Avg. Cost for a detailer to apply opti-coat?

[Kbreeze]

Avg. Cost for a detailer to apply opti-coat? (Long Island, NY)

Hey guys, trying to get a ball park figure on what it would cost for a detailer to do an opti-coat service to my 2012 Black Mustang GT. Paint is in pretty good shape with minor swirls. Just want to get an idea of the cost to have it professionally done.

 

[Kbreeze]

Ok, so far I got a quote from XpertAutoDetailers.com for $416, does that seem like a fair price?

 

[Seer]

Ok, so far I got a quote from XpertAutoDetailers.com for $416, does that seem like a fair price?

$250 Ish which includes the material is what ive seen and.also usually charge

 

[mrmonk7663]

Anyone know of someone in Houston, TX who can perform this reliably? I have a car that needs a good detailing and the opticoat would be great.

 

[Seer]

Anyone know of someone in Houston, TX who can perform this reliably? I have a car that needs a good detailing and the opticoat would be great.

Yep, Gothamite302 on the boards here can do it. He learned from good folks

Premier Auto Detailing
17514 Loring Ln, Spring, TX.
(832) 499-2696

 

[mrmonk7663]

Awesome. Thanks!!!

 

[Kbreeze]

$250 Ish which includes the material is what ive seen and.also usually charge

That's not bad at all, what does that include though in terms of prep? 1 stage or 3-stage polishing? The price on their site was done through a quote calculator when I entered my info. I think it went up by $50 or more when I put it was black. And I put the condition as average (Which I am assuming they mean for the year) and it went up again. When I did a little searching it sounded like most people were saying they charge $200 ON TOP OF their price for a normal detail. And it seems most 3-stage polishing details were in the $200 neighborhood. As far as what my car needs I really don't know, but it's obviously fairly new and only has 14,000 miles on it. Paint is of course nice and shiny but I know there is some mild swirls etc. It's never been polished before. I did use a Zaino AIO once and then switched to just washing it and NXT 2.0. So only one time was a cleaner type product used. Anyhow, maybe I should keep shopping around but things here are also more expensive it seems. Where are you located?

If anyone else can recommend other Detailers on Long Island, please do!

 

[Seer]

That's not bad at all, what does that include though in terms of prep? 1 stage or 3-stage polishing? The price on their site was done through a quote calculator when I entered my info. I think it went up by $50 or more when I put it was black. And I put the condition as average (Which I am assuming they mean for the year) and it went up again. When I did a little searching it sounded like most people were saying they charge $200 ON TOP OF their price for a normal detail. And it seems most 3-stage polishing details were in the $200 neighborhood. As far as what my car needs I really don't know, but it's obviously fairly new and only has 14,000 miles on it. Paint is of course nice and shiny but I know there is some mild swirls etc. It's never been polished before. I did use a Zaino AIO once and then switched to just washing it and NXT 2.0. So only one time was a cleaner type product used. Anyhow, maybe I should keep shopping around but things here are also more expensive it seems. Where are you located?

If anyone else can recommend other Detailers on Long Island, please do!

That doesnt. I think you misunderstood. Most detailers including myself charge $200-250 for just the opticoat option. This doesnt include the rest of the detail. I am fairly expensive when it comes to details as I do a lot of higher end vehicles so I carry a higher insurance as well as I typically only use high end products. For me to do a three stage correction, with opti coat plus the normal add ons like wheel cleaning, engine bays etc, you're looking around close to $800-1000 for me. If it involves wet sanding, removing seats to get other areas of the carpet, doing some minor touch up painting for chips, I've charged in the neighborhood of $2000 for a detail on many ocassions.

So I think there was a simple misunderstanding as adding a nano coating like opti-coat can be a semi pricey option.

At cost opti-coat is $55 for one application by itself.

 

[Godzirra]

I'm having the debate if I'm good enough to apply this myself. I have the syringe already. I feel like I'm pretty good with my pc and have done several full details. Just nervous about something that's gonna stay on for 2 years...there was a pro around here that does all the exotics for a 100 mile radius of here and offered a Christmas special for a 1 stage polish and opticoat for $200

 

[Steedman07]

I would drop $800-$1000 for a true pro-detail in 2 seconds. Once I did that, I would make sure I had everything I needed to to maintain it myself. I would think most people only drop that much jing for a pr0-detail one time, unless they have too much money.

