What Do YOU Do In The Winter?

[LikeaRock]

I guess this question applies to those that llive ain areas where little to no rain is seen during Spring/Summer...

What do you guys do during the winter, or what are your plans for this year? Yesterday/Today is our first rain of the season, so I figured it`s best to get a part-time job to help keep me out of the negative. The month has slowed down a little in general, so last week I picked up an application for Starbucks and had an interview yesterday, I`m supposed to hear back within a week.
I chose Starbucks because a: I like coffee a LOT, and B: If I get the job there it`s only part-time, I`ll hopefully get a morning or closing shift a lot of the days so I can do what detailing I can during the day. Kinda dissapoints me, not being able to do (or at least as much) what I enjoy during the winter season, but at least I`ll be dry
I`ll also be helping my uncle here and there on some of our family`s rentals, I`ll help my father out at work a few days I imagine, stuff like that.

Thought this would be a good topic to bring up so we can all share/recieve ideas

Dolan

[budman3]

You`re concerned about rain?!?!!?!

Take a trip over here... temps below freezing for a month straight if not more, 1-2 feet of snow, road salt, frozen driveways, non heated- no drain garage... etc. For my winter I can`t even touch the paint with any liquids or it`ll freeze to it.

AIO (or another good polish) and SG are my winter products. If I get lucky I`ll slap on some OCW with a wash...

[LikeaRock]

You`re concerned about rain?!?!!?!

Take a trip over here... temps below freezing for a month straight if not more, 1-2 feet of snow, road salt, frozen driveways, non heated- no drain garage... etc. For my winter I can`t even touch the paint with any liquids or it`ll freeze to it.

AIO (or another good polish) and SG are my winter products. If I get lucky I`ll slap on some OCW with a wash...

Well out here in the Bay Area rain is considered "bad weather", all the "hand wash" places close and most of the detail shops really seem to slow down. I`ll have work here and there but I know I won`t have work every day

[PhaRO]

Seems here in eastern Virginia we get rain 1 or 2 days a week.
I looked at National average precipitation and winter rain seems to only spike in parts of Hawaii. Other areas get spikes like Alaska, Washington and New Hampshire which I would gather is Snow. MT. WASHINGTON, NH looks like it see an awful lot of rain in addition to the freaking snow.
I imagine if you have little rain all year and then start getting a lot of it that people react differently.

[budman3]

MT. WASHINGTON, NH looks like it see an awful lot of rain in addition to the freaking snow.
I imagine if you have little rain all year and then start getting a lot of it that people react differently.

I`m about a half hour away from Mt. Washington and it already has snow up there. The auto road that you drive to the top is closed because of snow/ice... but that is some 6,000 feet above sea level. In 1934, the scientists recorded a wind gust of 231 MPH, the highest wind speed ever observed on the surface of the earth If you`re ever in the area it is a good place to check out... in the summer



I agree that the change in weather makes people react differently but I`d take rain vs. snow and ice .

[detailz]

all the "hand wash" places close and most of the detail shops really seem to slow down.

i understand why "hand wash" places could `slow down`, but detail shops? one of our jobs as detailers is to protect our customer vehicles from acid rain, sounds like a good time to market the advantages of waxing a vehicle. often times i am asked if rainy days are slow at my stores and i emphatically say no and explain that i am not a carwash. my customer`s mentality did not happen overnight though, i have been in business over 16yrs and we VERY rarely have cancellations(typically collectables) for inclement weather. i know customers want to enjoy their freshly detailed exterior, they can always wash their car after the weather breaks and have a nice protected car.

the business is there if you want it. just have to be creative in marketing, offer specials and/or be proactive in obtaining business. every region of the country has seasonal weather conditions that may not be ideal(o.k.,maybe not San Diego), and i assure you many detail shops are operating effectively under these conditions.

sounds like you are a mobile detailer? have you thought of buying a detail dome?

[LikeaRock]

i understand why "hand wash" places could `slow down`, but detail shops? one of our jobs as detailers is to protect our customer vehicles from acid rain, sounds like a good time to market the advantages of waxing a vehicle. often times i am asked if rainy days are slow at my stores and i emphatically say no and explain that i am not a carwash. my customer`s mentality did not happen overnight though, i have been in business over 16yrs and we VERY rarely have cancellations(typically collectables) for inclement weather. i know customers want to enjoy their freshly detailed exterior, they can always wash their car after the weather breaks and have a nice protected car.

the business is there if you want it. just have to be creative in marketing, offer specials and/or be proactive in obtaining business. every region of the country has seasonal weather conditions that may not be ideal(o.k.,maybe not San Diego), and i assure you many detail shops are operating effectively under these conditions.

sounds like you are a mobile detailer? have you thought of buying a detail dome?

