You are quite welcome, but all that was really needed was a little nudge in the right direction.
We have a good group of people here, but like any group of people, we sometimes get off track a little. :notme:
How Much do you charge to wetsand a vehicle?
- Thread starter Dtrick.22
- Start date
We have a good group of people here, but like any group of people, we sometimes get off track a little. :notme:
paintjobpro22
Hi-Def Mobile Detailing
ya'll are a mess!! But with all honesty, I just colorsanded and polished a 65 mustang for cruisin the coast last week and it took about a day and a half..About half a day for sanding, and then almost all day buffing. The buffing took awhile because the car had been painted almost 2 months ago and the clear was hard as a brick. Usually though, if I paint a car, I can have it sanded and buffed, swirl-free, in about a day... All of this being said, I only charged 250. Not nearly as much as most professionals on here would have...
bigron62
New member
wow dc has a pulse
DJsDetails
New member
PaintJob I'm not an expert but $250 sounds like your selling yourself short. I still have a lot to learn myself but a full days work, 10 hours, is worth around $400 to me; nonetheless a day and a half as you stated. Plus the expertise, because it is a delicate task that few are really good at, I could see getting more for this kind of work.
Just my two cents
Just my two cents
Dtrick.22
New member
I think so too, I can sell a paint correction for near $200, I would never sand and then have to do almost the SAME polishing steps for the same price....But I am not in that field, maybe thats what it goes for in some areas.
paintjobpro22
Hi-Def Mobile Detailing
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..
C. Charles Hahn
CCH Auto Appearance, LLC
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.
mrclean81
New member
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
CCH Auto Appearance, LLC
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
New member
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 :wall), 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.
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
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
The Old Grey Whistle Test
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
togwt
The Old Grey Whistle Test
Critique and Criticism
• Criticism finds fault - Critique looks at structure
• Criticism looks for what's lacking - Critique finds what's working
• Criticism condemns what it doesn't understand - Critique asks for clarification
• Criticism is spoken with a cruel wit and sarcastic tongue - Critique's voice is kind, honest, and objective
• Criticism is negative - Critique is positive (even about what isn't working)
• Criticism is vague and general - Critique is concrete and specific
• Criticism has no sense of humour - Critique insists on laughter, too
• Criticism looks for flaws in the writer as well as the writing - Critique addresses only what is on the page
Excerpt from [Writing Alone, Writing Together] Judy Reeves
dirtbustersmd
New member
Never sell yourself short! We have enough detailers in this area giving services away. High quality work, with prices to keep us motivated.
ExoticAutoDetai
New member
WOW first of all sir i would like to wish you many years to come and is crazy how people are these days lets just forget about the whole Auto Detail industry and making money and what not but this man IS 52 AT LEAST show some respect people!!!! lol anyway back to the business :bow i can tell you know what you are talking about i havent even started practicing color sanding cars but i will just waiting on my Xmas order i did today :yaythe reason how i know who is right and wrong on this thread is i got a buddy who stays in Cali this man is in his 40 very nice guy most of his work projects he gets from his customers are VERY HIGH END AUTOS makes over 1K to do a paint correction, interior and exterior from sun roof to tires DETAIL!!!! and takes only 2 days or somethimes a whole day to get a ferrari done so if we talking about paint correction only and i mean the whole car it should be done in ONE DAY!!! lord knows what you do to color sand a car in 3 days????????????:rofl and of course correcting paint the whole auto depending on the size of the car shouldnt take at least more than 2 days -_____- i dont know why the hell people are asking how much you would charge just to color sand a car????:wall lol are you forgetting you have to buff,polish,wax, and SEAL ladies and gentlemans lolz or u just planning in color sanding a customer car and charge them and Job done lolz color sanding requires alot of practice buy the right tools pick up a car hood black is recommendable and PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!! which i will be doing pretty soon Merry Xmas everyone!!!
@cartoysautospa sir if you mind sharing some tips i would gladly send u a PM for more awesome Tips from you :rockon
C. Charles Hahn
CCH Auto Appearance, LLC
EAD, you truly, truly scare me. I only hope you don't end up actually working on high end cars, because I have a hunch you're going to go out there and cause a lot of damage when you start trying to work as a "professional."
Try hard to improve your communication skills and gain a bit of maturity and you might do alright... but in current form you're nowhere near ready to go out there and be professional.
Try hard to improve your communication skills and gain a bit of maturity and you might do alright... but in current form you're nowhere near ready to go out there and be professional.
JaredPointer
COME AT ME BRO
It's sad that I can only give you rep one time for that post.
GearHead_1
Long Time Member
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.
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
New member
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.
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
New member
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!!