Basic Exterior
Quick exterior clean and shine
Starting at $169
Typical time · ~1.5 hours
- ✓Exterior foam wash
- ✓Hand dry (no water spots)
- ✓Wheel & tire cleaning
- ✓Exterior window cleaning
- ✓Door jamb wipe-down
- ✓Side mirrors cleaning
Los Angeles
Exterior Detailing in Los Angeles
Hand wash, decontamination, paint correction, and long-lasting protection, done at your home, office, marina, or storage lot.
Every vehicle in Los Angeles fights the same daily battle: stop-and-go traffic, intense sun, and smog film that builds up faster than most owners expect. Our exterior detailing service brings the full shop to you, whether that's a driveway in Silver Lake, an office garage downtown, a marina slip in Long Beach, or a storage lot in the Valley. We handle every kind of exterior, from daily driver cars to boats, RVs, and motorcycles, with our own water and power, so there's no drop-off required.
4.9 StarsFully InsuredMobile ServiceExperienced Technicians
About This Service
Exterior Detailing Services in Los Angeles by MDE
Mobile Detailing Expert provides exterior detailing services in Los Angeles for cars, boats, RVs, and motorcycles. Our technicians come to your home, office, marina, or storage lot with the equipment needed to wash, decontaminate, correct, and protect the exterior on-site.
Why Exterior Detailing Really Matters in Los Angeles
Los Angeles paint takes a beating that few other markets match. Near year-round sun accelerates UV fading and oxidation on anything parked outside, and smog film settles onto exteriors faster here than in most cities, leaving a fine layer of contamination that a normal wash doesn't fully lift. Vehicles near the coast in areas like Marina del Rey and Long Beach also pick up salt air, which speeds up corrosion on metal trim and hardware in a way that inland neighborhoods rarely see.
What We Do
We wash, decontaminate, correct, and protect the outside of your vehicle, scaled to what it needs. Here's what a complete exterior service includes:
- Hand wash and wax: a safe hand wash that lifts dirt without swirling the paint, finished with wax for shine and protection
- Clay bar and decontamination: strips bonded grime a wash leaves behind, especially the smog film common in LA
- Paint correction and polishing: machine polishing to remove swirls and scratches and restore gloss
- Ceramic coating and sealant: long-lasting protection against LA's intense UV, salt air, and road grime
Pricing
Exterior Detailing Prices in Los Angeles
Exterior detailing cost in Los Angeles depends on your vehicle type, size, and condition, since a car and a large RV or boat take very different amounts of work. Vehicles with heavier oxidation, scratches, or contamination need more labor than one that's been regularly maintained. We price based on what your vehicle actually needs rather than a flat rate for every vehicle. Choose the package below that matches your vehicle and the services you need.
Most PopularFull Exterior
Wash + protective spray wax
Starting at $199
Typical time · ~2 hours
- ✓Exterior foam wash
- ✓Hand dry (no water spots)
- ✓Wheel & tire cleaning
- ✓Exterior window cleaning
- ✓Door jamb wipe-down
- ✓Side mirrors cleaning
- ✓Spray Wax
Premium Exterior
Full wash, polish & sealant wax
Starting at $299
Typical time · ~2.5 hours
- ✓Exterior foam wash
- ✓Hand dry (no water spots)
- ✓Wheel & tire cleaning
- ✓Exterior window cleaning
- ✓Door jamb wipe-down
- ✓Side mirrors cleaning
- ✓Sealant Wax (hand-applied wax)
- ✓Light Polish
Price may vary depending on your vehicle type, size, and condition. Don't see the right fit? Book a custom package built around your vehicle.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
What's Included in Our Exterior Detailing Services in Los Angeles
Exterior detailing includes washing, decontamination, correction, and protection for the outside of your vehicle. Every service below can be booked individually or combined into a complete exterior package. We scale the work to your vehicle and how much correction the paint actually needs.
Car Wash and Wax
We start with a safe hand wash that lifts dirt and grime without dragging it across your paint, then dry and finish with a protective wax. This is the maintenance-level service most vehicles need on a regular basis to stay protected between full details. A regular wash and wax keeps LA's UV, smog film, and salt air from dulling your finish. It's also the fastest way to notice if your paint needs deeper correction.
Paint Correction
We remove the swirls, scratches, and haze that build up in your paint from washing, driving, and constant sun exposure. Our paint correction uses machine polishing to cut through the marks and restore a deep, clear gloss. We work in careful stages so the correction improves the paint rather than just adding temporary shine. Most vehicles that haven't been corrected before see a dramatic difference.
