Looking for some advice.

[lonewolf525]

guys i have been wondering on how to start doing detail part time, afternoons and weekends. i want to start by doing a total detail. You know clay, wash, dry, wax, sealant, and of course the rest of the car cleaned and vacuumed. To start this will be fine but when i get return customers they are not going to want to do the same thing. this the part that i am stuck. what do you guys do for return customers every month or two?

[flash gordon]

75% of my clientle are every 4-6 week customers.What you describe is basically what I do every time.Some would say I am a "WAXWASTER"...I would say 1/2 of tha 75% don't know what I Do(or care) All they want is there ride lookin new.I have customers with 5,6,7year old cars that look better than some "09s" I've seen.

[Beemerboy]

Lone...I know that starting out its hard to figure out how long it takes to do a full detail...but if you have repeat customers that are within a reasonable time, and it takes you half the time you soaked up the original detail...then you charge according.

I charge about 200 to 250 on first time details...if they come back for a wash / wax with in a few weeks or so...then its about 60 to 80...again depending how they have treated to car. It could be a tad more and over time you will get use to them...I have some customers that I clean their car twice a month...those take about the same as my cars...so a quick 60 bucks in a two hours and I have time freed up for another car at the 200 plus level

[Luster]

I'm pretty much the same as Beemerboy, except I charge by the hour.

So a first time detail is about 4-5 hours @ $45 per hour.

Same rate for repeat customers, but it's only about 1.5 - 2 hours.

[lonewolf525]

bimmerboy and luster when doing a car for the first time do you also cleaning the engine compartment? i would open it and do a little vacuum but how would i go about cleaning without wetting or harming electrical componants? also for first time people do you also do carpet shampoo i do not have one of those yet. just wondering, thanks.

[Beemerboy]

Lone...do a search on cleaning engines there is plenty of info on them....The cusotmer will tell you if they want the engine cleaned or not...most that I work with don't...If the car that I am working on is full detail...then carpets are cleaned

[lonewolf525]

what type of carpet machine do you use or recommend?

also i will do some engine detail search.

[Beemerboy]

I have a little green machine for some work, but mainly I do carpets and mats by hand...I don't do enough cars a month that I need a full on carpet extractor....if you search the forums you will also find lots of threads about how carpets are cleaned by hand

[lonewolf525]

ok i guess for me too something simple and hand work will have to do for now. i did find a thread on how to clean carpet it is a great guide. i guess the important thing is to determine what kind of stain is is first to perform the correct clean up. thanks i will continue to learn as i read and get great tips from you guys. thanks