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  1. #1
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    Question Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    ok so I did my girlfriends friends car yesterday. Her Brother in law saw it and said it looked brand new. Now he is wanting me to do his BLACK Tahoe He says he wants it washed and waxed. I have done a few cars for family and friends recently and trying to get everything together to start doing this for money.

    So the anxiety part is .. one I may have my first paying job at detailing. Two I have NO idea what to charge.

    There are a few possibilities I can think of.

    If he does just really want a wash and wax with no defect removal? What would you say I should charge .. like wash tires first with tire wells and fender wells. Snow foam the car and wash it well .. air dry the car .. then go over the car with a spray detailer to get any water spots left over. Then go back and dress the tires and fender wells and then apply a wax/sealant by hand.. something like Meguiars ultimate liquid wax. finally windows inside and out.


    The other option is that he does have some swirls on the Tahoe and wants them removed. I am thinking about using possibly a microfiber cutting pad/or foam cutting pad on a Porter cable with a compound for 4 to 6 passes to get most of the swirls if not all out and then going over the car with a polishing pad and D151 since it has slight cut and a sealant built into it ... and of course the other stuff above as well. With this option should the clay be extra or included in the package or even done?

    Then lastly if he does want the interior done and I know its not going to be super dirty .. what would a good price be for the interior cleaning.. dusting .. going over panels with cleaner and then possibly dressing them with something like natural shine or hyper dressing diluted down? Possible go over the seats quickly if they arent too dirty and the carpet as well? I would not be using a steamer or extractor. That is gonna have to come down the road for me at this time.

  2. #2
    Super Member Eldorado2k's Avatar
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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Ugh I hate when people with Tahoes or Suburbans ask for a detail... I always wind up feeling like I'm on the short end of the stick because most people can't handle the truth when it comes to what I should actually charge to detail a vehicle that large.

    Yesterday while I was doing a mobile detail, I had some guy come ask me how much I would charge for a detail.. I asked what kind of vehicle it was.. He said it was his wifes mini van.. I immediately thought to myself "oh heck no, not again" lol.

    I'm done breaking my back on super dirty family wagons for fair prices... I told him "mini van? Those things usually cost alot more to do because of the size and their usual condition" He got the hint. Lol.


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  3. #3
    Super Member Eldorado2k's Avatar
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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Next time someone says my wifes Suburban, I should just interrupt and say "starts at $500" lol. But seriously...


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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldorado2k View Post
    Ugh I hate when people with Tahoes or Suburbans ask for a detail... I always wind up feeling like I'm on the short end of the stick because most people can't handle the truth when it comes to what I should actually charge to detail a vehicle that large.

    Yesterday while I was doing a mobile detail, I had some guy come ask me how much I would charge for a detail.. I asked what kind of vehicle it was.. He said it was his wifes mini van.. I immediately thought to myself "oh heck no, not again" lol.

    I'm done breaking my back on super dirty family wagons for fair prices... I told him "mini van? Those things usually cost alot more to do because of the size and their usual condition" He got the hint. Lol.


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    LOL ya I know what you mean .. I have been doing my familys cars and when my girl said he wants his Tahoe done .. and it was black .. I was like oh great two things I didnt really want on my first paying detail job.

    What do you think those options I listed would run you typically? Do you have kinda a set price range for stuff like that? I dont think I can start with 500 for a quick wash and wax or even light swirl removal with no interior work lol

  5. #5
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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldorado2k View Post
    Next time someone says my wifes Suburban, I should just interrupt and say "starts at $500" lol. But seriously...
    I received a message on Facebook asking for this exact thing about a week ago. It was the customer's wife's black 2013 Suburban. After seeing some pictures I gave him a starting price and never heard from him again.

  6. #6
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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    I wouldn't Polish a Truck for under 500. It's Your Girls family member and Your New At This So Tell HIM 300 for Wash, CLAY, wheels, single Stage Polish Then Wax Or sealant

    Don't use a micro cutting Pad on a single Stage Polish. Use a polishing foam Pad.


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  7. #7
    Super Member Eldorado2k's Avatar
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    Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    I predict his girls brother will balk at $300... I'm not saying it's not a proper price, it's just that friends & relatives have a mentality that they're gonna get hooked up, or they're just flat out cheap or don't know the amount of work that goes into it. Sucks but it's true.

    That's why I tell people, The real money isn't going to come from your known people... It's going to come from the reference people aka the people who don't know you from jack but actually Need their vehicle detailed.

    Trying to make good bank from the people you already know can be a losing battle. But if they recommend you to some people they know you begin to see a different breed of customer that actually needs your service, instead of someone who thinks it would be "neat" to have their car detailed.

    Just my 2 cents.


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  8. #8
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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldorado2k View Post
    I predict his girls brother will balk at $300... I'm not saying it's not a proper price, it's just that friends & relatives have a mentality that they're gonna get hooked up, or they're just flat out cheap or don't know the amount of work that goes into it. Sucks but it's true.

    That's why I tell people, The real money isn't going to come from your known people... It's going to come from the reference people aka the people who don't know you from jack but actually Need their vehicle detailed.

    Trying to make good bank from the people you already know can be a losing battle. But if they recommend you to some people they know you begin to see a different breed of customer that actually needs your service, instead of someone who thinks it would be "neat" to have their car detailed.

    Just my 2 cents.


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    Ya I agree with that .. I am thinking that if I say 300 its probably not going to happen ... however if I do it at a lower price and then he tells others and I get more people then that could be beneficial. Just like how he heard about me was through me doing her car for free when her and my girlfriend left for the day in my girls car.

    if he doesnt want or need it to be polish .. 300 does sound pretty high for wash, tires cleaned and dress with wheel wells, windows and wax. even for a tahoe ... but i dont know really .. I think the hardest part of all of this is getting th packages/prices together.

    a lot of the places around here dont list the packages or prices online. you have to call and im pretty sure they would want to look at the car first to see it too. Kinda going to be hard for me to drive a car to them that i dont have .. but I plan to call a few and say I have a Tahoe I am needing to be done and see what they say lol

  9. #9
    Super Member Eldorado2k's Avatar
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    Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Quote Originally Posted by RMarkJr View Post
    I think the hardest part of all of this is getting th packages/prices together.
    Same here... Sometimes I'll get a picture text with 1 exterior shot from someone I know saying "how much would you charge to detail this 2013 Ford F150"?
    And I think oh great that's gonna real easy to pinpoint. Lol.

    Or someone asks, "how much do you charge to detail the inside of a Jeep Cherokee"? My 1st thought is "how the heck am I supposed to know in 2 seconds time without having seen the vehicle"? Lol.


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  10. #10
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    Re: Got a little anxiety going on here lol need advice for possible first paying job.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eldorado2k View Post
    Same here... Sometimes I'll get a picture text with 1 exterior shot from someone I know saying "how much would you charge to detail this 2013 Ford F150"?
    And I think oh great that's gonna real easy to pinpoint. Lol.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    lol ya ... I got to see the car in person and talk to the owner about what they want and tell them what to realistically expect.

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