Starting off...

[ubersc2]

Detail City,

Hey Guys I have been looking around the forum while waiting to be approved and let me tell you I am very impressed and i compliment you guys beginners and masters for your hard work...it really shows. Ok so heres the deal, I am 18 and already I sick and tired of working for people and I thought auto detailing is the way to go. I would run out of my own house having people come to my driveway or if they would like me to go to their place and do the work, the thing of it is is that I am new and there seems a lot to it when it all breaks down. Now I want this to be making sifficient money in the summer and hopefully somehting I can look forward every summer to fall back on. I am a good person people and hopefully will have no problem influencing that I can do good work like throwing a free demo or something and show people/car clubs in my area my work and have a catchy slogan that will appeal them to come to me. Also I am looking to keep my rates competitive so that I dont get all washed out and such. I can be a delacatcien when I feel the need and I take pride in ym work so obviously I believe this is the perfect thing. Not too much to invest and seems like I could profit hugely if I work out my schedule right. I was wondering from experience where to set the prices for what kind of jobs and how much time I should be taking to do as a guideline not as a requirement obviously. I will be working alone until I feel the workload or scheduling is backed up then I have people in mind to assist me. I really want this to work and I think will be a better reality step into buisness then when i worked for electric boat thru an internship two summers back and pickig up a trade to keep your ride looking fly is no flaunt on my rap sheet. I am looking into an internship to get experince before i break for school but if you guys have any suggestions of brands and methods...I just bought Ultimate Auto Detailing Projects and thats helping a bit but I figure a person to person would be better since the book doesnt really mention what not to do. Thanks guys and I appreicate all the feedback. Hope to hear from you soon

kyle

[CalgaryDetail]

Welcome to DC!. You remined me of a young me lol. (ok ok im only 19 and started when i was 18) Everyone has the master plan of becoming a sem-pro detailer. And some people are going to tell you it wont happen for years but if you want it then go for it. Its alot of work, and well alot of money. You will need to spend the time to learn the basics, they into the more advanced things (DC will help a ton). But at the end of the day it comes down to how much time oyu have and are willing to put in. Like anything, the more you do it and the more new things you try the better you become. I would suggest reading, which it sounds like you have done. I would then try it, whats the harm in trying somthing. Also you are going to need to find the prodcust that work for you. I know i use alot of products, and try even more (ill try just about anything) to find what works for me. I know that i love zymol right now and others dont. Hey it works for me and that what counts at the end of the day. Start with the local items and slowey accumlated more to try, see what works and stick with it.
As for wanting to make money by next summer itsa viable goal. I started about this time last year and by the start of the summer i was mkaing money (not much but it helped ontop of work). its hard to build clients which is somthing you need to rember but if you do good work you will have a customer for life.
Good luck with all the learning, and the detailing. Make sure to keep us posted and we always love pictures here on DC!
So mmoral of the story is go for the gold (sorry i know its cliche)
Welcome Klye, and enjoy your stay at detail city


Ohh ya where about are you locted, you mentioned a face to face thing. Also as for brand read around. When you find somthing more spefic then search and post and im sure someone wil have an opion on it.

[GearHead_1]

In order to be a detailer that is competitive and able to go mobile the initial investment can be quite significant. It wouldn`t be uncommon to be several thousand dollars into equipment and supplies before you can go out and compete with the guys that do this for a living. Showing up with a few bottles of product and a buffer won`t cut it in the detailing world. You haven`t said what equipment you are using but it`s reasonable to expect that a mobile detailer has some combination of the the following: buffers (rotary and DA), compressor, vacuum, generator, steam cleaner or extractor, water tank and the list goes on. Before one can command the price that the guys who are successful get you have to be well equipped in both equipment and supplies. If you try and go into it as the low price leader without the proper equipment you end up being the neighborhood wash boy earning $10/hr.

[dr_detail]

my 2¢ ...

Go to college, get an education!!

