Originally Posted by usdm  This is an expensive hobby for me right now, but i am always trying to get a job when I can. Thought I had a job in hand a while ago, but I turned out to be wrong. This is a basic idea of how the days went...
So I'm doing my car and a guy in the neighborhood strolls up to see what I'm doing.
Guy: car looks nice
Me: thanks, I'm trying
Guy: what did you do?
I proceed to show him all the stuff i had that I used at the time: FCRC, SSR2.5, FP, VM, and #16
Guy: how long it took to do all that?
Now, I think I see an oppurtunity to get a new client...
Me: took about 3-4 hrs, but on customer cars, I'm a bit more anal about making the car look good
Guy starts to shake his head in amazement
Guy: about how long on a customer car?
Me: depends on the severity of the work. It could range anywhere from just 20.00 to 180.00. Interested in getting something done?
I guess the "price quote" was too much cause he backed up in disbelief
Guy: Naw, I do my own stuff, thanks.
Guy walks away, but gives me another compliment on the work. Later on that week, I happened to see him working on his car. I figured I would return the favor of a visit and check out his work. As if to imply that I worked too hard, he smiles at me, and heads towards the trunk, and pulls out a can of Pledge, and some paper towels..
Guy: check this out...
He sprays the Pledge on a panel, lets it sit for a bit, and then washes it off with a sponge (the kind with the scuff pad on the backside). He then takes the paper towel and wipes off the water.
Guy: when you do it like this, it cleans off the car, and leaves behind a nice shine cause of the wax.
Me: really, I always though Pledge had no wax in it?
Guy: Trust me, it has wax in it, otherwise it would not give off the nice shine. Been doing this for years on all the cars I work on.
Me: You detail for a living?
Guy: it's a sided gig, but my "peeps" always come back. Takes about an hour, I'm done, "peeps are happy, I get paid, and keep it movin' , know what I'm saying?
I just nodded my head and continued to watch him work. At some level, I REALLY wanted to stop him, but in all reality, I don't think he would've paid me any mind.
Me: so how much you charge, if you don't mind me asking
Guy: 50.00 wash n wax, and 50,00 for the inside.
He had this look on his face as if he realized he should not have told me what he charges, but i guess then he realized that I would never be able to match his work. I just nodded my head again, and told him I had to go.
Guy: next time you're free, I'll show you some other tricks.
Last time I saw him, he was doing a late model lexus, and he had the owner watching him work. Guy gave me a whats-up look, and kept on working. I REALLY wanted to put an end to it once and for all, but I couldn't do it. iI knew if i did, he would accuse me trying to steal his customers. |