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  1. #1
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Question How Much to Tip for Premium Detail?

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    I am having my '15 S4 detailed today by a local DMV outfit. They are doing their, "Premium", package, which costs $399, and I'd like to know what I should tip for the typical job? When I say typical I mean a good job, but not one where the Red Sea parts or the heavens open up, and not bad, like what I'd classify as a superwash vs. detail. Their package consists of:

    Premium Hand Wash
    Fine Carnauba Wax
    Vapor Steam Clean (Dashboard, Center Console, Cup Holder Area, Doors) + Aerospace Protection
    Seats Steam Cleaned + Protected
    Carpet and Floor Mats Cleaned
    Door Jambs Steam Cleaned
    Wheel Wells Cleaned
    Windows Cleaned Inside/Out
    Interior + Trunk Vacuumed
    Tire Gel x2
    Clay Bar Treatment/Removal Paint Contaminants
    One-Step Machine Polish/Buff
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  2. #2
    Established Member Two Rings
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    As a part time detailer (not a professional), I have received tips ranging from $40 to $250 depending on what was done. I typically don't get tipped on small washes or basic services but usually am tipped at least $50 up to a few hundred when doing any sort of polishing work/coatings.

    Not sure if that helps or not. I think it really comes down to how happy you are with the work and what you feel its worth. Kind of like tipping at a restaurant.
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  3. #3
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    I gave ZERO tip. The interior was really, really good. But for the exterior, not really. Within five minutes of doing a general walk around, I noted that the tires had not been dressed, the exhaust tips had not been touched AT ALL (grime), and the hood wasn't even opened (water spots, dirts all around the edges). For $399 those are basic areas I expect to be addressed, no question.
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  4. #4
    Established Member Two Rings
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    Quote Originally Posted by GT-R & S4 View Post
    I gave ZERO tip. The interior was really, really good. But for the exterior, not really. Within five minutes of doing a general walk around, I noted that the tires had not been dressed, the exhaust tips had not been touched AT ALL (grime), and the hood wasn't even opened (water spots, dirts all around the edges). For $399 those are basic areas I expect to be addressed, no question.
    Yeah I wouldn't have tipped. I usually give a nice little extra something on top of basic details to make the customer happy. Those are very basic areas that should have been addressed though.


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    2013 Audi S4 | Monsoon Grey | DSG |

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  5. #5
    Veteran Member Four Rings A5MD's Avatar
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    Where did you end up going? I'm in the MD area as well and was looking for a shop to take care of my MDX

  6. #6
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    I'd rather not say, so as to not give the business a bad review. I spoke to the owner of the business last night, and he offered to have someone come out and address the missed areas. He further offered to give 10% off my next detail. I think with missing all those basic areas, just offering 10% my, "next", detailing is a very meager way to win my business back, don't you think?
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Two Rings
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    I never expect a tip but its always appreciated and I usually turn them down and say its is not necessary. If people tip its usually $20 but I get anywhere from $5 to $50.

    As for the work you described I thought you were getting a good deal until I saw the 'machine polish' and the price I had a sneaking suspicion that you weren't going to be happy. While its not always the case usually a job like this that includes a polish usually comes back half assed. A lot of us don't even take our polishers out for less than $300-$400 on a smaller vehicle and that doesn't include any interior work. For instance, for a smaller car I will use an All In One like Carpro Essence and that starts at $300, so you get a little bit of correction and sealant without breaking the bank. Start getting into heavier correction and then you are looking at $400+ coatings tack on another $100 and then surcharge depending on the size of the car. I still think I am on the low end of the spectrum for work as well. This isn't to say you can't get good work done cheaper but its usually but a small guy trying to grow.

  8. #8
    Veteran Member Four Rings A5MD's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GT-R & S4 View Post
    I'd rather not say, so as to not give the business a bad review. I spoke to the owner of the business last night, and he offered to have someone come out and address the missed areas. He further offered to give 10% off my next detail. I think with missing all those basic areas, just offering 10% my, "next", detailing is a very meager way to win my business back, don't you think?
    Understandable and I agree. The owner/business has one chance to make a good impression and they blew it. You can PM me if you like so I can stay away from that shop

  9. #9
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by A5MD View Post
    Understandable and I agree. The owner/business has one chance to make a good impression and they blew it. You can PM me if you like so I can stay away from that shop
    I heard from the owner of the business yesterday, and he took $250 off the price of the detail, which was originally $399. But that was only after I spoke with another person who I knew had business with this company before, and told him what happened. Apparently he then spoke to the owner, and suddenly I had a phone call from him and the discount. At this point I'm not sure if that's enough to win my business back, because initially the discount wasn't offered, just a, "Well, I'm sorry, I guess we blew it on this one, but it won't happen again!".
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  10. #10
    Veteran Member Four Rings 14S4GWM's Avatar
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    I guess they can't call that a premium detail. I wouldn't go back either. An excellent detail shop will be found by word of mouth. Ask around next time.
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  11. #11
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 14S4GWM View Post
    I guess they can't call that a premium detail. I wouldn't go back either. An excellent detail shop will be found by word of mouth. Ask around next time.
    Actually, this WAS through word of mouth. But sometimes I suspect it is the case of one business plugging the other, without a real regard to how good that business is. Anyway, in the end I was only charged $149 for the detail, instead of the $399. And because of all the missed areas, that seems fine to me. I'll definitely look around a lot longer and harder next time.
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  12. #12
    Active Member One Ring
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    Tip what the work is worth to you. I never asked for tips but didn't turn them down either. My TYPICAL tip when I gave my customers their car back was in the $100-250 range on a detail that cost them $450-800+. I did, typically, work on cars for anywhere from 2-4 days though, so there is a difference in the detailing I provided my customers and what you had done.

