New Car Prep in Milwaukie & Surrounding Portland Metro
What we see in Portland garages
Milwaukie is a quick reach from SE Portland, and we book a lot of weekend details in town - driveways here are perfect for full ceramic days.
How we approach it
Brand new cars come from the dealer with rail-dust contamination, sometimes wash swirls from porter prep, mediocre dealer wax, and almost always a film of dealer add-ons you didn't ask for. Our New Car Prep strips all of that, decontaminates the paint properly, does a one-step polish to clean up any dealer swirls, and applies your protection of choice - ceramic coating, sealant, or wax.
What to expect on the day
It's the right first step before driving the car for any meaningful time. Once daily-driving begins, the paint accumulates contamination - and the longer you wait, the more correction you need later. New Car Prep done in the first month locks in the factory finish before damage starts.
Where Tidy is different
Mobile pickup from the dealer or your home anywhere in the Portland metro. Most New Car Prep packages take 1–2 days depending on whether you're adding a ceramic coating.
What's included
Every job comes with the same checklist. No surprises.
- Foam wash and full hand-decontamination
- Iron-remover and clay-bar full vehicle (rail-dust removal)
- One-step machine polish to clean up dealer swirls
- IPA wipe-down to reveal true finish
- Application of your chosen protection (sealant, wax, or ceramic coating)
- Wheel face cleaning and protection
- Glass polished and treated
- Interior light detail
How it works
Pick up from dealer
We can pick up direct from the dealer the day you take delivery, or anytime after - your call.
Strip dealer prep
Full wash and decon to remove transit grime, dealer wax and rail-dust contamination.
Polish
Single-stage polish to remove any swirls introduced during dealer prep.
Apply your protection
Sealant for short-term, or step up to a 1, 3, 5 or 9-year ceramic coating for long-term protection.
Why this matters in the Pacific Northwest
The PNW is brutal on paint
PNW conditions start eating new paint the day you drive off the lot. Locking in protection in the first month is far easier than correcting damage later.
Why technique actually matters
Dealer-applied 'paint protection packages' are almost always cheap sealants charged at premium rates. A real ceramic coating from us costs less and lasts much longer.
City vs. backroad realities
Trade-in and resale cars where new-car prep was done years earlier consistently appraise higher - paint condition is one of the biggest valuation factors.
Resale & long-term value
Mature tree canopy means heavy organic fallout on parked vehicles year-round. Full decon plus ceramic is the long-term answer; full details on a maintenance schedule keep things looking right in between.
What affects the price
Every property is different. These are the things we look at when we quote.
- Vehicle size
- Choice of final protection (wax, sealant, 1/3/5/9-year coating)
- Whether the dealer wash inflicted significant swirls
- Add-ons: PPF for high-impact zones, interior coating
Related services
We service the entire Portland metro
We service every neighborhood in Milwaukie, including Lake Road, Ardenwald, Linwood, Milwaukie Heights. Same crew, same standards across the whole city.
Ready to book your detail?
Tell us your vehicle, your zip, and what kind of finish you're after. We'll come back same-day with a real quote and a slot on the calendar.