Ceramic Coating
Our ceramic coating bonds to your paint and protects it for years, not months, which matters given how hard Los Angeles sun and road grime are on an unprotected finish. It repels water and grime and holds a deeper gloss far longer than wax. We always apply it after a full correction, so the coating locks in a flawless finish rather than sealing in existing damage. This is the strongest long-term protection option available.
Headlight Restoration
We clear up foggy, yellowed headlights that hurt both your night visibility and your vehicle's looks. We sand away the oxidized layer, then polish and seal the lens so it looks clear and stays that way. It's a fast fix that makes an older vehicle look years newer for a fraction of the cost of new housings. Most headlights only need this treatment once every couple of years.
Car Polishing and Buffing
We machine polish and buff your paint to refine the finish and bring out a smooth, even shine. Our buffing clears light oxidation, water spots, and isolated scratches without a full correction. This is the right level for paint that's in decent shape and just needs a refresh rather than heavy correction. It's often the final step before wax, sealant, or ceramic coating.
Clay Bar Treatment
We use a clay bar treatment to strip the bonded contaminants a wash leaves behind, including tree sap, tar, and the smog film that's especially common in Los Angeles. Your paint feels glass-smooth afterward and is fully prepped for wax, sealant, or ceramic. Skipping this step means sealing that grime under whatever protection goes on next. We treat it as essential prep, not an optional add-on.
EVERY VEHICLE
Exterior Detailing for Every Vehicle in Los Angeles
Exterior detailing looks different across vehicle types, since a car's paint, a boat's gel coat, and a motorcycle's chrome each need their own products and technique. We scale the process, tools, and time to what your specific vehicle needs. Here's what our service covers for each.
Car Exterior Detailing
We wash, decontaminate, correct, and protect the paint, glass, wheels, and trim on sedans, SUVs, trucks, and vans. We scale the work to your vehicle's size and condition, from a wash and wax to full correction and ceramic. See our car detailing for the complete service.
Exterior Detailing for Boat
We restore and protect gel coat, clean and decontaminate the hull, and remove the marine oxidation that dulls a boat left in the Los Angeles sun and saltwater. Our boat detailing uses marine-safe products, never automotive products that harm gel coat. See our boat detailing for the complete marine service.
Exterior Detailing for RV
We handle the large fiberglass body, heavy oxidation, and roof that RVs and motorhomes are known for, priced by length. Our motorhome detailing washes and decontaminates the body, cuts through oxidation on faded panels, and protects the finish for the season. See our RV detailing for the full service.
Motorcycle Detailing
We wash and protect the paint on your tank and fairings, then polish the chrome and metal that give a bike its character. Our motorcycle detailing works by hand, since a bike's smaller, curved surfaces need more precision than a car's. See our motorcycle detailing for the full service.
Common Issues
Exterior Problems We Fix in Los Angeles
The same paint and surface problems, swirl marks, oxidation, water spots, and contamination, show up on almost every vehicle in Los Angeles. Most of these issues can be corrected with the right process, though the result depends on how long the damage has been building. We assess your vehicle honestly and tell you what to expect before we start.
Car Scratch and Swirl Removal
Fine swirls and light scratches come from washing, drying, and everyday driving, and they make your paint look dull and hazy under LA's strong sun. We remove them with machine polishing and paint correction, restoring a clear, deep finish. The improvement is most obvious in direct sunlight, where swirls tend to hide worst. Most vehicles that haven't been corrected before see a dramatic difference.
Car Paint Oxidation Removal
Constant Los Angeles sun oxidizes paint over time, leaving it looking dull, chalky, or flat. We cut through the dead top layer with compounding and polishing, then seal the fresh finish so it holds its shine. Vehicles parked outside without protection oxidize noticeably faster than garaged ones. Catching oxidation early means less correction is needed to fix it.
Water Spot Removal
Hard Los Angeles water and sprinklers leave mineral spots and rings that etch into the paint and glass over time. We treat and remove them, then protect the surface so they're slower to return. Left untreated, water spots can permanently etch into the clear coat and become impossible to fully remove. Regular protection is the best defense against them coming back.
Tree Sap, Bug, and Tar Removal
Tree sap, bug splatter, and road tar bond to your paint and cause damage if they sit too long, especially on vehicles that drive LA freeways daily. We safely break them down and remove them without harming the finish. Scrubbing them off with the wrong method risks scratching the clear coat, which is a common DIY mistake. Removing them promptly prevents staining that's much harder to correct later.
Wheel and Tire Cleaning
Brake dust, grime, and road salt cake onto wheels and dull your tires from daily LA traffic. We deep clean the wheels, barrels, and tires, then dress them for a clean, finished look. Brake dust is acidic and can etch into wheel finishes if it's left to build up over time. Regular wheel cleaning protects the finish as much as it improves the look.
