Well me and my friend starting to do side jobs detailing and sence most people only want their cars to shine and don't want the protection we are thinking about just saving the zaino for the people who know what it is and what it can do, since zaino part will cost ALOT more, and most people don't know why someone would spend more then 50+ bucks for a detail with zaino.

So i was wundering what some of you guys offer like deals.

Like for 35 bucks you get this and this and for another 5 we can... You get the picture right? Then just have the deluxe were we use zaino and what not.

So any comments or tips on starting our own side jobs detailing cars?

Also what other products would you consider that will shine and whta not that we can use on peoples cars for the Lil bucks, I would prefer ones that can be store bought, and it would be nice if you could post where i could find them.

Also for those low paying customers where can i get theses waxes??? S100/P21S? have searched and have found nothing

Thanks,
97BBlackZ

 

no one?

 

Zaino shouldn't cost more b/c you need so little of it. The S100 will probably give a better shine then zaino but it will probably last a week. I would give Zaino to the people who care about protection and S100 to the people who just care that there car is shiny after a detail job. Oh yea...around here you can get S100 at our local motorcycle shop....try calling one in your area

 

I charge $75=$100 depending on the car/client, and friends get a discount. I've charged up to $150 for a Ferrari, since I had to be extra **** with it (which actually was no change from usual).

If you approach them right, they'll pay. If you give them what they paid for, they'll come back.

And I like to quote slightly too high but offer to negotiate. Makes them feel like they're getting a discount.

"Well, I usually charge $150 for what you're asking, but since (come up with excuse), I'll do it for $125."

It sounds a little sleazy, but that's business. Sell yourself.

I have a client turned friend who brought me his M3 and M5 to Zaino. I originally charged him $150 per car when he was merely a client. I've gotten to know him well, so I offered to drop it to $100, since he usually runs and gets lunch while I work. He accepted, and now leaves me $50 tips every time.

No matter what, ALWAYS go overboard and out of your way. Once you set a hook like that, it's all gravy.

 

Good stuff for everyday detailing:

Stains/Shampooing: Tuff Stuff (Widely available, probably Walmart,Target)

Windows: Invisible Glass (Target, Walmart I believe)

Door panels, seats, dash Plastic, rubber, vinyl: Meguiar's Gold Class The one for plastics, vinyl, rubber, etc. (Spray bottle, Target)
Leather: Meguiar's Gold Class Leather cleaner/conditioner (Spray bottle, Target)

Tires: Son of a Gun

Wheels: Castrol Super Clean, also Black Magic wheel cleaner.

Wax: Meguiar's for regular, Zaino for deluxe.

Polishing wheels, exhaust tips, etc.:Mother's chrome polish, or Mag polish depending on use.

That's about it. Most of those products (excluding Zaino is what we use where I do detailing)

 

thanks for the list.

right now im using

wax: none ( going to try to get some of this s100 stuff for the people who dont want to spend much)

Polish: Zaino

Tires: black Magic tire ( is there anything better?)

Wheels: windex

leather seats: Meguiar's leather cleaner and conditioner (creme stuff)

Dash ect: armour all ( was going to try to get some 303 aero but trying ot avoid buying it online)

windows: invisible glass

looks like im going to have to update some of my stuff and get more

was plaining on getting some of that meguiar's chrome polish

 

I've used the cream Meguiar's stuff for leather. Good stuff, works well, but I just hate the cream part. That's why I went to the spray. Black Magic works great for the tires, there is something else that's as good or better. We just used it for the first time yesterday, so I don't remember the name, I'll find out next time I'm there.

 

I ran my own detailing shop for over 20 years at my house, you are going about it wrong, first of all you are way too cheap, dont mess with a 35 dollar clean up job, that is way, way too cheap. I would not take anything in less than 60 to 75 bucks and that would be a basic wash, wax, tire dress, interior vac and dress. Peoples cars who never clean them are nasty, it will take you many hours sometimes to make them look like anything.

