Sam Car Detailing — Terms & Conditions

At Sam Car Detailing, we’re straightforward. No hidden fees, no surprises, no pressure. These terms exist to make sure both sides know what to expect.

1. Pricing & Vehicle Condition

Our Pricing Promise

Our advertised prices are based on vehicles in standard condition — normal daily use with average levels of dirt, dust, and light staining. In most cases, what you see is what you pay.

Condition-Based Adjustments

On rare occasions, a vehicle’s condition may require significantly more time and effort than standard. If this is the case, our technician will let you know on arrival with an exact price before any work begins. You can either accept the adjusted price or we proceed with your original package as booked. No pressure either way. We’ll always do our best to leave you with a result you’re proud of.

Examples of conditions that may require an adjustment:

Severe interior soiling requiring multiple extractions
Heavy embedded contamination or neglected paintwork
Bio-hazards such as mould, vomit, or similar — which may be subject to service refusal under Section 5

Ceramic Coating & Paint Correction

All ceramic coating packages include one stage of paint correction to address standard swirl marks and light surface defects. If your vehicle has deep or severe scratches that require additional correction stages, our technician will assess this on arrival and provide an exact quote before work begins. No work will proceed without your approval.

GST

All prices are in Australian Dollars (AUD) and include GST.

2. Bookings & Access

Bookings can be made online, by phone, or by email.

To carry out your service, we need:

Access to a tap and power outlet within 20 metres of the vehicle
A suitable parking space with front, side, or rear access
A reasonably flat and safe workspace

If these cannot be provided on the day, the booking will be treated as a same-day cancellation and charged accordingly.

We aim to arrive on time. Exact arrival times may vary slightly due to traffic or weather.

Customers should be present at the start of the service or let us know of any delays in advance. You must remain contactable by phone for the duration of the service. If we are unable to reach you and cannot safely or effectively complete the job, our technician reserves the right to leave. A cancellation fee may apply in this case.

3. Cancellation & Rescheduling

We ask for reasonable notice so we can offer your slot to another customer. Last-minute cancellations mean lost time and costs we can’t recover — these fees reflect that.

Cancellations with 24+ hours’ notice — no fee
Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice — 50% of service cost
Same-day cancellations or no-shows — 100% of service cost
Rescheduling with less than 24 hours’ notice — $20 rescheduling fee
Same-day rescheduling is treated as a same-day cancellation and charged at 100% of the service cost
Failure to provide required access (water, power, parking) on the day is treated as a same-day cancellation

Weather Cancellations

In the event of extreme weather that prevents us from safely completing your service, we will contact you as early as possible to reschedule at no charge. A credit equal to the full booking value will be applied to your rescheduled appointment. Refunds are not issued for weather-related cancellations as this is outside our control. By booking with us, you acknowledge and agree to this policy.

Cancellation by Sam Car Detailing

In the rare event that we need to cancel your booking for reasons other than weather, we will contact you as soon as possible and offer either a full reschedule at no charge or a full refund to your original payment method.

4. Payment

Full payment is due upon completion of service.
In some cases, prepayment may be required.
We accept cash and card. A 2.2% processing surcharge applies to card payments, reflecting our actual cost of acceptance.
Card details may be securely held and processed through our payment gateway to enforce cancellation or no-show policies agreed to at the time of booking.
Unpaid balances may be referred to a collection agency. The customer agrees to be liable for all associated recovery costs.

5. Customer Responsibilities

Please remove all personal belongings from the vehicle including the boot before we arrive.
If child car seats are present, we will clean around them. For safety and liability reasons, our technicians will not remove or re-install child car seats.
Let us know about any sensitive areas — aftermarket electronics, exposed wiring, or anything we should be careful around.
Please notify us of any pre-existing damage before the service begins so it can be noted.
Failure to meet these responsibilities may affect the quality of the result and does not entitle the customer to a refund or rework.
You agree that we may use before and after photos and videos taken during your service for marketing and promotional purposes, including on our website and social media.

Hazardous Conditions

Any hazardous conditions — mould, bodily fluids, sharp objects, insect infestations, broken glass — must be disclosed at the time of booking.

If we arrive and find hazardous conditions, we’ll assess on the spot. In some cases we can still proceed with an additional charge quoted before work begins. In cases where the vehicle poses a serious health or safety risk, we reserve the right to refuse service entirely.

If hazardous conditions were not disclosed at booking and we are unable to proceed, a call-out fee of 50% of the booked service will apply.

6. Results Disclaimer

While we use professional-grade products and techniques, certain services cannot be guaranteed to achieve a specific outcome due to factors outside our control. This includes but is not limited to:

Odour removal — results depend on the source, severity, and how deeply the odour is embedded in materials. Smoke, pet, and mould odours in particular can be deeply embedded and may not be fully eliminated in a single service.
Stain removal — some stains are permanent and may not fully respond to treatment regardless of the products or techniques used.
Pet hair removal — heavily embedded hair may not be fully removable in a single service.
Paint correction — results depend on paint thickness, condition, and the severity of defects. Our standard packages include one stage of correction. Deep or severe scratches may require additional stages quoted separately.
Headlight restoration — results depend on the condition and thickness of the lens. Heavily oxidised or cracked lenses may not restore fully.
Sticker, decal & signage removal — results depend on the age, type, and adhesive used. Older or low-quality vinyl may leave adhesive residue or affect the paint beneath, particularly on vehicles with aged or compromised clear coat.

In all such cases, our technician will advise you of realistic expectations before work begins. Our obligation is to apply our best professional effort, not to guarantee a specific result.

7. Liability

Sam Car Detailing is not liable for:

Pre-existing damage or mechanical faults
Damage caused by hidden compartments or modified components
Water or moisture issues following interior services
Engine-related issues following engine bay detailing (when requested by the customer)
Paint or clear coat damage on vehicles where the condition was already deteriorating, peeling, or compromised prior to the service. Vehicles with failing paintwork are detailed at the owner’s risk.

We carry full Public Liability Insurance up to $5 million.

8. Satisfaction & Complaints

We take pride in our work and stand behind it. Please inspect your vehicle before our technician leaves.
Customers must notify us of any pre-existing damage before the service begins. Any damage claims reported after the technician has departed will be assessed against the condition noted at the start of service.
Any concerns raised on-site will be addressed immediately.
Any concerns about incomplete or unsatisfactory work must be reported to us within 24 hours of service completion via phone or email. After this period, the service is considered accepted. Post-service concerns raised within 24 hours will be reviewed in accordance with Australian Consumer Law.

9. Refunds

Refunds are provided in accordance with Australian Consumer Law.
Approved refunds will be returned to the original payment method.
Refunds will not be issued for general dissatisfaction unless a fault or failure under Australian Consumer Law is identified.

10. Gift Cards

Gift cards are non-refundable, non-transferable, and not redeemable for cash.
Valid for 3 years from the date of purchase.
Redeemable against any service within our Melbourne service area.
Gift cards are redeemable against any service equal to or greater than the minimum booking value applicable at the time of redemption, as listed on our website.

11. Privacy

Your personal information is collected, used, and stored in accordance with Australian Privacy Laws.
We take all reasonable steps to protect your data.

12. Contact

For questions, changes, or cancellations:

Email: [email protected]