How Much do you charge to wetsand a vehicle?

[C. Charles Hahn]

Yea in MS, folks really aren`t tryin to spend alot right now. The economy, plus BP crap, money is tight these days. But today I color sanded and buffed an avalance ($150), only the sides and tailgate. Took all of about 5 hours. Much easier to work with since it was sprayed two days ago.... BTW, $400 to colorsand is waay too much, and i`ve been cuttin/buffin/painting for 10 yrs.. get serious... I paint my truck & enclosed trailer for that much. 300 MAYBE, depending on the type of vehicle, but never $400. Not here anyway..

Explanation of your exact process and before/after pics of your results?

You have to remember that even in your market area, there are people who own cars with high end custom paint jobs that can require unique care, attention, and time. For these people, spending $400 to cut and buff a $10,000 paint job is extremely reasonable if they`re getting top notch work done for the money. If what you`re working with are fresh basic refinishes on daily driven vehicles using cheap paint (PPG Omni, DuPont`s Nason line, etc.) you might be right on the money with your $150 figure to do the job quick-and-dirty.

[dirtbustersmd]

Yea in MS, folks really aren`t tryin to spend alot right now. The economy, plus BP crap, money is tight these days. But today I color sanded and buffed an avalance ($150), only the sides and tailgate. Took all of about 5 hours. Much easier to work with since it was sprayed two days ago.... BTW, $400 to colorsand is waay too much, and i`ve been cuttin/buffin/painting for 10 yrs.. get serious... I paint my truck & enclosed trailer for that much. 300 MAYBE, depending on the type of vehicle, but never $400. Not here anyway..

Never sell yourself short! We have enough detailers in this area giving services away. High quality work, with prices to keep us motivated.

[mrclean81]

I wetsand a vehicle nearly every week. Not that I want to, but the trash that I work on HAS to be sanded to ever sell. These claims of taking 3 days just for sanding and calling anyone who can wetsand a vehical in a day are just "hacks" are not only ridiculous but almost offensive. It sounds more like a way to milk a client who dont know better for a few extra hundred bucks. I would love to hear the entire process for a 3 day sanding job.

[C. Charles Hahn]

I wetsand a vehicle nearly every week. Not that I want to, but the trash that I work on HAS to be sanded to ever sell. These claims of taking 3 days just for sanding and calling anyone who can wetsand a vehical in a day are just "hacks" are not only ridiculous but almost offensive. It sounds more like a way to milk a client who dont know better for a few extra hundred bucks. I would love to hear the entire process for a 3 day sanding job.

I agree with your assessment on the timeline.... 3 days is a bit excessive unless you`re dismantling a vehicle and sanding door jambs, small parts, etc. and having to polish them back out. However I don`t think the idea is to milk clients who don`t know better as much as simply pricing services at whatever level the market will bear. For any professional who does this work for a living, maximizing profit is just the way to do business.

With what you`re describing, I get the impression that you`re doing the bare minimum on each vehicle -- just enough to get it sold, and that`s it.... meaning perfect isn`t always the target. Would that be a correct assessment? That doesn`t make you a hack, it just means the job you`re doing is different than the job someone working on an expensive rare or custom vehicle is doing. Worrying about minutia is really what becomes more time consuming and commands higher labor.

[mrclean81]

I agree with your assessment on the timeline.... 3 days is a bit excessive unless you`re dismantling a vehicle and sanding door jambs, small parts, etc. and having to polish them back out. However I don`t think the idea is to milk clients who don`t know better as much as simply pricing services at whatever level the market will bear. For any professional who does this work for a living, maximizing profit is just the way to do business.

With what you`re describing, I get the impression that you`re doing the bare minimum on each vehicle -- just enough to get it sold, and that`s it.... meaning perfect isn`t always the target. Would that be a correct assessment? That doesn`t make you a hack, it just means the job you`re doing is different than the job someone working on an expensive rare or custom vehicle is doing. Worrying about minutia is really what becomes more time consuming and commands higher labor.

