What do you charge for engine detailing?

[Scottwax]

I still think $75 per hour for vehicle cleaning, detailing, maintaining and/or reconditioning is too much. How can someone justify their or their shop's time to be this expensive.

A job is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you can maintain a full schedule with a $75 an hour rate, then you are charging the correct price for your market.



BTW, I have always found it better to be a bit more expensive than average than to be less expensive.

 

[Envious Eric]

A job is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you can maintain a full schedule with a $75 an hour rate, then you are charging the correct price for your market.



BTW, I have always found it better to be a bit more expensive than average than to be less expensive.

agreed....if you are under the average, then you are looked at being not as good in SOME cases....but if you are a step above, people wonder why and follow the saying "you get what you pay for"....but if you are WAY above the rest, then you better be doing twice the job others can provide, or you wont be in business once word gets out that people can get the same job from someone else for 1/2 the price....

 

[imported_Picus]

So like you stated, a "quality" detail with polishing(5-8 hour job) could run $650? That seems really hard to believe. Having lived in the Detroit area, I've been to Toronto many times and the cost of goods there didn't seem that expensive, especially with the exchange rate. My neighbor here in Florida is from Toronto(born and raised) and he's a big car nut. I'll have to ask him about it.

An 8-hour polishing job could definitely run into the $500-$600 range, yes.



You get the exchange rate, we don't.



Goods here aren't terribly expensive, but tax is 14% more importantly *housing* and property taxes are expensive. A 3 bedroom home downtown is normally between $600-$900k; even in the Toronto burbs a 4bdr/2bt home is $400k+. Now compare that to even more expensive cities like SF, NYC, Miami, etc... and $80/hr starts to make more sense. The bottom line is, as Scott mentioned, if people are booking @$75/hr then you're charging the right amount.

 

[Scottwax]

When my son is working for me, our rate averages out in the $60-70 an hour range so when you have two people working, it kind of changes your hourly rate.

 

[Accumulator]

..when you have two people working, it kind of changes your hourly rate.

I've been wondering- when does the upcoming school year take away your help?



On the rare occasions I've had competent help, I often found that things went more than twice as fast. Like two people do 2.5X the work of one in the same amount of time.



Brings a question to mind: how does having good help work out overall with regard to the time/money? What I mean is, uhm...I assume the cost of the job stays the same (e.g. a wash only costs what it always does), but you have to split the money more ways, but on the other hand you finish quicker. How does it all shake out at the bottom line?

 

[Swoop411]

I work during the day as a refridgeration mechanic. We charge around 68 dollars an hour. I happen to know a plumber that makes the same if not more than a doctor. Why charge so much? Because it takes time and money to aquire these skills. I spent a great deal becoming certified myself. I have done work for many doctors and know that the vast majority couldnt change a lightbulb without written instructions. They are not manual people, they have different skills. That is why I think as a detailer you are justified to charge whatever your market will support. If people do not have the necessary skills to accomplish the job then they have to defer it to those that have. Its the same as refridgeration, HVAC, or even plumbing. They charge that much because people dont have the skills, tools, or desire to perform the job. Not trying to come off as angry or anything like that. Its just an explanation as best I know how. Myself, I dont think I can charge as much right now because I am trying to get back in the game and doing it on the side. If I were established and had a reputation then I would feel justified in charging more. My thinking might be flawed, what do I know!

 

[Scottwax]

I've been wondering- when does the upcoming school year take away your help?



On the rare occasions I've had competent help, I often found that things went more than twice as fast. Like two people do 2.5X the work of one in the same amount of time.



Brings a question to mind: how does having good help work out overall with regard to the time/money? What I mean is, uhm...I assume the cost of the job stays the same (e.g. a wash only costs what it always does), but you have to split the money more ways, but on the other hand you finish quicker. How does it all shake out at the bottom line?

My son isn't 100% sure he will go this fall semester or take it off. I'm really not sure which way he is leaning right now.



I come out way ahead with my son helping. I pay him an average of $12 an hour, plus pay for his breakfast and lunch and we can get more done per day than if I was by myself. Currently, as of today (August 19th), I have already beaten the entire monthly total I made last August by more than 10%.

 

[MichaelM]

Brings a question to mind: how does having good help work out overall with regard to the time/money? What I mean is, uhm...I assume the cost of the job stays the same (e.g. a wash only costs what it always does), but you have to split the money more ways, but on the other hand you finish quicker. How does it all shake out at the bottom line?

There are inherent costs (taxes, insurance, payroll, uniforms, etc.) in adding employees to any business so the cost for a business owner to do that wash will go up but generally speaking if you have competent trained employess they will help productivity and the bottom line assuming the business is there.

 

[Accumulator]

Scottwax- OK, gotcha. Plus there are intangibles when we're talking about your son.

There are inherent costs (taxes, insurance, payroll, uniforms, etc.) in adding employees to any business...

Yeah, I had to deal with all that when I had the dealership but I'm guessing that ScottWax's situation is a bit less, uhm, formal; sorry I wasn't clear- I was asking about his specific situation.

 

[wifehatescar]

A job is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you can maintain a full schedule with a $75 an hour rate, then you are charging the correct price for your market.

Well said. A $650 detail might be too much, might not, I'm not going to say. But...if it is too much for your area, you won't be in business long anyway.

 

[beachy]

I don't advertise engine detailing at all. If a customer insisted, I would do it, but only under certain conditions including but not limited to educating him or her about the liability I face when venturing into that terrirtory, and raising my hourly rate to $75.



I believe I can qualify for that $75 not solely based on my results, but also based on the fact that I hold a 2-year degree in automotive technology. I can repair anything that I break, but of course I would warn my customers ahead of time that I WILL charge them for diagnostic testing and repair services necessary.



So far, I have not had anyone decide to get an engine detail, and I am happy with that.

 

[imported_Grouse]

Simple answer is hourly.



But my full service includes me wiping down everything with a soapy damp rag, then hitting it with a damp rag rinsing as needed. I dress all of the hood, plastics, hoses and all that. for me to get in there and actually scrub... well I think it would add about 1-1.5 hours.



The key is 95% of customers confuse wipe down with clean, condition, and protect. Most will not notice the difference in an engine bay of a daily driver. On a show car yeah they will notice. But that is a specific circumstance where you should be pre bidding the car before you work on it.



I try to explain to people that the engine bay is an area where i preform only a wipe down and condition as opposed to my normal wipe down, clean, condition, protect. I do this because of the electronics issues in an engine bay, once explained most are more than happy with the service provided.

 

[1 Clean WS6]

I don't normally clean engines, too much liability. When I do a full on engine detail, it takes around an hour and I charge $40-50.

As usual...I agree 110% with the gentleman from Texas.



Sean I know I don't have to tell you but I'll say it just 'cause...NEVER compete on price in any aspect of detailing. Rather, compete on quality. A person with your skill level doesn't need to fish for business with "price shoppers"...competitive market or not...leave those types of clients for the hacks and the businesses that won't last more than one season. Charge what your skill level is worth and trust me when I say the business will come. :waxing: