Pro Details - I need help

**billium** · 11-19-2002, 06:46 PM

I need specific input from any/all of you who make a living detailing.

The Vehicle: 2000 Nissan Pathfinder, Silver exterior/gray cloth interior. I haven`t cleaned/washed/waxed the truck since early spring. Being a general contractor I`ve hauled everything possible inside. Muddy and greasy tools, plants, etc. Carpets are all dirty, the cargo area and back seats are filthy (mostly dirt, but at least two grease spots). Couple of muddy spots on the headliner. I can write my name in the dirt on the dash. The truck was washed/waxed/cleaned every month prior to this.

The Story: Clearly, I`ve let cleaning the truck get completely away from me. I took it to a detail shop and asked that they do the following: 1) Wash the exterior, including the engine bay and undercarrage, 2) Vaccum the interior, 3) Shampoo the carpets and seats (do what`s necessary to get out grease spots), 4) Clean the rest of the interior, but don`t apply any dressing to the plastic, 5) Clean all of the windows (including the sunroof) both inside and out, 6) Wash tires and wheels, but don`t apply dressing.

The Problem: I`ve never used a detail shop before, I`m located in a smaller town in the Midwest and have one choice. The shop has seen the truck and the extent to which it has been neglected. They will not price the job. Time & materials only. I understand their reasoning, so asked for a price estimate and a maximum cap. THEY asked me what I thought was reasonable. Told them I`d get back with them.

Your Solution: What is reasonable?

Thanks for your input.

Billium

**samiam513** · 11-19-2002, 06:52 PM

no detailers will give a set figure until they hand you the check. We find some to the sickest stuff in vehicles, and we charge more for it. For example, dried blood, vomit, and pudding dreid in the carpet (seperate occasions). Sometimes these can`t be found until teh job has allready started.

**Jngrbrdman** · 11-19-2002, 06:54 PM

If it were me you brought it to then I would charge you probably between 60 - 80 dollars to do the interior. If the carpets are really bad then it may be more. If you wanted the outside washed and polished then it would probably be another $125 or so. Depends on the actual condition of it. All said and done you could be looking at around $225 or something like that. If it is more than that then I`d think it was too much. Probably between $200 and $225. That is just a rough guess without actally having seen the car. Those prices are based on how I do business, of course. I think its a fair estimate for the region I live in. That would be way low for some cities and way high for others.

**billium** · 11-19-2002, 07:17 PM

They are only washing the exterior, I`ll wash it again and take care of the wax/polish myself.

**Poorboy** · 11-19-2002, 08:21 PM

living where you are I would be a little bit more conservative

a) engine $25

b) hand wash and under carraige $25

c) interior cleaning and spot cleaning $125

offer them about $175 dollars and explain no wax, no dressings

25+ years experience also tells you that if you lived in the East it would be a little higher :wavey

**jimmybuffit** · 11-19-2002, 08:54 PM

I agree with Poorboy. A $32/hour "shop rate" seems reasonable, and 4 hours for an interior (no matter how bad) should be plenty. Whether or not the work is well done is the issue! Do they offer a "guarantee of satisfaction"?

With all due respect to the shop, they ought to be able to give you a firm quote, now that they`ve seen the truck... time and material in this context is silly, they`ll use 5 or 10 dollars of material at the most!!

As a contractor, you bid on jobs all the time. You`ve no doubt made more, and less, than you expected. That`s just how it works.

Don`t let the fact that they are the `only` detailer intimidate you. Is there a new car dealer in town? Farm implement dealer? Check your options.

Good Luck!

**Auto Care USA** · 11-19-2002, 09:00 PM

This is where you need a real professional. One who uses the best equipment, and one who buys the best products. I would explain to you that we will give you are best shot. I would then explain that we have the best equipment to do the job. Example{400 psi extractor. This is a $5000.00 machine that will clean most anything. I then would tell you that we have a steam cleaner that will get almost anything else clean that the extractor would not.}. I then would explain that we use all commercial cleaners capable of getting your vehicle clean. The exterior of your vehicle would be professionally polished to look new. With the right equipment and supplies this is a piece of cake. We would charge $295.00 for this and we would guarantee 100% satisfaction. This is what a professional can do with the right experience. This is a challange not work to a professional. This is not a job for the backyard detailer.

**Jngrbrdman** · 11-19-2002, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by Auto Care USA

This is not a job for the backyard detailer.

I beg to differ on that one. I know a lot of "backyard detailiers" who would do a job that you couldn`t distinguish from a professional detail shop job. The cost of your equipment and experience isn`t what makes you a professional; its the quality of work that you do.

