I have an 18 year old car that hadn't been detailed in years but the precipitating event was my son getting ill on the way home from the hospital. I did my best to clean up but there was only so much I could do despite a diligent effort. Enter Magic Auto Detail. They spent 3 hours on my car (interior detail only) and did a fantastic job. They thoroughly cleaned and conditioned the entire interior to look just-off-the-showroom new. It was not inexpensive but it was a good value. Cash or check only, ask for Steve. read more

Magic Auto Detail - 18 year-old car, looks new. Perfect job! - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing job with the clay bar wax on my 2018 Honda Fit! I'm new to car ownership, so they even gave me some tips to keep my car looking great even after they detailed it. 100% recommend supporting this small business. To get to the shop, enter through the Japantown Parking Garage and into the underground level. Garage entry was included with my service. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Clay Magic Wax on my 2018 Honda Fit - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is what the premium $470 Royal package looks like. When I picked up the car I had them so the following; 1. Wipe the pedals 2. Remove the crayon marks from my back window 3. Wipe the interior With proper lighting, I saw more dust and dirt that was not cleaned. Steve was nice, but I called and asked him to finish the detailing, but they did not respond. Take your money elsewhere. read more

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Steve is very nice, but this most recent time having my car detailed here left much to be desired. It has been a few weeks, and I'm still finding leftover wax on the car. Additionally, somehow the wax got into the seams of my windows and I've been cleaning that out for a while. I had some scratches on the car and they buffed those out well, so that was a plus. read more

Does a very good claybar on my 911...a visit every other year for me...my car is black and spotless after each detail...

Update: The address they gave me to mail in receipt was returned to me so I walked the receipt and request for reimbursement in to their location and handed it to them in-person. I just last week received a check for reimbursement with a note. I have updated the review rating to exclude this broken seat latch and reimbursement experience. read more

This place was awesome. They're open M-F (no weekends as is stated on google). Located in a tiny corner of the garage on the lower level - they have a small group of people that work on cars. They were super friendly and we discussed which package and the price for what I wanted. A few hours later I received a call that my car was ready. The guy at the desk showed me the car and then went to pay for my parking. He gave me the fully validated parking pass and showed me how to exit the garage. My car is very very clean. I had the interior cleaned only so can't speak to an exterior detailing job. I did see another review about the strong chemical smell and can say that yes, there's a decently strong chemical smell. I drove home with the windows down and left my windows cracked at night. The smell was barely noticeable the following day. *they take cash or check only! Very nice overall; highly recommend! read more

If you own a black car you know how hard it can be to find a good detailer that you trust to not mess up your paint. Got a fresh coat of wax on my new car and it looks great. Quality work. Seems like they really took their time and paid attention to detail. They even paid my parking pass and gave me a little keychain light. Good area too lots of resturaunts and a cool mall to kill some time at. I will be back thank you!! read more

Magic Auto Detail - Fresh coat of wax! - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by to get a quote for some scratches to get buffed out but I couldn't locate the place. Called them and they said I could check the scratches myself...? I asked if I could come by an hour and a half before they closed and they told me not to come because they were done for the day...? Could barely understand half of what was said and the tone of the conversation was that I was bothering them. Piss poor customer service! Will never be back. read more

I took in my super dirty five-year-old Honda. When it was finished, it was like a new car. 'Magic' indeed. It took about 2.5 hours for a thorough detail work. The owner even buffed out some minor scratches on the exterior. We chose premium exterior with mini interior package. They really know what they are doing. It was worth the price! Great customer service. We are definitely coming back again! read more

Magic Auto Detail - It's like brand new! - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

Steve was very helpful. Work was fine well and on time. I would definitely recommend them to you.

My baby was badly in need of a wash and wax before a local car meet and I had no time or place to do it myself. I had parked my car in the J-town garage to eat with some friends when I noticed a sign indicating that there was a car wash downstairs. So I move my car downstairs and order up a basic detail package (forget the exact name of it). When I came back down after eating, my car's exterior was SHINY to a gloss and the interior was CLEAN. I didn't notice any water hoses and it turns out he uses a steam wash! With no chemical runoff at all, it seems that this place is environmentally friendly, too. As with most "Auto Detail" places, it was a bit more $expensive$ than I'm used to paying to have my car cleaned. However, Steve, the owner is a friendly and funny guy and made me feel at ease. I didn't mind the price so much once I got my car back. Definitely will be going back there again to have my car serviced with a clay bar. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

Bottom Line: Ruined my paint and generally was not a value for services rendered. They did a pretty good job clay barring the car, but they ended up ruining the clearcoat of my black VW GTi. There are swirl marks literally EVERYWHERE, and when the car is now cleaned, there's a nice swirly sheen to it making it look "grayer" than it really is. This is due to using a poor or dirty buffing device. I specifically asked if they used a buffer and he said no -- they were lying. Don't get me wrong, they got the car relatively clean outside (they completely missed between the spokes of my alloys), but ended up ruining the clear coat. This is a good sign that they don't know what they are doing. I have to now take this to a professional to get repaired as it wouldn't even be worth it to go after this guy in small claims (and he didn't give me a receipt, so that really wouldn't hold up). Hopefully California Detailing can fix it. I also got the "mini interior detail". Let me tell you -- it was mini. They vacuumed quite well, but that was about it. A little vacuuming and spot glass cleaning is not worth $90+ dollars. I can do that myself in an hour on the weekend. What's worse is that I tried to use a 10% off coupon twice and he was trying to fidget his way around accepting it, telling me it wasn't the right day, or it expired, whatever. If you publish coupons, you must accept them if valid, no questions asked. The last interesting tidbit is that on top of the services it was really difficult to see in the lighting in the basement of a PARKING GARAGE. I suggest if you get your car cleaned here, take it outside for a spin and look at it in the sun light before you give this guy any more money. I left him standing there with his hands stretched out waiting for an additional tip which I knew I wasn't going to give based on some of the stuff I already saw in the low light. Think twice before you come here based on these recommendations below. Oh, and notice any black cars in the photos above? Nope. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Nice Swirls! - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

The attention these guys pay to detail is astonishing. See my pic below of the guy with the torchlight going over to check. This place is small - just 2 guys. I was immediately impressed with their attentiveness and attention to detail when they walked me round the car as we discussed what needed doing. I went off for lunch, and came back to a car I barely recognised (it had been a while since the previous carwash!) Super service and friendly. Recommended! Tip: 1. This place is small and personal - book! 2. Its in the eastern carpark under the Japantown mall. Use the Post or Geary entrances (NOT the Fillmore one). They are in the northeastern corner under the big yellow banner. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Going round for pass 2. - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

Completely incompetent. Steve and crew waisted 3.5 hours on my time Saturday and didn't do any of what I asked for. I brought our Subaru in for glass cleanup after a break-in and also asked him not to use fragrances or chemicals with a strong odor (we have a baby). Not only was I able to point out misses spots in the dark garage where they work, but I kept finding large chunks and scuff marks after leaving. Moreover the car stank of chemical cleaners and air freshener that I had explicitly asked them not to use. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Large chunks of glass they didn't clean up. - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

Not more than this. I called ask for just outside cleaning he said $35 for Honda CRV. When I go get my car. Some dirt still there and he asked me for $40 Oh! Well. Will I go back? No. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Ok job but I will not go back again. - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

We were staying at the adjacent hotel and called at 7:15am for an appointment --- he was already at the location ready to wash our vehicle before their 8am open. Upon arrival, steve was welcoming and extremely friendly. The front end of our (black) vehicle was encrusted with road debris and bug splatter from an L.A. to Sacramento to San Francisco trek. They were meticulous in their work and our vehicle was well taken care of. Steve even gave us a mini-flashlight as a "thank you, safe travels" gift. I am very particular about who washes our vehicles. I trust Steve's body of work. This will be my choice for detail services when I am in town. read more

Magic Auto Detail - Having Magic Auto Detail (Steve) work on the car...Worth every penny. - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

Steve was personable and prompt. He did a nice job detailing my car, and was responsive with letting me know when it was ready.

