a few new moible detailer questions

**madazskunk** · 10-20-2002, 07:00 PM

I have been thinking of starting a mobile detail service part time. I have a few questions that I hope some of you pros can help me with.

1. What do you do if you have an appointment and it looks like or is raining? Do you reschedule or do you leave it up to the customer to cancel/change appointment?

2. How many of you give receipts? I mean for the basic mobile detailers with no licensce, not detail shops.

3. How much does a licensce and insurance cost? I am in Texas.

4. Do you inspect every car for damage or just go to work and if you see some type of damage that you didn`t notice before you washed what do you do? Also on this note how often does a customer blame you for damage?

5. How much does business slow down in the harsh winter months?Does it ever come to a complete or near complete stop?

Sorry if these questions are old news.

**Scottwax** · 10-20-2002, 07:57 PM

1. I call the customer beforehand and ask them how they want to handle the weather-go ahead and clean their car or reschedule. If you just show up, then they may feel obligated to let you go ahead and detail it, but they will also likely resent the fact you didn`t call first.

2. I give receipts to those who ask for them. Most don`t. I may give out 3-5 a week. The rest consider the returned check their receipt or they don`t write it off.

3. My DBA (doing business as) cost me $6 and it is good for 10 years. I got it in 1994, so it may have gone up since then. Insurance depends on how you detail cars. If you use a buffer, clean engines, etc, it will be more. I`ve just got a business liability rider through my car insurance agent. I`m covered for damage caused by me or while moving the vehicle on their property. I am not covered if I take their vehicle on public roads. I am covered up to $250,000 for around $600 a year.

4. I inspect every car for damage with the customer present. In nearly 9 years doing this full time, I have been blamed once for a visor that when I pulled it down to clean, the bracket cracked. I told the lady...and at first she seemed mad, but when she looked at the other one, she realized it was ready to crack also due to the age of the car (a 1992 Mercedes E320).

Definitely go over the entire car. It is a good idea to use some QD to clean off a section of the hood or roof to see if claying is necessary or if there are any buffer marks or swirls. Or once you have washed the exterior, if you see buffer marks, scratches, etc, show the customer first before you start working the paint. Also make sure they understand not all interior stains may come out. Age and type of stain can make a huge difference whether or not a stain will come out.

5. The only thing in winter that slows me down is wet weather and shorter days. Dallas is usually pretty detailer friendly as far as the weather goes, although the last two winters have been unusually wet and now they say there is a mild El Nino pattern developing...which means more damn rain in north Texas.

I have a lot of regulars, so that helps, but when it rains 5 days in a row, no one wants anything done. I am seriously (not even half kidding) hoping for a long extended drought in north Texas. 3 years of above average rain is enough.[/rant]

**Poorboy** · 10-20-2002, 08:28 PM

1) it depends whether there is an option of using their garage or you can invest in a pop-up tent 10 x 20 would cover most vehicles

otherwise it is your responsability to cancell and reschedule.

2) just like the previous response most people don`t ask for one and pay by check.

3)can`t answer that need to check with your local government

4)definetely do a quick survey of a car you are doing for the first time and especially if it is a new customer. I tend to point out things they never even knew about just for their knowledge before I begin and then again I write notes if I find something as I find thing that weren`t noticable at the beginning(sometimes certain lighting will show more than others) Never been blamed for damage it is your responsability to be careful, you are the professional !

5) winter where you are compared to the northeast is nothing,

here we either do it in garages or work out a deal with a repair shop that may have an extra bay.

6)if a customer wants a set price up front, tell them the best I can do is give you an estimate...you never know what you may encounter as you are working. ie a few years ago I agreed to do a white lexus, it was pretty dirty, but was in good shape, little did I realize the owner had driven through an area that had been just tarred...well it was very fine and was everywhere...my original quoted price was way too low for the work involved.

Hope this helps and good luck:xyxthumbs

**Scottwax** · 10-20-2002, 09:43 PM

Definitely pay attention to Poorboy`s last point. Make sure the customer understands you cannot give them a firm price without seeing the car and inspecting it. I give them a price range and let them know what will push the price to the higher end of the range. You have to charge more for really nasty interiors or unusual paint problems like tar, sap, swirl and buffer marks, etc.

**imported_Intel486** · 10-20-2002, 10:04 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scottwax

3. My DBA (doing business as) cost me $6 and it is good for 10 years [QUOTE]

I hate you...

am not covered if I take their vehicle on public roads.

so no wild rides through the streets in your customer`s cars?

**Scottwax** · 10-20-2002, 10:33 PM

Originally posted by Intel486

so no wild rides through the streets in your customer`s cars?

I`ve driven a few of them, but I do let them know my business insurance won`t cover it. Doesn`t seem to be a problem-I`ve taken out a couple of C5 Vettes, a BMW 540i, the red Diablo on my site (the owner was dying and his friend who is another customer of mine was selling it and told me I could take it out for a short spin-full throttle for about 3 seconds in 2nd gear at a 35 mph roll was enough!) and a Bentley Arnage (green label) for a quickie.

I really want to take the blue Diablo 6.0 VT and the Z8 out for an extended test drive to `make sure the wax stays on at high speeds` but so far, no luck.

**NattyBumppo** · 10-20-2002, 10:51 PM

Originally posted by Poorboy

5) winter where you are compared to the northeast is nothing,

here we either do it in garages or work out a deal with a repair shop that may have an extra bay.

When I started asking a few people I know with shops I was amazed how receptive they all were. I guess it`s one more way to get business into their garage. Very possible, even probable they`ll get some extra business out of having me detail cars on their premises. Just the fact these people care enough about their cars says they most likely maintain them and may want an oil change or some other work done as well. I`ve now got three very nice heated garages I can use as drop off locations for detailing, all within 30 minutes of eachother.