Mobile Car Washers?

C

clnfrk

New member
Anyone here whose main source of income are simple wash and vac jobs as opposed to full details? What would you guys rather do... say 5-10 washes a day or 1-2 full details a day, assuming you get at least 25-30 dollars for the washes and 150-250 dollars for the details? And, do you guys find it a hard sell to push the full details that involve the compounding and polishing considering the majority of the public has no clue as to what a swirl mark even is? It just seems that it would be more practical for a mobile operator to push the simpler services vs. the 6-8 hour details since alot of the environments encountered are not ideal for details involving paint correction. What are your thoughts on this?
 
I'm not mobile but here's my input.

I'd much MUCH rather have a day full of complete details than a dozen washes. My day is normally a mix of the two but I can pick and choose the jobs I do.



As for upselling complete details over washes, it all depends on the client. If they are new, it's difficult especially when they are trying to rationalize spending that amount on getting their vehicle clean. My regular clients trust me when I say "you should get this done, it looks pretty bad" and give me the go ahead over the phone because they know I'm just watching out for their best interest and most of them have been educated by me on what paint imperfections are.
 
If you push for the full-service you will find that you will be able to differentiate yourself from your competitiors by offering a more complete service.



Wash vs. (automated) car wash, most uninformed people will go for the cheaper one. However, they can't get paint correction from them, so that's where you expertise comes in.



By doing the full details exclusively you keep this aura around you of "eliteness" or that of a perfectionist that doesn't simply do car washes.
 
I actually just took washes (I called it Mini Detail) off my menu for all the obvious reasons that most mobile detailers already know. The beginning service I now have is an exterior wash and wax, then it goes to a maintenance detail (sorta like an express detail), then it goes to the full detail, etc.
 
^^^^ same with me...stopped doing washes only for 20 bucks after knowing it takes me about an hour to wash a customers car because I always start to DETAIL it...so now its a wash and wax package where little things get done...and it only takes about 1-1.5 hours the same...
 
I do washes but they are primarily maintence for repeat customers - I have a couple clients on year-long contracts with washes and details
 
also if you have to do just washes, try and setup a minimum price per stop fee...like 75-100 bucks...that way you are not driving all around town for a day for 100 bucks from 4 $25 washes 15 miles apart from each other
 
i have stopped doing just the washes because of setup time and price. I keep it for one customer who pays 600 bucks a month for 3 appts per month. He has 3 cars and they all get washed and the interior done. It usually take me about half a day to do all 3, so it equals about 30 bucks per hour.
 
I have regulars whose cars I wash weekly but they are also very good about getting them waxed and detailed as needed. I am not taking on any new weekly wash customers and I don't just do washes for new customers, has to be at least an exterior detail.



You can make good money doing washes but like others have pointed out, you have to be in one area doing several cars at once to make it worth it. I like having the weekly regulars because it is money I can count on week after week but it isn't a majority of my business.
 
Scottwax said:
I have regulars whose cars I wash weekly but they are also very good about getting them waxed and detailed as needed. I am not taking on any new weekly wash customers and I don't just do washes for new customers, has to be at least an exterior detail.



You can make good money doing washes but like others have pointed out, you have to be in one area doing several cars at once to make it worth it. I like having the weekly regulars because it is money I can count on week after week but it isn't a majority of my business.
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I agree totally, but where I'm having a tough time is how to approach some of my clients who only want wash and vacs. I go full-time in June, and I need to find the nicest and easiest way to let them know that if they want me to continue cleaning their vehicles once a week, bi-weekly, or monthly they're going to have to allow me to wax or seal it every 6 to 8 weeks. Any thoughts?
 
shadybreal said:
I agree totally, but where I'm having a tough time is how to approach some of my clients who only want wash and vacs. I go full-time in June, and I need to find the nicest and easiest way to let them know that if they want me to continue cleaning their vehicles once a week, bi-weekly, or monthly they're going to have to allow me to wax or seal it every 6 to 8 weeks. Any thoughts?
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Bradley...offer them a maintance package...which includes the weekly or bi weekly washes..and then a full detail every 6 months...and a spray wax monthly to keep the look up....charge accordingly





expalin to them that the paint needs to be sealed for longevity and to look its best...even a once a year paint correction and a mid year full clean up with out corrections...once they see your work they will see it was worth it....



you need to sit with them and discuss the options they will have...make a plan ...show them the options...



AL
 
Thanks AL! I want to get something on paper to match my brochures, door hangers, etc. I forgot to send you some of my promotional pieces. I'll try to mail them tomorrow.
 
AL-53 said:
Bradley...offer them a maintance package...which includes the weekly or bi weekly washes..and then a full detail every 6 months...and a spray wax monthly to keep the look up....charge accordingly





expalin to them that the paint needs to be sealed for longevity and to look its best...even a once a year paint correction and a mid year full clean up with out corrections...once they see your work they will see it was worth it....



you need to sit with them and discuss the options they will have...make a plan ...show them the options...



AL
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How much would you charge for weekly and bi weekly maintenance packages? As of right now, I have my weekly maintenance package starting at $110/month and my bi weekly package starting at $60/month. Does that sound about right?



Also, with these packages I would like to offer a discount off future details. What would be your suggestions for the rate of discount?
 
mshu7 said:
clnfrk, how much are those prices discounted from your "non packaged" prices? Just curious...thanks!
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I pretty much have the text for my menus with all of my services and packages listed made up. I am supplying a graphic designer with some photos and the text to put together in a service menu. As of right now, I have the discounted rate listed as 20% off of normal price, but I'm actually thinking that it a bit much. I'll probably end up changing it to 10-15% off for customers who I have a set schedule with.
 
I've been mobile since 1990 (started part time). I do almost only washes now and have for many years. As I got more and more weekly / biweekly customers I had less and less time to detail cars. Now I just clean the same people and don't take on new business. Do I like it more than detailing? In many ways yes. I don't travel more than 10 miles and very few cars I go that far so I can move around quickly from appointment to appointment. I like that the cars I clean stay very clean. I remember the days of cleaning filthy cars, I don't miss that at all. Personally I don't enjoy full detailing much. I do however enjoy light detailing like claying, one step or hand wax, light interior cleaning. If I had a choice between doing 3 car washes for $90 or 1 light exterior for same price I'd take the light exterior. If however the choice was to do 8 car washes for $240 (take me 4-6 hours) or do 1 full detail spending 4-6 hours, I'll take the washes. I like to move around and enjoy the few minutes between job sites. Working on one car for 4-6 hours would (and does) drive me nuts.
 
see i am the opposite...i like detailing and doing full details rather than washing cars...to me there is more reward in it both for me and for my customers....
 
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