- Exterior Auto Detailing
Exterior Car Detailing in Oklahoma City
Run your hand across your hood. Feels gritty, does it not? That is bonded contamination, and washing will not touch it. In Oklahoma City it builds fast — red clay dust, brake dust from every commute, bug splatter and hard water spots after a spring storm. Then there are the swirl marks, and almost every owner got them the same way: automatic car washes dragging grit across the paint. All Hands on Dash handles exterior car detailing in Oklahoma City for drivers who want their paint actually corrected and protected, not just rinsed.
- service details
Professional Exterior Auto Detailing Services in Oklahoma City
All Hands on Dash is a concierge mobile detailing operation based in southeast Oklahoma City, at Building #8, 3301 South Eastern Avenue, OK 73129. We work on cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans across the metro.
Our team has been detailing vehicles in the OKC area for 10 years. We are fully licensed and insured in Oklahoma.
On the protection side we use the System X line, including System X ceramic coatings, System X Glass for windshields, System X Revive for faded plastic and trim, and System X Ultra Gloss Max. These are professional grade coatings with real durability, not a shine spray that washes off in three weeks.
We are open Monday through Saturday, 10:00am to 7:00pm, and Sunday by appointment. Most exterior jobs book within a couple of days, though paint correction work needs longer lead time because it cannot be rushed.
Paint
Protection
Protect your vehicle’s exterior from dirt, UV rays, and daily exposure.
Enhanced Exterior Shine
Restore gloss and improve your vehicle’s clean, polished appearance.
Spot-Free
Finish
Remove buildup and leave your exterior looking fresh and streak-free.
Easy Exterior Care
Keep your vehicle cleaner longer with easier ongoing maintenance.
Packages
SERVICE PACKAGES
Basic Wash Starting at $50
Hand Wash
Windows
Wheels/ Tires
Bug removal
Full Wash Starting at $100
Hand Wash
Windows
Door Jambs
Wheels/ Tires
Bug removal
Tire Shine
Premium Wash Starting at $150
Hand Wash
Clay Bar / Iron Removal
Windows
Door jamb
Wheels/ Tires
Bug removal
Tire Shine
Premium Add ons
Engine Bay – $50-$75
Engine Bay Cleaning
Degreasing Treatment
Plastic Trim Dressing
1 Year Ceramic Spray Starting at $50
Exterior Surface Prep
Ceramic Spray Application
Gloss Enhancement Protection
Buff / Paint Correction / Wax Starting at $150
Paint Surface Inspection
Buff / Paint Correction
Wax Protection Application
Window Ceramic Coating | Windshield Starting At $100
Glass Cleaning
Surface Preparation
Ceramic Coating Application
Window Ceramic Coating | Windshield + Windows Starting At $150
Full Window Cleaning
Glass Surface Prep
Ceramic Coating Protection
Plastic Restore For Faded Plastics
Standard Size Vehicle $100-$200
SUV $200-$350
Wheel Ceramic Coating
Face Only $150 - $200
Face & Barrel $300 - $400
- Service Benefits
What a Real Exterior Detail Includes
A car wash removes loose dirt. Exterior detailing removes what is stuck in the paint, then corrects the finish underneath, then protects it. Three different jobs.
We work the full exterior. Hood, roof, trunk lid, fenders, quarter panels, rocker panels, bumpers, and front grille. Door jambs get cleaned too, and most shops skip those entirely. Wheels, rims, wheel faces, wheel barrels, wheel wells, tires, and lug nuts all get attention. Glass surfaces, windshield, side windows, and side mirrors get cleaned streak free. Headlights, tail lights, chrome trim, plastic trim, emblems, and exhaust tips finish the list.
Then comes decontamination, which is the step that separates detailing from washing. Chemical decontamination uses an iron remover to dissolve embedded iron fallout and brake dust. You will see it bleed purple as it reacts. After that, mechanical decontamination with a clay bar or clay mitt shears off whatever is left, including road tar, tree sap, overspray, and industrial fallout. When it is done, your paint feels like glass.
Customers ask about paint defects constantly. Swirl marks. Light scratches. Oxidation on older single stage paint. Chalky faded black trim. Water spots that will not wipe off. Cloudy yellowed headlights. Bird dropping etching that ate into the clear coat.
Most of it improves a lot. Some of it comes out completely. We will be straight with you though. If a scratch catches your fingernail, it has gone through the clear coat and polishing will not remove it. We can reduce how visible it is. We cannot make it disappear. Anyone who promises otherwise is selling you something.
Clear Coat Damage Compounds
Once oxidation sets in, no polish fixes it. Repaint becomes the only option.
Resale Value Drops
Appraisers look at paint first. Swirls, dull finish, and faded trim all get factored in.
"prevention costs less than correction"
- Oklahoma sun breaks down clear coat every summer.
- Bird droppings and bug guts etch into paint within days.
- Winter road salt sits on rocker panels and starts corrosion.
Clear coat is the sacrificial layer protecting the color underneath. Repainting a single panel usually costs far more than years of detailing would have.
A vehicle with maintained paint holds value noticeably better than one that got a rushed wash the week before trade in.
Why Drivers Choose All Hands on Dash
We come to you, so you keep your afternoon. We quote before we start, so nothing appears on your bill halfway through. We use real protection products instead of dressings that wear off. And we tell you honestly what will correct and what will not, before you pay.
Some shops promise to remove every scratch and hope you do not look closely afterward. We would rather keep the customer.
Why Neglected Paint Costs You Money
First, damage compounds. Clear coat is the sacrificial layer protecting the color underneath. Oklahoma sun is hard on it. Summer UV exposure breaks it down, and once oxidation sets in and the clear coat starts failing, no polish fixes that. Repaint is the only option, and repainting a panel usually costs far more than years of detailing would have.
