What should I do?

B

bwalker25

New member
I told a friend of mine that I detail cars, told him from the basic wash wax type to the complete make it like new. So one of his friends calls and says wants to know how much for a wash and wax with an interior wipe down. I give him a figure of around $55 - $65 no paint correction just wash and make it look the best I can. He wasn't looking for perfection just a clean up. Well then thats where it all went south, he said anything above $40 wasn't fair that he could do it for that. So of course I responded with well how about $40 then, I already have my tools and my chemicals I can do it in 1 hour and make the leather so soft you'll think its a baby a**. Then this guy keeps trying to low ball me, he says $35 heck even that is to high. I know a wash and wax with an interior is only going to cost me $5.00 maybe $6 is supplies if that, but damn he was trying to low ball the crap out of me. I get maybe 1-2 details a weekend and I can't get low balled like that and survive!



I showed him my car with ultima on it and he said that looks nice and beeding is tight but he doesn't want a wax. I just dont get it, first time I been turned down for an ultima PGP application after showing the beeding. I know the brothers would've done it for $30-$35 but this thing is huge, its that chevy SUV thats like 3 years old that looks like its retarted, the head lights look all out of place on it!



what do you do to keep from getting low balled, the guy that did it was a supervisor at Yellow Freight? How do you up sale someone, i mean I played the its winter and road salt and all those chemicals will eat through a wax and you really need protection...blah blah... but he didn't care at all like my other customers...



he saw my work on another guys 99 mustang (green monster, terrible shape) and now it looks better than new. He knows i'm good, but dang I just dont get this guy...



what to do in these situations?
 
Walk away, not worth it!

I have set prices on 4 different programs on a paper that I hand out and let the customer choose. I've had 1 customer tell me that they could get it done cheaper with someone else and I suggested that they went with them. (They stayed with me and gave me tip!)

The problem with this guy is he will never be happy with your end result and will probably still offer you less when finished or worse, not want to pay you at all.
 
Yeah - once you start dropping the price you are on a slippery slope. That guy won't be happy no matter what you do - don't even mess with him at all because it will be a bigger headache in the end than if you had avoided it in the first place.



Some people just want to haggle and never think anything is fair.
 
Tell him for 35 bucks you will show him what the 2 bucket method is, and he can do his own sh!t.



The best way to get more work is to pretend you dont need it.
 
I know his friend drives a BMW 3 series and I do his car nearly every week or 2, wash 3 and interior wipe first 3 weeks then 4th week I do the wash and UPGP thing to prep his car for winter :)



I wont be droping prices anymore period. dont like my prices then go the swirl hood and let the brothers slather it on there. Bring it to me after that and I'll have to charge more to get that damned black magic crap off!



which brings me to another question, how does one get that mess off?
 
$40 for an SUV even seems way too low.



There's a local high end car wash here that offers a swirl enticing wash and wax service at $30, they don't touch the interior.
 
You can never compete with people that don't know enough to charge accordingly for their services. I have to wonder just what they do. I know I got a husband and wife duo that won't take their cars to anyone else when they brought me a 5 year old Chevy with the clear coat missing in spots - they were taking it once a year to a hacker. After listening to me about taking the least agressive approach and about what is the idea way to keep you car protected and doing good, I got my first steady maintenance customers. JUST NEED MORE!!! BTW, they sold that beater, and won't let anyone but me work on their new cars.
 
<<what to do in these situations?>>



don't let those situations start:) My dh (in an entirely different field) occasionally has people come up with the 'so and so says they'll do it for 'x''



his response? great! then have them do it.



:)

k
 
Right when he started saying you charge to much. You should've gave him directions to the nearest quickie shop. WHAM BAM! Thank you mam!:getdown
 
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