teenager looking for money on the side

[Bill1234]

Hi autogeek. I have been on the forum for quite I while. I want to know if this sounds good, Kids in my class are talking about cars with no knowledge about the automotive field. I would like to know how to approach them about car care and auto detailing. For example, most of these kids are driving new jeeps ,old jeeps, and older cars.

[Durallymax]

A lot of schools used to have a basic auto maintenance course. Many got scrapped along with the rest of the Agricultural and technical classes. Most schools around here are all focused on the 4 year+ degree and leave the rest in the dust. Mind you I do live in a rural area as well. Many of the teachers do not consider farming a career, much less one that requires any knowledge.

What class do you teach? If you teach World history, it might be hard to fit in "washing your car" into the curriculum.

[Bill1234]

I dont teach courses lol. I am just asking how do you approach kids when they say my car is so dirty and I want someone to clean the thing. Then I step in a say I do auto care :buffing::autowash:

[jvs1991]

I dont teach courses lol. I am just asking how do you approach kids when they say my car is so dirty and I want someone to clean the thing. Then I step in a say I do auto care :buffing::autowash:

Hand them a business card and tell them to give you a call.

[Bill1234]

Thats the thing, I dont want to go the extra mile and make business cards. I just want them to come to my house and do a 1 job for like 150 -200 which can be easily matched to how dirty the cars are

[Durallymax]

I dont teach courses lol. I am just asking how do you approach kids when they say my car is so dirty and I want someone to clean the thing. Then I step in a say I do auto care :buffing::autowash:

So you are the one in the class wanting to make some money on the side detailing peoples cars?

[BlackHawk]

Thats the thing, I dont want to go the extra mile and make business cards. I just want them to come to my house and do a 1 job for like 150 -200 which can be easily matched to how dirty the cars are

....what's a 1 job lol

[Bill1234]

for example, a professional full time will do multiple in a week. I just want to do one a weekend every 4-8 weeks.

[jvs1991]

for example, a professional full time will do multiple in a week. I just want to do one a weekend every 4-8 weeks.

bill just curious, do you really think most of these kids who know nothing about cars are going to want to shell out 200 dollars for a detail? theyll probably bring it to a local teen wash or car wash for a few bucks and be happy.

perhaps if you spend time and explain to them theyll be willing but I really dont think most 16-17 year olds want to spend 200 dollars on a detail, which to them means washing a car and maybe wax.

[BradsDetailing]

You have to sell them somehow. Most people will hand someone a business card because they're cheap and gives that person something to think about and it's got everything right on it. It can do the talking for you.

You have to initiate that spark in someones head to want to get their car detailed and say to themselves, "ok let's do this".

Business cards are cheap and the easiest way to generate business.

If you really don't want to do that route I would ask them if they've ever though about getting their car detailed. Then I would work my way in like "...because I detail car's on the weekends, if you would like I can do this for you.." etc...Something like that.

[SuperiorAutoLLC]

You have to make yourself appear legit. Business cards are the first step.

[mavin]

Thats the thing, I dont want to go the extra mile and make business cards. I just want them to come to my house and do a 1 job for like 150 -200 which can be easily matched to how dirty the cars are

Seriously? You are asking how do you let people know that you offer auto detailing service, but you are too lazy to pay $10 for some generic business cards on vistaprint?

In order for people to know you offer a service, you have to have a way to tell them and advertise. High school kids don't typically have $200 for a car detail. They are happy with the $5 cheerleader car wash. Tough market and dont seem motivated, good luck to ya.

[stemyx]

hey!! i'm a teen too and i know how you feel. The people in here are right, those teens might not want to spend like $200 on a detail, so you might as well just give up.....JK JK. You just have to tell them the services you provide or inform them with what you do! Offer them some detailing packages or what they would like. GOOD LUCK

[cardaddy]

for example, a professional full time will do multiple in a week. I just want to do one a weekend every 4-8 weeks.

Wait... ONE per weekend for 4~8 weeks? Or if I understand it like I read it, ONLY ONE (during a weekend) somewhere in the 4~8 week period?