So, I hadn't cleaned my car in three years - I know, it was a mess. BUT, the guys at Magic Auto worked a miracle on my baby. I made an appointment over the phone and they were very friendly. I got the express hand wax with basic interior and it only took a little over two hours. When I went to pick up my car, the outside was squeaky clean and the inside looked brand new! It did have a light lemony chemical smell, but nothing that bothered me. Two things to note: 1) they're located INSIDE the Japan Center garage - took me forever to realize! They validate $6 of your parking, so you'll still have to pay the remainder depending on how long they spend on your car. 2) they don't take credit card, so bring your checkbook! They did a really great job on my mess of a car for only $80 + the difference in parking fees, and I can definitely say I'll be back. read more

His car wash was very high-quality and it was so easy to kill time in the Japan town center I would highly recommend experience and think that everyone who wants to take good care of their car should give this place a try read more

Great job for the price! Make sure to check their service menu and know what you want. There is always a bit of left over wax or dust on some spots but you get what you pay for. The prices here can be a lot cheaper then some other places in SF depending on what size your car is. Steven and his team usually do their best and the location is nice since it gives you something to do while you wait for your car. read more

I had an accident in my car yesterday. A curry accident. A real smelly and gnarly curry accident. My mom gave me a bucket of curry to take away (poor starving working person needs tupperwared food from mom still) and I put it in the backseat of my car. Poor decision. The bucket fell over and curry spilled all over 2 jackets and onto a matt-less carpet floor. Yikes. Boyfriend tried to absorb the curry w/ rolls of toilet paper I had purchased earlier. But the smell. Wow. The smell was unforgetable. Fortunately I searched up and down Yelp and found Magic Auto Detail. I called them and asked for a quick qoute just to clean the back seat floor. I was told about $45 depending on the size of the job. I made an appointment and was given easy direction on where to find them (inside lower level parking garage of Japan town). I arrived and Steve inspected my car and I told him what I wanted. I told him my curry story and how mortified I was that my car was going to smell like curry. I had blasted the heat this morning and the smell was just horrific. I handed over the keys and took off for lunch. When I came back, the other employee gave me a quick run down on what they did. They shampooed like 5 times, did some other scrub stuff (can't rememeber). The entire car smelled wonderful. Steve said that smells are hard to get out of cars and that if I smelled something later once it was dried, to come back. Wow. They even vacuumed the entire car for me (not just that one side). Very thoughtful of them to do that since I eat in my car (yea, I know. I won't be after this lesson) and I had crumbs everywhere. He told me to come back for a detail and I might just do so when I have more time. I gave him a tip since it was a good job to me and he was excellent in his communication with me the entire time. He even came up to find me later on (I was paying for my parking ticket) to hand me some calendars and magnets. So nice! I recommend them to anyone whose had accidents in their cars and is too lazy to clean it themselves. read more

There are many other places that are better than this. Do I know this from years of experience getting car details in the city? No. But there has to be better places. I'm giving them 2 stars because the car is actually very clean. But they tried to upsell me on a wax job for a 13 year old car without even looking at my car first. They scratched the tint on my windows, and when I asked them what happened they magically lost their English skills, denied everything and said the scratches were there before - which they most definitely were not. Additionally, they put some waxy residue on my windshield wiper blades and it smeared across my windshield. I had to pull over to a gas station and scrub it off so I could drive safely. For the high price, funky location and shady interactions I will never come back here. read more

Magic, indeed!!! To make a long "crappy" story short... my dog got sick in my car. And not just a little "throw up" sick. "Liquid poop all over the back seat of my 2013 BMW" sick. The smell was horrific even after I cleaned up what appeared to be the majority of it. I called several places and told them about my emergency, and they all told me they were booked. And then I called Ken at Magic Auto Detail. He was booked, but agreed to take the car in and work on it in between his other appointments. He gave me a reasonable quote to clean the mess when he saw it. I left the car with him and left to try to salvage the rest of my day. I got a call just a little bit after I left, and Ken explained that the poop had leaked through the crack in the back seat all over the floor and he had to take the back seat out.... and he was extremely apologetic about the fact that he'd have to charge me a little more. He explained that the smell, "it is HORRIBLE!", which was, quite frankly, a complete understatement. By the time I came to pick up the car, it smelled clean and fresh... and the bill came to be fairly reasonable considering the sh*tty situation and all that Ken had to deal with. And he detailed the rest of the car, to boot, inside and out. I don't detail my car often, but when I do, it'll ALWAYS be here.... and I'd recommend him both for the quality of his work AND for the kindness he showed by getting me in when he was booked. I'm now a customer for life!!! read more

