KEY POINTS:
Pareto Principle (80/20) even in how you detail
Car doesn’t need to show perfect, but do the 20% that amounts to the 80% of the result
Key exterior items to take care of
Key interior items to clean (prioritize interior over exterior)
REASONABLY PRESENTABLE
In my opinion, when a car looks too clean, it almost feels too good to be true. I want to see some honesty in the car- some paint chips, some dirt, etc.
That’s where the Pareto Principle comes in. 20% of the work results in 80% of the result. And 80% of the work only results in 20% of the results. Focus on the 20% that matters.
EXTERIOR
The 20% of the exterior that matters:
Generally clean
Clean yellowed headlights (use our recommend product)
Clean wheels (recommended product)
Clean the windows (recommended product)
Power wash out the door edges/door hinges/leaves.
“Stephen, the car doesn’t need a 3 stage paint correction to remove all swirls and make the exterior pop?” If you have the time, sure, go for it. But understand that the most important items (the 20%) that result in a quick and profitable sale are much less than you think.
INTERIOR
The 20% of the interior that matters:
Remove all dust with a paint brush and vacuum (recommended product)
Vacuum the crap out of that interior (recommended product)
Use interior detailing products to make the vinyl, plastics look like-new
Remove large stains (recommended product)
“Stephen, the car doesn’t need a full interior shampoo where I remove all the carpets like all of those YouTuber’s?” If you have time, sure, go for it. But again, we are recommending the 20% that results in 80% of the sale.
You don’t need to be a professional detailer to make a car presentable for sale. In fact, the little detailing tips here will make your car stand out above its competition.
See pricing guide here.
