Pros> Do you make more money>

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Redcar GUY

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doing many washes or from just doing a few wash/wax jobs?



Up to a few days ago I did mostly wash/wax and jobs that were "big" like $65-100 worth. Well now that the cold, snowy crappy weather has set in I am doing more just washes. They take a lot less time but dont make near as much cash. But I am starting to think that the easy "quick washes" are where its at. How do you all feel? Do you make more for what you have to do off the waxes or the quickie washes?





THX
 
I make more doing details than straight washes strictly based on hourly rates, but about 50% of my business is weekly washes and that business is there, week after week, so it is very rare that I have any downtime when the weather is good. Besides, I can often upsell waxing or interior cleaning to my weekly wash customers. Most of them get their cars waxed more often than those who call once or twice a year. They also tip better.
 
Scottwax said:
Besides, I can often upsell waxing or interior cleaning to my weekly wash customers. Most of them get their cars waxed more often than those who call once or twice a year.
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Which makes the autos easier to clean and takes less time to clean them, Which makes you/ME more money... right?



Thx, Scott :)
 
That sort of depends. Some things I quote for aren't hourly jobs. Sometimes I make out like a bandit and sometimes I get screwed. Personally, I'd rather spend all day on a $200 dollar job than running around town doing 4 $50 dollar jobs. Hell, I'd even choose the one job over 5 $50 dollar jobs. I'll probably be making more per hour if I stick to the one job. I do try to schedule days where I'm busy as snot running around for those quickies though. There is a lot of money in that. If I was doing this for a living then I would definatly do all the quickies I could. As a hobby I can afford to be a little pickier though.
 
Redcar GUY said:
Which makes the autos easier to clean and takes less time to clean them, Which makes you/ME more money... right?



Thx, Scott :)
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Exactly. Since I maintain them weekly, they never get bad and since they get them waxed more often, they are even easier to wash.



I do try to schedule the easy stuff in the mornings so I can devote the afternoon to the harder stuff. The day seems easier that way. If I did all the heavy detailing in the morning, I would be whipped by afternoon and risk rushing too much just to finish the day.
 
I make more per hour doing details, etc. than just washes.



My basic wash costs between $20 - $25 and to get from arrival to departure (have to include talking to customer, setup time, work time, breakdown time, money collection time) it takes me an hour to a few minutes over on some big stuff.



For a big detail including interior, or more I can be making $30+ an hour. I mean, today did an expedition. Basic Interior (Spot clean carpet/seats, wipe down vinyl, Dress, windows, vacuum), polish paint, and wax. Cost $95 and took me three hours from arrival to departure.



The thing is the setup time for a basic wash and a full detail is the same as well as the time it takes to talk to the customer and the presenation of the completed vehicle. That all takes the same time no matter if your doing a $20 job or a $150 job, which is one reason the big jobs are more profitable.
 
I do very limited amount of car washing. If i do wash it is for a current customer of mine.

Everything i do is a detail. Dont like wasting time on the washing
 
NY detailer said:
I do very limited amount of car washing. If i do wash it is for a current customer of mine.

Everything i do is a detail. Dont like wasting time on the washing
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What do you do then prior to polishing-waxing your customers cars?

Or do you mean that you're not soleley(sp?) washing cars?



Christiaan
 
I think he means that he doesn't solely wash cars. There is always something else involved. I don't know many people who pay a professional to just come out and soap up their car. There is usually some kind of detailing going on. I always wash the exterior even if they just want an interior detail. Its just part of the service. Sometimes people don't care about the outside since its just going to rain tomorrow or something like that. Some people just want the inside cleaned so the have a nice place to be while they are on a road trip or something.
 
I'd think that winter would be a good time to add a secondary service like PDR, windshield repair, leather/vinyl repair, etc. I can see how the full details would go down, but that does not mean car owners don't need other "detailing" services.



db
 
Thx for the tips everyone, Since I am still new to the Biz side of this I am trying to see what the money makers in my area are. So far I am doing real good, I thought when the winter and snow hit it would slow down but it has went up a little! :)
 
PDR is a great way to bring in the $$ during the cold months, but I am still outside freeeeeezzzzzzzing my behind off detailing cars.
 
I fold up shop in the winter. This is why I won't open a shop in Salt Lake. Nobody cares about their cars during the winter. Unless I took contracts with dealerships or at the Auto Auction I just don't think I'd make any money at it. I've got nothing but respect for you pros who have to stay at it in the winter. :bow
 
Speaking of the auto auction (Jngr) a great way to make some extra $$$ in winter is to purchase used cars for reconditioning and resale in spring. Find a 4-5 year old car that's filthy and will clean up nice, buy it at a good price, then go to work. Use a low % credit card to finance the pruchase for the 2-3 months you will own it. If you purchase well, you will profit 20-40%.



db
 
DavidB said:
Speaking of the auto auction (Jngr) a great way to make some extra $$$ in winter is to purchase used cars for reconditioning and resale in spring. Find a 4-5 year old car that's filthy and will clean up nice, buy it at a good price, then go to work. Use a low % credit card to finance the pruchase for the 2-3 months you will own it. If you purchase well, you will profit 20-40%.



db
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I've done that before. You have to check the law though. After you sell so many cars in one year then you are classified as a dealer and you have do deal with the taxes and stuff associated with that classification. Its a great idea though. :up I do the same thing with houses in the summer time. Buy em at auction cheap, fix them up, then sell them for profit. I don't get the profit though. I'm just the grunt labor. lol I leave the buying to the rich guy with all the money.
 
DavidB said:
I'd think that winter would be a good time to add a secondary service like PDR, windshield repair, leather/vinyl repair, etc. I can see how the full details would go down, but that does not mean car owners don't need other "detailing" services.



db
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I actually do more details in the months leading up to Christmas than I do in the summer. With summer vacation driving over and the holidays coming up, everyone wants details.



Jngrbrdman-half my business is weekly wash customers who pay $25-35 to get their vehicles washed. If you have high end customers, they prefer to pay someone more to come out to their house and wash their cars all at once than drive them one by one to a car wash that won't do as good a job as I will. They also tend to take better care of their cars and wax them more often so you can upsell services to them.



To all-I do not slow down in the winter at all, unless the weather affects me and I do have to finish earlier because the sun goes down so damn early now. Dallas winters are usually not too bad. It may be 30 in the morning, but most days are sunny (last two winters excepted) and people still want clean cars...but don't want to deal with the cold personally.
 
Yeah, I guess if your climate is conducive to it, winter months can be good business when it's cold. Here in rainy Vancouver, nobody wants a detail in the winter except the odd sunny weekend, because it rains 6 days out of 7 a week! :sosad
 
You can't upsell a basic wash. What you do is go out for a basic wash and then upsell a sealant or wax job. Or you can notice other things wrong with the car that you can help with like swirling or scratches. If you offer touch up services or PDR then you can upsell that too. The key is just to get in their driveway with your supplies. Then you can show them what you want to do. I love selling a full detail to a customer when I was just supposed to do a basic wash and vaccuum.
 
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