I've been to Steve multiple times and while he usually does a better than average job. This time I returned after I had a clear bra put on. I was shocked when I returned to pick up my car and there were dirt lining all around the edges of the clear bra. Further more, the clear bra was somewhat peeling. I think this is due to the fact that he uses a steamer to clean. When I confronted him, he tried to clean some of the edges but made it worse. I pretty much stopped him and left. I hate writing negative reviews but while good intentioned, Steve should be extra careful cleaning cars with clear bras. In short, if you have a clear bra, just save yourself the trouble and possible expense and clean it yourself. UPDATE: I just got beack from a bodyshop and it ends up that when Steve tried to clean the dirty edges of the clear Bra with a brush, he scratched it. The body shop had to send it down and buff it out. In the end I still had some scratches. This really sucks as the car is only 3 months old. Steve also called me the next day to blame the bra instller for a crappy job. But I was really upset about the scratches that he had put on the car and not so much for the dirty edges. If you need any pics to see what I'm talking about , feel free to IM me. I'm a fair person and hate doing this but I have to be honest with you all. At the very least, if you insist on using him, tell him to stay away from the brush! Good luck! read more

Hung up on me not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. I asked to speak to the service manager to ask a few questions and the guy said "send an email" and hung up. He didn't give me an email address so I called back to get it. Before I could say "I need the email address" he hung up on me again. Obviously they don't need any more business. read more

This review is almost 3 years overdue, but I came here when I was helping my parents get their RX300 ready to sell. Normally, I clean my own cars and do a dang good job inside and out but thought I'd let professionals handle it this time thinking they can do a better job. I didn't mind paying more and was hoping they could bring the dated car back or close to showroom quality. I went here based on yelp reviews, but was utterly dissppointed. When I got the car back the paint still felt rough and sandy which a good claybar job is supposed to take care of. And I have no idea what they were thinking when they "cleaned" under the hood. They sprayed some stuff almost like armor all that made parts oily and shiny and I could still see and feel a lot of old dirt and grease sitting on the engine parts. I paid close to $4xx for exterior, interior, and engine cleaning. Let's just say to the untrained eye, it may have looked ok, but I could totally tell they are not true detailing professionals. This was an experience I will never forget. read more

I made an appointment for detailing and when I showed up the guys working said they couldn't do my car at all today because they were too busy. The owner shows up and says of course they can. He then took a flashlight to my car to check it out and quoted me with a bunch of add ons from the listed price. I didn't mind that though and we settled at $265. He calls me an hour later to tell me that they can't finish my car today unless I pay $400 +. I hate to leave a bad review since the owner was nice. It was just pretty obvious they didn't have time for my car and so we're saying anything.I told him I would just come and get my car. read more

Had my 2-wk old Black Sapphire Metallic 335i detailed by Steve today and he did an excellent job. Most people know black paint is one of the hardest colors to detail without scratching, and Steve did it flawlessly, bringing my dust-covered car back to showroom condition. The car was washed, waxed and vacuumed in about 1.5 hours. I'm planning on visiting Steve on a monthly basis for a waxing and bi-annually for a claying. Just a side note, Steve takes cash only. read more

They did a great job with my car! It looked beautiful and well cared for. I got the interior done and the exterior wash/wax. Great work. The only thing I didn't like was having to pay the parking lot fee on top of my total cost. I wouldn't mind, but he didn't tell me in advance, and when I arrived to pick up my car, the price was a surprise. So be ready for that. Overall, great experience. I'd definitely go back. read more

