Hello everyone,
I`ve browsed this site for a loooongg time but I`ve finally decided to take the step to register and post. I`ve picked up some good info in the time I`ve been here and I hope I can start contributing some great advice as well. Anyways, a few months ago we got our foot in the door at a local used car auction. We`ve been looking to expand the business so we designed a low cost package to target used car dealers. We`ve picked up quite a few accounts as a result, and I`m interested to hear any recommendations you may have about quickly and efficiently prepping vehicles for sale.
We prep some vehicles for sale at the auction, but the majority of these new accounts have us prep the car for sale on their lot, after they have purchased it at the auction. Most are small dealerships, they typically purchase 1-3 vehicles per sale. We are responsible for getting the car ready for a retail buyer.
Anyways, our `basic vehicle prep` package includes a hand wash & dry, jambs, wax, dress & clean tires, quick engine clean-up, all windows, vac/shampoo/extract mats and carpets, and clean/dress seats, dash, and other vinyl parts in the interior. It sounds like a lengthy process but I`m able to knock a car out in 2.5-3.5 hrs. These cars aren`t babied like our typical retail customer. They are wholesale accounts and they are given wholesale treatment. No 2 bucket washes, no blowing the car dry, and frankly I don`t care how harsh the chemicals are as long as they don`t screw up the surface they`re meant for.
Chemicals currently used:
Microfiber mitt, Cobra drying towels, Daytona Speed brush
PB SSS
PB Natty Blue or NXT 2.0
Meg`s Wheel Brightener
Meg`s Hyper Dressing for tires & engine
Citrus degreaser + p21 TAW for engine, wheel wells
Folex carpet treatment
PC carpet brush
Microfiber towels, terry towels
Megs APC
PB Natural Look
Like I said, these cars are treated differently than our normal customer`s car. I`m having difficulty finding chemicals that are strong, work quickly, and are cost-effective. If you have any suggestions on how to improve our vehicle prep service, I`d love to hear them!
Also, we`re currently trying to create a low cost package that includes a one step polish. What AIO would you recommend for this situation? And what steps would you remove (if any) from our current package to keep the cost down?
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