I definatly wouldnt say the bare minimum since on average I spend 15 to 20 hours per vehicle, but theres a big differance between wholesale and retail work for me. Wholesale (dealership) pays less and if I can cut a corner to save time I will. Retail on the other hand is a totally differant story, and in 15 years Ive yet to wetsand an individuals car other than my own.
90% of my wholesale work is either done at the dealership I work at, or the really bad stuff they send to my house to be done during spare time. If I have to wetsand, (and I usually do ), I"ll start off with 2000 grit. If that dont work I`ll go to 1500 or 1000. Even with 1000 grit, a good compound like 3M Perfect It 2 and a rotary with wool pad will cut every sand scratch out. If I knew I had to buff all of that out with a ROP or DA I would prob pull my hair out or find a differant method, but Ive never had any probs with my method and neither has any body man who uses the same process and products I do. For me weather or not its wholesale or retail its not done until its perfect. However, some vehicles will only look so good or come so clean.
I would love to work on high end cars every day rather than work trucks and daily drivers, but in my area there just arent that many. In a way Im glad because to me, theres alot more to be said about someone who can take a high mileage car thats been trashed by 3 kids and make it look new rather than someone who can detail a $200,000 car that wasnt dirty to begin with.

[alkirke]

Hello I am interested if anybody uses an alchrometer(spelling may suck) it measures the thickness of the paint in microns?

Cheers From Aussieland

ps just as my two bobs worth(slang for my opinion) I think if a client is willing and happy to pay x
You deliver x plus a alot/little more.

Client is happy.. you can sleep well at night.
Then price is irrelevant(all things being equal)

Somethings are expensive because we value it more and makes us feel good.
eg never seen a 5Gallon bottle of expensive Chanel perfume on the store shelves for a $1.

Positioning yourselves and your business at the top of the mountain and being recognised in your circle of influence whether it be 30yrs of experience or your first year in the business.

This is my first post and forum membership read the previous posts though a little jadded by the banter.
Go for it and Gods Speed.

Al

[togwt]

Hello I am interested if anybody uses an alchrometer(spelling may suck) it measures the thickness of the paint in microns?

The more common name is a paint thickness gauge (PTG) and as this thread subject is wet-sanding I would suggest anyone attempting this process without one is asking for trouble

[GearHead_1]

EAD, do a Google search on a detailer, his name is Paul Dalton, his company`s name is Miracle Detail. He`s from the UK. Watch some of his YouTube videos. If you`re thinking a couple of days is too much time to spend on a detail, his processes will probably shock you.

Mind you, I`m no fan boy and I`m not suggesting this is the example you should follow. In fact, I would suggest that you not hang his poster in your bedroom. There is no question that he`s got skills but other detailers (some right here on DC) equal his finished product in far less time for a lot less money. Where Paul truly excels is in Marketing and it`s made him a lot of money.

Just sayin`... some detailers spend an inordinate amount of time before kicking the final product out the door. In the end it`s what works for you. I`m one of those guys that has personally spent multiple days wet sanding a vehicle. It`s not the norm in my wet sanding experiences but I have done it on my own recently painted vehicle. I understood what had been done and where I was headed. My wet sanding experiences have more often been panels not whole cars.

[CelebrityMobile]

I wouldn`t even waste my time trying to wet sand a vehicle, especially with factory paint. you just never want to put yourself out there like that. The reward is not worth the risk. You would be better of selling the customer on maintenance program. If the scratches come back you will own that car, also your customer will not have that car for longer than a couple years. Not worth the risk, trust me.

I will argue this in till I am blue in the face. I was even the lead technician for a company here in Dallas that has a patent on a chemical for removing scratches permanently. Its not worth the risk.

[ExoticAutoDetai]

Honestly i did not know about Paul Dalton Miracle Detail from UK but you are wrong it did not shock me like i said before i know a dude who i have been receving tips and help from Cali his name is Mike Tawekjian go to youtube and look for "Pro Mobile Auto Detail" i been knowing about the whole digital microscope also optical to view the paint better, as well as there are products that are worth over $5,000 like the wax that Paul mention that i think if i remember right is worth around $10K and etc... @SHINY... i think there is a misunderstanding i am sorry for my "communication skill" but maturity??? you dont know me i dont know you so we can be judging people like you know them for years lolz i am not here in this forum to argue with anybody i am here to learn more get better at what i enjoy seeing and doing which is Auto Detailing every auto detailer out there works differently some are slow some are fast some work with different methods others like to copy and follow other people methods but the PRO QUALITY IS ONE!! which we can all say so far it would be at Paul Level this guy pulls out the engine to detail them lolz crazy!!! Paul even mention of paint correcting a bentley clearly took him 2 days i still dont understand why you guys continue to talk about Wet sanding ONLY and taking more than 3 days lol as far as i know Paint correction could take more or less time to come to a Pro quality it all depends on car size, how bad is the paint, how fast or slow are you, how many hours you put in the car in one day unless you dont sleep and work 24 hrs and cont until you finish the car lolz but anyways @ Gear i am glad you share this with me thank you!!

