car detailing scam

Car detailing scams are like cheap cologne—loud, shiny, and gone by morning. The real pros talk prep and paint correction; the pretenders promise "showroom finish in an hour" and ask for cash up front. If you're being upsold ceramic coating that would apparently survive re-entry, take a breath. Here are red flags that say "park it and walk away":

• No ABN, no invoice, no insurance—just a dodgy Gmail and a burner phone.
• Bait-and-switch pricing: $149 online becomes $499 once they see "how bad" it is.
• Zero prep: no wash decon or claying before "polish"—hello swirl city.
• Miracle coatings with decade-long claims, applied in a carpark with a beach towel.
• Pressure for big deposits or gift-card payments, and stock photos passed off as "yesterday’s job".

Do your homework: look for itemised packages, stage-by-stage paint correction notes, real before/after photos, and reviews that aren't all posted on the same Tuesday. If in doubt, get a written quote and walk—your clear coat (and wallet) will thank you.