Exterior Detailing Pricing
For many first-time clients, exterior detailing pricing can seem confusing because every vehicle arrives in a different condition and requires a different level of time, correction, and care. At Apollo Auto Spa, professional detailing is far beyond a basic car wash or quick cleanup — it is a specialized process focused on safely cleaning, restoring, and protecting your vehicle’s exterior surfaces. With professional detailing experience dating back to 1986, we evaluate each vehicle individually based on its paint condition, contamination levels, exposure history, and overall cosmetic needs.
Some vehicles only require a maintenance-level detail to restore gloss and protection, while others may need extensive decontamination and paint enhancement due to years of neglect or environmental exposure. Unusual conditions such as road paint overspray, heavy iron ore fallout near railroad tracks, industrial contamination, hard water spotting, tree sap, beach salt exposure, oxidation, or excessive swirl marks can dramatically increase the labor and correction required to properly restore the finish. Vehicle size, paint softness, prior improper polishing, neglected protection, and heavily embedded contamination also affect the amount of work involved.
Our goal is to provide honest recommendations, realistic expectations, and a level of service that matches your vehicle’s actual condition — whether you simply want a clean, glossy daily driver or a much higher level of paint refinement and restoration.
Common Exterior Paint Issues
Swirl Marks
- Circular micro-scratch patterns visible under sunlight or inspection lighting.
Iron Fallout
- Tiny embedded metallic particles or purple decontamination reaction.
Overspray
- Speckled paint or construction material bonded to exterior surfaces.
Water Spots
- Mineral rings or etched spotting from sprinklers, rain, or dried water.
Oxidation
- Dull, faded, or chalky paint caused by age, UV exposure, or neglect.
UV Damage
- Sun-faded paint, trim, or reduced surface clarity from long-term exposure.
Sand / Salt Exposure
- Lower-panel abrasion and contamination from coastal or beach environments.
Tree Sap
- Sticky organic contamination that can stain or etch paint if left untreated.
Exterior Single-Step Polish
This service is for vehicles in good condition that just need a deep cleaning. Our vehicle detailing team performs a one-step polish to add shine and protects the cleaned surfaces with an excellent Marine wax and a polymer sealant.
Optional: Upgrade your detail with CS-II Black Reserve – a 3-year, shiny and super-hydrophobic ceramic coating.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Two-bucket hand wash
- Deep clean wheels and trim
- Decontaminate paint to remove bugs, tar and sap
- One step of polishing to add shine
- Includes interior “mini detail”. Add a full Interior Detail and save $100 on the two services
Exterior Coating Maintenance
TURNAROUND: 5-6 HOURS
Our recommended annual service for previously ceramic coated vehicles.
Once the car is cleaned and decontaminated, we add a coat of CS-II Black Reserve to the paint to refresh the hydrophobic efficacy and help maintain a super high gloss. We also coat your windshield to ensure clear vision in bad weather.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Two-bucket hand wash
- Deep clean wheels and trim
- Decontaminate paint to remove bugs, tar and sap
- Polish where necessary and add a fresh layer of CS-II Gloss Coat protectant to the paint and CS-II Glass windshield protectant
- Includes interior “mini detail”. Add a full Interior Detail and save $100 on the two services
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Exterior Enhancement Correction
TURNAROUND: 1-2 DAYS
(Every vehicle is different, it’s condition & paint difficulty²)
Sean @ Apollo performs the majority of yearly work perfecting paint.
Known as ‘The Paint Whisperer’, look to our Portfolio for a VOLUME of vehicle Paint Corrections !
Our Exterior Enhancement Correction will restore your paint to make it more aesthetically appealing. We perform a two-step compound and then polish to remove paint defects and bring back that deep luster. One it’s looking great we lock-in the shine with a coat of our Premiere Marine Wax. 1n up to 1 year of great gloss and protection. Garaged low mile vehicles can go several years between applications of this prime product.
Optional: $450+ – Upgrade to CS-II Black Reserve for 3+ years of durability plus protection on the entire exterior of your vehicle including paint, glass, trim and wheel faces.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Everything from our Single Step Polish Package
- A second step of paint correct resulting in a swirl-free (about 85-90% of all visible defects) paint finish.
- CS-II B268 ceramic coating or upgrade to CS-II Black Reserve ceramic coating on the entire exterior of your vehicle
- Includes interior “mini detail”. Add a full Interior Detail and save $100 on the two services
Exterior Enhancement Correction :
The best detailers in the world look forward to showing our systems of pro paint correction.
Friends in Scottsdale, AZ Scott Nichol’s at distinctdetail.com/ , and Sacramento, Man Leung’s detailmaniac.com/ are two such Master detailers.
Check them out, their work is synonymous with excellence.