[z06bigbird]

I have previously bragged about a detail shop in Memphis, Tn that does a job so fine that we all joke that their detailing sells cars rather than the owner of the car.

For reg pass cars, they charge $130 and shampoo the interior carpeting, clean the trunk, treat the leather, clean the engine, spray black paint on the underside of the car, including wheel wells, etc, etc. Their glaze looks like a million dollars.

A friend of mine has used them for over 25 years. Cassell's is owned by a nice elderly couple, and they work their with their crew.

This friend recently took my 2007 E60 in (4,500 miles--accurate) to get it 'fluffed up.'

When he went to pick it up, the charge was $500.

Why? Cause it's a BMW!!!!!!!!

(Even after a 25 year working relationship, where my friend (who owns a Ford dealership) has literally taken probably 1,000 cars there--or more.)

I might debadge this car.

[tachyon]

What tasks did they do for $500? If it was just those services you mentioned - ripoff. But if they also did a multi-step polishing and then wax/protectant - which takes a lot of man-hours - then a really great detailing job is worth $500.

[lorinzo]

Quick way to lose a lot of business.

[z06bigbird]

tachyon, on May 28 2009, 08:05 AM, said:

What tasks did they do for $500? If it was just those services you mentioned - ripoff. But if they also did a multi-step polishing and then wax/protectant - which takes a lot of man-hours - then a really great detailing job is worth $500.

They actually do the same tasks on every detail job. We begged them not to get under the hood. Even then, the husband/owner said he dusted under the hood.

Every regular passenger car is normally $130 unless car is particularly dirty. Then it is about $100 more, or $230.

This definitely was the BMW tax. Even the wife/owner stated the high charge was because the car was a BMW.

My friend asked her what it would cost to detail a Bentley--$2,000?? She did not have an answer.

[z06bigbird]

lorinzo, on May 28 2009, 09:04 AM, said:

Quick way to lose a lot of business.

Problem is: They are and always have been the best in town. My family and I are Buick and Cadillac people. No tax there.

[mb43]

That's ridiculous, it's the same process to detail a BMW as a ford or any other car. All that matters is the size, how bad the car is, and hardness of paint, plus anything else that would require extra time or products, that could be charged extra for.

Maybe you misunderstood what they did to the car. Maybe on the Cadillac they didn't do a polish but on the BMW they did. You should ask them specifically why the price is higher.

Like someone already pointed out, $500 for a full professional detail isn't absurd as long as it's a top job, but if it is the same thing as a $130 detail on another car, then it is definitely questionable.

[tex_phil]

I've found for almost anything that I need for my car thats not even BMW specific people tend to think its more. Like my bumper I wanted painted. I was hesistant to say what kind of car it was, when I told them, "Ohhh its a BMW, thats a tougher job to do".

[Jrowe]

Whoa! And you paid it!?