DEBATE: Which is better, a mobile or a fixed detailing business?

[Superior Shine]

I was recently interviewed for Professional Carwashing & Detailing Magazine.

I was asked to defend mobile auto detailing over having a fixed location.

Follow the link and let me know what you think.


READ ARTICAL HERE

[sneek]

was just reading this on SCG LOL

[Superior Shine]

It isn't written exactly how I wrote it but all the points I wanted to make are there.

[MotorcycleDetailing]

Great artical. As I am currently in the process of setting up a fixed and mobile motorcycle detailer it helped greatly.

Trev

[MandarinaRacing]

That was a good article...
both make very good points on their take of the detailer Business...do I really have to chose one? LOL

BTW Joe, do find that weather hinders your business in any way?

Alex

[Setec Astronomy]

Originally posted by MandarinaRacing


BTW Joe, do find that weather hinders your business in any way?

LOL--he's in SoCal...there's a reason that Hollywood is there...

[Superior Shine]

Originally posted by MandarinaRacing
That was a good article...
both make very good points on their take of the detailer Business...do I really have to chose one? LOL

BTW Joe, do find that weather hinders your business in any way?

Alex

Very little but it does to some degree.

[the other pc]

I have three carwashes (with “detailing centers”) in my neighborhood and I pass by another one on the way to work. When the weather is off (rarely in SoCal, but it happens) they are dead. They’re paying for a big space and a whole lot of gear that ain’t paying nothin’ and the crews are either standing around getting paid to do nothin’ or sent home.


PC.

[OctaneGuy]

Great debate Joe!

One thing that wasn't addressed in your rebuttal was simply that property leases are incredible expensive here in Los Angeles, and starting a mobile business means lower start up and fixed costs from month to month. While that obviously means almost anybody can start their own business, still the factors of trust and reputation will be motivating factors to whether you "win" the best jobs or not.

Nearly 100% of my jobs are referrals from past customers, although as in todays case, where I pulled up to Meguiar's with my newly built detailing trailer, that alone was enough to get people talking and asking about my services.

One of my new customers told me that she would never have found me if it hadn't been for her friend who recommended me because of the great job I did on her black Corvette.

Today when I pulled into my house, and unhitched my trailer, one of my neighbors who walks her two dogs past my house every day saw the trailer and told me she had a classic 50's era truck that was being restored and wanted me to work on it when it got back from the shop! Being mobile certainly has it's advantages!

Richard

[Five Star]

I posted my 2 cents

[Murr1525]

Well, I suppose both have ttheir advantages.

Being in the midwest/northeast, being mobile might really leave you dead 5 months a year. Just doing my car leaves me dead half the time cause of weather.

But in really nice weather where property is through the roof, being mobile every day of the year is probably just as good.

I guess it depends on what fits the environment, and commiting to it. Cant go half way.

Would have been more intersting if they talked to someone that worked in the same area, or at least environment.

[bucketsandbubbles]

the way I look at it in the Northeast you do have a smaller window of continual work based on the season , but you can offset set that by adding paint chip repair, windshield repair, and interior repair, by targeting dealerships (small and large) just might give you the business to sustain you through the slow winter months, I have not done this yet (I just got started in March '06) but the owner of a local Dent Wizard does very well, I'm hoping to mirror that success.One other thing , I keep hearing the advantages of a brick and mortor when it rains or snows but as far as I can remember (I worked in a shop for 12 years) jobs were canceled at the same rate as for a mobile unit , someone made a point of Air Conditioning, I have never worked in a shop that would run a/c in the bays that is just a waste of money , i would imagine that if you had a shop large enough that you could move the cars inside without opening any doors it'll work , but most shops I see around my area are 1-3 bay units side by side. my 2 pennies.
BTW Joe , Good Article!

[farmboy]

Good article, but not to much of a debate. Both services are needed. That is why you can get applebee's to go now. MMMM..riblets!

[Mobilejoe]

I have a new garage at this time being built on my property for the sole purpose of detailing/graphic business. I have the land available at my house so I am cutting out a lot of the cost there.

In Maryland the weather is always a toss up, Mike got a first hand look at what the weather does out here when he was teaching recently. In my county we are also having problems with the enviromental groups due to the close proximity of the Chesapeake Bay, we can't let the wash water run down the street and into the drain system but they will let me run the water into a french drain/drywell system here.

Our summers can be terrible with temps close to 100 and humidity running almost the same so I am installing AC and heat into the new garage.

I have questioned my current customers and have not had one that said they would mind dropping off the vehicle or let me pick it up and return after it is completed.

I can see points for both sides but I think it comes down to cost and personal preferences.

[Superior Shine]

Re: DEBATE: Which is better, a mobile or a fixed detailing business?

I thought we would revisit this topic. Has soring gas prices changed anything?