Headlight Restoration
Headlights fog and yellow as the lens oxidizes, which hurts both your looks and your night visibility. We sand, polish, and seal the lenses to restore clarity. This is one of the fastest, most affordable fixes that makes a genuinely noticeable difference in how a vehicle looks. Sealing the lens afterward also slows down how quickly the fog returns.
Why Go Professional
Why DIY Exterior Detailing Doesn't Work
Most people try to wash and wax their vehicle themselves at least once, usually with a bucket, sponge, and a bottle of wax from the store. The results often fall short because exterior detailing depends on the right decontamination and technique, not just soap and water. Here's why professionals get results that DIY can't match.
Washing Alone Doesn't Remove Bonded Contaminants
A regular wash only removes loose dirt sitting on top of the paint, not the bonded contaminants like smog film, tar, and rail dust that stick to the clear coat itself. Those contaminants need a clay bar to actually lift out, not just rinse away. Skipping this step means sealing grime under whatever wax or sealant goes on next. That trapped grime keeps working against your paint long after the wash is done.
The Wrong Wash Technique Causes Swirl Marks
Automatic car washes and improper hand washing are the leading cause of the swirl marks people are usually trying to avoid in the first place. Using a dirty sponge or the wrong drying technique drags grit across the clear coat and creates new scratches with every wash. We use the right tools and technique so washing corrects the paint instead of damaging it further. Over time that difference shows clearly under direct sunlight.
DIY Paint Correction Often Makes Paint Worse
Machine polishing without the right pad, compound, and technique can burn through the clear coat or leave holograms and buffer trails that are harder to fix than the original swirls. This is a skill that takes real practice to get right. We correct paint in careful, measured stages and know exactly how much clear coat is safe to remove. Getting this wrong is one of the most expensive DIY mistakes a car owner can make.
How We Confirm the Finish Is Actually Protected
We check the surface under direct light after every wax, sealant, or ceramic application to confirm even coverage before we call the job done. A patchy or missed section fails faster and looks uneven the moment it gets wet. That final check is what separates a lasting result from a rushed one. It's a step that's easy to skip and easy to notice when it's missed.
Explore More
More Ways to Protect Your Vehicle in Los Angeles
An exterior detail cleans and protects the outside of your vehicle, but the interior and long-term protection benefit from the same attention. Pairing services gives you a complete result and often saves money compared to booking each one separately. Pair your exterior detail with one of these services for the best results.
Interior Detailing
We offer interior detailing for cars, boats, and RVs across Los Angeles, covering deep cleaning and protection for the inside of your vehicle. Pair it with your exterior detail for a complete inside-and-out clean.
See our interior detailing in Los Angeles.
Ceramic Coating
We offer ceramic coating for cars, boats, RVs, and motorcycles, applying long-lasting protection to paint, gelcoat, and fiberglass surfaces exposed to constant Los Angeles sun.
See our ceramic coating in Los Angeles.
Paint Correction
We offer paint correction for cars, boats, RVs, and motorcycles, using machine polishing to remove swirls, scratches, and oxidation. It's the right first step before any wax, sealant, or ceramic layer.
See our paint correction in Los Angeles.
Waxing & Sealants
We offer waxing and sealants for cars, boats, RVs, and motorcycles, locking in shine and protection after every full detail.
See our waxing and sealants in Los Angeles.
Cut & Buffing
We offer buffing for cars, boats, RVs, and motorcycles, using heavy-cut polishing to restore badly oxidized paint or gelcoat.
See our buffing in Los Angeles.
Clay Bar & Polishing
We offer polishing and clay bar treatment for cars, boats, RVs, and motorcycles, decontaminating the surface before any sealant or ceramic layer goes on.
See our clay bar and polishing in Los Angeles.
Why Mobile Detailing
Why Los Angeles Owners Skip the Shop for Exterior Detailing
A shop visit means driving across town, waiting, and driving back, all before your exterior is even touched. We arrive at your driveway, marina, or storage lot and finish on-site.
| Mobile Detailing Expert | Traditional Shop | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Your driveway, marina, or storage lot | You drive to them |
| Drop-off required | Never | Always |
| Wait time | None, work on your schedule | Hours at the shop |
| Equipment | We bring everything | They have it on-site |
| Water and power | Self-contained | On-site |
| Flexibility | Your schedule, your location | Their hours only |
| Quality | Professional grade | Professional grade |
Why this matters in Los Angeles
A shop visit in LA often eats up half a day once you factor in driving, parking, and traffic both ways. Mobile exterior detailing removes that entirely: your vehicle gets detailed at home, at the office, or at your slip while you carry on with your day.