Then add local hazards. Bird droppings and bug guts are acidic and etch into clear coat within days in heat. Winter road salt and ice melt chemicals sit on lower panels and rocker panels and start corrosion. Hail season leaves micro damage most owners never inspect.
Second, resale value. Appraisers look at paint first. Swirl marks, dull finish, faded trim, and curb rash all get factored in. A vehicle with maintained paint holds value noticeably better than one that got a rushed wash the week before trade in.
What Oklahoma City Does to Paint
Red clay is first. It is fine, it is abrasive, and central Oklahoma wind keeps it airborne. It settles on horizontal panels between washes, which is exactly why dry wiping a dusty car creates swirl marks.
Heat is second. Summer surface temperatures on a dark hood get high enough that water spots bake in before you can dry the car. That is why we work panel by panel instead of soaking the whole vehicle.
Storms are third. Spring brings hail, wind driven debris, and hard water spotting. Tornado season adds airborne grit that lands on everything parked outside.
Winter brings the opposite problem. Road treatment leaves salt residue along rocker panels and behind wheels, and it keeps pulling moisture in long after the ice is gone.
The commute matters too. Long daily runs on I-35, I-40, I-240, and the Kilpatrick Turnpike mean more bug splatter, more road grime, and more iron fallout. We see it heaviest on vehicles running to and from Tinker on the east side, near where our shop sits.
- Step Work
Our Simple Exterior Auto Detailing Process
01.
Inspection
We look at the paint under proper light and check for swirl marks, scratches, oxidation, and etching. This is when we tell you what will correct and what will not.
02.
Wheels first
Wheels, tires, and wheel wells get cleaned before anything else. Brake dust is corrosive and full of iron. Doing wheels last just splashes that mess onto clean paint.
03.
Safe wash
Pre rinse, then snow foam through a foam cannon to lift grit before anything touches the surface. Then a hand wash using the two bucket method with grit guards.
03.
Safe wash
Pre rinse, then snow foam through a foam cannon to lift grit before anything touches the surface. Then a hand wash using the two bucket method with grit guards.
03.
Paint correction
A dual action polisher with cutting and finishing pads levels the clear coat to remove swirls and light scratches. One step handles most daily drivers. Heavier defects need two stage
03.
Protection
Wax, paint sealant, or ceramic coating depending on your package. Then tire dressing, trim dressing, and a streak free glass finish.
Timing depends on the vehicle. A basic exterior detail usually runs one to three hours.
Give Your Vehicle the Exterior Care It Deserves
Book your exterior auto detailing service today and enjoy a cleaner, shinier, and better-protected vehicle.
Tools and Products We Use
A pressure washer and foam cannon do the heavy lifting before contact. Wash mitts, grit guards, and a two bucket system keep grit off your paint. We swap microfiber towels constantly, because reusing a dirty one just grinds dirt back into the finish.
For correction we use a dual action polisher rather than a rotary. It is slower, but it is far safer on modern clear coat and it does not leave holograms or buffer trails. Pads matter as much as the machine. Cutting pads for defect removal, finishing pads for gloss.
Chemicals are pH neutral car shampoo, dedicated iron remover, tar remover, wheel cleaner, clay lubricant, and a panel wipe before any coating goes on. That last step is not optional. Skip the wipe down and the coating bonds to polish residue instead of paint, and it fails early.
What Customers Tell Us
The comment that comes up most is about the wheels. People expect the paint to look better. They are surprised by how different the car looks once brake dust is off the rims and the tires are dressed properly.
Black car owners talk about swirls. They have usually stopped going to automatic washes and want to know if the damage is permanent. Most of the time, it is not.
Truck owners ask about faded trim more than anything else. Sun bakes plastic trim gray in a few Oklahoma summers, and a dressing that lasts one wash does not solve it.
Our real reviews are on our Google Business Profile and Facebook page. Finished work is in the gallery. We would rather you judge from those.
Areas We Serve
We cover Oklahoma City and most of the surrounding metro, including Edmond, Norman, Moore, Midwest City, Del City, Yukon, Mustang, Bethany, Choctaw, Nichols Hills, and Piedmont.
Inside the city we regularly work in Bricktown, Midtown, the Paseo, Capitol Hill, Deer Creek, Belle Isle, the I-240 corridor, and the neighborhoods around Tinker.
We travel further out as well, though a small trip fee may apply. Call and ask before you assume we cannot reach you.
- Question Answer
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Exterior Auto Detailing
Here are answers to common questions to help you understand our exterior detailing process and what to expect.
Most exterior detailing services take between 1 to 3 hours depending on vehicle condition.
Ours starts at $50 for a basic wash and $150 for our premium package. Nationally, full exterior detailing commonly falls between $150 and $350. Vehicle size and paint condition drive the difference.
A wash removes loose dirt from the surface. Detailing removes bonded contamination, corrects defects in the clear coat, and then adds protection. Different job entirely.
Light scratches and swirl marks usually come out with polishing. If a scratch catches your fingernail, it has gone through the clear coat and we can only reduce how visible it is.
Wax typically lasts one to three months. A synthetic sealant usually runs three to six months. Ceramic coatings generally last one to five years depending on the product and how the car is maintained.
In our experience, yes. Brush washes are the single most common source of swirl marks we see. Touchless is safer, though it often uses harsh chemicals that strip protection.
Yes. Winter is a smart time, because salt residue keeps working on your paint the longer it sits. We just need a sheltered spot, like a garage or covered parking.
CONTACT US NOW
+1 405-866-3684