How much should a typical 2 step cost?

[ShaneB]

I meant how long should a typical 2 step take

On a full size sedan. I think I just lost a potential customer (not sure I wanted the work anyway) to another detail shop in town. We called them and asked what they offer and without even seeing the car they just go straight for a wool pad on a rotary, then follow up with a swirl remover. Which I think is kinda bogus. No inspection, no test spot, just go straight for most aggressive option... but their price was $160 and included interior and exterior with 2 step correction and hand wax, and engine detail. All in 6 hours...

is that reasonable or is my suspicion correct that they may be more of a hack detail shop?

i really am just curious cause I`m still learning the competition and the business end of it. I turned the job down basically cause i quoted him at $190, came down to $160 just to be nice (I think I`d do a better job) and he tells me I`d have to do $130.

[XxBoostinxX]

I wouldn`t even touch it for that kind of money. There are some jobs you just have to walk away from. This I believe is one of them.

[wendell jarvis]

Take your hourly rate X the amount of hours it would take you to complete the job.....personally with my business on a 2 step polishing on a mid size car starts off a $450.00....plus all the add ons....headlight restoration. ..engine bay.....coatings at $650.00 and up depending on size of vehicle....
But you need to adjust $$ to your level of skill..whatever that may be...just because you do a 2 step doesn`t mean it going to look as good as a seasoned detailer

[mrclean81]

I charge $200 - $250 for a 1 step on a car, and that`s dirt cheap compared to what most guys get. In this area though, that`s considered ludicrous. If I have to do a 2 step, it would be $300 - $400 depending on the condition, which is considered even more ludicrous for around here. In other parts of the country, that would be a $1000 job. You didnt loose anything to that shop..trust me.

[ShaneB]

That`s what I figured. Im mobile so I only do one steps, also because I only have a PC. So my price of $190 was for a one step, interior clean, and engine clean. And I would of spot buffed a few blemishes for him. I tried to explain to the guy it was going to take me 8-10 hours easy, maybe more, and for $130 I just cant do it. I was hesitant to go down to $160 but he wanted to try and negotiate.

Thanks for your responses. Makes me feel better about this one

[wendell jarvis]

Your doing paint correction with a PC ?? Need to kick that up 4 or 5 notches. ..that would take hours upon hours to do a top grade job with a PC....Get a Makita..Rupes...or even a Flex....better end results plus time

That`s what I figured. Im mobile so I only do one steps, also because I only have a PC. So my price of $190 was for a one step, interior clean, and engine clean. And I would of spot buffed a few blemishes for him. I tried to explain to the guy it was going to take me 8-10 hours easy, maybe more, and for $130 I just cant do it. I was hesitant to go down to $160 but he wanted to try and negotiate.

Thanks for your responses. Makes me feel better about this one

[ShaneB]

Yeah its not the greatest. But I`ve been able to get good improvement on a lot of cars with it. I want a flex or rupes. But for now I work with what I got

[Stokdgs]

Shane --
Those other guys also give the Clients (at no extra charge), the Swirl-O-Matic-Process to the paint, for the amount of hours they are doing the work..

Sure, they will use a very dirty, used, wool pad to quickly knock down the paint, use it at high speeds on the edge, because this is faster, and then go over the swirled mess they made with another product that finishes it down better AND adds a ton of fillers to smooth out the look of the paint. Might even look pretty - until you wash it, and all the fillers come out and you have the Swirl-O-Matic-Look to remind you of how badly you wasted your money - unless of course, you like that appeal..

You can have a Rotary and be able to go really fast, but if you have poor to no skills in knowing how to use it, then you are not really Detailing like at the level that is done by everyone here today...

Any machine can certainly be used, but for all out removing defects quickly and leaving a really clear finish, you need mad skills and experience (time with the machine in your hands) (that you will learn here) and a machine that has as much pad rotation as possible..

And as has been always said - every paint color even the same color different years, will probably be different and will need to be treated as such..

There is no magic formula, steps, etc., to doing all vehicles - ever..

I have a good friend that teaches Boat Detailers, and he never tells the class what kind of compound he is using because he wants them to learn how to use compound first, and then take it as high as you can (which is always pretty darn high), and then you have learned so much more, than debating which is better - X brand or Y brand or SMAT,,, etc...

A good 2 step, including Perfect Interior, Carpets, Trunk, Glass, all Jambs, Wheels, Engine Compartment, Engine, 90%+ paint clarity, good Sealant, takes 20+ hours (1 Person) and the car looks better than brand new and stays that way for a long time..

Good luck - keep at it - you can do it at whatever level you want to raise it to !!!
Dan F

[The Driver]

Single pass 350
Two step 550 add 50 for interior. 160 for a two step is a joke...