**imported_BretFraz** · 11-19-2002, 09:43 PM

Well, I gotta agree with Auto Care on this one. The advantage of being an established shop is that you have the proper tools and experience to tackle a job like this and get great results. Lots of "backyard detailers" have the enthusiasm and desire to want to take on a major job but without the equipment and expertise they run out of steam quickly.

It`s a lot like taking a car to an experienced mechanic who has the tools and the training to fix it right the first time versus a guy working out of his garage after his 9-5 job. For simple repairs, the shadetree mechanic can handle it but for complex, challenging repairs its better to let a real pro handle it.

If you don`t have a choice in detailers then you`ve got to take what you can get. But it would be better if you could take the truck to someone better equipped and prepared.

**billium** · 11-19-2002, 10:16 PM

I consider myself a "backyard detailer". I might be able to bring the truck back from the edge, but I know my limitations, especially when it comes to the interior upholster and carpets. A professional extractor will do a much better job than I am capable of.

As I explained to the shop owner, I want them to bring the truck back to a solid starting point from which I can work. I`ll take care of the final interior detailing, along with the exterior polish and wax. But being a company truck, there`s a limit to how far I`m willing to go (I have a 93 300ZX garage queen and my wife`s 02 Maxima to go overboard on).

I`m not concerned about the quality of the shop`s work (I`ve seen several examples and spoken with two satisfied customers), but I don`t like surprises. That`s why I took the truck in before hand, asked to meet with the owner and had him look the truck over. I`m not looking for a "deal", but I`m not looking to get "fleeced" either.

So how about some more "ballpark" numbers. Again, as I told the owner, feel free to add $25 - $30 to the estimate to cover any unforseens.

Thanks very much for all your input.

Bill

**Poorboy** · 11-19-2002, 11:23 PM

Bill,

Some people think that they are the only ones who can do the job right. Having money and expensive equipment does not make you a good or professional detailer. It`s the person behind the equipment and their years of hand on experience that counts. You have a "WORK TRUCK" NOT a show truck, and I`m sure you want it to look clean and presentable for your work. Ask them for a few references and they should be able to give a ball park figure or present one of your own as I earlier stated. As a high-line mobile detialer I never give exact pricing...you might run into something unusual, but always a ball park figure. If you`re dealing with honest people you should have no problems..you can also check your local BBB to see if there are any complaints or the DA`s office for people filing law suits against them if you`re really suspicious.

steve

**Scottwax** · 11-20-2002, 12:07 AM

I am also stumped why the shop cannot at least give you a ballpark $$$ amount after seeing the truck. For something like that, I charge a flat rate of $35 an hour. Mud and dirt is not that hard to get out of the carpets, and grease usually isn`t too bad either, so I can`t imagine it taking more than 3-4 hours if you are not having any dressing or wax.

Once it is cleaned, you should probably invest in a full set of Husky Liners for it. They do a great job of protecting the carpets.

**msmcdon** · 11-20-2002, 10:05 AM

I completely agree with the last few statements. I don`t know why they cannot quote you a ballpark figure and make sure you understand (I know you do) that it may be higher depending on the difficulties.

Did they tell you how they would do it? As AutoCare mentioned, he`s got a quality extractor and other professional equipment to handle this. The way that this shop is jumping around the issue makes me wonder if they just have a teenager (no offense to any teens here

) with a spray can of Armour All Carpet Cleaner and a brush!

When I took my Ranger to my nearest detail shop for an estimate on the carpets/seats, the owner himself came out, looked at it and quoted me "around" $75 on the spot. That`s all I wanted... a ballpark... I think they should be able to do the same.

Just my thoughts... hope it works out for you!

**Nagchampa** · 11-20-2002, 10:58 AM

This is a $5000.00 machine that will clean most anything.

I think we have seen plenty of good results when it comes to getting carpets clean without using $5000 machines. I also think that it is unfair and insulting to assume that a "backyard" detailer (as you call it) is not up to the task. People are people no matter what. You can have a "professional" shop, but you cannot always guarantee that all of your employees are as passionate about performing a quality detail as you are.

**billium** · 11-20-2002, 01:19 PM

Thanks to each of you for your input.

Here`s how things ended up.

I met with the owner again this morning and provided him a copy of this thread and each of your responses. Your responses addressed most of my concerns (and some I hadn`t thought of) along with providing realistic pricing from other people in the business.

He read the printout and addressed EVERY issue raised by your posts (showed me their 3 year old carpet extractor, introduced me to his employee who would complete my interior work and a second employee who would complete my exterior, and took great pride in showing me some cars they had recently finished).

He looked at the truck again and we agreed that they will complete the work for $165.00 +/- with a telephone call to me for approval if they run into anything that will push the overall cost over $200.00. If I`m not happy, they will redo the work and detail the exterior. Reasonable enough.

Truck goes in Saturday morning. Owner was intrigued by "Autopia" site.

Thanks again for your insight.

Bill