I have never used Detail King's products but I am only responding to your quote that our Detail City sponsors are "so darn pricey". I am not trying to be rude and ignorant in any way but for the quality of the products they produce the prices are quite cheap. Even before the discounts, promotions, and give-aways they constantly offer I do not find prices to be high at all. For instance, locally I used to pay about $9 more for the 32oz DACP. The products all of our sponsors either sell of manufacture go a long way; typical application of a polish or liquid wax is between 1-2oz and cost between $12-20. If you figure in everything used for a complete detail, just rough estimates:
Soap: 1-2oz. = 1.50
Wheel Cleaner: 2-3oz. = 2.00
Clay: $20 for 8-10 uses = 2.25
Polish: 1-2oz = 1.50-3.00
Second polish/glaze if needed: = 1.50-3.00
Liquid or Paste wax/Sealant: = 1.00-3.00 (2.00-6.00 if 2 coats), all depending on what is used (6.00 being higher end sealant like FMJ or Souveran wax used twice)
Interior Cleaning (carpets/leather): ~ 3.50
Trim (interior and exterior including tires): ~ 4.00
Wear and tear on brushes/mitts/pads: ~3.00-5.00
Forgive me for anything that I forgot to list but this is just a rough estimate and some prices my be inflated/deflated but at a rough total of $20-30 (with an average total in the low $20 range) for products used that isnt all too bad. Not to mention I used rough prices of 16oz. bottles not bulk products. If you do this for profit or as a hobby the total cost of high quality products is marginal. It costs that much to go to a movie, buy a DVD or case of beer, or watch your careless neighbor run his car through the local swirl-o-matic three times. I assume all of us have wasted much more money on much less important things; God knows I do all of the time. Again I am not trying to be ignorant but our sponsors give us great products and great deals and I thank them for that. Sorry for the long post but I am very sick today and being that it is ZERO outside I'll be confined to inside all day.