I started working in a local shop about this time last year, business dropped a LOT when the rains came, but we saw some nasty rain out here in CA last year as well. We did a lot of dealership cars throughout the year but during the winter none of the dealers sent us as much work, and we didn`t have many "customer cars" either. there was at least 7 or 8 days last winter/spring that I was sent home because we had no work.
I`m already discounting my washes for my regular clients, and I`m telling everyone I can that my prices will be lower in the winter time. The only thing I can`t do a lot with is the outside, IE dressings and such. I see no point to make the outside look perfect if it`s going to be ruined the second you pull out of the shop/garage. I offer free carpet spot cleaning during the winter months as well, I`ve already gained a few winter clients by offering this to them.
Yes, I`m mobile, and I have no clue what a "detail dome" is. I have a 12`X12` EZ-Up but that`s nowheres near large enough. My garage is packed with streetbikes, a sprint car, dirt bikes, tools, all sorts of "toys" and there`s no room to work inside. A friend of mine owns a muffler shop and the people who leased the building next to his went out of business, he`s thinking about snagging it up and expanding his shop and renting a bay out to me year round so I`ll always have a covered place to work.
I`m still "new" to the business but I`m by no means new to detailing, so my reputation hasn`t grown large enough to provide me with enough work to stay busy every day. I`ve done TONS of PR work but it`s still not picking up as fast as I`d hoped.

Like I said, this is only part-time, and I HAVE to do something to stay on my feet. If I get the Starbucks job it will be either the opening or closing shift most of the time, that way I can do what detailing I can during the day. Unless my business miraculously blows up in the winter...

[detailz]

I see no point to make the outside look perfect if it`s going to be ruined the second you pull out of the shop/garage.

I am not trying to jump on you personally, but the above statement is EXACTLY what the problem is in our industry. Most of it, is the fault of us detailers and associated businesses! We ALL like to enjoy a freshly detailed vehicle;however, we need to change the publics` perception that a vehicle is `ruined` once it is pulled out in inclement weather into: THANK GOD MY CAR IS PROTECTED AGAINST THIS RAIN!! Some places offer a 24hr. rain check following a detail, may be a little inpractical as a mobile business. A detail shop`s primary function is not carwashing, which obviously is weather sensitive.
Good idea to offer spot cleans for carpets.

Yes, I`m mobile, and I have no clue what a "detail dome" is.

Detail Dome - We`ve got the weather covered It is a nice setup, alittle pricey though. Certainly offers a nice protected area and will catch passerby`s eyes.

[Brenton]

We get 6 months of bad weather, 5 3/4 months of off-and-on weather, and 2 weeks of brilliant sunshine.
So we continue. In winter, people here go into survival mode. That`s just the way it is. But we are strong until Christmas, and I sell gift certificates so that I have work in winter and money in December.
I try to get teaching & speaking gigs in the winter so I can leave the shop and give my guys the work instead of me.
I also try to write a book every winter between Christmas and St. Patrick`s Day. Last winter I only got 3/4`s of a novel done, so I have to finish it. I might do a kids book instead this winter. The winter before it was a non-publishable piece, so I won`t be seeing any $$$ for this work, for a while anyway.

[LikeaRock]

I am not trying to jump on you personally, but the above statement is EXACTLY what the problem is in our industry. Most of it, is the fault of us detailers and associated businesses! We ALL like to enjoy a freshly detailed vehicle;however, we need to change the publics` perception that a vehicle is `ruined` once it is pulled out in inclement weather into: THANK GOD MY CAR IS PROTECTED AGAINST THIS RAIN!! Some places offer a 24hr. rain check following a detail, may be a little inpractical as a mobile business. A detail shop`s primary function is not carwashing, which obviously is weather sensitive.
Good idea to offer spot cleans for carpets.



Detail Dome - We`ve got the weather covered It is a nice setup, alittle pricey though. Certainly offers a nice protected area and will catch passerby`s eyes.

I never thought of it like that, protecting their vehicles against the rain or other bad weather. I usually tell customers they need to protect their cars before the rain comes.
I`ve done a few cars on the side before during rainy weather. The customers were happy when they saw how well their cars were beading up

The Detail Dome looks interesting, I`ll have to look into that

[Beemerboy]

I never thought of it like that, protecting their vehicles against the rain or other bad weather. I usually tell customers they need to protect their cars before the rain comes.
I`ve done a few cars on the side before during rainy weather. The customers were happy when they saw how well their cars were beading up

The Detail Dome looks interesting, I`ll have to look into that

Go talk to Eric at P&S they have growen some and might need some part time help would be the best of both worlds

[LikeaRock]

Go talk to Eric at P&S they have growen some and might need some part time help would be the best of both worlds

Good point, Tim just left there as well so maybe they could use someone p front part time

[Jngrbrdman]

I fold up shop in the winter for the most part. I stick to interiors and the occasional engine detail, but most of my `extra money` is made from graphic design and web design stuff in the winter. I`ll hang the shingle back up in March and work through October again next year, but I like taking a few months off to rebuild the supply and close the books for the year. Next year I`m going to be doing some investing in the business, so I have some planning to do this winter.

[Flyin'Hawaiian]

The surf is bigger in the winter!

[Surfer]

Go surfing, boating, wakeboarding, swiming, sun tan etc









:smile