job opportunities

hey guys, first time i`ve posted here but I read this site daily. I`m 17 and i`ve been detailing cars for the past two years. Ive been doing mostly exterior work and i`ve become pretty adept with using the PC. I was thinking about detailing for a few very large dealerships in Edison NJ (ray catena and Open Road). Ray Catena sells MB, Aston Martin, Porsches, Jaguars and Open road is Mazda, Honda and BMW. I was thinking about calling them for detailing jobs. My questions are

1) I wanted to work for them in one of their wash bays as a 9-5 job on a few days. I figured it would be stable financially however I dont know how much dealerships usually pay on an hourly rate. I also figured that those who came in for there free washes, i could give them my personal business cards and they can be my customers in the future. ANd i could also apply those 5 year protection rip offs they offer for 600 bucks and get maybe 100 from the dealership for applying it.

2) I can do an exceptional exterior job on details. Do dealerships have a need for this aside from there customers who buy cars and are just coming in for the free washes? Maybe the cars they sell?

3) Ray CAtena has a HUGE certified pre owned dealership a few miles down from their central dealership. I was thinking about doing full details for them when there trade in cars come in.

Basically, I want financial stability for a few months, at the cost of being a bit underpaid for details. If i average 12-15 bucks an hour just washing and basic waxing in there bays, I`d be very content. Do you pros have any input? Furthermore, I think working at a dealership could help me advertise and establish a clientele.

one more thing, Do you guys have any input on doing details for smaller private dealerships? maybe detail all there cars...basic wash, clay, wash, polish, wax, wells, and tire dressing. Not necessarily full blown exterior details.


ps. Im goign to be investing in either a metabo, hitachi, or dewalt rotary really soon. I`ve done color sanding before with a rotary to polish out 2000 grit scratches w.o any burning. I think with a little more practice, i`ll be able to hold my own with a rotary; Not to mention itd save alot more time on clear coat correction details.

Long post but any input is appreciated. thanks again.
Paul

PaulTso ,

Welcome to Detailcity! It sounds like your very passionate about detailing which is great but I think you`re attention would be better directed elsewhere. Dealership work has alot of negative aspects to it. The number one reason is pay , it`s highly unlikely that you will get more the $10 hr , usually it is closer to minimum wage. Unfortunately this is includes such higher end dealers as those you mentioned. I`m in south jersey and I`m familiar with both of those dealership and I have many high end dealers around me and none of them care to put "proper detailing" on their priory list. The next problem with dealership work is time , they will want you to do an entire detailing in 2hrs or less , no where near enough time to properly detail these type of cars. You also mentioned trying to obtain customers through the dealership , well if the dealership could make money from it and they don`t they will get upset fast and probably won`t let you hand out your cards. As for installing those 5 year protection rip offs they offer for 600 bucks and get maybe 100 from the dealership for applying it. I wouldn`t want to be involved with something I know is cheating the customer because that will equate to loss of customers loyalty. Your best bet would be to find a sales person or two at those dealerships , go in introduce yourself and explain your business and offer them a free detail on their personal cars. In exchange for the free details on their cars ask them to recommend your services to their customers when they sell them a car. I`ve done this and have had great success from it , one dealership I went in a spoke to the manager and did his car after that I got over 20 cars to detail just from other employees of his 4 other dealerships. Hope this info helps you , good luck with your detailing endeavor and enjoy all the wealth of knowledge here at DetailCity.


Doug Lucas
The Detail Barn

Nicely put.

Like he said, you`re just better off doing your own details, not connected to a dealership. You can make a LOT more money being your own business, and you can charge what you feel your services and time are really worth. It`s sounds like you have the experience and passion, so don`t waste it on a dealership. Of course you can always try to advertise THROUGH the dealer like DetailBarn said and that may bring about more business for you.

Good Luck!

awesome, thanks for the great responses. I think offering the managers at these dealerships free details on their personal vehicles in exchange for them handing out my cards is a great idea. However, how extensive should these free details for them be? thanks guys.

HEllo!

