Tipping at car detail shop?

[Outer Marker]

Do you tip at car detail shops, and if so, how much? It's not a guy that comes to your house - an established shop. I don't tip my mechanic or a body shop, but somehow this strikes me as different when it requires sweat and elbow grease to do a good job. The service is $350. My standard 20% service tip seems like a lot in this situation.

[ralph124cf]

If you can identify the guy who did the work, or most of the work (waxing), I would definitely give him a $20. Not for the general tip jar.

[02nz]

Agree with the above. You already paid for the service so no tip is necessary, but if someone went above and beyond, that's deserving of a tip, and probably more so than most situations in which people tip out of habit, which only leads to employers paying less expecting customers to make up the difference.

[rebellovw]

I wouldn't tip. The idea with a detail shop - a good one - is that they are already very expensive and are getting paid adequately. Several hundred dollars is usually the cost of such a thing. I just do it myself as a good boglehead.

So no tip!

[rebellovw]

Now if it is not really a detail shop - but a 20$ car wash place with people toweling off your car - I'll give them a few bucks as they are making min-wage.

Most good detail shops ($$$) are owner operated.

[adamthesmythe]

I have not previously thought about how much I should tip if I get my car detailed. I guess that's because I've never had my car detailed.

I did once want to get my car washed before taking it in for a trade. I went to the place the car wash used to be. And it was gone.

[Doctor Rhythm]

I have not previously thought about how much I should tip if I get my car detailed. I guess that's because I've never had my car detailed.

I did once want to get my car washed before taking it in for a trade. I went to the place the car wash used to be. And it was gone.

Garden hose, Palmolive, and maybe some Turtle Wax if I decide to splurge — but that’s only if we’re not in a drought. Ideally my spouse does this, so no tip.

[Outer Marker]

Thanks for the advice, friends. I think I’ve settled on asking the shop owner to thank the guy who did the work - and give him $20.

It’s hard work - I know! First time - at age 57 - I have not detailed my own car. When I was in high school people paid me to detail their cars. I feel a little guilty- and old- hiring it out.

[Swansea]

I stopped using a mobile detailing shop once their website asked for a tip while scheduling the service. I found that absurd.