16 Year Old...Summer Job

[lancerplayer]

Hey guys-

I am 16 years old and I am thinking about detailing cars this summer to get some cash. How does this sound though? I would talk to the customer the day before and explain to them the detailing process I will perform and make sure of the times and if they have any special requests. They will drop of their car with an extra set of keys so I can move cars around in my driveway (I will be doing this from my house). However I do have some questions before I do anything.

1) How should I advertise? Should I use the newspaper? Post flyers? Word of mouth?

2) Should I do only exterior or only interior or both?

3) What is a fair price I should charge?

4) Would you trust a 16 year old to detail your car?

Honestly, do you think this idea would work? Has anyone else tried this and if so, were you successful?

Thanks for the help guys

[zr123]

Re: 16 Year Old...Summer Job

4) Would you trust a 16 year old to detail your car?

Do you have a legal driver's license? If so, how long have you been driving for? Have you driven all sorts of cars? ie:

Vans
Suvs
Sports cars
Standard cars
Large cars

etc, etc, etc..

[miked2]

I have "almost" used a couple of 16-17 year olds to detail our cars (at the time, two fairly new Saabs). Decided just to do it myself, and actually had decided to use these guys over the "pros" before I decided to do the work myself.

The first guy was an assistant when we had new countertops put in. I liked his work ethic and his attention to detail on the countertops, and I could tell by the way he talked that was a car nut. I was willing to trust him with my cars.

The second guy I actually read about in Craig's List of all places. He seemed honest -- stated his age up front, explained that he enjoyed doing this and figured he could make some money at it, and then proceeded to explain his methodology for detailing and the products he used. I was impressed, and figured for the $X I would have paid him, that he would have done a good job.

Again, ultimately I decided to do it myself, but I have no problems hiring younger folks for this kind of thing. Indeed, they are probably really into vehicles, so you know you're not just getting someone who's a wage slave.

Anyway, good luck!!

[FromThisSoil]

I believe that I'd trust a 16 year old to wash my car as long as they sounded competent when they were explaining the process.

However, I wouldn't trust a 16 year old to drive my car, license/permit or not.

[Top Down]

The other problem I see is that you're doing it at your house. How will the customer get back home (or anywhere else they're going)?

[Tenchu2525]

Hey there,

I'm currently 17 but I have been detailing cars since I was 14. I know I started a bit rough, but study up the excellent materials here on Meguiarsonline and you'll do fine. I've now detailed almost every type car there is: vans, sedans, coupes, SUV's, trucks, porche's, honda's, ford's, you name it. Although, it has been my secondary job. I started out by word of mouth and it has travelled around. You can also pass around flyers in neighborhoods. I currently wash my client's cars at my home but I began washing it at there's. So if your 16, you should be able to drive to their house anyway.

One thing is you want to buy good materials if you wish to do a decent job, which will put a hole in your wallet initially. It takes money to earn money. Let your customer's know your experience and prove it with the results, if they are satisfied they will come back. I suggest you would start charging $15 for basic cleaning (through wash and vacuum) on a small car, then you can add up from there depending on what they want(Clay, wax, ect.) Charge more for Trucks and SUV's as they take much longer.

Good Luck!

[SiriusRIMZ]

Age isn't as big of factor as you think. I'm 17 and detail on the weekends for extra cash. I've detailed many cars, the most expensive proably being a modified vette, which was very very nice. Get some references, and lots of shiny pictures of cars. People like Before/ After transformations.

I do both interior and exterior detail, I prefer exterior, and I tell people upfront, my specality is paint work, not cleaning your coffee stains out of carpet. Most of my interior work is vacumming/ dressings, occasionally I'll use some APC on the carpets.

I charge based on how long I think its going to take me to finish the job. I started with my prices much lower than I charge now, simply because I needed buisness, and if you can get a good customer base, then you can gradually raise your prices because you'll consistantly give a great job. My first couple detail jobs I charged based on an hourly scale... how much was my work worth per hour?

Edit!!! Check out showcargarage.com for some tips! The site is run by Mike, and there is some priceless advice about starting your own detailing buisness!

[N.E.W.car]

Originally posted by Tenchu2525
I suggest you would start charging $15 for basic cleaning (through wash and vacuum) on a small car, then you can add up from there depending on what they want(Clay, wax, ect.) Charge more for Trucks and SUV's as they take much longer.

