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  1. #1

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    I was quoted $60 an hour, possibly up to 20 hours ($1,200) to have an opti-coat seal applied to my $75,000 BMW 6 series after a full wash and polish.



    I was quoted $60 an hour (roughly 8 hours) to polish and opti-coat four rims ($500).



    Grand total to opti-coat my car: ....... 3+ days and roughly $1,700.



    I had the exact same car done by Detail Works in San Diego CA *to perfection* for $350 flat fee.



    Is $1700 reasonable for the exact same service with the addition of opti-coat?





    Please note... this is a brand new car. It rolled off the lot 1 month ago. It was also given a new paint job from metallic to jet black less than 2 months ago. The paint job was evaluated by a professional and deemed "amazing". After a few washes, some buffer trails began to appear (very minor, noticeable only in certain light) on the hood. The car is in perfect condition, and has 1,500 miles on it. The aftermarket rims are also brand new with about 500 miles on them. I just want my rims and paint sealed. As part of this, the items need minor cleaning and polishing.
    Thanks Wolfster thanked for this post

  2. #2
    CCH Auto Appearance, LLC C. Charles Hahn's Avatar
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    Wait... so the $350 flat fee was for a detail with Opti-Coat? What condition is the car in now?



    And are you being offered a warranty of any kind on the $1700 detail? How do you plan to maintain the vehicle after having it coated?



    Oh, and most importantly: was that a sight-unseen quote?



    I`m just waiting for the other shoe to drop, here.
    Charlie
    Automotive Appearance Specialist - Serving Greater Lansing, Michigan
    http://www.cchautoappearance.com/

  3. #3

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    By dave, im gonna guess you mean fermani? If so, you will be getting a man who knows his stuff and uses some of the best products.





    And detail works im guessing you mean "Auto Detailing in San Diego-Car Auto Detailing, Engine Cleaning, Car Care Salon." ?

    Looking at the pictures posted for this website, the materials they are using to dry a car and buff a car are not looking promising.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by smoknfastlegend
    By dave, im gonna guess you mean fermani?


    I never mentioned any names in my post, nor what state I am located in. I`d prefer responses from people who are not associated with any South Florida detailers. I need some unbiased opinions. I was also sort of hoping to maintain his anonymity in case this thread goes south at some point. Im not looking to cause a ruckus for an individual.



    And detail works im guessing you mean "Auto Detailing in San Diego-Car Auto Detailing, Engine Cleaning, Car Care Salon." ? Looking at the pictures posted for this website, the materials they are using to dry a car and buff a car are not looking promising.
    Call up Steve and tell him that yourself. He`s probably the most recommended luxury car detailer in the San Diego area, recommended by nearly all the tuning companies and ... if you`ve ever been to Southern California, you know how much custom car work goes on there. As opposed to Miami where where there isnt practically anyone doing jack squat. I can`t find a single legit tuning/modding company out here, aside from a guy who used to (surprise) work for West Coast Customs (in CA) and relocated to do his own private jobs out here.



    There is such a thing as overcharging for a service, and I just want to make sure the prices are fair. That`s all im doing here. California is known for car customs and modding and blinging out vehicles. Miami is known for mega mega rich mofo`s from other countries who throw around $1000`s like its pocket change. You want to charge them $1500 to detail their $700,000 Lamborghini? That`s fine. I feel like I should be able to get equivilent service on a much cheaper vehicle for a more reasonable price. So I get why the prices here might be 10x higher (because you can), but that doesn`t mean its a fair for everyone. Or maybe it is. That`s why Im asking.



    To answer the other questions above:



    1) Yes this was a sight-unseen quote. The unmentioned individual has not seen the vehicle at all yet. The exact words were "It could take 18 to 20 hours or more!" (to wash, polish, and opticoat the car). The same work done (perfectly!) minus opti-coat cost me $350 in San Diego. Wash, polish, deswirl, wax etc... and that was interior and exterior and engine ... and wheels .... !



    2) The $350 flat fee from Detail Works was a complete inside and outside detail with polishing of everything. No Opti-Coat.



