· Michael Blair
Mobile detailing removes the trip and adds a few practical requirements at your end. Sorting them beforehand is what makes the appointment run to time.
Space and shade
They need room to work all round the car, which is more than a normal parking space. A garage or carport is ideal; shade matters a great deal in a Middle Tennessee summer.
Working in direct sun means products drying on the paint before they can be removed, which limits what can be done well.
Water and power
Most carry their own water and a generator, and many prefer to use yours if offered. Ask when booking rather than assuming either way.
On a full detail with correction, power for a polisher is needed for several hours.
- Space to work around the whole car
- Shade, or a garage, particularly in summer
- Confirm whether they need your water and power
- Remove personal items before they arrive
- Allow the full time — a real detail is hours, not one hour
Clear the car
Remove personal belongings, child seats and anything in the boot. Time spent working around your possessions is time you are paying for, and detailers are reluctant to move some items at all.
Child seats in particular should be removed by you, since refitting them is a safety matter.
Allow the time
A maintenance detail is a couple of hours. A full detail with correction is most of a day, sometimes two. Booking one against a two-hour window means the work gets cut short.
Ask how long the specific package takes, and plan the car to be unavailable for that whole period.