Do SUVs and 4WDs cost more to detail?

Usually a little, yes. Larger vehicles have more paint, glass, carpet and seating to work through, so they take longer and use more product. Our package prices are starting points for a typical car, and we confirm the final figure for your vehicle before any work begins. Telling us the make and model when you ask for a quote helps us give you an accurate number straight away.

Is mobile detailing more expensive than taking the car to a workshop?

Not with Preema. We come to your home or workplace in fully equipped vans and don't charge call-out fees, so the price is the same as the package rate. You also save the time it would take to drop the car off and pick it up again, which is often the hidden cost of a workshop visit.

Can I buy a detail as a gift?

Yes. Preema [gift vouchers](/gift-vouchers/) can be put towards any of our detailing packages, which makes them handy for birthdays, new car owners or anyone who has everything. The person receiving it simply gets in touch to book a time that suits them, and we come to them.

Why do detailing quotes vary so much between businesses?

Mostly because of time and products. One business might spend five hours on a full detail while another spends one, and professional-grade products cost more than supermarket ones. Insurance, training and equipment also play a part. Comparing what's included and how long the job takes gives you a far fairer picture than comparing price alone.

How much does window tinting cost in Melbourne?

Preema's mobile window tinting starts from $295 and is done at your home or work. You can choose 50%, 35%, 20% or 5% shades, all with 99% UV protection and a lifetime guarantee against fading and bubbling. In Victoria, front side windows must let through at least 35% of light, and rear side and rear windows at least 20%.

Car detailing prices Melbourne: 2026 guide

Car detailing prices in Melbourne vary a lot, so it helps to start with real numbers. At Preema, a standard detail costs from $145 for a quick exterior refresh up to $495 for our most thorough interior and exterior car detailing package. Paint correction and ceramic coating sit in a separate bracket, because that work involves machine polishing and takes far longer.

Every figure in this guide is a starting price. What you finally pay depends on the size of your car and the condition it's in, and we confirm that with you before any work begins. Below you'll find the full list, the things that move a quote up or down, and a few ways to tell a fair price from one that's too good to be true.

Car detailing prices Melbourne drivers can expect in 2026

Detailing is usually split into exterior work, interior work, or both together. Here's how our packages are priced, with the approximate time each one takes on a typical car.

Exterior details

Mini Detail, from $145 (approx. 1 to 2 hours). A snow foam hand wash and tidy for a car that's in reasonable shape and just needs a lift.
Exterior Emerald, from $245 (2 to 2.5 hours). More time on wheels, glass and paintwork.
Exterior Diamond, from $345 (2.5 to 3 hours). The most thorough of the outside-only options, with iron decontamination to lift embedded brake dust and fallout.

If the cabin is already tidy and it's only the paintwork that needs attention, an exterior-only detail is the sensible place to spend.

Interior details

Interior Emerald, from $195 (approx. 2 hours).
Interior Diamond, from $245 (3 to 4 hours).

Both cover vacuuming, steam cleaning, leather care and stain treatment. The Diamond tier allows nearly twice the time, which matters if the seats, carpets and boot have taken a beating. See our interior detailing page for more on how we work inside the car.

Interior and exterior packages

Sapphire, from $245 (2 to 3 hours).
Emerald, from $325 (3 to 4 hours).
Diamond, from $395 (4 to 5 hours).
Signature, from $495 (5 to 6 hours).

The jump between tiers is mostly about time on the car. An extra hour or two means more attention to the jobs that separate a good result from a great one, such as wheel faces and barrels, door jambs, vents and seat rails. Our guide to what a full detail includes walks through each step.

Pre-sale details

Pre-Sale Diamond starts from $395 and Pre-Sale Signature from $495. Both come with 40+ professional photos you can use straight away in your listing. If you're about to sell, it's worth reading how pre-sale detailing helps resale value before you book, or head to our pre-sale detailing page.

Paint correction and ceramic coating costs

Paint correction is quoted individually, because no two cars have the same paint. We measure paint depth first, then choose one of three levels.

