Going Green!

Myers

Myers

New member
Hey! I am just curious to see how many of you guys are Green!
Also if you are, how are you collecting your contaminated water and where do you dispose of it. I know that some places have made it illegal to dispose of the water used to wash a car in the storm drains. The reason I am asking is because we have to create a business plan at school and i believe that going green (esp. in victoria, canada) would be a great asset to the businesses success! If anyone has any ideas on this, just post! no one will get flamed, im just interested to see peoples ideas out there!

Cheers Lads:yourrock
 
I was also wondering how easy it is to get a contract with a used car shop or how you would go about creating contracts with other customers to both keep them loyal to you and also create a good customer relationship! Is there any sort of insurance that one can get to cover your ass if you screw up on a car? (i.e. you burn the paint..) what do most mobile detailers use? thanks again guys!
 
Myers said:
Hey! I am just curious to see how many of you guys are Green!
Also if you are, how are you collecting your contaminated water and where do you dispose of it. I know that some places have made it illegal to dispose of the water used to wash a car in the storm drains. The reason I am asking is because we have to create a business plan at school and i believe that going green (esp. in victoria, canada) would be a great asset to the businesses success! If anyone has any ideas on this, just post! no one will get flamed, im just interested to see peoples ideas out there!

Cheers Lads:yourrock
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Going green isn't the issue really. I have talked with the "City Water Department". They say it doesn't matter if your environmentally safe. when you wash your car, you still drop grease and contaminates from the car onto the ground thus getting into the drainage system. Green or not yer still screwed.

Also Eco-safe products are far far more expensive than other products on the market. They tend to be twice as much. not worth it.

The only way to beat the water situation without spending the high bucks to buy a catcher to catch the stuff... is to go "Waterless"

Near the beach the city gets more strict on the "water issue" thus i often switch to waterless products. "freedom Waterless Car Wash" has a great product and they ship it super fast as well.

here's the website:
FreedomSite
Here's a video:
youtube vid

Also another good product is something like D.P "detailer' s Pride" They offer a waterless product as well. (There are many on the market)

The waterless I use is Freedom and D.P
The freedom ones have carnauba wax in it as well to give it an extra shine. and if I'm not mistaken they are environmentally safe as well.

To hit the wheels is another story. You can use something as simple as pump action bug sprayer and fill it with water. Just spray the wheels with degreaser and use a wheel brush and then spray it off. The amount of pray used isn't enough to even reach a drain, so you're ok there.


Myers said:
Is there any sort of insurance that one can get to cover your ass if you screw up on a car? (i.e. you burn the paint..) what do most mobile detailers use? thanks again guys!
Click to expand...

I do have insurance for my mobile business. You can get a million dollar policy for as low as 80-100 bucks a month.
super easy and in-expensive.


Hope this helps some.
L.D


pic1.jpg
 
LuxuryDetail said:
The waterless I use is Freedom and D.P
The freedom ones have carnauba wax in it as well to give it an extra shine. and if I'm not mistaken they are environmentally safe as well.
pic1.jpg
Click to expand...

Huh, in the picture you supplied it says the waterless wash doesn't have any wax in it.
 
Has anyone ever tried using this stuff? how effective would you say it is? obviously if the car is pretty caked with dirt you cant use this. then i assume you carry on and detail a car as per usual afterwards?

also that insurance policy, what does it cover against? i take it that the insurance company is just a private type of one? or are they the bigger insurance companies that do this?

good information so far! thanks luxury detail!
 
FWIW, The Poorboy's line is "Green" as well.
I have used a lot of his waterless wash, Spray & Wipe, and it is one of my favorite products. Heck it's the most used single product I have.
It's a lot less than the Freedom line and when you use the detailcity discount code for the 10% off, the price difference is even more.

One gallon Freedom or Freedom One = On sale $49.99
This price does include shipping in the U.S.

At the Detail City Store: One gallon S&W = $32.95 less 10%, final price $29.66
Add shipping of $8.95 for a total of $38.61

I only compared gallons because if you are going to use S&W, you just as well buy the gallon to start with. Your next order will most likely be for a gallon. :bigups
 
Myers said:
Has anyone ever tried using this stuff? how effective would you say it is?
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How many cars do you wash with caked on dirt? If there is globs of dirt on the car, take your sprayer thingy and spray the chunks off then waterless the car. Easy stuff.

