Car/Truck detailing(Attn MineralROB)

[v6mustang01]

ok...ive detailed my own cars, family and a few friends cars since i was 17. Its a passion and id like to start a side business for it and beins rob lives bout 3hrs away from here i wont be stepping on any toes by asking whats a good going rate for cars and trucks n what everyone feels they would pay for a detailed car. I have a heated garage so that wont be a problem. (3 bays). I plan to use zymol as the cleaner wax and liquid glass as the polish and then a good carnuba wax to seal it all in.
With just starting out...i dont want the prices to be too high but i want to be able to cover my costs for materials and make a little extra change beins my work is slow right now. Give me what your thoughts on what brands to use and what you feel is a good going price for a detail job? ANything from just a wash n wax to a full blown interior exterior detail minus buffing. I take my car to a local paint shop for that. both car prices and truck prices?

[scott5]

well i do most of the doctors and nurses cars and some other people by word of mouth but i use stuff from pro since i get a discount on the stuff at work and no complaints yet. As for price i get anywhere from 60 to 200 depending on the vehicle and how dirty it is and what i do to it... Doctors really doesnt matter what the price is as long as its perfect so i dunno if that helps you on the price. But i do not buff and when someone wants a buff i am going to tell them to head up rob's way. He does AWESOME work from what i have seen and heard..

[mineralrob]

it sounds like your using good proucts which is good. honestly as far as prices i usually take a beating but i like to give people the most for there money. i have found most of my customers thru word of mouth and others sources. just make sure u do good work like how u would want it and the rest should work out. people will come back to u time after time. what has helped me though is beating the competitors prices but at the same time offering better work.. pm me for any more info.

edit. im typing from my phone so if i rambled on without proper puncuation please forgive me lol.

[v6mustang01]

Yea thats just it....im sure i wont make all that i could but at first its bout getting your name out there and the quality of the work. Quality and customer satisfaction is number 1. Without those 2 factors the business wont float for very long. I live out basically in the middle of no where like 450 ppl to a town and we have to drive 20-60mins to get to Walmart. so ppl's cars are pretty dirty. but i want to charge enough to make some money but not overcharge them. Its a fine line...n i want to make sure not to mess it up.

Rob~you type better on your phone then most ppl do on a computer...myself included!

[mineralrob]

lol thanks.

[laz2447]

I know when I had the resources to all the equiptment at the shop where I used to work I would charge more. I used to be able to bring home buffers, orbitals and higher end products to use and be able to do more than just the average "Joe detailer." And if someone was looking for an interior detail I could always ask my boss when it was slow and he would let me bring in their car to do on the side as long as I gave him some "shop fee" money.

Now that I am not in that business anymore I stick to wash & wax jobs due to limited resources and a place to do the work "correctly." Like Rob said do the job like you would want it done for you, and Im sure you will do just fine.

I use Zymol & Mothers products for the most part. As far as prices go, check out if there are any shops in your area and beat their prices as compared to what they are offering. Word of mouth and through people you know will get your started, and hopefully your good work will keep them coming back! :)

Good luck!

[v6mustang01]

Im headin out today for the pirates caravan in altoona(60miles away) so ill do some shoppin around for what ppl are charging. I knwo i always get compliments for my cars and the ones ive done b4 ppl were happy and the ex girl friend who is now married her husband now suggested she send her jeep back to me b4 they have their baby to get it all cleaned up. hehehe...so must be doing sumthign right!