LIke others have said you wont make good money at a dealership for the work your doing. Dealers dont see swirls and just want a shine. Dealers wont pay for full details. ALl they want is a quick wash and wax. MOst dealers like megs #66 type products. Its just a quick wax with some fillers in it. As others have said I would not be involved in the rip off packages. I work some part time work at dealerships at 12.50 an hour which is high for dealers. On a job that i would charge a cusmoter 80 bucks I will get about 40 or less. If your working at a dealership your going to have to overlook all the defects you see. I have slowed down my working at the dealership becuase i dont want my name on the cheap details i have to perform. I like the Idea about detailing for the manager to get business reccomendations.

Greg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PaulTso

awesome, thanks for the great responses. I think offering the managers at these dealerships free details on their personal vehicles in exchange for them handing out my cards is a great idea. However, how extensive should these free details for them be? thanks guys.

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These details should exceed the customers expectations , this is the attitude I have with all my work but this is especially important in this situation. You want the mangers or sales person to have a very good reason to recommend you work, he`s not going to be making any money off you so you`ll have to impress him with your work or he`ll forget about you and not bother handing your card out. Remember too this is an on going relationship if you do start to get work from these dealership referrals you`ll have to show you appreciation by sending out a thank you card and extending a free wash and vac or a 1/2 price detail for whoever is doing the referring.

Stick with your passion of seeing a car done right if you dont you will fell like you are not doing the car justice or yourself little lone the dealership.You will always end up going home frusterated knowing you didnt get to do your best.And like me sometimes stay awake at night wondering what i could have done to do it better.

i can offer a different view point. i work at a dealership, amd have 11 years experience in them. in my area the average detailer earns $10.00 cnd/hour. i am lucky and becuase of my experience i make $14.00/hr. i get a bonus for dent removal(20.00 per dent) and after market protection apllication(15.00 per apply). not to disappoint, but a dealer will not pay $100.00 for applying paint protect. i am lucky that i get 15.00. i had to fight for that. i don`t agree with fab guard or paint guard, but they are going to sell it regardless so i will take my cut. if you get caught handing out business cards that will lead to you getting fired real quick, i don`t advise it. i do side work for some customers but they approach me first and i say call me at home and we will talk. like doug said work with the used car manager. they are not fussy about quality rather quickness. i never comprimise my work for time. my boss is actually pretty good because i get a full detail done in about 3-4 hours. but he is a rare find. dealer want cheap prices also. wether you are on your own or hourly employed the more money they got in the car the less porfit they make. i hope i didn`t discourage you but the dealer world is strange and not as lucrative as retail. it is steady income but you make a ton. good luck. if you following your passion it is never work.

Dealership work Is not that bad at all Guys, I do pretty well at delearships being my main source of income. I am A sublet detail Co. Having 5 delerships in Southeastern Ma. area. Yeah your not getting top dolllar for your recons but your not doing them for free. I get $80.00 and up depending what needs to be done. The average vehicle being $105.00. Usually taking me or one of my mgr @ 3 hrs per car, and yes they look perfect. I am Also in the process of opening a retail location for my company. I also just bought a mobile unit and will be offering that as well. Just my 2 cents.

What kind of work do you do for dealerships? and what kind of cars? i`m going to guess pre owned. How much do es a dealership pay you on average for an exterior and interior job? and what consists of your detailing regiment?

I also do sublet work for dealerships. It`s great for a while. You just get tired of cleaning a car for nothing(that my attitude know). So hard to do great work for someone who doesn`t really want to pay. I do cars for a dealer in Milford,Ct. He also does business with Ray Cantena.It seeems They do not care about how good there cars get cleaned. Just for thought if you do go out on your own it is good to have dealer or two to start. Make sure you tell them or set up a couple of days out of the week so they don`t interupt your retail business. Good luck

How many have never done dealer work? I`ve never done a car for a dealer. I remember 10 or so years ago I was looking at a used car. I told guy what I did and he was interested. I never managed to get the time to go by and do a car. I wanted to at the time but they were about 30 miles away and just didn`t work out. I envision dealer work as being a huge PITA. Do you guys show up when you have nothing else to do? I figure they probably call last minute and want it done right away. Do they pay you when you finish or do you have to bill them? I only have one customer that I bill and they are the only one in 15 years. I don`t really bill them though. I clean the husbands vehicle weekly and the wifes monthly. When I clean hers she pays me for the rest.