What % of people get their cars detailed?

[NOFX]

Its funny when people see me detailing my car and they make the coment "oh when your done with your car I can bring mine over next" well I told a lady last week "I tell you what I will do for you how many cars do you have she said 2 a honda and a land rover I told her I would detail her 2 cars for $300 including a engine detail " well her eyes got as big as the moon and said " oh I wouldn`t pay that much to WASH MY CARS! the point is some people don`t know what we do or how much work is involved but everyone wants a perfect car but they don`t want to pay for it ....

So true... Too many people seem to think all that is involved with a detail is a wash. As though "detail" is just another term for "car wash".

I have had some luck with at least friends seeing what I actually do to make the cars look good. They at least begin to understand the amount of work I put into it (I do it by hand too). The only problem is... SOME of those people assume that since they know me that they deserve a super cheap, if not free, detail whenever they chose. Now... I don`t know about the rest of you... But I am not able to afford, nor am I usually willing, to spend my time and my products on free detailing.

I`ve began offering detailing on the side at some friends` shop and so far have gotten several interested people. These are people into the import tuning market though. People who specifically want their car to be the best looking, quickest, best handling vehicle or the one with the best sound system. (And no, I`m not talking your average high schooler who inherited his mom`s Civic sedan and buys all his "mods" at Pep Boys or such- no offense meant to such people.) Been sick the whole time I`ve been getting offers besides the first two (Civic and STi which I did in a weekend together).

A lot of the people I know of who are into such cars are in their 20s or so and most of their money goes into their car already. It`s a hobby for them and they want theirs to be the best or at least one of the best.

As a side note, this thread remind me of what I saw out the window of a fast food restaurant a couple weeks ago. It was lightly raining outside and there was a gas station out the window behind me. My boyfriend got a look of horror on his face and told me to look what this woman at the gas station was doing. I turn around and there she is washing her car... with the squee-gee used to clean dirty windshields.

TexasTB, I hope you don`t mind, but I stole your sig for use on another site I belong to.

[jdoria]

You make some good point`s! Out of curiosity what was your major in College?

Sorry, I didnt see this post before - I went to school for marketing. Just about totally useless in todays society. Given the chanver again, I`d go for English or Writing.

[LockedNLoaded]

Wow, this thread is making me sad . I`m about to be 19, and in college, so it isn`t like I`m going to starve if this doesn`t work out. I have been making pretty good money painting houses the last few summers, so if I`m not going to be able to turn a large enough profit, I`ll probably go back to that instead of detailing. I have most of the stuff I need to get it going though. I`ve picked up about $500 in some other stuff I needed that can still be returned if I back out.

What I still need to get/buy:
-Water tank
-Business insurance
-$200 in chemicals
-Business License ($75 now, and another $150 June 1st)
-Register fictitious business name (not very much)
-About $150 in other misc. stuff

Hey MLover, you have a good head on your shoulders. I`m tempted to tell you to quit college and follow your instincts but I won`t because I don`t know your full situation. College does prepare you but it prepares you for a more "structured" life. education=job=career you are stuck in until you get more education for another career.

I was once like you. I was working cutting grass (6 lawns by myself) to pay for bmx bikes and things my parents could not afford to buy me. But, I was forced to go to college and now I have a good paying job but i`m miserable and I am looking for a way out.

I often wonder what would have happend if I didn`t go to college. Would I have grown my business into something huge? I think I could have done something and it would have been a cash business.

College only prepares you to work for someone else. Unless you become a Dr or something along those lines.

If at all in college, try and focus on the business and Marketing side to help you with your true ambitions. Give it a whirl, while you have the support of your parents and don`t go half assed, go full bore with all your drive and energy!

If that doesn`t work, try something else and don`t give up. With each project, you get smarter and each subequent business decision you make it will be better then the last. That`s how the wealthy make money.

Don`t give up, it sucks working for the man.

IT Manager - Software Development

[Fishpimp]

Now this is one of the best threads I have read. Absolutely Wonderful.

My 2 cents is this: Ask yourself do you know anything about business. Have you ever started a business? If you have not this is a GREAT business to start so that you can get business experience in dealing with people. Detailing can be a very rewarding experience when customers are just as excited about your work as you are. Life is not about MONEY, however, we do need money to sustain ourselves. Risk is a stepping stone to success. Learn to start a business and later in life you will be successful in at least starting businesses.
Hey don`t stand by with your hands in your pockets wondering why you never gave it a shot. Don`t be one of those people who are always talking about what they should, could or would do or how you could do it BETTER. Get up, Get in and be about something. So what less than 1% or less of people get there cars detailed because the soul of business is the targeting of markets and the exercising of new ideas. Yeah you could only make 20k a year but what if you become the best at what you do and people begin to SEEK you out because you are considerd one of the best in your profession. When demand goes up so will your rates…. Find a market and then target them. Hunt them down. Believe me my friend they are looking for your services but do not know how and where to obtain them.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you must at some point take a RISK. Some people are workers and others pioneer the work that workers perform. Start the business, Grow the business, Sell the business, Start another business, etc…etc…etc….