 

[saleenman]

Is the stuff really hard to apply? I know klasse sealant is very picky.

 

[Kbreeze]

Well the $416 quote I got included everything. (At least I think it did) Here is the site:
Xpertautodetailers.com

 

[Seer]

Well the $416 quote I got included everything. Here is the site:
Xpertautodetailers.com

Ya, typically lower grade volume products that dealerships use. Detailing is all in what you pay for. Hey some people like their $150 wash, buff wax details.

I typically have to go back and fix their holograming and buffer trails though. They also tend to ignore the small details.

I'm having the debate if I'm good enough to apply this myself. I have the syringe already. I feel like I'm pretty good with my pc and have done several full details. Just nervous about something that's gonna stay on for 2 years...there was a pro around here that does all the exotics for a 100 mile radius of here and offered a Christmas special for a 1 stage polish and opticoat for $200

heck of a deal. Make sure the 1 stage isnt just a glaze.

 

[Kbreeze]

Ya, typically lower grade volume products that dealerships use. Detailing is all in what you pay for. Hey some people like their $150 wash, buff wax details.

I typically have to go back and fix their holograming and buffer trails though. They also tend to ignore the small details.

How do you know that though? Are you familiar with them? They do recommend Opti-coat and sound like they know what they are talking about in terms of using it:

http://xpertautodetailers.com/FAQ/Optimum_Opti-Coat.html?location=mastic

However, since it's a "network" of detailers, who knows how good the ones in your area are, that's my big question.

 

[Steedman07]

You get what you pay for..

 

[Seer]

How do you know that though? Are you familiar with them? They do recommend Opti-coat and sound like they know what they are talking about in terms of using it:

http://xpertautodetailers.com/FAQ/Optimum_Opti-Coat.html?location=mastic

However, since it's a "network" of detailers, who knows how good the ones in your area are, that's my big question.

I know from pricing and what it takes to turn a profit around in detailing.

If someone was to go through the steps of prepping a car, using quality products then applying opti coat for $400. They are leaving themselves with about $50 in profit. Sorry but my time is worth more to me than $50.

Most detailers who are doing single stage buffing, are doing 1 of 2 things.

1. They are using a light polish to remove some of the defects, leaving the heavier ones behind, then applying a filler/wax product on top for protection, i.e. a cleaner wax
2. They are using an AIO and calling it a day. After a few washes the defects come back

There just is not enough room to turn around a profit and use high quality products when youre only charging $100-150 to do a wash, buff, wax job as well as include wheels, engine bays, interiors unless your time is completely valueless.

 

[Kbreeze]

If someone was to go through the steps of prepping a car, using quality products then applying opti coat for $400. They are leaving themselves with about $50 in profit. Sorry but my time is worth more to me than $50.

You are telling me that would cost them $350 in materials to prep and opti-coat a 1 year old car that is in excellent condition? How is that possible? It sounds like you are already calculating time into that.

 

[Torched S197]

If you have ever stripped, clayed, buffed, sealed and waxed a car you should know just how much work and time goes into it. The only time I will charge 400 to 500 to do a car is if it for friends or family other than that I won't do it

 

[Steedman07]

it is alot of work, I couldnt do it for a living. When I get done doing my car, and keep in mind I dont even get into 1 or 2 stage anything, I am fucking beat. By the time I am happy with the finished product, I dont want to do the rest of the car. If I was going to pay myself to do my whole car, it wouldnt be less than $500 bucks including product.

 

[Kbreeze]

If you have ever stripped, clayed, buffed, sealed and waxed a car you should know just how much work and time goes into it. The only time I will charge 400 to 500 to do a car is if it for friends or family other than that I won't do it

yes, I've done it by hand several times, taking me all day. However, these guys do this for a living, can do it quicker, especially with using a polisher, and already have all the materials. Either way I know it's not cheap, but I don't understand seer saying to charge $400 it's going to cost $350 in materials only leaving him $50 profit. No way.

Did you read the other guys quote above about that Opti-coat special that guy was doing for $200? I'm paying more then double that and that's somehow considered dirt cheap and will= a shitty job because it apparently only costs that in materials alone? LOL. And my car is not a 1980 vehicle thats never been washed, it's a mint 2012. Obviously pro's with the LED's etc will see swirls and imperfections, but it's not like it should need some major prep/correction work.