Detailing shop questions

[Ronkh]

Originally Posted by Stephan

Look at all of those sponges just laying on the ground...oh the humanity

I didnt even notice that till you said it

[Gus-Gus]

all you need for interior stains!

[Ronkh]

Originally Posted by Gus-Gus

all you need for interior stains!

I hear thats good for white cars too. (but ya gotta get the one with bleach)

[njcarting1]

Originally Posted by Ronkh

The king is 100% RIGHT, Why would anyone wanna pay you $35-$50 bucks just to do what goes on every sat for a donation?? You gotta wait save and just learn how to do correction work period. Its not a hard thing to master just takes a little time lots of practice and some patients.

I would rather spend the $5 bucks and watch some queen wash and dry my car than a guy for $35 anyday...:chee rs:

At $35-$50 you should go the cheapest route possible, and paint a piece of plywood with a brush in red paint and say, "will wash for food"...

[tuscarora dave]

To the OP, Most successful business owners started with a vision and determination. If you can afford to fail go for it, If you can't afford to fail, read some more, ask more questions and consider "all" of your options. It would make sense to have some detailing experience to call your service detailing. The wash and wax guy who calls himself a detailer makes it tough on those of us who are really doing true detailing but it is America and you have the right to jump on that wagon if you so choose.

If you have the possible clientele and think you can succeed give it a shot but be prepared to change your offerings if it doesn't work out as visioned. A lot of folks said to me that I couldn't make it as a detailer just starting out with a few hundred dollars and a dream. Well guess what....they were wrong. They were wrong because I was willing to keep working at it regardless of what they said. But I had to learn what would and what wouldn't sell and go against some of what I had hoped for.

There will be people along the way that say you can't do what you want to do. If they have been through trial and failure, maybe they just weren't willing to go the extra mile when it seemed doomed to continue. You can't afford to be discouraged but it is probably wise to listen and ask why does someone thinks you can't do something. Just listening to these folks has helped me to find a better way of doing things.

Good luck in whatever you do and remember , if you quit because a few people gave you a rough time of it and said you couldn't do it....well I guess you won't succeed if you quit.

[Gus-Gus]

Originally Posted by tuscarora dave

To the OP, Most successful business owners started with a vision and determination. If you can afford to fail go for it, If you can't afford to fail, read some more, ask more questions and consider "all" of your options. It would make sense to have some detailing experience to call your service detailing. The wash and wax guy who calls himself a detailer makes it tough on those of us who are really doing true detailing but it is America and you have the right to jump on that wagon if you so choose.

If you have the possible clientele and think you can succeed give it a shot but be prepared to change your offerings if it doesn't work out as visioned. A lot of folks said to me that I couldn't make it as a detailer just starting out with a few hundred dollars and a dream. Well guess what....they were wrong. They were wrong because I was willing to keep working at it regardless of what they said. But I had to learn what would and what wouldn't sell and go against some of what I had hoped for.

There will be people along the way that say you can't do what you want to do. If they have been through trial and failure, maybe they just weren't willing to go the extra mile when it seemed doomed to continue. You can't afford to be discouraged but it is probably wise to listen and ask why does someone thinks you can't do something. Just listening to these folks has helped me to find a better way of doing things.

Good luck in whatever you do and remember , if you quit because a few people gave you a rough time of it and said you couldn't do it....well I guess you won't succeed if you quit.

I agree with dave here.. dont let us having a little fun with you cause you to turn yer back on the idea.. but you have to read read read and search.. also if you check out AG's show car garage videos there is alot of info to be learned and demonstrated.

[njcarting1]

FAIL,

Some of the best laid plans fail not just because of money or nobodies working they just do. You can be the hardest worker in the world and sometimes other things in the mix just don't work. Do what ya "KNOW" this is the most important thing hands down. If ya don't know anything about a business you are gonna fail hands down. You gotta take the time to work,read,learn everything ya can to do well in anything. And the funny part sometimes this is not enough. anyone can wash a car so ya gotta offer more in the way of skill to keep up with whats not offered to people in that geographical area. Price in today's market price matters lots when closing a deal so know your prices.

