A full detail cleans the inside and the outside in one visit. San Diego detailers publish it as a three-class price: sedan, small SUV, and truck or XL SUV.
This page explains what a full detail includes, what the published San Diego price bands are, how vehicle class changes the number, and what to ask before you book. The detailers are local independents; this site matches you to them and you pay them directly.
| Job | Published 2026 range |
|---|---|
| Interior detail, sedan | $200 |
| Interior detail, crossover | $260 |
| Interior detail, SUV or truck | $290 |
| Full detail, sedan | $300 |
| Full detail, SUV or truck | $420 |
A full detail is two jobs on one vehicle: an exterior wash and protection service, and a complete interior clean. The exterior side is a hand wash, wheels and tyres, glass, and a wax or sealant. The interior side is a full vacuum, every hard surface wiped, carpets and mats shampooed, and leather or fabric treated.
Because both halves run in one appointment, expect two to four hours on site for a sedan, and longer for a truck or a badly soiled interior. The detailer brings water and power, or asks about a hookup before the visit.
Local operators publish these bands:
A maintenance plan at one local shop takes $100 off a full detail. The gap between the low and high end is not quality theatre: it is the difference between a wash-and-vacuum job and a decontamination with machine work on the paint.
Every San Diego price table we read prices a coupe or sedan, a small SUV, and a truck or XL SUV separately. The spread is real work: more paint surface, more glass, a taller roof line to reach, and a bigger cabin to vacuum. A three-row SUV can sit $70 to $140 above a sedan at the same shop for the same package.
State the exact vehicle when you ask for a quote. A quote given for a sedan and applied to a Tahoe is the most common billing surprise in this trade.
Salt air is strongest within a mile of the water: paint film, brake dust and marine-layer moisture all show on dark cars.
La Jolla is inside the City of San Diego, so City of San Diego Public Utilities supplies it with imported water that leaves mineral marks when it dries.
Utility accounts: City of San Diego Public Utilities
Two to four hours for a sedan in average condition. A truck, a three-row SUV, or a vehicle with pet hair and heavy dust can take five hours or more, and the detailer should say so in the quote.
Most mobile detailers carry their own water and a generator or battery setup. Ask before the visit, because some add a hookup fee if they must use the customer's supply.
The published San Diego band is $300 to $470 for a full detail on a truck or XL SUV, against $200 to $410 for a sedan.