  13. #13
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by adrock2003 View Post
    Tip what the work is worth to you. I never asked for tips but didn't turn them down either. My TYPICAL tip when I gave my customers their car back was in the $100-250 range on a detail that cost them $450-800+. I did, typically, work on cars for anywhere from 2-4 days though, so there is a difference in the detailing I provided my customers and what you had done.
    Therein lies another problem, that of whether a tip is necessary or not. It seems to me that more and more jobs are sticking the tip jar out, when they never did before (and it wasn't necessary). You pay a set amount for certain work, whether that be detailing a vehicle, landscaping your yard, altering a pair of slacks, caulking your windows, etc. The workers involved should already be amply compensated for their efforts. In the case of restaurant wait staff, their hourly wages are lower because it is expected that people will tip them, and that becomes part of their total pay. Me personally, I think a tip is warranted if someone went CLEARLY above and beyond what was expected, and their work was CLEARLY head and shoulders above their peers. But how often does that happen? And yet a tip is still expected. Anyway, back to my original post, I did not tip the individual who performed the, "detailing", on my vehicle, because so many areas were missed. Why reward poor performance?
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  14. #14
    Veteran Member Four Rings 14S4GWM's Avatar
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    No tip for a detail, period.
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  15. #15
    Senior Member Two Rings
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    Tipping should be reserved if you feel like your expectations have been exceeded and you want to be generous. Its never expected and if it is you aren't doing it right.

  16. #16
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mto925 View Post
    Tipping should be reserved if you feel like your expectations have been exceeded and you want to be generous. Its never expected and if it is you aren't doing it right.
    I agree with this. Yet most of the time I don't feel my expectations have been exceeded, and that goes for any service in which tipping is expected. For example, in the case of being served at a restaurant, I feel most wait staff do an adequate job. Not head and shoulders above the rest type service, just meeting expectations. That should be 15%, but many wait staff I've heard from feel they are entitled to 20% as a minimum. Anyway, back to the detailing, in the case of the recent detail job I had done on my S4, my expectations were not exceeded, and were, in fact, diminished.
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  17. #17
    Established Member Three Rings miked1978's Avatar
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    after I did two step paint correction myself, I learned it's HARD and very laborous work if done right. If youre paying an individual that owns the shop and they are doing the work themselves, I lean to the lower end of the tip scale. But of they have employees and you get someone that really takes pride in their work - reward them. I could give 100 bucks in the latter circumstance, maybe 20 in the former. If you agree with the no tip crowd - I wouldn't bring my car back there - ever - if you expect any chance of a better experience.

  18. #18
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by miked1978 View Post
    after I did two step paint correction myself, I learned it's HARD and very laborous work if done right. If youre paying an individual that owns the shop and they are doing the work themselves, I lean to the lower end of the tip scale. But of they have employees and you get someone that really takes pride in their work - reward them. I could give 100 bucks in the latter circumstance, maybe 20 in the former. If you agree with the no tip crowd - I wouldn't bring my car back there - ever - if you expect any chance of a better experience.
    I do believe in tipping people, for jobs where tips are expected - and EARNED. In my case, there were far too many areas on the car that were missed, and giving a tip would be rewarding poor workmanship. No way I'm going to bring my vehicle back to that place!
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  19. #19
    Veteran Member Three Rings Avus RS4's Avatar
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    One of my practices is to under charge, and over deliver. That usually translate into tips for me.
    I've gotten tips from as low as $20.00 to as high as $500.00. The $500 tip was on two cars I did and the customer was beyond happy.3
    I don't get tips as often as people may think we in the business do get, but I've done detailing for some generous people, I've got a $50.00 tip this past weekend, and last year I've got $150.00 for another detailing job.
    It varies. I never count on getting tips, but when I do is from the customer that appreciates the effort I put into detailing cars. It's a personal thing, I'm very passionate about doing detailing, because it's a weekend hobby for me, I'm a car guy, and I know what guys are looking for when they want to detail their car. I speak their same language and like I've said, it's become a personal challenge to deliver my best work every time.
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  20. #20
    Veteran Member Four Rings Crucible35's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GT-R & S4 View Post
    I am having my '15 S4 detailed today by a local DMV outfit. They are doing their, "Premium", package, which costs $399, and I'd like to know what I should tip for the typical job? When I say typical I mean a good job, but not one where the Red Sea parts or the heavens open up, and not bad, like what I'd classify as a superwash vs. detail. Their package consists of:

    Premium Hand Wash
    Fine Carnauba Wax
    Vapor Steam Clean (Dashboard, Center Console, Cup Holder Area, Doors) + Aerospace Protection
    Seats Steam Cleaned + Protected
    Carpet and Floor Mats Cleaned
    Door Jambs Steam Cleaned
    Wheel Wells Cleaned
    Windows Cleaned Inside/Out
    Interior + Trunk Vacuumed
    Tire Gel x2
    Clay Bar Treatment/Removal Paint Contaminants
    One-Step Machine Polish/Buff
    That's the equivalent to what you would get through the Audi dealerships w/ extra swirls. You're better off getting a referral from someone off these forums....most people have no clue what a good detail is (or would cost)
    '15 A4 S Line Q Tip Monsoon
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  21. #21
    Veteran Member Three Rings GT-R & S4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Crucible35 View Post
    That's the equivalent to what you would get through the Audi dealerships w/ extra swirls. You're better off getting a referral from someone off these forums....most people have no clue what a good detail is (or would cost)
    As I stated a couple of times already, I went with this particular detailer, based upon getting referrals from several people. I've been around the block probably a lot longer than most members of this forum, and know what a good detail is, and what is actually just a super wash. I think in this instance, the detailer is good, but the individual who did the work missed many exterior areas.
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