Illustration for Buying a Used Mobile Detailing Rig

A community thread earlier this year asked whether $20,000 was fair for a 2010 compact van with about 50,000 miles and a detailing build-out. The answer starts with what the van alone is worth.

Step 1: price the van on its own

Look up the bare van in a used-vehicle pricing guide by year, mileage, trim and condition. Use the private-party value, since you’re buying from an individual.

Then check its history. The federal NMVTIS title database lets buyers see a vehicle’s title, latest odometer reading and brand history. A brand is a label a state puts on a title, such as junk, salvage or flood.

Step 2: price the gear at new, then knock it down

Component Seller New price
Pressure washer with 60-gal tank (DK2000) Detail King $3,169
Pressure washer with generator (Mobile Wash System) Detail King $4,825
80-gallon water tank (Ralda’s) Car Supplies Warehouse $550
Vacuum and blower (Metro Vac ‘N’ Blo VNB-94BD) Detail King $374.99 (sale)
Heated carpet extractor (Mytee Lite 8070) CleanFreak $1,341 (listed original price)

Prices checked October 2026. How we research: methodology.

A lean build (washer with tank, vacuum, extractor) comes to about $4,885 new. A build with a generator-driven washer and a separate 80-gallon tank is about $7,091. Shelving, hose reels, hoses, lighting and polishers add more. Our startup cost guide prices those kits.

Used gear sells below new. One data point: a supply seller lists a refurbished demo of that extractor at $1,050 against its $1,341 original price, about 22% off, and says it comes with a new-machine warranty. (That listing showed as unavailable when we checked, so treat the prices as a guide.) Gear from a private seller has no warranty, so it should sell for less than a dealer’s refurbished unit.

Step 3: check the parts that wear

The pump, the generator and the extractor are where a used rig hides costs.

  • Pump oil. One pump maker’s manual says that condensation inside the crankcase turns the oil a white, milky color, and a pump with milky oil has to have it changed more often. It also gives an oil-change interval of every three months or 300 hours after the first change. Ask for service records.
  • Run everything. Start the generator, run the washer from the tank, and run the extractor’s heater and vacuum. A seller who won’t is telling you something.
  • Tank and plumbing. Look for cracks, leaks at fittings and mounting. A full 80-gallon tank is a heavy load; our guide to choosing a detailing rig covers weight and payload.

Step 4: value the business parts at zero

The seller’s clients, reviews and phone number don’t come with the van. They belong to the business, not the vehicle. Treat them as worth nothing unless the sale includes a written transfer of each one. You’ll need your own insurance either way. Our guide to selling a mobile detailing business explains how each piece transfers.

The SBA describes an assets approach to valuing a business: total asset value minus total liabilities. For a rig, that means the van plus the gear, minus anything still owed on either. Ask whether there’s a loan or lien on the van or equipment before you pay.

A wrap is worth little to you unless it advertises your business. Budget to change or remove it if it carries the seller’s name.

The worked example

Say the van alone books at a price you look up, call it V. Even if every piece of gear were new and bought at the lean-build price, $20,000 would mean V has to be about $15,115. At the full-build price, V would need to be about $12,909. Used gear is worth less than new, so the real gap is bigger. If V comes in well below those figures, offer the van’s value plus a fair used price for the gear, and walk if the seller wants to be paid for clients that won’t follow you.

To check whether a van fits your work at all, see our mobile or shop comparison.

This is general information, not legal or financial advice.

Sources

Based on 8 sources · How we price