Exterior Car Detailing in Baldwinsville, NY

Most of our work now is paint correction and ceramic coatings, but we still take on a limited number of exterior details for people who want their car washed the right way. Every exterior detail is a careful hand wash, with no brushes or tunnel washes, plus a deep cleaning of the wheels, tires and fender liners.

Spots fill in around our coating work, so it's best to book ahead. We see clients from Baldwinsville, Syracuse, Liverpool, Clay and the rest of Central New York at our appointment-only shop on Oswego Road.

Full Exterior Detail

Starting at $130

A thorough hand wash and wheel cleaning for cars with normal road grime and everyday dirt. If your paint feels rough or has tar and iron buildup, book a Paint Decontamination instead (below).

Every full exterior detail includes:

  • Pre-soak to loosen dirt & grime before anything touches the paint

  • Bug removal

  • Hand wash

  • Deep wheel and tire cleaning (faces, lug nuts, lips and barrels)

  • Plastic fender liners cleaned

  • Spray wax on all exterior surfaces

  • Careful towel dry

  • Satin tire shine, not greasy or glossy

About pricing: prices are starting rates and go up with vehicle size. Vehicles with heavy mud or off-road buildup, baked-on bugs, heavy brake dust, tree sap, tar or road paint, or long-term neglect take more time, and an Excessive Dirt & Neglect Fee may apply. We'll always go over it with you and get your OK before doing any extra work.

Black Porsche getting a Full Exterior Detail in Baldwinsville, NY
Book Full Exterior Detail

Paint Decontamination

Starting at $180

Everything in the Full Exterior Detail, plus chemical removal of iron fallout and tar. Over time, brake dust, rail dust, road tar and industrial fallout bond to the paint. A normal wash won't take them off, and they leave the paint feeling rough, dull the gloss and cut down on water beading.

Adds to the Full Exterior Detail:

  • Iron fallout removal

  • Tar removal

We recommend a decontamination every 4–12 months, depending on how often and how you drive, and before any wax, sealant or ceramic coating. For paint that still feels rough afterward, add a clay bar treatment.

About pricing: prices are starting rates and go up with vehicle size. Vehicles with heavy mud or off-road buildup, baked-on bugs, heavy brake dust, tree sap, tar or road paint, or long-term neglect take more time, and an Excessive Dirt & Neglect Fee may apply. We'll always go over it with you and get your OK before doing any extra work.

Gray BMW getting a Decontamination Wash in Baldwinsville, NY
Book Paint Decontamination

Exterior Add-Ons

Add any of these to a Full Exterior Detail or Paint Decontamination. We'll recommend what makes sense when we see the vehicle, and nothing gets added without your OK.

  • Clay bar decontamination (from $100). Physically lifts bonded contaminants that chemical decontamination alone sometimes leaves behind. Why it's worth it: the paint feels smooth as glass again, looks clearer, and gives wax, sealant or a coating a clean surface to bond to.

  • Gtechniq C2v4 paint sealant (from $80). A spray sealant applied after the wash, in place of the standard spray wax. Why it's worth it: more gloss and water beading, and it lasts longer than wax. It's short-term protection measured in months, not years. For long-term protection, see our ceramic coatings.

  • Blow drying (from $45). Filtered air dries the paint, wheels, mirrors, emblems and trim gaps. Why it's worth it: less towel contact on the paint means less chance of adding swirls, and no water dripping out of mirrors and seams after you leave.

  • Engine bay detail (from $100). A careful cleaning and dressing of the engine bay. Why it's worth it: a clean engine bay makes leaks easier to spot, and it's one of the first things a buyer looks at when you sell.

  • Wheels-off decontamination (from $50 per wheel). We remove each wheel, decontaminate the full wheel, barrel and caliper area, then reinstall it. Why it's worth it: gets the brake dust that a wheels-on cleaning can't reach. It's also the prep required for a full-wheel C5 Wheel Armour coating.

  • Truck bed cleaning (painted bed from $30, lined bed from $50). Why it's worth it: gets out dirt, salt and debris that sit in the bed and around the tailgate all winter.

  • Rock chip touch-up ($170/hr). Touch-up paint on scattered rock chips, wet-sanded level if needed. Why it's worth it: seals bare spots so they're less likely to rust and makes chips much less noticeable. It's a cosmetic improvement, not a body shop repair, and the chips won't fully disappear.

What Exterior Detailing Can and Can't Fix

An exterior detail cleans and protects. It doesn't repair. Existing swirl marks, scratches, rock chips, water spots, etching, oxidation, clear coat failure and rust will still be there after a wash, and wax or sealant won't hide them.

If your paint has swirls or scratches you want gone, that takes paint correction, not a detail. We're happy to look at it and tell you what's realistic.

Why a Proper Hand Wash Matters

Most swirl marks come from washing, not driving. Automatic car washes with brushes and spinning cloths drag grit across the paint every time you go through. Touchless washes use harsh chemicals that strip wax and sealant fast.

A hand wash is only as safe as the method behind it, though. A dirty sponge or a gritty towel can do the same damage. We pre-soak to loosen dirt before anything touches the paint, use clean wash media and pH-neutral soap, and treat every car like it's coated.

Keep It Clean With the Exterior Detail Membership

One good wash doesn't last long in Central New York, between road salt, slush and spring pollen. The Exterior Detail Membership keeps your car hand washed the right way all year, for one flat monthly price.

Starting at $80/month · Up to one visit per week

Every visit includes wheel cleaning, a pre-soak, a pH-neutral hand wash and a careful dry.

Required before joining: a decontamination wash, clay bar and protection package. It removes bonded contamination and puts protection on the paint, which is what keeps each maintenance wash quick and lets us offer it at a lower rate. Already have one of our ceramic coatings? You can join right away. Your coating counts as the protection.

Join the Exterior Detail Membership · Compare all maintenance plans

Exterior Detailing FAQs

  • The Full Exterior Detail is a thorough hand wash and wheel cleaning for normal road grime. Paint Decontamination adds chemical removal of iron fallout and tar, the bonded contamination a regular wash leaves behind. If your paint feels rough when you run your hand over it, or it's been more than a few months since your last decontamination, go with the decontamination.

  • About 50 minutes for a Full Exterior Detail and about an hour and 15 minutes for a Paint Decontamination on most vehicles. Add-ons and heavily soiled vehicles take longer.

  • No. A wash and wax can make the paint look glossier for a little while, but swirls and scratches are damage in the clear coat. Removing them takes paint correction.

  • No. Spray wax and the C2v4 sealant add gloss and water beading for weeks to months. A ceramic coating lasts years and holds up much better to washing and road salt. None of them stop swirls, scratches or rock chips.

  • Yes. Winter is when your car needs it most, since road salt left sitting on the paint, wheels and underside does the most damage. The Exterior Detail Membership makes regular winter washes easy.

Know someone whose car could use a fresh detail? Give a gift certificate.

Book an Exterior Detail in Baldwinsville

Every car gets the same care we put into a paint correction: a safe wash method, the right product for each surface, and a call before we do anything beyond what you booked. Book online or call (315) 303-7309. We're at 9073 Oswego Road, Baldwinsville, NY 13027, Monday through Friday by appointment.

Want the inside done too? See our interior detailing.