Starting a buisness on $300 ???

M

michaelwoodcock

New member
alright guys I have some experience when it comes to detailing the exterior of cars. I can remove scratches, hologram scratches, etc, all by hand and sometimes with my cheap sears buffer, (although sometimes this can make the situation worse) I can take any old car that doesn't have peeling problems and make it look new, or closer to new depending on paint damage, but I haven't been able to make new cars look better, as I have seen some people here can do. (you know the ones that look like the paint is perfectly flat? and look like a mirror? those lol) That kinda thinkg just scares me, i am scarred of burning through the paint.

Anyways, I already have lots of microfibers but some have stuff stuck in them so I would need all new ones

I have a harbor frieght rotary polisher, about 7 inches

I have lots of off the shelf average consumer grade products, turtle wax, plastx, etc.

I only have cheap waxes at the moment you can see they're not beading water after about 6 months, although I do have some tech wax that seems to be really awsome :rockon

so what all would I need to do just exteriors of old cars? I can post up some of my work on here if it would help you guys tell me if I could make it
 
Out of sheer morbid curiosity, I crunched the numbers a few months ago on the amount of money I have spent in the last year and a half. The math took about an hour of looking up what I'd paid for everything and the total figure came out to around $1,400. That doesn't include the $330 I spent on supplies after Christmas and my current list of 'things to buy' currently burns credit cards at $465.93. And that doesn't include shipping. :eek:

The thing you have to remember about investing in detailing is that it's not a business you put an initial investment into and money just comes pouring out. Your overhead never stops because nothing you buy (except maybe your buffers) will last forever. Soap runs out, polishes and sealants run out, buffer pads and towels wear out and get ratty, mitts lose their softness, and so on and so forth for the rest of all time. And keep in mind some of these products are not cheap. My polishes and compounds alone are worth over $300. At my current rate, I'm just barely turning a profit; thankfully it's not something I do full-time, just something for fun and a little extra money on the side.

The OTC consumer-grade products you are mentioning are just that; consumer grade and hence have inherent limitations. I started out with Griot's detailing products and while they are great, their buffer and polishes just weren't cutting it if you'll pardon the pun. The extra money you'll spend on the professional grade products (Menzerna, Megs, etc.) will be well worth it when you realize how much time you save. You'll get superior results, happier customers and most importantly, you'll maintain your sanity (to a degree).

Have a look around here, decipher the acronyms as daunting as that may seem and you'll learn a lot. I hope this has given you some valuable insight into the sickness that is detailing. :bigups
 
Anything can be done. Take it one job at a time and buy only the product you need to finish that one job. Take your proceeds and reinvest in more product. However, if you are trying to make a living this way that might be a little tough whether you had $300 or $3,000 to start up. This business takes time to build up your cliental. However, you’ll never know unless you try and if you don’t try you’ll always wonder if you could have done it.
 
You absolutely can begin detailing for money with a $300 startup budget:

City/County Permit $45.
Meguiar's Deep Crystal 3 Step 16 oz. set $22.
Poorboy's World Leather Stuff $18.
Poorboy's World Super Slick & Suds Car Wash $16.
Poorboy's World Air Freshener (choice of scents) $12.
Poorboy's World Trim Restorer $15.
Stoner Invisible Glass $6.
Stoner Tarminator Bug and Tar $6.
Stoner Reach and Clean Tool $17.
Lake Country CCS Hand Applicators Trio $10.
Cobra Microfiber Multi Pack $25.
Sams/Costco Microfiber 24 Pack $10.
Carrand Deluxe Tire & Bumper Brush $12.
Carrand MF MAX Wash Mitt $8.
Carrand Double Loop Wheel Brush $7.
Glass Science Glass Scrub $6.
DP Total Interior Cleaner $16.
DP Interior Surface Protectant $17.
Home Depot 5gal Bucket $3.
Home Depot 50' Hose $25.
Hose Nozzle $4.
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TOTAL $300.

sources: Home Depot, WalMart, Autogeek.net (be sure to look for Forum Member Discounts, Free Shipping Offers, Sales, etc.)

Many of us started with less than this list.

Best of luck, Michael. Go for it!
 
I prefer to take the better safe than sorry approach and would definitely suggest not touching a customer's car without having liability and garage keeper's insurance. I had both for 7 years in addition to having loss coverage on my tools and equipment and never had to file a claim, but it's worth the peace of mind and it's just good responsible business to be insured.
 
well there are to many places that do washes and waxes around here, with the quick spray on stuff so I want to do a legit polish as well as none of them do that :)

Just the paint and a little bit of trim restore & headlight restore as well (I believe I am good at headlights)
 
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