New detail shop pricing.

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imported_Jakerooni

New member
Hey guys. I'm up here in Flint Michigan. Just opened my first full on detail shop and auto mechanics place. I've been banging my head against the wall for pricing. I offer alot of different packages not just the one detail fits all therory of many of the local shops. The issue is I'm currently right on par with most of the other local professional shops. However the ones that are in my price range are quite well established and such and have strong followings. We have a ton of what I call "hack shops" around here that will do a complete detail for $60 out the door. However their quality quickly tells you why they only get $60. And I don't want to get people thinking this is the type of work we do here. I've been detailing since the mid 90's (94 to be exact) So I have some experience. My guys have experience and our work definatly speaks for itself. But I keep getting customers calling up and asking why our prices are so high considering were a new shop in town and unproven. (I actually had a little older lady call up and ask me if we were any good.... Would anyone actually tell her no???) Right now our detail prices are set from $80- $150 pending on what is needed and what package you go with. But until I convince the public that we're not just another hack shop it's proving frusterating to get people in the door. So far in 2 weeks we've only had 2 details. And I'm banging my head on the wall on how to turn this around considering even the hack shops around here are just backed up busy right now. Any help thoughts or tips guys?
 
If you need any help I am in Michigan and can help you better set up pricing for our crappy economy. Your best bet in this area is going to be to have some low end and high end detail packages.
 
Yea we have a basci detail for $80 thats really more of a glorified wash wax and vac. We hit the plastic and such as well. Then we have a package that includes clay baring and machining etc etc. and it goes all the way up to $150 for an every possible thing you can think of detail. T&M which happens to be the big guy around here comes in right in the same ballpark. But they've been around for awhile. I just don't want to lower my prices and then get everyone thinking "Oh for that price they can't possibly be doing a good job"



Off topic do you have a website I can check out your supplies on? Always looking to see what new products are out there. I've basically been using Car-bright since I've started detailing.
 
Yeah, it is tuff. Price too low and people think it is crap. Price too high and people won't pay it.



www.danase.com Let me know if you need anything or if there is anything I can do to help.



Bob
 
backwoods_lex said:
Would you do a full detail on a swirled up escalade for $150?
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I would with a good filler glaze for sure. If the owner wanted the scratches removed via paint restoration then no.
 
Im curious what your full detail includes. Im assuming paint correction isnt a part of your full details.
 
Good questions I suppose. First off Yes I could get the swirl marks out of a black escalade. I've never understood why people shy away from machining paint. I personally love it when it's needed. for the rest..



Our complete detail package #4 (best in the shop) includes....



Wash, wax, vaccum, shampoo and Heated carpet extraction for most carpet/upholstry stains, headliner, post, insturment cluster, center consol and compartments if empty and dash all cleaned out, vents, Clay barring if nessecary,machine wheeling of paint to remove minor scratches and swirl marks, Engine bay degreased, cleaned and shined up, All plastic and leather cleaned (ph balanced chemicals for leather) and shined up, Door jambs, blacken out the wheel wells, rims and tires cleaned and shined, deorderized, trunk/bed cleaned out if empty, Windows and glass inside and out.



Basically if it's dirty we clean it with this package. Am I off the mark on this one?
 
Jakerooni said:
Good questions I suppose. First off Yes I could get the swirl marks out of a black escalade. I've never understood why people shy away from machining paint. I personally love it when it's needed. for the rest..
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The reason some of us asked is becuase for the price you charge for that is extremely low. I wont do a paint restoration on a midsized car for $150 let alone an escalade.



For me a full paint restoration on a escalade (assuming its real bad) plus all you listed would be no less than $400 and thats being very generous.
 

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Coupe said:
The reason some of us asked is becuase for the price you charge for that is extremely low. I wont do a paint restoration on a midsized car for $150 let alone an escalade.



For me a full paint restoration on a escalade (assuming its real bad) plus all you listed would be no less than $400 and thats being very generous.
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really? I can't imagine charging anywhere near that much and actually having people come in and getting it done. I keep getting hang ups when I quote a $150 for a full with machine wheeling included. I have to think it purely location. I guess Genesse county is not only the worse economic county in michgan but rates close to dead last in all of the United states according to some news article I was reading. I get people all the time in here asking if I could do the whole thing for $80. When I first started at my old location I was doing everything for $80 once I raised my prices everyone quit coming in. But I want to be on par with the other shops in my area with a solid reputation. I know a dealer I was working with used to have a guy come in wash the vehicle and wheel it for $300. I thought that was completly insane. Apparently it's more normal than I thought....
 
Nice work.

Some input from me as far as the building goes. I would for sure paint the outside of the building instead of just the bare black. If you don't own it see if the owner will do that for you. That will make you stand out and probably get more business because of it. I see you have a bunch of lights on the top of the building...use them. Put up some signs under each one and let the lights shine on them at night to draw more attention, even if it is after business hours. On the inside I would paint everything white or a light beige or something with colored epoxy floor coloring. Make your building stand out and your business will also stand out.
 
The new building (the one where the vette is) just got a fresh coat of White paint with bright blue and orange trim (around the bays like the office windows) Full white wash on the inside with 8 8' shop lights in each bay yesterday. I want to retake that pic infront of the new building with the fresh paint on it and make it a big poster to hang up in the office. And we have an electrician coming in today to figure out the outside lights (I;ve flipped every switch and changed the bulbs and still can't figure it out) so we should have all of our flood lights working tonight.



I looked into epoxy flooring it but it's way out of the budget. The do it yourself stuff everyone has told won't hold up for long and is about $300 a bay. The professional stuff with a garuntee to hold up is being quoted at about $3500 a bay. Huge difference and way out of the ballpark for me at this time.
 
(First post here, woot!) Anyways, I know if I showed up with the way the sidewalk looks, I'd jump right back in my car and go somewhere else. The building itself looks better, but that sidewalk looks kind of ratty, especially with the weeds/grass growing against the fresh white building. :nervous:
 
No website yet. This place used to be an old gas station. The original building (where the office is) was built back in the late 30's early 40's the garage part was built back in the 50's. It belongs to a well drilling company that didn't use this for anything more than storage for the past 6 years or so. Needlees to say this place is ancient. So there's alot of stuff to get back in shape. Unfortuantly I'm directly across the street from the township hall and they have strict regulations about what can and can't be done. Because only half of our drive is concrete the other half is gravel. I asked if they or we could ashpalt it but that was quickly a big NO!. So as far as outside apperance goes I'm not entirely sure how much better I can get (outside of the obvious weeding) I guess I'm quickly getting into the mindset that it's better to ask forgivness than permission.
 
SilverSubie2.5 said:
(First post here, woot!) Anyways, I know if I showed up with the way the sidewalk looks, I'd jump right back in my car and go somewhere else. The building itself looks better, but that sidewalk looks kind of ratty, especially with the weeds/grass growing against the fresh white building. :nervous:
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I was thinking the exact same thing. If you look good, you'll feel good and so will your customers. You may have to start marketing outside of your local area and market yourself to a higher class area.
 
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