Yes. We once had a client who owned a used car company. Believe it or not, he said customers were suspicious if the car was detailed too well. They wanted it clean and shiny, but with obvious use. He had to lower the quality of detailing so the customers would be happy.

 

jeremy- wow, sounds like quite a bit of experience for just one day!
sounds like the daily grind of detailing. but heck, we all need to make
a living some how. good job on your first day!

 

Wow, it must be a bit dissapointing knowing you can do so much more than what they have you doing.

 

I agree with mcdbrendan!!!
Just follow along to Vegas, MITM's, Dragon,etc & make a "killing"!!!! At Vegas they were washing (I don't even think it was detailing) cars for $20 something & had people scheduled ALL day from sun up to sun down!

 

uhhh... let's remember he would need to get out there by plane or by
car, hotels, food, gas, airfair.... not sure about a 'killing' at the end
of the day. 15min/car 4car/hr 12hrs/day = $960

 

double post...

 

$960
-$20 (food)
-$25 (supplies, for just wash)
-$10 (gas to and from)
-------------------
$850 a day
x 4 (for the long weekend of most events)
------------------
$3400
-$200 (round-trip airfare)
-$100 (rental car)
-$200 (hotel)
-$300 (random stuff I buy)
------------------
$2600 in a long weekend, that'd be pretty sweet (highly unlikly, but SWEET)

 

Day two came and went. White PT Loser followed by a Red Colbalt. The 2nd and 3rd were much easier then the 1st. The heat and humidity are still around, but it didn't hit me as hard today. The Colbalt was in TERRIBLE condition, inside and out. While the PT only needed a good scrub down to be back to new. This time next week the daily grind will be the daily thing, that is of course, if it keeps getting easier.

 

I worked at this years AMVIV with the intent on polishing as many cars as I could. In the end I came out positive (about even after product donation costs and fees for being a vendor, and expenses to get to Vegas and support the work) unlike previous years. I didn't sell much product because I was mostly focused on detailing cars. I had an assistant with whom I split the profits with and I covered his hotel (we split a room) and gas expenses to get to Vegas.

If anyone saw us working, we were pretty much working until around 4AM, and we were literally beat. While everyone was out playing, and having fun, we were polishing a car. Don't forget you need to bring additional lighting to see at night, loads and loads of microfibers because you won't be able to wash them each day--unless you go to a laundromat--but even then- you can't really leave a car half done while you go wash towels.

Not to mention, you might win an angry customer or two because they dropped their car off with you, and disappeared--nowhere to be found when you're done, and the only "responsible" thing to do is keep the keys and hope they contact you.

Quality detailing just can't be rushed. There's a reason why it takes 8 to 10 hours to do a MINI my way. I'm glad you're seeing how a production operation is run. These are the very companies that keep me in business because they do more harm than good, and it helps justify the prices I charge once the customer sees what they are getting for their money.

I've got a local production detailer customer who likes to mix waxes and polishes together to "save time", and he's always asking me if he can mix this or that--it makes me cringe. Of course once he tried Hydro, he's been coming in every few weeks and buying several bottles--hasn't yet bought a gallon yet, though I'm sure he will soon--he loves using it for his customers.

The other day, a guy brought over a "just detailed VW" asking for help on the cloth seats because he couldn't get the stains out. This car didn't look detailed at all. The interior console still had stains on it, the exterior was dirty and swirled--the tires were dressed and the glass was clean--and carpet was vacuumed--turns out this guy's shop buys used cars and turns them around, it looked awful.

I actually began writing a long post about being a full time detailer, and my own experiences with it--but I never posted it. It was pretty wordy, and in short, I tried to discourage you from doing it, but instead focus on getting a good education--though I know you said you weren't really into college. That's actually a pretty wide term, because college means a lot of different things. Learning to market yourself, learning to keep track of billings and expenses, learning how to make money, are all part of different things you can learn in college. Once you realize that going to college can actually help you achieve your goals of detailing better than most other guys who learned from the seat of their pants--you have many more options.

The point being is that even in my market where I'm considered among the best of the best of paint polishers, and I'm friends with the other few that are recognized as the best-- none of us are making much more than an entry level lawyer that just got out of school,

And while money isn't everything, it is important to being able to buy a house, keep the MINI running, support an expensive girlfriend...JK. Seriously though, you need money for more than just mods on the MINI.

An further, there is a limit to how much your body can take in terms of abuse on a daily basis, and for me, being sore, or nerve damaged wrists that tingle everytime I lift an object are not acceptable--and that's why I'm dead set on not relying on my income to be solely from detailing.

A few days ago I spent a day and a half detailing a 2006 MCS. It was a mess to begin with. He also wanted a Sport Link installed, so my guys did the install. In 2 hours, two guys working together worked less than a fraction of the time I worked on the paint, and made 50% more money doing it! That just seemed completely wrong. LOL.

Richard

 

Good, insightful post Richard. Having detailed cars most every weekend for the past two months, I just can't imagine how you manage to do it every day. By the end of a 14 hour detail on a Jeep - I'm so sick of the car and the work I just want to toss my PC in the trash. The reward of course is the result, but to see the car drive off and know that in two or three weeks there will again be dog hair all over the carpets, swirls in the paint and dirty wheels - well it kind of sucks . And the kicker is that most of the people who own the cars I've worked on wouldn't know a swirl from a smoothie or really be able to tell the difference . But heck, their money.
I do it for fun since it is my only real hobby. But a hobby done every day just becomes work.
Jeremy - you should listen to OG, he is trying to impart some good advice he earned through a lot of effort. Don't you just hate it when us old folks try to tell you kids what to do?

