What Is Detailing?

What's the difference between detailing and valeting?

Valeting is a term mainly used in the UK while over in the United States the word Detailing is used. While both terms relate to the cleaning of a vehicle they can differ significantly as detailing typically goes further and usually offers more in-depth services.

"My car is brand new. Does it need detailing?"

The majority of new cars are far from perfect. Below is a prime example of the type of defects you can expect from a badly prepared new vehicle. Poor wash and dry methods can inflict ugly damage in the form of light and/or deep scratches. Factory defects can also be seen on various areas of the vehicle that are a result of spot sanding or polishing after the vehicle has been painted.

The vehicle you see below was quickly prepared by the dealership as a new car. Overall the paint is in poor condition due to paint defects and factory buffing marks which dull the finish and make the metallic black paintwork look more like a washed out grey.

The easiest way to avoid any issues is to speak with the dealership and make it clear you do not want the vehicle washed, valeted or detailed prior to collection. This way you minimise the risk of having to correct their mistakes in future.

New vehicles will be covered in contamination due to the exposure of such materials during transport from the factory. Tree sap, tar and fallout bond to paintwork and can be tricky to remove. Pictured below is a brand new Ford Fiesta. The purple lines you see are as a result of a product dissolving ferrous metal particles. The chemical used helps to dislodge ferrous particles bonded to your paintwork.

New cars are never going to arrive perfect. The very least a new vehicle should receive is a Protection Detail to have all surfaces thoroughly decontaminated and protected as early as possible. Paint protection also creates a UV resistant, water repellent barrier that encourages water beading and sheeting, which makes it harder for dirt and contamination to bond and in turn makes your car easier (and safer) to clean. Protecting areas such as headlights will prevent nasty yellow oxidation of plastic lenses.