*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

Status
Not open for further replies.
Fett - it isn't a business, nor a living for me - it's beer money for doing something I enjoy tbh. Its become addictive since the last few cars I've done for friends, and the testimonials and results speak for themselves - I have a 911, X5, 3 Series, Golf, and potentially two Bentleys all wanting a go - all that after my first real effort on someone else's car just over a week ago.

If there is any correction involved, I have always made people aware of the risks and my stance on responsibility should the worse happen - people understand this when they are getting a job at 50% of the price of a professional.

With regards to the comment about travelling to Mark - I was probably a bit out as I didn't consider the cost of fuel.
 
MikeHiow said:
If there is any correction involved, I have always made people aware of the risks and my stance on responsibility should the worse happen - people understand this when they are getting a job at 50% of the price of a professional.
Click to expand...

Which is fair enough on a beater. It just surprises me that Porsche and Bentley owners will take that risk for a few hundred quid. I'm being nosey now, but what is your stance on damage you (potentially) cause?

With regards to the comment about travelling to Mark - I was probably a bit out as I didn't consider the cost of fuel.
Click to expand...

I was thinking more of the ferry and time spent travelling. But even if you remove any travel and he comes to your door, don't you think £150 is a tad cheap or am I expecting too much for the original £250?
 
My stance is that I'm extremely careful - I never go extreme, neither in terms of pad/polish combo, nor speed - If damage is caused its likely because the clearcoat was already damaged/thin - if this is the case, the client accepts there were existing issues.

If I **** up I'll happily admit it and arrange repair as long as the "client" contributes my original agreed fee. I've yet to meet anyone who isn't happy with this arrangement.

I think the fact that I'm completely honest, and the fact that I'm confident enough to do my own car, really helps. However, if this became a more regular affair, I'd be sure to invest in insurance.

If the job can be done in a (long) day - £150 is perfectly acceptable for me. Obviously there will be aspects that I cannot do quite yet (Wet vac, mainly), but then this will always depend on the existing condition of the car. Looking at the pictures, Mark's Bentley is already in pretty good condition - if it was 15 years old and scabby, then I'd probably agree that £150 is too cheap.
 
Again, coming from a personal standpoint, I wouldn't use you. If we agreed a correction at a cheap £300 and you strike through, I have to pay £300 towards rectification...who pays for the courtesy car whilst my car is in the bodyshop? Do I get to choose where the car goes for rectification, because they are not cheap, I like my panels to match and even after my £300, you could be out of pocket

I'm like the voice of doom. You seem confident enough and obviously people are happy with that arrangement, so good luck to you. £150 for a long days slog seems way too cheap to me, I could only stand putting in the effort on my own cars. One of the reasons you chose a rotary was because your time was precious and you wanted fast results. But, you have obviously chosen correctly because if you are stepping this up as a sideline, rotary is the way to do it. Buy a PTG with your next detail profit...that, to me, as a potential customer, is far more telling of your approach than the fact you do your own car.

Honestly, good luck with it.
 
Totally with Fett here. Far too many people popping up offering 'services' because they enjoy cleaning cars at home. Big potential for nastyness. As I've said it before it's getting like the Photography market, everyone thinks they are a detailer because they bought a polisher off Ebay and read Detailing World a bit.

peterattheborough just confuses me. I can't see how what he is doing is worth it or even sustainable. I mean he has a house and a family to provide for yet he's working for somebody else charging 45 quid for nearly 4 hours of work (Assuming an hour or so for the interior after his 2.5 hours on the exterior)? add 30 minutes of travel time and thats less than 10 quid an hour - and thats not his earnings, thats the money the BUSINESS made, his wage comes after! Just whats the point? How is that sustainable :confused:

Even if he takes 70% of the earnings from each job he does its less than a 7 quid an hour, barely minimum wage :confused:

And its not as if its 7 quid an hour, every hour, 7 hours a day 5 days a week either really is it :confused:

From the customers point of view its absolutely amazing, serously, I'd be totally chuffed to pay you 45 quid for 4+ hours of work, but how does it work for you? How is it worth doing?
 
Last edited:
Mouldy oxidised cornish cream is now glorius championship white!

Hard work sorting out the last 12 years though, but was all done with a silverline silverstorm, and 2 passes with a hexlogic white polishing pad using the light megs #80. Chose this cobo as I'm not ready to invest in a PTG for the paintwork on this Teg and I'm not looking to get everything out as I very much doubt that is possible. Plus the car is meant to be driven and perfect paint is way down the list of imporant things! Looks amazing in the flesh though, but still have plenty more of the car to do!!!!