My review, which doesn't show up when you look up this listing, is still "hidden". And I wrote this over a year ago. Will it show up now? Will Yelp drop it again because of a business that asked it to be removed? Will I be silenced again this time? This is what I wrote back on 4/27/2008: Went for the Premium Exterior Detail since I was a little lazy to do the "twice a year" major detailing myself this time. Expected the car to look ok despite the poor lighting in the Japantown garage. Nothing wrong so far. The weather had been dreary and raining when I had it done so it's finally getting sunny and warm now. It's time to wash my car this weekend and I notice that you can see where the wax residue had not been completely buffed off and left "smudges". I would expect that the attention to detail would be to remove the "smudges" from the wax residue as well as any excess wax that gets caught in the grooves/cracks. Maybe I'm expecting more but for over $200, I think I would have just spent the time doing the detail myself and do it right the first time. Otherwise, Steve's a friendly guy who seems to want to do right by every customer but I dropped it off and picked it up several hours later and was way too tired to double check the handiwork. I just expected a level of attention to detail that was slightly missing here. read more

Highly recommend this place! Get your car washed and detailed while shopping/dining in Japantown! Our car is immaculate!!!!! Plus, parking is FREE with a car wash! SCORE! read more

Magic Auto Detail - Awesome job - Car Wash Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I don't even know where to begin. After reading a few reviews for Magic Detail, I decided to bring in my dirty-ass 2004 Jetta for a wax and detail job. For those who haven't been there before, it's one level beneath street level, at the far end of the parking garage. I called about 2 hours ahead of time and made an appointment with Steve, and he told me he could accommodate me. Easy enough to find, but I thought the location was pretty odd...not what I was accustomed to coming from SoCal. But once I met with Steve, I immediately felt at ease and knew my car was going to be in good hands. The man just has a way about him...he's so professional, polite, and well..nice! He examined my car and told me what I did and didn't need. He steered me clear of a few services, and taught me some things I never knew. In the end, I went with a basic Clay Magic Wax for $115. I picked up my car about 2.5 hours later and damn....it was freaking spotless. Let me say it again....IT WAS FREAKING SPOTLESS. When I ran the back of my hand over the hood, I almost passed out. Even in the dim light I looked and touched the front grill that had 2000 miles worth of grit and dead bugs on it a few hours ago. Guess what? FREAKING SPOTLESS. The interior was immaculate and smelled clean as a whistle too. In case you haven't picked up on it yet, Steve does a masterful job. He's also one of the nicest guys around. Take your clunker in to Magic Detail...you won't recognize it once he's finished with it. Thank you Steve!!!! read more

I called in the morning and they were able to take me in that day, yea! They quoted the most reasonable price that I could find (although still pricey, but c'mon, its city standards). He did a fantastic job, very thorough. The interior looked and smelled like new. The exterior looked really great too. It didn't look "like new" like some other detail reviews for other places claim, but I didn't expect it nor did I need it to. I am very satisfied with the results. The only negative was that because the guy took so much time (I appreciated the thoroughness), I had to pay $2 for parking. After shelling out $180, it seemed silly to ask the guy to pay for it. I didn't have the heart, he worked so hard by himself for several hours. It's still a great deal in the grand scheme of things. I would go back and recommend this to others. Just be reasonable with your expectations- if your car is crappy before, it will still be crappy after- just cleaner. read more

I don't know why I've waited so long to write a review (especially now that I've wrecked my car), but I definitely agree with all the reviews so far! I came here upon the recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed! Steve took meticulous care of my red Subaru - and we all know how red cars are... It had been fading (almost pink on some parts) and while I wasn't expecting a miracle, the magic clay wax really brought it back to life; I finally had a shiny red Legacy again! The best part is that it didn't break my bank to get my car detailed; you just can't beat this bang for the buck! I don't know how Steve does it (seemingly all by himself!) - but dammit, you know I'll be back for regular detailing when I get that damn S2000 I've been saving for! Oh, the only drawback is the location. I absolutely HATE driving thru SF (especially since I'm located in Oakland), but for that exceptional work - it's worth it. It works out especially well though if you're located near J-town or gonna kill some time out there! read more

My car is new! - well it is now that Magic Auto worked their Magic :) You should call and book as they are busy! I didn't book :( but went shopping around Japan Town upstairs, then I walked to Filmore and did a little more.. (love days off) - before I knew it I got a call and they were done! The attention to detail is 5 stars! I paid $80 which seems like a lot, but my car and I are soooo pleased! Also, I park a block from where I live, so I would pay any price not to have to do 10 trips with a bucket!! ps: no credit card accepted, take a cheque / cash happy driving read more

Maybe I would have given this place five stars if it weren't for the customer service. In the end they did an excellent job on my car, which I'm actually very happy about, but I don't think it's worth my time going back there. I made an appointment the day before, we confirmed it and everything, so I spent the next morning cleaning out the contents of my car, planning all my day errands around the wash. When I arrived at the garage, he took one look at my car, stated it was too dirty, that it'd take too long, and asked if I could come another day (it was a busy day for him). He also added that the cleaning out the dog hair would be an extra $25, which didn't make sense to me because I was already paying for the highest level of interior cleaning. But arguing wouldn't do anything, I couldn't go anywhere else because I was there to use a gift certificate, and apparently $25 was considered the "low end" of what he charged. I did have to do some goading for him to wash my car that day as if I wanted him to do me a favor. So he did, but was obviously exasperated when he took my keys. He ended up staying a little after their closing time to work on our car, and at the end of the day he seemed to be in a better mood. I will say that the car did look beautiful, despite all that earlier hassle. The interior of the car is now especially spotless, and I feel like I'm riding a brand new car without the new car scent. So overall, awesome job on the car wash itself. But seriously needs work in the customer service department. read more

Excellent job done, but confirm pricing! You've read it before in some reviews, but communication can be a COSTLY problem. Don't get me wrong, they did an amazing job cleaning my jeep. They did the clay wax and it looks stunning. The interior looks brand new. They got my all weather mats to brand new looking too, which has been impossible for me to do. However, i asked for the clay service with basic interior and when he looked at it he pointed to that service on the pamphlet which includes cost of both basic and mini. Long story short I was expecting to pay $155 and had to pay $270 instead. He was very friendly and apologetic, but i mean the service was done and he did do a phenomenal job, so of course I paid in full. I'm just glad I was able to afford it. I would have tipped him if I wasn't in the mindset of paying half of what it cost me already! Some minor issues: I dropped off at 12 and it wasn't ready until 4 with a 3 man crew (though it was interior mini detail do maybe thats why). The validation he provides only saves about $6, be prepared to pay an additional $9 for parking 4.5 hours. I rolled my windows down and they smeared with waxy residue i had to wipe down after... read more

This guy is just the nicest guy I've ever dealt with, and I really wanted to like the work that was done. It looked great there in the garage. They do their work in the garage of the JTown parking garage. Which I think might be the problem here. It's dark. They have to use lights. So when I drove into the bright sunshine, I was pretty taken aback by all the smudge marks and missed areas. In the daylight, the interior didn't look much better than the quickie trip through the Tower or the place at 16th and Van Ness. I admit, my car had been a disaster when I arrived, so the movement from dirty to clean was huge. But I allowed myself to get talked into the $300+ treatment. And for $300, shouldn't it be spotless? My car was far from spotless. I'd done this job for a friend, to surprise her. She'd lent me her car and I wanted to show my appreciation. I'd always kidded her about her car's lack of cleanliness, so in many ways, this was a big joke. I have to say, I just spent over an hour going over the car with my towels and sprays, to fix the littles spots and smudges, because the whole point of doing this was to present my friend with a spotless car. I think they should have seen these. For $300?? I would have been happy with this job had I paid $100. And if the car had indeed been spotless, I would have been thrilled with the $300. I really wanted to like them. But here it is, an accurate review. read more

They did a great job on my car. Got the dog hair and drool stains out of the of the cargo area and all the interior nooks and crannies were sand, dirt, and crumb free. The exterior was waxed to perfection and the windows were spotless. The great part of this place is that you can check out Japantown as well as all the cool shops and eateries in the Japan Center, which is located directly above the garage. read more