Detail cars as a side job?

J

Jake.K

New member
I just bought a new car and between having to pay it off, and wanting to do alot of stuff to it, i have relativly no money. I am getting a new job soon, which will give me more hours and better pay, but i think i want a second job to make a little extra cash.



Since ive got my car, ive actually started to enjoy washing/waxing/detailing my car. Sure, i wont like to do it to other peoples cars near as much, but i think it wont be too bad. Ive been washing my parents cars for years now, and washing mine about once a week since ive bought it.



I want to be able to do this, but not spend a lot of money to get started. I will focus mostly on washing and waxing, with a quick interior vaccuum. I could also offer engine detailing, claying, interior dressing, maby slight carpet stain removal.



It will be a mobile buisness, and i would tavel to peoples houses and use their hose and electricity.



I want to get started by printing out about a bajillion flyers and putting them everywhere, as well as going around house to house(in rich neiborhoods) and personally giving them to people and explaining it to them.



Ive still got to decided on prices for everything, and what exactly im going to offer.
 
This might come across as kind of harsh.....but if you don't think you will like detailing other people's cars......then I wouldn't bother trying to do it for money. You won't be enjoying yourself plus you won't be as pumped as you should be to do a good job which will result in no "word of mouth" business, let alone return business.



I do this as a third job and look forward to every weekend that I "get" to do a car... not "have" to do a car. This can be a very labor intensive business (even as a side job) and if your hearts not in to then you won't do a good job. Just my two cents!
 
I agree with mose on the passion thing. I also don't know how effective a bunch of flyers are. I have not used any flyer or ads and usually have plenty of work. I also do it on the side. 2 nights a week and full day saturday.
 
I try to do one a week or so on the side... the way to go is to start with just the essentials (shopvac, good towels, wax, interior products, etc) and then invest a portion of the profits back into the business - I started with maybe 150 bucks worth of stuff, and now I have a full setup (rotary, cyclo, trim dye, everything you could possibly want except for a full-sized extractor) plus I made a lot of money along the way.



I think you might find that you enjoy doing other people's cars more - the before and afters are always quite impressive, whereas the difference between how I usually keep my car and 100% perfection is not that much.
 
I think my first invoice from the first supplier I bought from was like $275ish. But that, coupled with a lot of advice and time spent on this website, was a great way to start! I have learned so much from the people here and actually doing the cars! Pay attention to what people say on here, read, read and then read some more! You can never know too much about detailing. The more you know the better you will be!
 
hmm, i think you misunderstood me. I enjoy cleaning cars, but it is different than doing my own. I have a brand new car, where i am still finding neat stuff about it. When i wash it, it is like spending quality time with it. I enjoy having my car look amazing when im done, and i love driving in a spotless car.

When i do other peoples car, i dont think it will really be the same. I will still enjoy doing it, and will still get the satisfaction of turning a bad looking car into something impressive. It just wont be the same as doing my own, beloved car.



Right now i have everything to do my car, but i think i will get mostly new stuff.

I will probably buy a bulk package online and just get the essentials.
 
I studied on this site for about 6 months before I really started posting. I'm still feeling really new to detailing, but I've got the important tools. PC, rotary, good vac, shampooer, and a good line of products that I've been really lucky with.



The most important thing I can emphasise is, make sure you get good working with different paint qualities and different manufacturers before you start charging. I've done 8 cars in the last 5 weeks, and only got paid on one, $50 for at least a $100 job. Maybe not the smartest thing. I know you're just thinking about Wash, clay, wax, interior, but make sure you are experienced enough to start asking for money. Nothing like being known as a mediocre detailer from paying customers right out of the gate. Just my .02 cents.



Good luck
 
kapinnn said:
I agree with mose on the passion thing. I also don't know how effective a bunch of flyers are. I have not used any flyer or ads and usually have plenty of work. I also do it on the side. 2 nights a week and full day saturday.
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I am also questioning the effectiveness of flyers, since this would pretty much be classified as "junk mail" if one does in fact decide to go the mailing route. I'm guessing leaving them on door knobs wouldn't be that much different and the majority of them would end up being tossed without being given a second look.



I was however contemplating the door to door routine. I think people are way more inclined to purchase your services if you put forth the effort to explain in person the value of what you have to offer as opposed to them getting a vague description on a flyer or service menu if they do even take the time to read it.
 
this should really be a bigger topic of discussion, i know there are alot of us on here who are interested in picking up some side work, im one of them,... i plan on doing some free/cheap jobs at first, then working my way up to full cost, ive done several cars included my own... and i feel confident i can deliver... being a pure enthusiast is key in this line i think.
 
qballjr13 said:
My kind of guy....spending "quality" time with your car...I love it! :bigups
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heh, i told that to a couple of my friends(who dont own cars yet) and they all looked at me like i was the craziest person on earth.



The deal with the flyers are, i would print up a bunch, then personally give them to people. Shake their hand, talk to them, explain my services, etc. The flyer would just have the prices, phone # and other info like that. That way, when i left, they would have something to look at, and a couple days later when they wanted to call me, but couldnt remember my phone #, they have something to go back and look at and find it.
 
CHAOS said:
this should really be a bigger topic of discussion, i know there are alot of us on here who are interested in picking up some side work, im one of them,... i plan on doing some free/cheap jobs at first, then working my way up to full cost, ive done several cars included my own... and i feel confident i can deliver... being a pure enthusiast is key in this line i think.
Click to expand...



I didn't do a lot of free jobs to start out... what I did find is I did a lot of crappy jobs to start out (trashed paint, white interiors that were literally brown when I started, etc) and the turnarounds really built up my reputation to the point where people with good condition second cars brought them to me to make them perfect.
 
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