 

I have to say, I've wondered about this myself. I'd LOVE to own a shop like DP, where "high-end" detail and educating the customer is the norm and not just production-level detailing (speed over quality), with a fantastic detail products shop. I don't think I could deal with watching cars I detail be driven back out into a world where the owner doesn't give a rat's about keeping it in good shape.

However, I don't really know that there's a NEED for that around here, and I don't have the business sense to figure it out or to know how to hire the proper people to do quality work. There are several great concours events in this area, which makes me think it might be doable...but I just don't know.

So I live in the medical world, where at least I earn a check that pays the bills.

But I can see both sides of it...doing what you love/loving what you do, vs. earning a good living and one that doesn't tear up your body.

Very philosophical. And I don't know the right answer.

 

My .02 (may be adjusted for inflation)

Do what you enjoy. I'm a big believer in calling and vocation (occupational hazard). What you may enjoy doing today might not be what you enjoy doing tomorrow. The pratical application to this is don't quit until you have what you want to move on to concretely lined up (eating is good). Use what you learn from every experience (good and bad) to make the next better. And did I say, do what you enjoy?

But what do I know, I spent 7 years post graduate work to don 40 lbs of armor and go walk around in 130 degree weather to minister to my soldiers. But hey, that's doing what I enjoy. Good luck and God's speed in this and every new (ad)venture Jeremy!

 

Wow, seems I really missed the big news in this thread.
Congrats Jeremy for the job !
And reading your posts about your first days... sorry

Hope you still don't lose the passion for 'real' detailing

 

OG- i think you're doing a great thing having a business of your own and
running it while having fun.

i love being around cars and working on them whether it be modding or
detailing, PDR, etc. ..but it will only be a hobby for me.

 

PT Loser? Is there someone in the PT Cruiser forum now talking about the guy driving a Clown Car who detailed his car? Everyone has likes/dislikes ... no need to bash your customers cars. They pay your salary now

Jeremy lives in an area of the country where there is a lot of money floating around. I have no idea where he works but I have took my MINI ... once, to a detailer specializing in BMW/Benz. They did a good job and it cost $$. If I wasn't in the mood for "detailing" I wouldn't think twice about taking my car to a good detailer (in other words, I'd drop it off rather than doing it myself if I felt lazy).

On the othe hand, these three posts are right on point. I asked specifically about college and "book learning" isn't his thing. Unfortunately, at least around here, that is going to severely limit his future.

It is true that if you find a job you TRULY love doing, your very lucky because most people just work to make a living.

OTH, I would have to worry about future potential.

 

chows- why would you be worried about your future potential?
thought it was your wife that details cars, you just point 'there' 'here'
'over there too' 'here' and you're done?

 

Jermey - Didn't mean to throw a wet blanket (or Monster Fluffy) on your enthusiasm. You can post again and tell us about your detailing day. We won't rag on you (too much).

 

Heh, I didn't post todays adventure because I can't remember what cars I worked on. I did some big ole' truck, then had help on an Altima (picked it up, 'detailed' it, and returned it in under an hour...this place is ridiculous , BBB anyone?), then I did the interior on a Focus, and then an interior on a Eddie Bower edition something or another. Didn't get home until almost 7pm (supposed to be getting home by 5:30ish.) Tomorrow when I get there I know I have waiting for me, the exterior of the Eddie Bower Mobile, a Charger, a Infinity G35 (those things can FLY), and something else is sitting in the garage...bah! Long day tomorrow.

 

keep at it jeremy.

 

True ...I just wait for the rain and "manage"

BTW, I am also not trying to throw a wet blanket on this either.

If your happy in what you do ... by all means do it. Your very lucky because most people just work to make a living.

 

Today was great, because I actually felt like I did something productive. I did 3 interiors and 1 full, the interiors were complete turn arounds, from nasty, grungy, stained up yuck to pristine yay. The full wasn't as great, but I did get to drive an Infinity G35 back after I finished it, VROOM VROOM (Still take my MINI over it any day though.)

 

i work to buy toys.

sounds good. keep at it jeremy. just keep at it until you turn pro.

 

technically, since i'm getting paid to do it, arnt i a pro? (not the caliber of Richard, skullitride, or some of the others around NAM, but still a pro)

 

Yep you're a pro now! And you'll never stop learning--so keep absorbing as much as you can, and filtering and processing it so you don't get to used to just doing production level work!

Btw, I have a tip that will make sure you never mispell Skitelluride's name again.

Telluride is a ski resort in Colorado. So his name is SkiTelluride. Now you will never forget! Just like a detailing trick to make something complicated easy. LOL.

Richard

 

Yep, that will work, OG. That is, if you can remember how to spell Telluride !


Jeremy, Glad to see you had a day where you felt better about what you were doing. I'm sure you'll have more and more days like that. Hang in there and save, save, save, so you can mod, mod, mod.

Just kidding, save some of that money to start your own detailing business.