You`ll be better adept in working smarter not harder -- even if it is in this industry. If you`re adamant about this line of work, maybe try gaining some experience working part-time at a local car wash or detail shop just to see if this is really what you want while you work on gaining wisdom. With an education behind you, chances are far greater in securing adequate funding to really make working in this industry a lucrative career.

[CalgaryDetail]

my 2¢ ...

Go to college, get an education!!

You`ll be better adept in working smarter not harder -- even if it is in this industry. If you`re adamant about this line of work, maybe try gaining some experience working part-time at a local car wash or detail shop just to see if this is really what you want while you work on gaining wisdom. With an education behind you, chances are far greater in securing adequate funding to really make working in this industry a lucrative career.

Great advice, nothing is more valuable then an eductation

[ubersc2]

oh i totally am on track withmy education majoring in Digital and Computer Forensics, this is just a chance for me to be able establish work on my own and not have to deal with the bullxxxx jobs that people my age have to deal with. My education comes first but building thie buisness relationship and having something to work on and maybe leave for my brother to have (which hes only two years behind me) and because I care about my car so much (98 Saturn SC2) I want to help my ride and my buddies/clients ride looking fly while making some decent money. I am using all of my buisness majors and digital graphic majors here at school to help me with selling my product/service and make a legit buisness when i get home in may. I totall agree with the education coming first and im totally on track with that, but this seems all too cool and im a devoted person to anything i want to get done the only thing since I want to be like making appointments and only work between 9-5 or whenever i finish up after 5...i feel as thought i want to learn on how much time I should allow each car and how many clients I shoudl book in a day. I say start off with one, because obviously good word will spread hopefully, or possibly my demo will help sell my services or my prices. I think my sellout personality and willingness to make people happy the way they do with their cars is the passionate advantage I will have along with keeping it relatively in range and compettition with all the higher end buisnesses. Other than that its all about the products and right equipment. I am already looking into a shampooer/steam cleaner....and I will obviously do the right research before doing anything. Also in my town I know mainly everyone and having my car be perfect example on my work is the best thing so even at the end of the day of hard work when I am washing off the driveway I can always shine my car up for an hour and be proud and really show my work means a lot to me. The other thing that I am interested about is whether or not to go with the expensive brands or go with the lower grade and practice and see what works, because this is all going to happen very quickly as soon as I get home. I will hopefully have advertisement to be able to hand out to people when I g home for spring break but other than that its going to be on a wing and hope that I make enough to pay for insurance and some to bank for college and obviously some to spend on the G/F. Hope you can pull my real goal out of this and not just trying to find my niche out of nowhere...this is a life learning experience one that I hope will lead to my success in whatever i use my education for and have this as a side experience to keep my rides looking fly. thanks for all the help and look forward for more input

[onemeanmachine]

Well, these guys have already thrown in most of the advice I would give but here`s my .02 anyway. I`m still new to the mobile detailing business, being open for just one year now, and I started for many of the same reasons as you are. I wanted to finance my way through school by doing something I was good at and enjoyed.
First of all, the bottom line in this biz is hard work and patience. It`s tough to break into a business when there are tons of other detailers out there looking for the same customers. You have to work your a** off in the beginning to make sure the customers you do get are more than happy with your work. Close to 90% of my customers come from other customers, not the signs on my truck, or my trailer, or the flyers, or the ad stands in shops. Being in school helps because you have an entire campus full of potential customers and everyone knows how quickly news moves around a campus!
Secondly, don`t kill yourself with equipment you don`t "Need" to get started. You might just decide after six months that you hate this (I didn`t, but you never know)! Get what you need to do a great job and get customers, then let the business pay for the equipment that makes the job easier. Lastly, you might consider a small part-time job to make sure you have money during the slow weeks. I was a pizza delivery guy at night when I started, and as the business got better I could afford to quit altogether....plus it really helped get customers because people are actually surprised when the delivery guy shows up in a really nice ride, and they ask questions!