    3) I have no warranty offer aside from the statement "Opti coat lasts a lot longer than CQuartz, so you should use Opti-Coat"



    4) How do I plan to maintain it after having it coated? I do weekly details myself. Kept my last six series showroom new for 6 years with that method. Haven`t thought past that yet.

  5. #5

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    From here:

    Quote Originally Posted by DetailBurger
    I`m going to be having "Dave" (from this site) polish my wheels before applying Opti-coat to them.



    Your post scared me though - if Dave is going to be polishing them, he`s going to be doing it by hand, and you`re saying he will cause a bunch of little "indentations" ???? in the areas he hand polishes?


    Sorry i read in another one of your threads that you were going to have "dave" do your wheels. So i assumed fermani. Im not trying to start a ruckus, but aside from a mutual friend, my interactions with fermani have been in response to his amazing click and brags on this forum.



    As far as calling the guy up, im just looking at the pictures he has posted online. Knowing what I know from being a member of this community and detailing with some of the best, his pictures dont promote the prestige that I have observed here on autopia.

  6. #6

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    Lets just step back a second.



    Seventeen Hundred Dollars, to detail and opticoat my BMW.



    $1,700.00 ....



    (someone else) Tell me that`s reasonable, and I will pay it.



    Im fully willing if its a legit price. And I know Dave is one of the best in south florida. His quality, personality, and integrity are not in question. It just seems really ... expensive.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by DetailBurger
    Lets just step back a second.



    Seventeen Hundred Dollars, to detail and opticoat my BMW.



    $1,700.00 ....



    Same price charged for a $1 million dollar Lamborghini.



    You tell me that`s reasonable, and I will pay it.


    Any idea how much time does detail work spend on your car? You may not be getting the same thing as you think. I think is a matter of how much time needed to get the job done rather what car cost what. For example, let say to polish a wheel face takes roughly 1 hrs, to polish both the wheel face and wheel back takes 2 hrs and to polish the wheel face, back and nut takes 4 hrs. Let say I am charging 40/ hr, do you see value to have a full polish wheel for 160 or will simply settle for a clean wheel with the wheel face polished for 40. To many, the result of both looks perfect in their eyes which is why is difficult to perceive value in the first case. Try looking beyond the face value, understand what you be getting and determine what is of value to you.

  8. #8
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    What condition is the car in?

  9. #9
    CCH Auto Appearance, LLC C. Charles Hahn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DetailBurger
    There is such a thing as overcharging for a service, and I just want to make sure the prices are fair. That`s all im doing here. California is known for car customs and modding and blinging out vehicles. Miami is known for mega mega rich mofo`s from other countries who throw around $1000`s like its pocket change. You want to charge them $1500 to detail their $700,000 Lamborghini? That`s fine. I feel like I should be able to get equivilent service on a much cheaper vehicle for a more reasonable price. So I get why the prices here might be 10x higher (because you can), but that doesn`t mean its a fair for everyone. Or maybe it is. That`s why Im asking.


    Who cares what the vehicle is worth? You were quoted a price based on an hourly labor rate of $60, and this was done very transparently. If you go out there and do a bit of research, you`ll find that this is fairly average for a lot of the guys here who do high end work. There are some who charge more, some who charge less, and that price is based on a number of things, from what the market will bear, to the type of work the detailer does (you`re paying for their knowledge and experience). This hourly rate usually isn`t negotiable, so it`s a matter of "if you don`t like it, find someone else."



    To answer the other questions above:



    1) Yes this was a sight-unseen quote. The unmentioned individual has not seen the vehicle at all yet. The exact words were "It could take 18 to 20 hours or more!" (to wash, polish, and opticoat the car). The same work done (perfectly!) minus opti-coat cost me $350 in San Diego. Wash, polish, deswirl, wax etc... and that was interior and exterior and engine ... and wheels .... !