Good Luck!

$15!?!?!?

Good heavens bro - I hope you forgot a zero on that. If you add a waxing to that, you better be charging around $150 - and you would still be undercutting A LOT or pro detailers, at least in my area.

Do some research on all of the detailers in your area before you set your prices...that's the best advice I can give you about pricing...

[miked2]

In the Seattle area, the lowest I've seen for a hand wash and dry (no inside work done) is $35. And that's like a Tues special.

[zr123]

^^ Impossible... I recall spending $15 for a hand wash and vacuum. This was about 2 years ago when I was visiting Seattle with a friend... I don't remember where or the name or location or anything like that.

Anyways, here in Vancouver, Hand Washes start at $10 and up to $20 max... and paying $20 here means you're getting some darn good hand car wash that likely includes interior dressing and tire shine. There's a popular place just 2 blocks from where I live, usually do about 80 - 100 cars a day, they charge $15 for a Hand Wash, Interior Vacuum, Clean Door Jams and all Interior Windows.

[Top Down]

There's a popular place just 2 blocks from where I live, usually do about 80 - 100 cars a day, they charge $15 for a Hand Wash, Interior Vacuum, Clean Door Jams and all Interior Windows.

Sounds like a commercial carwash that won't care about details . Most likely a place like this will instill swirls. There's a huge difference in detailing a car and just washing a car.
Lancerplayer-
You didn't mention if you will be removing paint defects (swirls and scratches) or if you're just washing and dressing the car. Also, what kind of equipment do you have? Remember that you have to charge enough to cover your own costs for products as well as make some profit in it.
Find out the market in your area. In my area, people expect to pay a minimum of $100 for a detail and they know it goes upward to around $600 depending on how much work needs done. Let us know how everything works out. Good luck!

[Tenchu2525]

DAANG, it looks like im shortcharging myself

$15 car, $25 truck/van/suv = Hand Wash, Vacuum, Tire Dressing, Dash Protectant, Interior Windows and door jams.

but thats what I started out at. I'm at $20 now...

[N.E.W.car]

Originally posted by Tenchu2525
DAANG, it looks like im shortcharging myself

$15 car, $25 truck/van/suv = Hand Wash, Vacuum, Tire Dressing, Dash Protectant, Interior Windows and door jams.

but thats what I started out at. I'm at $20 now...

Like I said before - add a coat of wax to that and I charge $200 for an average size car.

I don't want to be rude - but $20 for that is ridiculous. Even if it only takes you one hour, which if you are doing a REALLY good job it should take you at least 2 hours, you are still making at most $20 an hour.

Sure, that might seem like a decent wage, but subract your gas getting there and all your supplies...YOU ARE LOSING MONEY.

[SL1CK]

Damn I'm doing the same thing you are, theres money out there to be made. However, to answer your question of to do both interior and exterior, I decided to do just exterior detailing, being that I know much more about exterior detailing than interior. For my services, I charge atleast 40$ and go up to 50$. The most I charge is 50$, I want them to think theyre getting a bargain, which they really are IMO. I put out flyers and stated that the process takes atleast 2.5 hours or more.

[zr123]

Originally posted by Top Down
Sounds like a commercial carwash that won't care about details . Most likely a place like this will instill swirls. There's a huge difference in detailing a car and just washing a car.
Lancerplayer-
You didn't mention if you will be removing paint defects (swirls and scratches) or if you're just washing and dressing the car. Also, what kind of equipment do you have? Remember that you have to charge enough to cover your own costs for products as well as make some profit in it.
Find out the market in your area. In my area, people expect to pay a minimum of $100 for a detail and they know it goes upward to around $600 depending on how much work needs done. Let us know how everything works out. Good luck!

There are two types of customers:

1. Those that know/care/understand the importance of proper car care.
2. Those that feel a car wash every 2 weeks is enough.

I guess you have to start by deciding which customer you're going to cater to and then charge from there. If you're saying he should be charging $40 to the #2 type of customer, there's no way he's getting any business. Sure if it's for the #1 type of customer, and the customer understands why he's paying $40 or whatever you are suggesting, then that's a different story.