Neighborhood kid doing a neighborhood job -- Opinions?

[Christopher]

Tell me what you think
I am planning on going around my neighborhood cleaning cars, I do the following:
Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces

Products Used:
Megs GC Wash / DP Rinseless wash&gloss (only if its a hot day where water spotting is an issue)
Megs GC Liquid Wax
Biodegradable Dish Soap
Megs hot shine tire dressing
Armor all
Costco Microfibers
Target wash mitt
My pressure washer

I charge 30$ for a car, 40$ for an SUV/Truck

I know, I know... Don't use really high quality products or anything - but honestly, I know not not one soul in my neighborhood who has a good enough paint finish / cares enough, they just want a clean car - not a show car. If I ever meet the person that does, I will use my personal wash supplies (High quality products).

What do you guys think?

[tuscarora dave]

It sounds like a good place to start. Do you extract the water from the mats with a wet dry vac? How does the dish soap work for you on the stained mats?

[CEE DOG]

I might just bump up the armorall to 303. The 303 isn't that expensive.
Either way

[Mike Phillips]

Seems like you're offering a lot of service, (work), for a really great price... you'll probably get a lot of customers but you're going to work yourself to death...

Maybe bump your prices up at least another $5.00 each? Maybe $10.00?

Or reduce the number of services but offer them as an up-sell?

For example, instead of this package for $30.00

Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces


Offer everything above except the hand wax for $30.00 then offer claying and hand waxing for another $20.00 (Or $40.00 and $60.00 for trucks).

Show them a bar of detailing clay, explain how it works and educate them that by claying the wax can now reach the paint where it can better bond and besides looking like brand new the protection will last longer and thus protect longer.

Anytime you get a single customer, offer to put them on a monthly maintenance program where you will come by and wash and wax the car for a set price so that their car always looks like brand new. Once you've done the initial cleaning, especially the wheels, claying the paint and then waxing the paint, all future wash and wax jobs will be fast and easy if done on a regular basis.

Some people that use their car for their business might go for a once a week wash and wax, like real-estate people. Others might go for bi-monthly an others might go for once a month.

Be sure to stress that car washes will often times do more harm than good by instilling swirls and removing wax protection.

Make sure you have business cards with a way to reach you and tell them that you're looking for more customers and tell them if they're happy with your work, that you would appreciate any referrals and you'll do just as good a job for their friends as you've done for them.

[PAR Detailing]

Ya you gotta start somewhere and who knows maybe you might land jobs where washing the car is the lead into a more indepth detail for more money. This is a great way to get your foot in the door.

How do you plan on marketing yourself?

[Flash Gordon]

Seems like you're offering a lot of service, (work), for a really great price... you'll probably get a lot of customers but you're going to work yourself to death...

Maybe bump your prices up at least another $5.00 each? Maybe $10.00?

Or reduce the number of services but offer them as an up-sell?

For example, instead of this package for $30.00

Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces


Offer everything above except the hand wax for $30.00 then offer claying and hand waxing for another $20.00 (Or $40.00 and $60.00 for trucks).

Show them a bar of detailing clay, explain how it works and educate them that by claying the wax can now reach the paint where it can better bond and besides looking like brand new the protection will last longer and thus protect longer.

Anytime you get a single customer, offer to put them on a monthly maintenance program where you will come by and wash and wax the car for a set price so that their car always looks like brand new. Once you've done the initial cleaning, especially the wheels, claying the paint and then waxing the paint, all future wash and wax jobs will be fast and easy if done on a regular basis.

Some people that use their car for their business might go for a once a week wash and wax, like real-estate people. Others might go for bi-monthly an others might go for once a month.

Be sure to stress that car washes will often times do more harm than good by instilling swirls and removing wax protection.

Make sure you have business cards with a way to reach you and tell them that you're looking for more customers and tell them if they're happy with your work, that you would appreciate any referrals and you'll do just as good a job for their friends as you've done for them.

Sound advice ^ and congratulations on your new business venture. Good Luck

[CEE DOG]

Seems like you're offering a lot of service, (work), for a really great price... you'll probably get a lot of customers but you're going to work yourself to death...

Maybe bump your prices up at least another $5.00 each? Maybe $10.00?

Or reduce the number of services but offer them as an up-sell?

For example, instead of this package for $30.00

Hand wash
Hand wax
Interior cleaning
-- Vacuum carpets
-- Shampoo floor mats (soak in dish soap and pressure wash with hot water)
-- Wipe down interior surfaces to remove dust / dirt
-- Wipe down seats
-- Vacuum crevices (I don't go into the cracks with q-tips)
-- Wipe down all glass / mirrors with a clay-lube-concentration of dp rinseless wash & gloss (I honestly find that it works better than windex)
Apply tire dressing
Apply armor all to exterior trim / plastic surfaces


Offer everything above except the hand wax for $30.00 then offer claying and hand waxing for another $20.00 (Or $40.00 and $60.00 for trucks).

Show them a bar of detailing clay, explain how it works and educate them that by claying the wax can now reach the paint where it can better bond and besides looking like brand new the protection will last longer and thus protect longer.

Anytime you get a single customer, offer to put them on a monthly maintenance program where you will come by and wash and wax the car for a set price so that their car always looks like brand new. Once you've done the initial cleaning, especially the wheels, claying the paint and then waxing the paint, all future wash and wax jobs will be fast and easy if done on a regular basis.

Some people that use their car for their business might go for a once a week wash and wax, like real-estate people. Others might go for bi-monthly an others might go for once a month.

Be sure to stress that car washes will often times do more harm than good by instilling swirls and removing wax protection.

Make sure you have business cards with a way to reach you and tell them that you're looking for more customers and tell them if they're happy with your work, that you would appreciate any referrals and you'll do just as good a job for their friends as you've done for them.

Really great advice! Follow this and you'll be in a good spot.

[Bunky]

Is a business license needed? Paying taxes?

[Christopher]

How do you plan on marketing yourself?

Word of mouth, fliers placed in driveways / on doors / under wipers, business cards

[Christopher]

Is a business license needed? Paying taxes?

Nope