A buyer in a car park judges what they can see: headlights, seats, dents, the paint in daylight. Each flaw is a reason to knock off a few hundred złoty. Preparation takes those reasons away, so the car sells faster and closer to your asking price.
"Old diesels have dropped a little in price, but a prepared car still sells for more," says David Dzhalilov, the studio owner. Buyers of older diesels in Kraków also ask about the Clean Transport Zone, so know your car's Euro norm.
"If the car isn't old, polish it and give the interior a full deep clean. That combination works very well before a sale," says Bogdan, our detailer.
We match the polish to the paint: one step for light car-wash swirls, two steps for dull paint with deeper scratches. We decide after measuring paint thickness. The interior deep clean, with parts taken out, costs from 1 500 zł.
If the headlights are yellow, add a restoration. It makes the front look fresh, and the car immediately looks worth more.
| What to do | Price at Kraken | Pays off? |
|---|---|---|
| Detailing wash with interior clean | from 300 zł (Promo Detail from 599 zł) | Yes. A dirty car loses more in photos than the wash costs |
| Full interior deep clean with disassembly | from 1 500 zł | Yes. Best result together with a polish |
| Upholstery cleaning only, no disassembly | from 600 zł | Yes, if the interior is only lightly soiled |
| Headlight restoration | from 400 zł a pair | Yes, if the lenses are yellow or cloudy |
| Paintless dent removal | from 200 zł | Yes, for one or two dents |
| One-step polish | from 900 zł | Yes, if the car isn't old and has wash swirls |
| Two-step polish | from 1 250 zł | Yes, if the paint is dull and scratched deeper |
| Three-step correction on a car worth 10–15 thousand zł | from 1 800 zł | No. Too big a share of what the car is worth |
| Ceramic coating before the sale | from 1 300 zł | No. The buyer won't pay extra for it |
| Respraying a panel | body shop price | Usually no. The buyer's paint gauge will show it, and questions about accidents follow |
Prices are for a standard car. Polishing an estate is +10%, an SUV +15%, a pickup +20%. All services: services.
At the free assessment we also measure paint thickness, so you know about resprayed panels before the buyer does.
Bogdan turns polishing down in three cases:
A polish also won't pay off if you sell to a dealer, a komis (used car lot) or a skup (buying service), who price by table and mileage, or if you fly out in two days.
Safe to do yourself: wash the car, vacuum the interior, clear out the glovebox and boot, take the photos. Leave the rest to us.
Add a short Polish description with the Euro norm, the last inspection date (badanie techniczne) and the number of keys. Those are the first things Polish buyers ask about.
As of September 2026. This applies to a car registered in Poland.
A car on Ukrainian plates in temporary admission follows different rules: customs clearance and Polish registration come first, so ask at the customs office (urząd celny).
Sources: gov.pl: report a vehicle sale, Compulsory Insurance Act, consolidated text 2026, art. 31–32, gov.pl: PCC tax, podatki.gov.pl: sale of movable property.
If the car isn't old, polish the paint and deep clean the interior, then restore yellow headlights and take photos in soft light. Wash, vacuum and clear out your things yourself.
Yes, for a car that isn't old: a polish from 900 zł and an interior deep clean from 1 500 zł. An old car that has been polished many times is the exception; we won't polish it.
Vacuuming, yes. Cheap chemicals without an extractor often leave white stains or chemicals in the fabric that later have to be neutralised and extracted.
Yes, if it is registered in Poland. You need a written contract, then you have 30 days to tell the vehicle office and 14 days to tell your insurer in writing.
The office can fine you 250 zł, and the insurer can ask you for the OC premium together with the buyer until it is notified.
Kraken Detailing, ul. Powstańców 20, Kraków (Prądnik Czerwony), Mon–Sat 9:00–19:00, tel. +48 510 510 082. We look at the car, measure the paint and tell you what is worth doing before the sale and what you can skip. We speak English, Ukrainian and Russian. Wash and interior: car wash and interior cleaning. Also: headlight restoration and paintless dent removal.
