by Bob Kay

What should an auto detailing cost? You might get a wide range of price quotes, because the services included can vary widely. Some businesses take one hour, and some take four to five hours!

A complete detailing job should include, washing the car exterior, including the wheel wells. Depending on the quality of the paint on your car, it should be clay barred or buffed to remove old wax and contaminants and then gone over a second time by hand with a good, long-lasting wax to protect the paint.

Cleaning the engine compartment is something you need to be careful with, but it sure is impressive when done the right way.

Shampooing the interior leaves the cloth seats and carpets very wet, leading to deterioration of the material if it doesn’t dry properly; steam cleaning avoids these problems. Cleaning of seat belts, headliners and visors is part of a complete interior detailing.

A complete detailing also includes cleaning the trunk carpet — and pulling out the spare tire and cleaning the metal pan of the car.

Having your car detailed on a regular basis is no different than changing your oil regularly. It protects your investment and makes the car last longer, especially along the coast.

Bob Kay has owned BK Motors Inc. in Half Moon Bay for 27 years; Auto Detailing at BK Motors is the Coastside’s first detail facility. You can reach Kay at 650-726-8220 or www.bkmotors.com.