The Hard Truth About Detailing Claims in Rhode Island

As detailers, it’s time we start being honest with clients—and with ourselves.

Customers across Rhode Island are beginning to see through inflated claims, unrealistic promises, and overhyped packages. Many of them are turning to honest, results-driven businesses like ours after being misled by others who sell fantasy-level results that don’t hold up in the real world. This article is not a personal attack on any one business, but a call for accountability and realism in the detailing industry.

Ceramic Coatings Are Not Invincible

Ceramic coatings have become a buzzword across the auto detailing world. Companies throw out terms like "5-year," "10-year," or "lifetime protection." But let's be honest: those numbers are fantasy in real-world driving conditions.

• If you drive 15,000 miles per year, even the best ceramic coating will start showing wear within 12 to 18 months.
• It doesn't matter how perfect your paint correction was. The coating wears with the environment, road grime, UV rays, and washing frequency.
• No ceramic coating is a substitute for clear coat. It doesn't regenerate, it doesn't heal, and it's not permanent.

Detailers need to stop pushing ceramic coatings as some kind of armor. They add protection and gloss, but they do not make your vehicle maintenance-free, nor do they last 5–10 years without serious degradation.

Sealants and Sprays Don’t Last as Long as You Claim

Let’s address another overblown claim: spray-on sealants that supposedly last 8 to 12 months. That might work in a lab or California, but here in Rhode Island? Not a chance.

• Between winter salt, summer heat, and coastal humidity, you’re lucky to get 2–3 months of protection.
• Even after full paint decontamination, no wax or sealant will truly last beyond a few months without reapplication.

Spray waxes, hybrid ceramics, and sealants all have a place. But let’s stop pretending they’re magic. Clients deserve honest timelines and expectations.

Stop Lying About Hand Waxing

Another trend that needs to stop is advertising "hand waxed with carnauba" in every detail package like it’s some ancient ritual.

• No one in Rhode Island is consistently hand applying real carnauba wax unless specifically requested.
• Carnauba melts in the summer heat. It’s gone within 30 days or less in most cases.
• Most detailers are using spray waxes, AIOs, or synthetic products with maybe a trace of carnauba—which is fine. But let’s be real about it.

If you’re advertising hand waxing, make sure that’s actually what you’re doing. Otherwise, reword your service menu to reflect modern products.

Gimmick Packages and Vague Buzzwords

Too many shops are luring clients in with bloated, confusing packages filled with terms they don’t understand:

• "Revitalization detail"
• "Factory reset detail"
• "Ultra deluxe rejuvenation"

Clients don’t care about industry jargon. They want to know "Will my car be clean? Will the stains be gone? Will it shine?"

We should be writing service descriptions in plain English:

• "Rust particles will be removed from your paint."
• "Seats will be shampooed and odor treated."
• "Tires and trim will be dressed with a satin finish."

Don’t try to make a basic detail sound like surgery. That only breeds distrust.

Bring Expectations Down on Paint Corrections

Let’s talk about paint correction. The truth is: 95% of vehicles in Rhode Island could use it. But maybe 5% of car owners are actually willing to pay $2,000+ for a full multi-step correction.

• Most people don’t care about chasing 95% perfection.
• They just want their car to look better, not flawless.
• A good one-step correction with polishing and gloss enhancement is often more than enough.

We also need to admit that not every job comes out perfect. I’ve done sloppy corrections before. So have many other respected shops. We’re human. But let’s stop pretending that every paint correction is flawless or worth $3,000.

Final Thoughts: Let’s Raise the Standard by Being Honest

This industry will only move forward if we stop selling fiction and start offering clarity. Rhode Island drivers are smart. They don’t need sugar-coated packages or false promises. They want reliable, affordable, transparent service.

If we stop overhyping, overselling, and overcharging, we all win. And customers will actually trust us more.

So whether you’re a detailer, a car owner, or someone just tired of being upsold for the same old services—this message is for you.

Honesty wins. Every time.

‍