Help me with my new adventure.

[maximus20895]

Will all the threads posted on my car forum about people starting up their own detailing business, I am thinking about starting up my own.

The thing is, I don't know where to begin at all.

Here are some questions that I have about it:

1. How do I get the word out?
2. How much do I charge?
3. Will people even trust a 19 year old with their car?
4. What products do I need?
5. Would it be okay to start the business right now (in the fall/winter)?
6. Am I over my head?

I will tell you what products I have upon asking.

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Well to get my small side buisiness going , I made flyers and posted them around town and got a few calls and thats how I got it going or I posted a bunch of my detailing work on my other forum that I am on regulary (mach1 registry) then I got a couple more. Then once you have a few clients they start to spread the word to friends or relatives. Try to tell your friends about your small buisiness. How much you should charge is based upon how long it takes you or it will need extra time to get hard defects out and other factors. I am uping my charge from 80 to a hundred to $115 to $125 for a exterior buff and wax and $180 to $210 for a full detail. also call a couple local detailers and act as a customer and ask what they will charge so you can be competitive. I am 18 and some people to most trust me and some don't. I almost had a detail on another 03 mach1 black and he said he went with somebody with more experience. You win some you lose some. I would highly recommend you to get a g110 DA or the old version the g100. I have the G100 and it helps so much, it will save you time and saves you from rubbing cars out by hand. Being it is close to winter I have been trying to sell wax jobs because the wax will protect the finish on the vehicle. Also make sure you have a good amount of detail supplies.

Hope this helps.

[maximus20895]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Thanks alot.

That is the thing, I don't exactly know what kind of detail supplies I will need, nor how to use some of them.

For example, if the car has tons of scratches on it I woudl think to use m80 since it's extremely abrasive, but other than that I would be lost.

I am thinking about asking for an machine buffer for Christmas, but I don't know which one.

You said that the g110 is good, but have you used a PC or the flex?

Thanks again,

Max

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Here is a list I have in my arsenal. Those are what I use on the cars I detail. m80, m82,m83,#7 show car glaze, NXt 2.0 and a lot of other meguiars products. I always start with M80 because meguiars has a saying to start with least agressive product and work your way up. If 80 does not cut it then i move up to 83 which is more agressive then 80. I have not used the flex or porter cable. I have only used the G100 which I have grown a good amount of confidence with. I would say get the G110 because it is better, more power I have heard. Go for the 110 it is easy to learn for beginners. Oh and i also recommend I think meguiars makes a detailing video on how to use a g100 or g110. or go on you tube and megs has a couple vidoes of the saturday classes using the g110. What I also recommend to do is to get a old hood with okay paint preferably a dark color and practice on it. I did that to help my confidence with a DA.

[maximus20895]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Thanks for the tips. I will check out the video on how to use the G110.

What is the difference between the G110 and the G100?

Also what car wash do you use on your customers car?

The list of products I have are:

Wash

Deep Crystal Car Wash
Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner
Grit Guards
Mothers Genuine Lambswool Wash Mitt

Prep

ScratchX
Smooth Surface Clay Kit

Polish

Meguiars Glaze Show Car Glaze #7

Wax

Pinnacle Foam Wax Applicators
Elite Deluxe Super Premium Microfiber Towels

Drying

The Supreme Guzzler Waffle Weave Microfiber Drying Towel

Maintain

Quik Detailer
Ultimate Quik Detailer

Interior

Gold Class Vinyl/Rubber Protectant
Quik Detailer Interior
Quik Interior Detailer Wipes

Tires

Hot Shine Tire Foam
NXT Generation Insane Shine Tire Coating

Windows

Stoners Invisible Glass

[JTOWN]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

I think it is also important that you find somewhere you coud buy wholesale products and get to know your products...

what work best for one car/person may not work as good for another....

good luck though...

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

I use either NXT or GC wash. Get two buckets for the wash step. and have more then one drying paint only microfiber.
For the prep step also get m80, m83, I have m82 I like the finish it leaves
For polish #7 is great
For the wax step get GC wax and NXT, when I detail a car I show the owner both waxes and explain each wax and let them choose.
Also you will need pads for the DA- get a couple of w8006 polishing pads and a couple of w9006 finishing pads.
The rest of the list looks like a great start.
I know one difference is the power of the g110 is better and the way it is designed is better. I think I will let somebody with more experience with a g110 answer that. somebody will chime in to answer with more detailed differences between the two.

[maximus20895]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Awesome!

I think I might get some APC too.

What is the difference between the Gold Class and NXT wash?

Also, what sizes do you get?

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Yeah get some APC. I need to get some to, I have read it is awesome stuff. Ithink the differnece is that the GC wash has more conditioners in the soap to help the coat of wax that is just a guess. NXT will not strip wax and it cleans well and has a lot of of suds. I just went out and read the back of the bottle and it says it helps prep for the NXT wax. And it is a synthetic wash. I have the 32oz bottles of the washes

[maximus20895]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

ah ok.

You said that you show the owner both waxes and explain each wax and let them choose.

I am asking what are the differences in the waxes, sorry lol.

You also said that I need some polishing and finishing pads. Do you use both on the same car and what products to you use w/ the pads?

Thanks

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

The NXT gives a deep wet reflection that looks amazing with the new synthetic wax with hydrophobic techonology that has insane water bead up. The GC wax gives a deep shine that has a very cool glossy look the GC wax has a intense water bead up. For the pads i don't mix match product on pads, I lable mine with what product was on that pad.
M80,M82,M83 you can use the w8006 pads and for the finishing pad w9006 use #7.

[maximus20895]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

You've been a great help.

Do you always clay, polish, wax etc.?

What do you consider a full detail and a normal detail?

Also, how do you use the APC?

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

Glad to help out.
I do not always clay, last two cars I did, did not need it.
If they do not need the clay then I just go straight to M80 with a w8006 pad. For APC i have yet not had a chane to use it. I have to oder it and have not gotten around to it sorry about I can't answer that.
A full detail to me would be in this order
1) wash
2) clay
3) clean paint with M80 or 83
4) polish
5) wax x2 coats just helps if I missed a spot
6) Interior wipe down and dressed with a natural shine
7) leather seats leather conditioner if they have leather seats
8) vacuumed
9) comming soon the little green machine made by bissle for carpet stain removing and deep clean
10) Windows cleaned
11) Exterior trim dressed
12) Wheels cleaned or polished if chrome
13) tires dressed
14) Coming soon also is engine detailing.
That is a full detail to me. Most of the time exspecially with economy right now I just buff and wax and thats about it.
A normal detail would be just an exterior buff and wax, tires, wheels, exterior trim, glass, quick interior wipe down,vacuum.

[maximus20895]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

what is the little green machine made by bissle and what do you mean by buff?

As for the APC, do you use it on carpet or what?

[03mach1]

Re: Help me with my new adventure.

I think you can use APC on the carpet not sure, megs does make a stain out remover and it has bissles name on the bottle, I think they helped megs make it I think. The little green amchine is a little water cleaner extractor it gets all the dirt and product that was in the carpet out, like a mini carpet shampooer, walmart sells them for 80 bucks.what I mean buff is that I am using my DA to buff using a paint cleaner m80 or 83 the swirls and imperfections out of the paint. Hope this helps.