You have to make yourself appear legit. Business cards are the first step.


Seriously? You are asking how do you let people know that you offer auto detailing service, but you are too lazy to pay $10 for some generic business cards on vistaprint?

In order for people to know you offer a service, you have to have a way to tell them and advertise. High school kids don't typically have $200 for a car detail. They are happy with the $5 cheerleader car wash. Tough market and dont seem motivated, good luck to ya.
:iagree:

Business cards are nothing when the only downside is a $20 bill looking at a TWO HUNDRED dollar detail.

The thing about poor rich kids is they don't care one way or another about how their cars get clean. Mommy and Daddy bought that car and Mommy and Daddy will either wash it, or pay to wash it.

We live in a upper middle class (and beyond) area where the local HS lot each and every year has $30,000 to $45,000 new cars, jacked up 4x4's and the like driven by 16 and 17 year olds that Mommy and Daddy just bought for their little angel. (Little angel applies to both boys and girls in this instance.) And ALL OF THOSE CARS AND TRUCKS get cleaned at the local drive through car wash or the coin-op car wash.

The neighbor across the street bought their kid a F-150 king cab 4x4 not long after he turned 16. That was 3 years ago, and it was over forty grand! One next to them has two boys, both in pickups (but she's a single mom, so theirs are not new).

My kid didn't get his till he was 18, and it was a 1 owner 98 4Runner Limited. Outside *WAS* perfect, and inside is in great shape. (Not perfect as the woodgrain is faded, but it's clean, and the leather is sill good.) Thing is... (and we are doing detailing for MONEY) unless I freaking MAKE HIM.... he'll not wash it! He'll work out, lift weights, run 12~15 miles around the subdivision, and play video games all freaking DAY, but ask him when he's going to wash his truck and he is BUSY, or tired, or just pissed off!

You wanna' do something that helps these kids? Don't tell them you are a 'detailer' and charge them to keep up their cars, TEACH them to keep up their cars. :dunno: Give them your card and tell them you'll show them how to do it. Their PARENTS will appreciate it, and THAT (I believe you already know) is where the money is. ;)

My daughter graduated college in 2010, and yes.... she got a brand new G6 GTP when she was 18 (that my Dad bought for her right before he passed away) and that kid never wants to have other people work on her car. She's learned to change her own oil. She checks her air filter, and even changed it out to a lifetime unit. She rotates her tires most of the time, even though they'll do it for free at Discount Tire. She did her own plugs. Same thing with brakes. She put the first set of brakes on the car, and when the rotors warped (again) rather than go back with OEM rotors she picked out a set of drilled and slotted ones at Summit Racing with EBC pads and put all of them on herself. Heck she even knows how to operate my pressure bleeder and used it to flush her system.

The only help I did was show her how. She KNOWS how hard it has been through the years for me to do work like that, so instead of waiting on me to do it for her.... SHE LEARNED. I was able to TEACH her, and she took it from there.

Our problem these days is nobody is teaching kids how to take care of cars. It's not anything new as it's been going on for 20 years like that. Back when I was a kid you had auto shop, wood shop, heck even metal shop. Kids, both boys and girls, learned how to work with their hands. That is a skill that you carry for a lifetime. Don't need to do it for a living, but it sure helps if you know your way around when you hire someone, if for no other reason than you don't get ripped off. ;)

Actually there is a resurgence in technical skills, tech colleges and even high schools these days. Some are actually teaching old Hot Rod skills. Metal fabrication over and beyond just welding, but how to shape metal, build fenders and such. The old masters at that kind of skill are REALLY OLD MASTERS these days. I remember seeing Wayne Carini doing a show where he was looking for, and interviewing, interns to come work at his place. The kids that are learning to take the reigns will be able to name their price in the next decade and beyond because there simply isn't anyone doing 'old school' stuff like that anymore.

[ihaveacamaro]

Thats the thing, I dont want to go the extra mile and make business cards. I just want them to come to my house and do a 1 job for like 150 -200 which can be easily matched to how dirty the cars are

You want to sell a high end detail and don't want to go the extra mile? That doesn't make any sense to me...