Question for Snowy Climate Detalers

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

So for those that do mobile detailing and live in an area that has snowy winters how does that impact your business?

I would assume business is rather slow?

Please tell me all you can on this topic!

Thanks

[TOGWT]

The only person who detail's his vehicle on the North Pole is Santa, a full interior / exterior once per year - :)

I would definitely recommend Zaino and add a synthetic wax as a sacrificial coating to cope with the road salt (Collinite 845 Insulator Wax) is probably the most durable Carnauba wax product; but this may only provide enough of a barrier to enable it to be removed quickly before the salt causes too much damage to the paint film surface

[Gary Sword]

I use to live in the Detroit area and if your going to have a mobile detailing business in the winter your going to need a large heated trailer to put the car in. Good luck with that one. In another month summer will be almost over up there and it's going to start getting cold. I really miss detailing my cars when it's below freezing. ;) A heated garage is a must up there.

[Nica]

Before my garage was insulated, detailing my vehicles during the winter was tough..cold, bleeding knucles...but now my garage is insulated and I'm so looking forward to winter :D.

As for a person detailing during the winter, I would assume that business would not slow down. I would actually asume the oposite, most people try to keep there vehicles clean and wash it often becuase of the salt but then again I could be wrong. I think it would make it tough for the person detailing though, I man how can you detail in like -25 weather? I don't know, but I can't see my self washing a vehicle under those conditions...I know that Justin was detailing during some cold temperatures...can't recall how cold but if it gets to 0 and lower that might stop you from detailing.

Interesting question though.

[Driven Auto Detail]

Being mobile, my plan for winter is to find a facility with a service bay that I could work out of during the 4 cold months that we have here in Indiana. I have my eye on used car lot that used to be an old gas station. It has two nice service bays with glass doors so you can see what's going on inside. I believe the service bays are only used for washing their own vehicles. Plus, it's on the main drag of the city I live in. The facility is in good condition and it looks like a reputable "mom & pop" facility. I still haven't contacted them about it yet but that's my plan for the winter. Yeah, it wouldn't be mobile, but I'm marketing to my county only right now so it shouldn't be too much to ask of my clients to bring their vehicles to me during the winter for a wash 'n vac or a wash 'n wax. Hope this helps!

[JoeD]

Winter detailing here in New England slows down. But Washing and Cleaning the undercarriage increase. Most people wait for Spring for a full detail but want their cars washed often for removal of salt.

[Gary Sword]

Before my garage was insulated, detailing my vehicles during the winter was tough..cold, bleeding knucles...but now my garage is insulated and I'm so looking forward to winter :D.


Nica, When I lived in Michigan my garage was insulated but I still needed a heater on the really cold days. A propane heater burns very clean and is fairly economical. Now that I'm in Florida I could use AC in the garage a few months out of the year.

[Nica]

Nica, When I lived in Michigan my garage was insulated but I still needed a heater on the really cold days. A propane heater burns very clean and is fairly economical. Now that I'm in Florida I could use AC in the garage a few months out of the year.

Oh yes, I got a small heater in my garage now. I've been meaning to go and pick up a propane heater too like you said for those really cold days. Actually, they have come down in price. Well considering it's summer and no one really needs them at the moment, I should pick one up soon. AC in your garages Gary would be wicked :righton: even now I notice the difference with the garage insulated, it's been nice and hot here and boy do I swet it up when working in the garage. I leave the garage door closed because I don't want any dust to get on top of the vehicles but it gets hot fast in there. Oh I've seen a few houses here (high end houses that is) with AC in there garages, how cool is that AC in the garage :righton: man that's wicked. That's it no visiting Gary till he gets AC in his garages..hahahaha teasing buddy. But I hear you about the AC in the garage. You know you gave some wicked ideas as to what to do to my next garage that I've actually wrote them all down and I have it hanging in side my garage, its now quite long ;) but next house I purchase or get built I'm getting my dream garage :righton: can't wait. Alreagy got the wife looking for a house, I'm hoping it will be an ancrage but wife dosen't want to be far from downtown...either that or buy two lots in town and one lot for the house and the other lot for the garage :D hahahaha who knows, for now I dream :D

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

I found a garage (4 car) for rent... It's heated and in an affluent area.

I will only rent one of the spaces, the guy said that it was also carpeted??

$100 a month... sounds sweet!

I'm going to go look at it this weekend...