Here's before and after pictures from that same site. Feast your eyes.
before and after pics
and here:
more pics


Realize this may be new to you - but it's not new to many. "Waterless" has been around for over 15 years. Maguires sells some as well.
 
LuxuryDetail said:
Realize this may be new to you - but it's not new to many. "Waterless" has been around for over 15 years. Maguires sells some as well.
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Yes and no.
Meguiar's does sell a Waterless Wash Kit in Australia, but that "kit" isn't available in the U.S.
I would guess you could assemble your own "kit" from the Meguiar's line of products, though.

Here's a link to the Meg's Australia Waterless page.
Welcome to Meguiar's Australia, the Leader in Car Car products

Like Luxury Detailer said, the concept is not new and I know for a fact that the S&W works.
Chances are they all work, I'm just not familiar with all of them.
FWIW, I still prefer a conventional hose and bucket wash when the conditions allow it.
 
As an aside, the city wants people to limit water usage to 35 gallons per day yet they allow car washes to use 55 gallons per wash (thanks to the car wash lobby). The car wash lobby says that is down from much higher usage.
 
Bunky said:
As an aside, the city wants people to limit water usage to 35 gallons per day yet they allow car washes to use 55 gallons per wash (thanks to the car wash lobby). The car wash lobby says that is down from much higher usage.
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Don't car wash places have to recycle and filter the water?
 
Stephan said:
Don't car wash places have to recycle and filter the water?
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Not in all cities and in some instances, not all the water.
It will probably be more uniform eventually so you just as well plan for it.

I'm not sure, but I think the Federal ground water laws even prohibit personal washing if the run-off water will enter a storm sewer.
 
Great information guys! thanks!!

now for insurance, what type of policies do you use, what do they cover and how much do you pay a year?

Also, if you were to use those products for washing and others for waxing/detailing, could you advertise yourself as being green?

As I said before, sorry for the lack of knowledge in this field, but we are creating a business plan for a class at school, and I would like to incorporate all these ideas!
 
Myers said:
Great information guys! thanks!!

now for insurance, what type of policies do you use, what do they cover and how much do your pay a year?

Also, if you were to use those products for washing and others for waxing/detailing, could you advertise yourself as being green?

As I said before, sorry for the lack of knowledge in this field, but we are creating a business plan for a class at school, and I would like to incorporate all these ideas!
Click to expand...

Myers - my friend - dear one.... You're on your own from here bud. you've been given plenty of info now start you investigating foot work.

1. Call an insurance company yourself and ask them your 40 questions for your report, I'm sure they'd love to talk to you.
2. Call these "Green" suppliers and ask away.
It's the information age. You no longer need schooling. All ya need nowa days is google.

for the record - no clients give a crum about whether you're green or not. They want their "car cleaned, and a price that's affordable"! Using "Green" as a selling piont is a "moot" piont! it won't help your business in the least bit. I can understand your thinking that it could possibly be an awesome thing as an outsider to the detailing industry, but as a professional detail' r.... it's not.

thanks.
L.D
 
LuxuryDetail said:
Myers - my friend - dear one.... You're on your own from here bud. you've been given plenty of info now start you investigating foot work.

1. Call an insurance company yourself and ask them your 40 questions for your report, I'm sure they'd love to talk to you.
2. Call these "Green" suppliers and ask away.
It's the information age. You no longer need schooling. All ya need nowa days is google.

for the record - no clients give a crum about whether you're green or not. They want their "car cleaned, and a price that's affordable"! Using "Green" as a selling piont is a "moot" piont! it won't help your business in the least bit. I can understand your thinking that it could possibly be an awesome thing as an outsider to the detailing industry, but as a professional detail' r.... it's not.

thanks.
L.D
Click to expand...

I have been advertising "green" for the past 3 months and have had great response from it. When your are in a drought and all the public hears is how you can't use water being able to offer an alternative is definately a great selling point.
 
Just came across this thread and was curious about something.

They sell "low flow" shower heads now-a-days and I am all for water conservation. I use S&W if the car is lightly dirty, and QEW if it is a little dirtier lately (especially since it is still a little chilly outside). Are there any "low flow" hose nozzles? Ones that use less water but still have a good spray pressure? I would be interested in that since I like to give the car a good wash when time/weather allows.

-Neil
 
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