How long does it take you to Detail a car?

I only do my own. For the interior only to vac, deep clean, clean windows and clean/protect plastic surfaces on a small sedan would be around 3-4hrs.

Not sure on the exterior since there are variables like wax and polishing that add a lot of time.

The detail shops in my area will do a large mini van inside for under $200 so no way anyone would pay me what I would want for the quality and time I do so that is why I don't do it. Seen a Astro van a friend bough before and after, it was beyond nasty inside and a detail shop cleaned it up pretty nice for under $200, it would have taken me all day to do it and I would have wanted over $500 if I did it!

3-4 hours.

There is Basic Detail or I call it semi-detail / around 4, to 5 hours
Detail Plus 5, to 7 hours
Full Detail Day and 1/2 at least

I'm in the middle of making my own Detail Check List / as part of an stimmate for my clients, and New clients too.

A lot of people goes for basic's or think of full detail. but don't really know how much work can be done in a car
once adding all the different things that can be done. Then they should not complaint about the charge!!!

I'm working on a check list, that will have from basic hand car wash / clay bar procces / to wet sand procces / Compound / polish / hand wax or Glaze / I will add extra stuff like sanding & Machine polishing for the headlights or more known as Headlight restoration

ceiling cleaning / set of seatbelt cleaning / hood and Engine Wash & Detail / Window water spots remove / Paint water spots remove /
things that usually coustomer's don't count to be done in other places.

With this sheet I can just check or mark, the type of Detail I will do on their car / And start teaching my coustomers all the different things I can do in their car.

I'm adding also the extra price for stuff like the seat belt cleaning, the headlights, ceiling, water spots
so they know they come separately from a basic, or detail plus package. my full detail package comes with all this!!!!

suggestions ofcourse are welcome!!!! so I can improve my stimmate detail checklist!!!!

I have a friend who details cars for a living. He charges big bucks for it too. Has some real high end cars. I already hate it trying to clean carpets in a small room with furniture and the door in my way. I can't imagine doing it inside a car. I'd go insane.

Sounds great! I don't do this kind of work but it sounds like you do it very well! I think the members that do do it would likely appreciate your advice on pricing.

Thanks Matt / Well like I charge in Mexican pesos, is very close to U.S prices. not the same but very close.
Like for dEEP Interior carpet & Seats / Cleaning. Dashboard & Door Panels steam clean & Regular Exterior Car Wash my price is $700.00pesos. pretty much like $70 U.S Dollars / even though is less, but it is the same as making the $70dls back in U.S

I do a little bit more detail package / that includes the Clay Bar / Hand Wax or Glaze / A better finish on the plastics & Vinyls for about $130 to $150.00dls this is for small to medium size trucks. a big toy $180 to $200dls

Once working with stuff like water spots on windows / Paint / fron grill / do some engine detail with Headlight restoration then I can charge $250 to $350dls

Prices went down a lot here also / cause of the Economy, the Dollar exchange, the Import taxes for Us, that We still purchase most of our Products in the U.S
Here competition for me,I don't mind / cause it is hard to find a place that will work all this different services at Once. / Here to make lets say $120dls in a single job in a single day, its to be consider a really good job!!!

too BaD DETAILS are not done every day, but I try to have different incomes by doing different cleaning services!!! it is the best way to go!!!!

You get use to it / first you have to like it a lot!!! soo those long hour detail jobs don't make you crazy!!!
With the right tools ofcourse you work much easier, faster, better finish / your clients like to see that you use & have the need it tools

for me the Portable steamers / the Tornador Gun / the Foam Gun / this Tools help you a lot!!! makes a lot of difference
My Sandia Dual 3- stage Portable does the job more than fine!!!
the service mechanical carts also a great help, I try to have all my detail Arsenal in very good & clean shape is not cheap!!!!

Like here, at TMF / Is good to learn from other places like Autogeek / rightlook they help a lot!!!