[ShaneB]

Highest level possible

but thank you for the post. Like I said I`m still learning the ins and outs of some of this and didn`t want to jump to a conclusion on a shop without asking. I had suspected that was the case. Especially after I asked the lady there about cleaning the barrels of the wheels and she said "if I can get my hand in there I will clean it but if not it will just get sprayed with acid."

I`m glad I passed on this one. Some people just won`t understand what I`m trying to do detailing wise I guess.

hopefully they don`t slaughter it cause it was a really nice Audi A4.

[The Driver]

I turned the job down basically cause i quoted him at $190, came down to $160 just to be nice (I think I`d do a better job) and he tells me I`d have to do $130.

Anyone who tells you you have to do a lower price then the competition isn`t worth dealing with. I get that sometimes. I tell them it`s up to them who they go to, but your paying for my skills and a result that won`t be beat. If you want to take a chance feel free, it will cost you twice as much to fix on a poor polishing job like pigtails and four times as much to be repainted if they mess up. I`ve had my fare shares of I told ya so, although I don`t say it... My bill does...

[Stokdgs]

Highest level possible

but thank you for the post. Like I said I`m still learning the ins and outs of some of this and didn`t want to jump to a conclusion on a shop without asking. I had suspected that was the case. Especially after I asked the lady there about cleaning the barrels of the wheels and she said "if I can get my hand in there I will clean it but if not it will just get sprayed with acid."

I`m glad I passed on this one. Some people just won`t understand what I`m trying to do detailing wise I guess.

hopefully they don`t slaughter it cause it was a really nice Audi A4.

I had to laugh - "If I can get my hand in there"

Guess they have never seen a really nice, long wheel brush that gets about into every slot on a wheel, except sometimes if the caliper is very close to the wheel, and you just have to rotate the car a little to get that spot..

Have Detailed over one hundred Audi vehicles.. Most of them come from the people at the Costco Headquarters Campus, about a mile from the shop..
Wow - some people really beat them up !! Why is that ??
Pretty much hard paint, will take some time unless you have my Rotary to get it clear, but it turns out beautifully when done at whatever level..

Awesome, beautiful Interiors, love the leather, they use really quality products, and their Design is always one of the best laid out designs in my experience..

Only problem I can see is their Maintenance is pretty hard because of a lot of models, they modularize so much...

For example, on some models, the timing chain is located behind the engine, so the entire top of the engine has to be removed, Its modularized, so a lot of stuff here, and then the engine and transmission has to come out, then disconnected, then remove and replace the timing chain, and put all of this stuff back together.. Holy Shop Labor Hours !!!

I once saw at the Shop a beautiful A3 or 4 Black Wagon, with beautiful 18" wheels, etc., that needed this process, and the poor people had to let it go because it was going to cost more than the car was worth, and they somehow got upside down on it...
Dan F

[XxBoostinxX]

I had to laugh - "If I can get my hand in there"

Guess they have never seen a really nice, long wheel brush that gets about into every slot on a wheel, except sometimes if the caliper is very close to the wheel, and you just have to rotate the car a little to get that spot..

Have Detailed over one hundred Audi vehicles.. Most of them come from the people at the Costco Headquarters Campus, about a mile from the shop..
Wow - some people really beat them up !! Why is that ??
Pretty much hard paint, will take some time unless you have my Rotary to get it clear, but it turns out beautifully when done at whatever level..

Awesome, beautiful Interiors, love the leather, they use really quality products, and their Design is always one of the best laid out designs in my experience..

Only problem I can see is their Maintenance is pretty hard because of a lot of models, they modularize so much...

For example, on some models, the timing chain is located behind the engine, so the entire top of the engine has to be removed, Its modularized, so a lot of stuff here, and then the engine and transmission has to come out, then disconnected, then remove and replace the timing chain, and put all of this stuff back together.. Holy Shop Labor Hours !!!

I once saw at the Shop a beautiful A3 or 4 Black Wagon, with beautiful 18" wheels, etc., that needed this process, and the poor people had to let it go because it was going to cost more than the car was worth, and they somehow got upside down on it...
Dan F

I did my first Audi 3 weeks ago (A7) and my second last week (S7) . Cool cars with beautiful interiors and extremely hard paint. The S7 had a special order interior with a suede headliner. If I knew how hard the paint was going into it I would of charged at least $100 more when I first quoted them. Took me 8-10 hours just to polish them.

[wallyStang]

Single pass 350
Two step 550 add 50 for interior. 160 for a two step is a joke...

I agree! 300$ Minimum to place a buffer on a car. To get brilliant results requires Blood, sweat, tears and most importantly Passion! This trade isnt as easy as people think it is.

[The Driver]

I agree! 300$ Minimum to place a buffer on a car. To get brilliant results requires Blood, sweat, tears and most importantly Passion! This trade isnt as easy as people think it is.

Yup, don`t forget Cost! A rupes polisher ain`t cheap, factor in pads, polishes and all the misc... 600 easy out the door.