[C. Charles Hahn]

My head hurts.

Honestly i did not know about Paul Dalton Miracle Detail from UK but you are wrong it did not shock me like i said before i know a dude who i have been receving tips and help from Cali his name is Mike Tawekjian go to youtube and look for "Pro Mobile Auto Detail" i been knowing about the whole digital microscope also optical to view the paint better, as well as there are products that are worth over $5,000 like the wax that Paul mention that i think if i remember right is worth around $10K and etc...

Whether the products are "worth" that much depends on your viewpoint. There are a lot of us out there getting results as good or better using products that cost a fraction of that amount. Just because something is expensive doesn`t always mean it`s the best. When it comes to a wax that costs $5-10,000, you`re merely buying exclusivity, not quality. There are LSPs that cost $20 which can produce as good or better results and often are much easier to use. IF the niche you serve are people willing to pay exorbitant prices for detailing services on the basis that you`re offering exclusivity, that`s fine. However for 95% or more of professionals, that market isn`t a realistic one to target nor is it very often profitable to the point that it can sustain a business.

@SHINY... i think there is a misunderstanding i am sorry for my "communication skill" but maturity??? you dont know me i dont know you so we can be judging people like you know them for years lolz i am not here in this forum to argue with anybody i am here to learn more get better at what i enjoy seeing and doing which is Auto Detailing

It doesn`t take long to figure out what makes someone tick when reading their posts to a forum like this. I`m glad you`re here to learn, but I haven`t seen you doing a whole lot of listening when experienced, established, well respected members of the forum are relating information to you.

every auto detailer out there works differently some are slow some are fast some work with different methods others like to copy and follow other people methods but the PRO QUALITY IS ONE!! which we can all say so far it would be at Paul Level this guy pulls out the engine to detail them lolz crazy!!! Paul even mention of paint correcting a bentley clearly took him 2 days

Would you care to expand on this a bit, and try to make it understandable (use proper grammar -- capitalization/punctuation, complete sentences, spell out all the words, and leave out "lolz" since it serves no purpose)? What do you mean "but the PRO QUALITY IS ONE!!"?

i still dont understand why you guys continue to talk about Wet sanding ONLY and taking more than 3 days lol as far as i know Paint correction could take more or less time to come to a Pro quality it all depends on car size, how bad is the paint, how fast or slow are you, how many hours you put in the car in one day unless you dont sleep and work 24 hrs and cont until you finish the car lolz but anyways @ Gear i am glad you share this with me thank you!!

I don`t get what`s so confusing to you in terms of why we`re talking about wet sanding in this thread. The thread is about wet sanding.

[Go getta]

Wow!!! Are y`all freaking serious? Granted I am new to this site and my thoughts may not mean s#!t to some, but honestly, all of this arguing is not a good look for the forum, period... Happy Holidays to all...

Say what you need to say... Hear what you need to hear... And keep it moving!!!

[mrclean81]

Wow!!! Are y`all freaking serious? Granted I am new to this site and my thoughts may not mean s#!t to some, but honestly, all of this arguing is not a good look for the forum, period... Happy Holidays to all...

Say what you need to say... Hear what you need to hear... And keep it moving!!!

Arguments are rare here but they do occur from time to time. This really is a very friendly and close knit forum. On occasion a topic like this will pop up and just refuse to die. Some things just strike a chord with folks, myself included.

[Go getta]

Yea, that`s understandable, however, some of these comments seem to be plain offensive and demeaning, not constructive at all. What ever, they`re not directed toward me so I`m cool.

[Concours.John]

Mike Phillips has a good group of videos on this.