Single-stage enhancement, for light swirls and wash marring.
Two-stage correction, for moderate swirls and scratches, with a cutting stage followed by a refining polish.
Three-stage correction, for heavily marked paint, with two cutting stages and then a refining polish.

Ceramic coating with Gtechniq gives five years of protection. An interior-only coating starts from $495, the Diamond exterior package from $1,095, and the Signature interior and exterior package from $1,295. The exterior packages include one to three stages of paint correction, depending on whether the car is new or second-hand, and a second layer of Gtechniq CSL can be added for $400. We cover this in more depth in our ceramic coating price guide.

What pushes the price up or down

Two cars booked into the same package can end up with slightly different quotes. These are the usual reasons.

Vehicle size

A small hatch has less paint, glass and carpet than a seven-seat SUV or a dual-cab ute. More surface means more product and more time, so larger vehicles generally sit above the starting price.

Condition

A car that's washed regularly is quicker to bring up than one that hasn't been cleaned in a year. Heavy road film, built-up brake dust, tree sap and bird droppings all add steps, and so does a cabin full of crumbs, spills and sticky surfaces.

Pet hair, sand and heavy stains

Dog hair weaves itself into carpet and cloth seats and can take a long time to lift properly. Beach sand and deep stains are similar. None of these are a problem, they just take longer, so mention them when you ask for a quote and we'll factor them in upfront.

Add-ons

Extras such as paint correction, a coating or window tinting (from $295) are priced on top of a detail. Pairing them can make sense, since the car is already clean and prepped, but they're never added without you agreeing first.

How to compare detailing quotes fairly

A lower price isn't automatically better value, and a higher one isn't automatically better work. When you line up quotes, ask each business the same questions.

What exactly is included, step by step, and how long will the car take?
Is the price confirmed before the work starts, or can it change halfway through?
Are there call-out or travel fees on top of the quoted price? Preema charges none.
What products are used, and are they safe on your paint, leather and trim?
Can you see recent reviews from real customers? Preema has 277+ five-star Google reviews.

Time is the most useful number to compare. A full interior and exterior detail done properly can't be squeezed into 45 minutes, so if a quote looks cheap, check how long the detailer is planning to spend.

What's worth paying for

Spend where it makes a visible or lasting difference. For most people that means a few specific things.

A proper interior clean for a family car, because steam cleaning and stain treatment deal with what a vacuum leaves behind.
Iron decontamination at least once or twice a year, since bonded contamination makes paint feel rough and dull.
Paint correction before a coating, so you aren't sealing swirls under five years of protection.
A pre-sale detail with photos when you're selling privately, as first impressions online decide who calls.

Equally, you don't always need the top tier. If your car is kept garaged and washed carefully at home, a Sapphire or Emerald visit every few months may be all it needs.

Is a cheap detail ever good value?

Sometimes, if all you want is a quick tidy. The risk is that a rushed job can do harm. Dirty wash mitts and gritty towels put fine scratches in clear coat, and cheap silicone dressings can leave dashboards greasy and shiny in a way that attracts dust.

Fixing wash-induced swirls means paying for paint correction later, which costs far more than the money saved. A careful detail at a fair price usually works out cheaper over the life of the car.

Getting an accurate quote the first time

The more we know upfront, the closer your quote will be to the final figure. When you get in touch, it helps to share a few details.

The make, model and year of the car.
Roughly when it was last cleaned or detailed.
Anything specific that bothers you, such as a stain, a smell or water spots on the glass.
Whether pets, kids' sport gear or beach trips are part of its everyday life.
A couple of photos, if you can, of the worst areas inside and out.

With that information we can point you to the right package rather than the most expensive one. Sometimes a mid-tier detail is all a car needs, and we'd rather tell you that than sell you hours you won't notice.

Want an exact figure for your car? Send us a few details for a free quote. We come to your home or workplace anywhere across Melbourne, with no call-out fees, and we'll confirm the price before we start. Get your free quote.

Car detailing prices Melbourne 2026: what each package costs