Detailing Industry Magazines?

[KJ99GT]

Hi all,

I am looking for information about starting a detailing business. This forum has quite a lot of information! I am poring through the threads now.

I am interested in industry magazines to help my research into the "business" side. Example:

Americas Car Care Business
Detailers DIGEST

(thanks Joe)

Are there any others? I am also interested in where I'd be able to get training. The best of the best.

For the record, I am 39, married w/2 kids, and am considering this as a second career. I've got more than a year's worth of living expenses in the bank, and could afford to burn it, if I was building a viable business.

THANKS!

-kj-

[Intel486]

Not really sure about any other magazines.

You'll need to research your local laws. How strick are they are about the use of a reclaim mat? Do you have to charge sales tax for services? Do you need a business license or is a federal tax id # enough? etc. That is the business end of detailing professionally.

You may also want to start out small and see if it really is something you want to do all day, day after day. One day get all your stuff together and start going door to door and find people who need their cars detailed. Just go see if you like doing it. Do it on weekends for awhile to kinda get a small customer base built up so when you do start doing it full time you actually have some customers. Don't worry about legal licenses and stuff at this time (start researching them though). I know here in LA you can run a business for 40 days before you need a business license.

Remember, your car you keep clean and probably don't mind detailing it. When you start doing it professionally your going to get people who haven't had their cars washed in a year and treat the inside of their car like a trash can.

Wish I could type some more but I'm not at home and using someone elses laptop and internet access. Damn dial-up!

[2wheelsx2]

Intel is entirely correct in what he is saying. I am 37 and a couple of months ago lost my job because of the whole hi-tech market collapse. I was considering detailing full time and asked a lot of questions here and got some excellent answers. I started detailing on weekends on known referrals. But just like Intel suggested, other people do not take care of their cars like you do. After I did a few, I got really sick of cleaning filthy cars, and decided I didn't want to do it full time. Luckily for me, I started a new job just this month, so it's all working out. I will continue to do a few cars for $$ here and there, but I pick and choose the cars and when I want to do them. The money I earn is going to be for this detailing obsession and other toys, like my motorcycles.

It's a tough decision, and one you will have to think long and hard on.

There are several other magazines available for the detailing trade. Auto Laundry, Americas Clean Car, Modern Car care, Professional Car washing & Detailing. All very good magazines

[Masterfinish]

Trade magazines include:
1. Professional Carwashing and Detailing 518-783-1281

2. Auto Laundry News 201-592-7007

3. American Clean Car 312-337-7700

4. America's Car Care Business 480-585-0455

5. Modern Car Care 480-990-1101

A Great Quarterly publication has two items
1. Mobile Tech News 800-780-3274

2. Detailiers Digest same number as above.

This one sponsors a convention for mobile techs and detailers once a year in Orlando, Florida

As far as a training goes check out http//:www.autoint.com the company is called Automotive International and sells under the brand name Valuguard. They have an excellent program that works for newbies or professionals tweaking their skills. I have know Ron Ketcham there for many years and he run a very straight no bull session.

Good luck!
Tom Schurmann