[Maxima Lover]

Thanks for encoragement LockedNLoaded and Fishimp.

I`ve never had a "real job" really. I`ve never worked for anyone except the customer directly. Maybe it`s because I think my time is worth more than everyone is willing to pay a teenager, but I think it lies more within the fact that I love being my own boss. I can`t stand someone telling me what to do. Even more than the money though, I always make sure I go above and beyond what someone thinks they are paying for. Anything I do, it will be done right, or I`ll spend as long as it takes to make it right as soon as possible. I love the reaction I get from the customer. With other jobs where I could have a boss, I know I wouldn`t get the same type of recognition for my work.

I`m currently going to community college for 2 years and then plan on transferring to a 4-year school so that I could save some money. I`m shooting for a business degree, but school`s getting boring quick and I don`t study near as much as I should. This isn`t because I`m out partying all the time, but I`m constantly looking/thinking/researching for business and money making ideas. I know I`ll never work in an office all day, but I still would like to be able to say I got my degree. As far as a lot of people are concerned, if you don`t have a degree, your not good at finishing things.

The detailing business has been put on hold though. I posted in another thread about a fairly large complex where my mom worked. I planed to get a lot of business from there and had permission from the complex`s property manager to detail on location. Well my mom has been let go and there are now some legal issues because of her termination that have come up. Although I would like to make money, family is family. I think it would be in my best interest as well as everyone else`s if I didn`t detail there at this time. She was let go 1 week away from my first scheduled detail at that location. I hadn`t even distributed flyers on location and within the last 2 weeks, I`ve still received several calls about my services. I`ve gotten their names and numbers, but informed them that the business has been put on hold. Unfortunately, it looks like this may remain a weekend deal.

That was not the only determining factor for putting the brakes on the detailing business. I`ve purchased a professional airless paint sprayer because my neighbors needed their fence and deck stained and I knew I could do it quickly, end up with a nice sprayer that would be paid for, and still end up with a little change in my pocket. I`ve done 2 more jobs since then. Both took right around 8 hours and I turned $900 profit on one and just over $1000 profit on the other one. I know I can`t make that type of money detailing around here.

I`ll let you guys know what ends up happening and thanks again everyone for the support. I`ve yet to find any other forum with members as helpful, knowledgeable, mature, and respectful as this one .

[LockedNLoaded]

Thanks for encoragement LockedNLoaded and Fishimp.

I`ve never had a "real job" really. I`ve never worked for anyone except the customer directly. Maybe it`s because I think my time is worth more than everyone is willing to pay a teenager, but I think it lies more within the fact that I love being my own boss. I can`t stand someone telling me what to do. Even more than the money though, I always make sure I go above and beyond what someone thinks they are paying for. Anything I do, it will be done right, or I`ll spend as long as it takes to make it right as soon as possible. I love the reaction I get from the customer. With other jobs where I could have a boss, I know I wouldn`t get the same type of recognition for my work.

I`m currently going to community college for 2 years and then plan on transferring to a 4-year school so that I could save some money. I`m shooting for a business degree, but school`s getting boring quick and I don`t study near as much as I should. This isn`t because I`m out partying all the time, but I`m constantly looking/thinking/researching for business and money making ideas. I know I`ll never work in an office all day, but I still would like to be able to say I got my degree. As far as a lot of people are concerned, if you don`t have a degree, your not good at finishing things.

The detailing business has been put on hold though. I posted in another thread about a fairly large complex where my mom worked. I planed to get a lot of business from there and had permission from the complex`s property manager to detail on location. Well my mom has been let go and there are now some legal issues because of her termination that have come up. Although I would like to make money, family is family. I think it would be in my best interest as well as everyone else`s if I didn`t detail there at this time. She was let go 1 week away from my first scheduled detail at that location. I hadn`t even distributed flyers on location and within the last 2 weeks, I`ve still received several calls about my services. I`ve gotten their names and numbers, but informed them that the business has been put on hold. Unfortunately, it looks like this may remain a weekend deal.

That was not the only determining factor for putting the brakes on the detailing business. I`ve purchased a professional airless paint sprayer because my neighbors needed their fence and deck stained and I knew I could do it quickly, end up with a nice sprayer that would be paid for, and still end up with a little change in my pocket. I`ve done 2 more jobs since then. Both took right around 8 hours and I turned $900 profit on one and just over $1000 profit on the other one. I know I can`t make that type of money detailing around here.

I`ll let you guys know what ends up happening and thanks again everyone for the support. I`ve yet to find any other forum with members as helpful, knowledgeable, mature, and respectful as this one .

Sorry your deal didn`t go through. You sure its dead? Try not to let politics get in the way. I can see the legal issues but if people need details and that`s what you do....then try and salvage it.

Sounds like you know how to make a buck.

Cultivate that spirit as much as you can then solidify it in a business. It seems to me that you don`t need college. Hell college will be there all the time but some business opps won`t. Lots of people have made fortunes not having stepped one foot in college OR dropped out (Bill Gates comes to mind).