Jon Taffer - Bar Rescue - You ever watch this show?

[LEDetailing]

You could make a show out of this and pitch it to Spike TV. Travel around the US and help those car wash "detail" shops that use a one bucket-no grit guard hand wash system and terry cloth towels for drying with a huge wind mill motion.

But then you'd have to muster your evil side and yell and berate them because you'd just be too dang nice to them, lol.

Don't do it. Mike would steal away all the small independent detailers business

[txchevyz71]

Don't do it. Mike would steal away all the small independent detailers business

I don't think Mike would take those types of cars as work though.

Mike if you ever decide to do something like this and need a meanie and an enforcer.. let me know...

I think my kids can vouch for me...

something about crayons and a lighter and fresh paint, and one of their mom's diamond earrings down the sink drain.

[DetailKitty]

Yup, watch and love that show.

Very interesting Mike... subscribed!

[LEDetailing]

I don't think Mike would take those types of cars as work though.

Mike if you ever decide to do something like this and need a meanie and an enforcer.. let me know...

I think my kids can vouch for me...

something about crayons and a lighter and fresh paint, and one of their mom's diamond earrings down the sink drain.

deleted my post. I can't read!

[Benny]

That is a fantastic idea! A dealership like that is a unicorn in the automotive world. Too bad I'll never be in the market for cars in that price range. I'd almost travel halfway across the country for someone who appreciates the value of their product and is that focused on quality.

Far too many dealers could care less about their cars as long as they aren't dirty. Most of the salesmen and employees aren't "car people" and are simply moving product. Sadly, most of their customers these days aren't either.

As the owner of a car dealership, I would have to respectfully disagree.

A lot of us care how our inventory looks, including down to how straight the cars are parked in a row. The consumer on the other hand is cheap and is only concerned about price. If you own a dealership you aren't going to be worried about making every car look perfect as if it were entered in a car show for judging. As the saying on this forum goes most people don't know the difference between a swirl and a squirrel. My real life experience has to agree. I'm not going to dedicate hours of work on every car for a customer who doesn't appreciate what we did. It's like when we put brand new tires on a used car and people are mad we can't take off an extra $500. They'd rather have the car $500 less with bald tires.

A lot of people like to bash detailers at dealerships but let me tell you something. Some of my rush 1-step buff jobs look better than some "professional" detailers all day long buff job. You can't always blame some of these dealership detailers either. Their boss at the dealership might not be providing them with everything they need, again to keep costs down. That doesn't mean the detailer doesn't know HOW to properly detail a car like a pro. At the end of the day it is all about the mighty dollar. Running a dealership isn't cheap and the government keeps forcing regulations down on us, especially with financing. It is very costly and you have to make cut backs where we can. Like I tell people, you'll pay a ridiculous profit to apple for an Ipone but if we made $1 on the car we sold you, you think it was $1 too much.

[Natron]

SUBSCRIBED. As some of you know, I run the detail center at a dealership. I feel that this is a trend that we will see more of in the next couple of decades. FORWARD THINKING dealerships will become more willing to invest in their people and develop their own professional grade detail department. Nathan

[Benny]

I agree, times are changing for people like us with dealerships.

Truthfully, I never wanted to offer detailing services to the public. I sell off-lease cars so my inventory is fairly new on the lot. I was doing just basic detailing and putting them on the lot. People kept stopping in and asking if I did detailing and I got to thinking. I already have the shop, equipment, chemicals and know how so why not? Got me a sign made and hung it out front and to my surprise have had quite a few people stopping in. I think I've had success because I do nice work at an affordable price. Too many detailers around here want to only do paint corrections starting at $700. They must starve because around here I can't see that many people wanting that.

Once we had a few satisfied customers, word started to spread and I kept getting more detailing clients through word of mouth. I only advertise with the $130 sign I had made out front. Ever since it's been that and referrals including people bringing in classic cars.

[Kamakaz1961]

I do watch John's show periodically. He show's how to be successful running a bar and I am sure you will do the same Mike! Keep us posted!

[Desertnate]

As the owner of a car dealership, I would have to respectfully disagree.

A lot of us care how our inventory looks, including down to how straight the cars are parked in a row. The consumer on the other hand is cheap and is only concerned about price. If you own a dealership you aren't going to be worried about making every car look perfect as if it were entered in a car show for judging. As the saying on this forum goes most people don't know the difference between a swirl and a squirrel. My real life experience has to agree. I'm not going to dedicate hours of work on every car for a customer who doesn't appreciate what we did. It's like when we put brand new tires on a used car and people are mad we can't take off an extra $500. They'd rather have the car $500 less with bald tires.

A lot of people like to bash detailers at dealerships but let me tell you something. Some of my rush 1-step buff jobs look better than some "professional" detailers all day long buff job. You can't always blame some of these dealership detailers either. Their boss at the dealership might not be providing them with everything they need, again to keep costs down. That doesn't mean the detailer doesn't know HOW to properly detail a car like a pro. At the end of the day it is all about the mighty dollar. Running a dealership isn't cheap and the government keeps forcing regulations down on us, especially with financing. It is very costly and you have to make cut backs where we can. Like I tell people, you'll pay a ridiculous profit to apple for an Ipone but if we made $1 on the car we sold you, you think it was $1 too much.

Thanks for the insight. I can fully appreciate the financial squeeze you are under in order to keep a business viable. I will fully admit I'm a bit jaded by my experiences over the years.

I just get frustrated by visiting a dealership and seeing cars with dull, lifeless, swirled out paint jobs and interior splattered with some greasy surface protectant. Picking up a car after service that looks worse than it did going in made me a firm believer in the "DO NOT WASH" signs. I even had one service advisor once tell me, "Yeah, your car looks really good. You don't want us to mess with it...that would be bad."

[lolitsDanny]

Mike, shut it down!!