Service Area
Exterior Detailing Areas We Serve Near Los Angeles
We cover Los Angeles and the surrounding region. Don't see your area listed? Enter your ZIP code below to check coverage.
Los AngelesLong BeachAnaheimSanta AnaIrvineGlendaleHuntington BeachGarden GroveSanta ClaritaTorrancePasadenaOrangeFullertonCoronaRancho CucamongaSimi ValleyDowneyCosta MesaInglewoodWest CovinaNorwalkBurbankComptonCarsonRialtoEl MonteBuena ParkLakewoodWhittierAlhambra
How It Works
How It Works
Booking takes about two minutes, and we handle the rest.
1
Choose and book
Pick your package, and book online or call us.
2
We come to you
Our team arrives at your home, office, marina, or storage lot, fully equipped with water and power.
3
We detail on-site
Your vehicle stays where it is while we complete the full exterior service.
Our Work in Los Angeles
Real Results from Across the Country
Every photo below comes from a verified customer booking. No stock images. No staged shots.
Sports car
Sports sedan
Adventure motorcycle
Class A motorhome
Boat exterior
Cabin cruiser
Car interior
Touring motorcycle
Electric sedan
WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY
Rated 4.9 Stars by Los Angeles Customers
Real customer reviews from exterior detailing bookings across Greater Los Angeles.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Honest answers to what customers ask before booking. Start here.
What is exterior detailing?
Exterior detailing is a deep clean, correction, and protection service for the outside of your vehicle that goes far beyond a car wash. It includes a safe hand wash, clay bar decontamination, paint correction to remove swirls and scratches, and protection with wax, sealant, or ceramic coating.
How do you remove scratches from a car?
Most light scratches and swirl marks are in the clear coat and can be removed with machine polishing, also called paint correction. Deeper scratches that have gone through the clear coat cannot be fully polished out, and we tell you honestly which is which before we start.
How do you wax a car?
Waxing a car means applying a thin, even layer of wax to clean, dry paint, letting it haze, then buffing it off with a clean microfiber towel. We apply wax as the final protective step so your paint stays glossy and shielded from Los Angeles UV and water.
What is the difference between a car wash and exterior detailing?
A car wash removes surface dirt from the outside of your vehicle. Exterior detailing goes much deeper: it decontaminates the paint with a clay bar, corrects swirls and scratches, and seals the finish with wax, sealant, or ceramic coating.
How much is exterior detailing?
Exterior detailing is priced by your vehicle's size and condition, since a small sedan and a large truck take different amounts of work. We confirm the exact price before your appointment, so you always know what you're paying up front.
How long does exterior detailing take?
Exterior detailing takes anywhere from about an hour for a wash and wax to a full day for a complete detail with paint correction and ceramic coating, depending on your vehicle's size and condition.
Is ceramic coating worth it?
For most vehicles that live outside and see the Los Angeles sun daily, ceramic coating is worth it because it protects the paint far longer than wax. It costs more up front but saves money and time over the years you own the vehicle.
How do you get tree sap and tar off a car?
Tree sap and tar should be removed with a dedicated solvent or a clay bar, not scraped or scrubbed, which scratches the paint. Removing them promptly matters, since sap and tar etch into the clear coat faster under strong LA sun.
Do you come to my home or office?
Yes, coming to you is the core of what we do. We arrive at your home or office fully self-contained with our own water and power, so you never have to drive anywhere or wait in line.
Do you detail RV, boat, and motorcycle exteriors?
Yes, we detail RVs, boats, and motorcycles along with cars, SUVs, and trucks. Each surface is different, so we use the right products and methods, including marine-safe products for boats.
Learn More
Detailing Tips and Guides for Los Angeles
Practical advice for Los Angeles vehicle owners, maintenance, protection, and what to expect from professional mobile detailing.
Exterior Care
How Often Should You Wax Your Car? Climate Guide
Detail frequency depends on climate, parking, and use. Daily drivers in coastal salt need more than garage queens in mild climates. Here's the schedule by scenario.
Read time: 4 min
Read the Guide
Exterior Care
Clay Bar Treatment & Iron Decontamination Guide
Bonded brake dust, industrial fallout, and rail dust survive every wash and slowly etch your clear coat. Here's the two-step treatment that removes them.
Read time: 5 min
Read the Guide
Exterior Care
Wax vs Synthetic Sealant: Which Protects Better?
Carnauba wax gives warmth and depth. Synthetic sealant gives durability and easy maintenance. For daily drivers, the right choice depends on washing habits, climate, and how much time you'll invest.
Read time: 5 min
Read the GuideCoverage
Mobile Detailing Available Across the United States
We serve 80+ cities across every major region of the country. Find your city below.