I would have two pricing structures, the first and lower price one would be for daily driver or what I call little old lady car clean ups in the range of 60 to 100 bucks. I always waxed every car I took in, I never did just a wash. I wanted the cars to look good from my shop and just a wash job did not do the trick in most cases.

The next level is what I call the enthusiast clean up, people like us with muscle, collector, or show cars. This can mean doing the engine and trunk also as well as all the other parts I mentioned above. This kind of clean up would be over 100 to 150.

On the basic clean up you should be using high volume standard products bought in gallon form, these are generic waxes and soaps, wax would cost about 16 dollars a gallon and the soap might cost 5 dollars a gallon. You will also need a tire cleaner, wire wheel or wheel cleaner spray. You can get these high vol products from Car Pro, Auto Magic, and Superior to name a few. All of these companies have delivery trucks and will bring the products to your house or shop.

One the high end details I personally used Zaino, clay bars, leather conditioners, etc. I used the good stuff in other words.

I never bought anything at retail from Wal-Mart for my basic clean up, the cost of these small bottles would eat up your profit.

 

Thanks a lot for the info KevinSS.

Well, 1st i started off with another person and now im pretty sure im just going go solo for the reason i can make more money and the other person i am TEACHING how to detail as we go along. But i like the idea that I'M doing all the work and i can get everything just right, because even if it is a small job im still going to make it look the best i can for the price.

Right now I'm giving friends discounts, doing full detail job to a friends 5.0 for around 75 bucks since he has car friends and dad's car friends that can bring in a ton a business hopefully, and another one for 50-60 bucks just because he hooks me up with ALOT of stuff subs, car alarms ect and he is a friend.

I was thinking about bumping up my price just since no one knows who we are really and its our 1st cars i was doing them cheap.

Right now im looking at buying about 60-90 bucks in zaino unless i can switch some stuff to store bought stuff to keep the price down but keep the quality.

About buying gallons of stuff what is the best wax i should use and what about the soap, was looking at something like s100 if i can ever find it.

Also about how many towels do you think i'll need, because im sure im going to need more. Right now i have 2 big towels (noble 1) and 2 hand towels. I'm also looking to get some of this 303 areo space stuff for the interior or is there a better stuff i can buy by the gallon? Think you can send me a link the the product you buy by gallon via pm or something, sorry i'm just not that good at finding stuff on websites like that stuff i get lost easy, all i could find was armour all lol.

How fast has your business picked up?? I also have a regular job that i get about 30 hours a week and was hoping to get detailing as just a side job, just really didnt want to buy all this stuff and have business move really slow and it takes me awhile to make any money off of it.

As for advertising I was thinking this. Make some business cards and go around putting them on cars windshield’s (nice cars to say the least) that looks like they might want it detailed. The only problem i can see with this is that their is a distance problem, and the person might live WAY far away. Would you suggest putting a price on the card or what all should be on it?

Last question is what about legal stuff like say i zaino a car and we almost all know zaino will and can enhance any flaws and they come back and say they didn't see this their before and try to make a big deal about it or something? Also have the problem that i cann't drive a stick and i know im going have to pull them into the drive way and into the garage lol. I guess im going to have to find someone to teach me to drive a stick.

and any tips of starting your own detailing job on the side. Sorry its so long.

 

Don't look back,

You work at a detailing place right?

How much do places like those pay people and how do you get a job there. If i'm ever out of work i might think about going to one of theses places.

 

I work at my cousin's garage. Its auto repair/detailing. Him and I detail the cars, and I get anywhere from $30.00-$50.00 a car, depending on condition/amount of work to do.

 

my advice would be to take before/ after polaroids, and to tell them what they should expect and point out the stuff u cannot fix
make the person sign a paper , i mean because ive seen alot of ppl sued because of that reason... some local guys that were pretty good lost there business because they could not get a scratch out ... and the owner of the car sued the business and won , because the business did not have any insurance and had no evidence that the scratch was there before the Detail....

Also the standard Detail job iin my area ... is 65.00 minium