What about just washing your car yourself in the driveway? Isn't that an inexpensive option for cleaning your car? Wouldn't it even be possible to amass all of the tools, equipment, and specialty products used by a professional detailer and do it yourself? Sure. But inexpensive does not mean satisfactory, or thorough, or even safe for your car. Common do-it-yourself tactics like washing with dish soap, using too little water, working in direct sunlight, or other poor approaches can each cause more harm than good. So can trying to use a buffer or polisher without experience. The truth is, unless you have been properly trained, you can do damage to your paint. Same thing if you use the wrong products. And the right products (not to mention tools and equipment) can be quite costly. If you combine the lack of suitable materials with a lack of experience, the result can be far less than fulfilling.