Bow down at my simply award winning 50/50 photo with none of this silly taping malarky :p
dsc02815o.jpg




Random after shot with a not so white white balance.
dsc02818vr.jpg
 
Last edited:
[TW]Fox;17125266 said:
Totally with Fett here. Far too many people popping up offering 'services' because they enjoy cleaning cars at home. Big potential for nastyness. As I've said it before it's getting like the Photography market, everyone thinks they are a detailer because they bought a polisher off Ebay and read Detailing World a bit.

peterattheborough just confuses me. I can't see how what he is doing is worth it or even sustainable. I mean he has a house and a family to provide for yet he's working for somebody else charging 45 quid for nearly 4 hours of work (Assuming an hour or so for the interior after his 2.5 hours on the exterior)? add 30 minutes of travel time and thats less than 10 quid an hour - and thats not his earnings, thats the money the BUSINESS made, his wage comes after! Just whats the point? How is that sustainable :confused:

Even if he takes 70% of the earnings from each job he does its less than a 7 quid an hour, barely minimum wage :confused:

And its not as if its 7 quid an hour, every hour, 7 hours a day 5 days a week either really is it :confused:

From the customers point of view its absolutely amazing, serously, I'd be totally chuffed to pay you 45 quid for 4+ hours of work, but how does it work for you? How is it worth doing?
Click to expand...

Thankfully, you're miles off. I wouldn't do it if I couldn't afford to live.
 
ZG002 said:
How far do you travel?
Click to expand...

I'll travel all over as long as long as I'm covered for travelling.

As Fett says though, there's probably someone off DW closer to you who's cheaper and can do a good job which will keep costs down. (I'm assuming your down south and proper detailers will charge you 'down south' prices :p

I have to point out that I do have insurance and a PTG before Foxy starts jumping down my throat about that one aswell :p
 
[TW]Fox;17126316 said:
You just told us the business you work for charges a bargain 45 quid for almost 4 hours of your time!
Click to expand...

Who said it took 4 hours? ;)

The interior was actually spotless and it just needed a hoover.

Normally i'll spend 2 hours on a good valet but I took my time with this one as I was talking to the guy quite a bit. Ohh and they were feeding me tea and biscuits so was just enjoying myself with this one.

I've actually just looked at our packages again and for £45, the interior isn't included apart from the inside of the windows are cleaned! So for the past 2 weeks i've been giving people a free interior valet :p

Ohh well, i've had many happy customers :)

£45 gets you: External wash & dry, door jams cleaned, windows cleaned inside and out, tyres dressed and a coat of wax.

Ohh and i've been throwing in a snowfoam aswell because it looks awesome and makes my job easier.

So that's 2 hours (ish) work and i'm doing on average a car a day.
 
So you are making what 30ish-40 quid a day, you can see where my confusion at how this can be worth it comes from :)

Do you clay and polish etc or just slap some wax on?
 
Last edited:
[TW]Fox;17126435 said:
So you are making what 30ish-40 quid a day, you can see where my confusion at how this can be worth it comes from :)

Do you clay and polish etc or just slap some wax on?
Click to expand...

That's not including the paint correction work which is quite low at the moment but is slowly coming in. My share from that will be £150-£200 for a days work.

Got 4 vans coming in soon for some light correction work which i'll get a nice share from and also i've just been paid from a wedding I did last week so if you have any doubts as to how I can afford to live, there you go :)

And I just put wax on.
 
Last edited:
[TW]Fox;17126465 said:
Totally but he is an employee not an owner :)
Click to expand...

Yes but if he instigates plan A and gets in early he might get a foot in the door.

I dont know why but iv got a bee in my bonnet about this detailing thing, i really do think there is a few quid to be had out of this game before it saturates and the wheel falls off.
 
people are always going to need their cars cleaning, and people are always going to take their cars to cheap kosovan car washes / jet washes / automatic car wash's so there's always going to be money to be made.
 
MrLOL said:
people are always going to need their cars cleaning, and people are always going to take their cars to cheap kosovan car washes / jet washes / automatic car wash's so there's always going to be money to be made.
Click to expand...

There is cleaning for a fiver at Russian Ivans car wash then there is this.

I dont think this will last for ever but thats no reason not to nick a few quid while its still in fashion.
 
DiamondMark said:
There is cleaning for a fiver at Russian Ivans car wash then there is this.

I dont think this will last for ever but thats no reason not to nick a few quid while its still in fashion.
Click to expand...

I think it'll be around to stay. People are getting lazy and would rather pay to have their car washed properly than have to do it themselves.

OT but I was doing this job yesterday and was talking to the guy's wife and she was saying how some guy came to valet her car before and all he did was complain about how dirty her car was and she shouldn't do this and that and how he normally washes Porsches etc.

I hope people like that go away very quickly!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom