenance and deeper detailing work across the Lower Mainland, so if you’re not sure which level your car actually needs, that’s a quick conversation rather than a guessing game.
FAQ
Is tipping expected for car detailing?
It’s not required, but it’s appreciated for jobs that involve real hands-on labour, especially deep interior work. If you tip, 10 to 15% is a reasonable range, similar to other personal service industries.
How often should I pay for full detailing?
Most cars do well with a full detail every 3 to 4 months, with lighter washes in between. If you have kids, pets, or a long commute on gravel roads, every 6 to 8 weeks keeps things from getting out of hand and actually saves money long-term, since neglected interiors cost more to fix.
Why do quotes vary so much between detailers?
Mostly because “detailing” isn’t a standardized term. One shop’s basic package might match another shop’s premium tier. The safest way to compare is to ask for a specific list of what’s included rather than comparing headline prices.
Get an Exact Quote for Your Vehicle
Every car is a little different, and the only way to know your real number is to have someone actually look at it. Book a free assessment with Yellow Star and get a quote based on your vehicle, not a generic price list.
Quick recap:
- Basic washes run $50–$100, full details $150–$400, depending on vehicle size and condition
- Pet hair, heavy staining, and neglected paint are the biggest reasons quotes come in higher than expected
- Ceramic coating ($600–$2,200) costs more for the prep work than the product itself, so cheap coatings are usually a shortcut somewhere
- Mobile and shop pricing are similar; the real difference is convenience
- Regular detailing every 4–6 weeks costs less over time than letting your car go and paying for a deep clean later