Just because a guy across town gets xxxx and you try and get xxxx doesn't mean you can get that asking price. Sometimes some moped up areas don't have the same economic resources available and are more repressed. Try and get that $35 bucks in the hood, but across town in the suburbs that same rate is ok.
And again here, most newcomers are doing ok "NOW" but wait till fall and winter set in and then ask hows business, see what ya get for an answer. They are on top of the world now acting like the trump organization I know that's gonna change in another 2-4 months no matter how good they think they are. I cant wait to see how long the stock stays on a shelf when things get cooler and then they get the chance to look at all that cash in bottles making them Nada all winter. By spring they will have to get a new phone number because the old one was shut off for lack of payment. Five cent millionaires is the best way to say it, here today gone tomorrow, it happens all the time everywhere. If ya have your own money and have enough to last a year if not one job comes in ya got a 60/40 chance to do well. If ya got no cushion in the bank ya better not start, many fool themselves in thinking they can beat the odds, it don't happen in most cases. Gonna start a biz, do it out of your pocket don't get a loan "start slow". I got a new venture here and its not open yet its been 6 months in the making and still not bringing in any cash. Still waiting on permits, and paperwork, because I gotta do things right. I started it from Nada and no bank loans, but its not fun everyday knowing its still not open. Its stressful having money out and not flowing back in at "any" rate. Having a good idea is great but having some cash in your pocket is also a nice thing, it helps ya sleep better at night that's for sure.And what about the other things that need to be in place just to continue with your wonderful idea. There is always a printer cartridge, reams of paper,pens,paperclips and everyday stuff that ya need to have while in limbo getting your wonderful idea off the slab. Ya gotta have enough to eat, and put gas in the car while waiting for that first job to come across the desk. Most find all this out AFTER they are ba??'s deep and they never saw it coming. You are upside down from the start with a bank loan. Try and tell the banker ya cant pay this months note because a group of cheerleaders took all your business away. Or tell the electric company this month was bad for the same reason or another well thought up excuse and see what they say. Tell your wife, girl friend or your kids they have to start working because "your plan" hasn't worked the way it should have. Tell the supply-er you are hocked up with that things are gonna be ok if he just gives ya a few more things and a little more time to pay the bill.Credit is great but it has its application and start up is not it IMHO. Wait till ya have a following and need to purchase something to increase business don't start off in the red.


Being down south helps with weather nice most of the time but up north forget about it. Try washing a car at 35 below zero and chisel $35 bucks worth of ice of the driveway after. And again not being funny, most would rather feed cash into a group like the cheerleaders , boy scouts,softball or the like than to give it to some mope with a pail and wash brush. I know I would.


Do what ya know and don't be in a rush...

[Ronkh]

Adding to what was said by the last few posts..........

CARING about doing a good job. You may get some people once, but if you don;t give them a reason to come back, they won't.
You won't keep a business floating giving McDonalds quality/quantity and charging Ruth's Chris prices. Just aint gonna happen.

[njcarting1]

Originally Posted by Ronkh

Adding to what was said by the last few posts..........

CARING about doing a good job. You may get some people once, but if you don;t give them a reason to come back, they won't.
You won't keep a business floating giving McDonalds quality/quantity and charging Ruth's Chris prices. Just aint gonna happen.

Again listen to the "KING" he knows, how ya think he became da King. Ha what,

Right again Ron, RC'S has good steak for sure...

[atldeville]

Originally Posted by Dtrick.22

I don't think it can be done...There are not enough people out there looking for that type of "cleaning" You need to do 4-5 a day to pay off the rent, I would bet only 4-5 a month would be looking for an express detailing. There really isn't a market for it, the people that get express details are usually just once in awhile customers who don't care about their cars, but when it gets out of control they throw the $30 to get it washed and vacuumed. I don't think you will be able to get enough business doing that kind of work to pay rent on a shop. Maybe if you were doing full corrections it would be another story, there are a lot of people looking for them..

THATS the type of advice im looking for. you are saying that there is a high risk running a permanent location to do basically a wash and minor detailing. ok, but the market is THERE for more of a high end detail. thanx for that info.

[atldeville]

and to the others who gave good advice, thanx. its a learning process.

[Ronkh]

Originally Posted by atldeville

and to the others who gave good advice, thanx. its a learning process.

Very welcome

[bigron62]

tell em how ya really feel ... you guys should be nice here like me ..you are gonna break the poor fella's spirit ..

[Ronkh]

Originally Posted by bigron62

tell em how ya really feel ... you guys should be nice here like me ..you are gonna break the poor fella's spirit ..

She get that round mouth from eatin 3 squares a day?

[bigron62]

she doesnt eat that much when she's home ?why do you ask ?