    For a sight unseen quote, 18-20 hours does not seem to be outrageous at all, and I can tell you for certain that there is definitely additional prep work involved to apply Opti-Coat to a vehicle. The time required could go down significantly depending on the actual condition of the vehicle. Remember, that is a PERMANENT coating, so unless every little defect is dealt with it is going to be there permanently. It seems to me that what is happening here is two things:



    1) Your definition of "perfectly" is wildly different than the definition that term is given by an Autopian detailer. I don`t think any pro on this site would do all the work you`re asking for to our standard of "perfect" for only $350 out the door. I know I certainly wouldn`t. This leads me to believe what you got for $350 in California was "good enough" for your eyes to see perfect, but I bet if someone were to pick it apart with a detailer`s eye, we would find flaws that could still be corrected. Furthermore I`d even bet that detailer you used would agree with me, assuming he knows what he`s doing and is aware of what is going on in the industry at large.



    2) You seem to be fishing for someone to say that price is too high so you have some sort of "ammunition" to negotiate the price with this detailer.... kind of a "gotcha" where people say he`s charging unfair prices so you can corner him into doing the job for cheap. That`s not going to work, plain and simple. If you want a cheaper job done, find someone who will work for cheap -- just be prepared that what you`ll be getting isn`t on the same level of workmanship. Maybe that`s enough to satisfy you, I don`t know, but you`ve got to understand that disparity between "perfect" and "PERFECT" so you can accurately gauge the work you`re receiving.
    Charlie
    Automotive Appearance Specialist - Serving Greater Lansing, Michigan
    http://www.cchautoappearance.com/

  10. #10
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    Gotta go with "Charlie" on this one. Just another opinion for you. $1700 is in the higher range for some markets, but not out of line for sight unseen for opti-coat an wheel polishing. The price may be more reasonable once the car is seen and a more accurate quote can be given. You could find someone who charges less per hour, but quality is always a question.



    $350 for the detail you got in San Diego is a basement price. Everyone here would question the quality of that detail.

  11. #11
    Rasky's Auto Detailing RaskyR1's Avatar
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    I charge $200-300 for the Opti-Coat application based on the size of the vehicle and what surfaces need to be coated. This is on top of any paint correction. I have multiple paint correction packages that are based on a labor rate of $60/hr. $1700 sound a little extreme IMO, but I haven`t seen the car either so it`s hard to say. Most my Opti-Coat jobs receive a simple 2-step correction and cost a total of $650-750 for everything, some have required more extensive correction and near the $1000 area.



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...detailing.html



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...rotection.html



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...rotection.html



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...d-coating.html



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...rotection.html



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...d-coating.html



    http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...rotection.html

  12. #12
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    You could probably buy a tube of the stuff from AG now for $45 and have a crackhead detailer apply it for $50. To do optiseal correctly, you need to properly prep for it. Good quality paint correction costs a lot of money. Could you get it done for less, certainly! But you are asking one of the industry leaders to do it.



    Would you ask a celebrity to play at an event and expect them to be the same price as some local guy? David is a star, you`re certainly paying for that.

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by DetailBurger
    I was quoted $60 an hour, possibly up to 20 hours ($1,200) to have an opti-coat seal applied to my $75,000 BMW 6 series after a full wash and polish.



    I was quoted $60 an hour (roughly 8 hours) to polish and opti-coat four rims ($500).



    Grand total to opti-coat my car: ....... 3+ days and roughly $1,700.



    I had the exact same car done by Detail Works in San Diego CA *to perfection* for $350 flat fee.



    Is $1700 reasonable for the exact same service with the addition of opti-coat?


    As long as you think your prior detail was to perfection, then find someone else to do the work to your level of perfection and price. Do you really think that the detailer who gave you this quote will change his mind and charge you less money if he see`s that others might do it for less? LOL!



    I personally never feel insulted when someone tells me that my prices are too high. As with all business, different strokes for different folks.
    Bryan Burnworth - Atlanta Car Detailing - Peachstate Detail LLC

    Selected as one of the top nine detailers in the US by Autoweek

    Published in the 356 Registry

    The only exclusive Opti-Coat Pro specialist in Atlanta

    All PPF work done by the best in Atlanta Derek Johnson of Atlanta Protective Films

    Follow Peachstate Detail LLC on Facebook here.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dan
    You could probably buy a tube of the stuff from AG now for $45
    Is it really that cheap now???????



    Just checked...still $60...where did you get the $45?

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alfisti
    Is it really that cheap now???????



    Just checked...still $60...where did you get the $45?


    Autogeek VIP special. Check the good deals forum.

 

 
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