np.

Bronze package is kinda pricy. should be no more than $20-30
for a wash and clean. maybe $20 for cars $30 for SUV's. really
depends how fast you can wash the car. definitely have an
air compressor for speedy drying.

Silver sounds the best if you use polymer wax. not sure if
using acrylic sealant and then another coat of wax is going
to net you much profit (too much work).

Gold, i'd want a solid 1-2 layers of polymer wax below the natural wax
for durabililty for that price.

goodluck.

 

also, see if you can hook up with someone that does PDR. that will
net you more customers (commercial customers too) and maybe he
might have a garage or something you can use.

commercial customers will rape you on price, but it will be a more
constant income.

i also suggest you chat with octaneguy. Im sure he can give you
a lot of pointers too.

 

Nice job on the site. I'm still working my way through it, but one things immediately comes to mind.

"Mirror Finish is owned and operated by, me, Chris Evers..."
"I have no employees or buildings, just a passion for making automobiles shine"

So tell me, who is "ABOUT US"?
and
"Below are the packages we offer. Price is dependent upon the size of the vehicle, condition of the vehicle, and distance traveled to get to the vehicle. Please let us know if you have any major damage to the exterior or interior. Also, we would like to have someone..."

Ok, I don't mean to pick on the way you are presenting your business. I do this all the time, and by habit, I often forget when I'm just representing myself, that there is no we, or us. Just me.

If you want to present a clear, consistent message about what you do and who you are (A business owner who works passionately on the customers car--not some low paid hiree), then you might consider how the customer perceives you.

Ok...continuing on...

 

Ok, some final comments.

I think your pricing is fine. It will depend in part on your reputation about what prices you can command. I think the Gold package is too low, but again, it's about experience and what you're after.

Here's an important question.

Besides the car in your logo, are all the photos on your site representations of your work? Did you personally actually work on them? Cause if you didn't, it's just another example of "misrepresentation".. and that you don't want to do, cause again, it's about your reputation.

I'm referring to:
http://www.mirror-finish.com/index.html
http://www.mirror-finish.com/id2.html

Also ,when you do your Before and Afters will you going to show some direct sunlight shots to show the finish is truly swirl free--assuming you are showing the Gold Package. Most people don't go to that extent and just show shiny cars.

If you can, try to use some black cars, and show stuff like this. It really blows customers away. This was a black MCS that I worked on over 2 years ago using only a PC. Today, I could do an even better job of course.

 

Great job on the website Chris...and the very best of luck. Your marketing & promotional skills as well as your site design and construction are evident in your finished product. "About Us" is traditional for sites whether it's one or more employees. No need to change. (Sorry Octane Guy...) What's also evident is your passion for detailing...which should win over many customers. Again...good luck!

 

Thanks for the responses.

OctaneGuy, I hear you about the "we" and "us" stuff on the site. I am still debating on whether or not to change it to all "I" and "me". I'm leaning towards leaving how it is because I do explain myself on the About Us page. Still up in the air about it.

More detailing specific question for OctanceGuy, if you notice my Silver package, I include acrylic selant (Klasse AIO) and a wax. Is the wax needed after Klasse is applied? The acrylic is what really seals the paint and protects. I am wondering if it is cost effective for me to offer a wax on top of the Klasse AIO. I do NOT NOT NOT want to skimp on quality or cut corners, BUT I don't have much experience with Klasse and would like to know if it is good by itself (for the price of that package). Like I said I am not looking to cut corners, but it is a business and I like profit .

 

I learned the Meguiar's system after having begun with Zaino on my MINI. Once I learned the process and the steps, I realized doing a high quality detail is really about:
1.) Identifying the defects correctly--thus being able to make an accurate assessment on how to rectify them.

2.) Knowing enough about which products will solve which problems, always by choosing the least aggressive solution.

With Step 1, the PC is limited to removing certain types of scratches. Clear coat scuffs, light swirls, and light etchings. Even using a more aggressive pad or chemical, the result won't be satisfactory, in fact, the paint may look worse because for instance, the W7006 Cutting pad causes the paint to get foggy when used on a PC instead of a rotary, even though it's Meguiar's most aggressive foam pad but is intended to be used on rotary not a PC.

With Step 2, if you stick with the professional paint cleaners, you will find that for 90% of the cases or maybe even more, that M80 or M83 will solve all your problems. M83 is about twice as aggressive as M80, but it has different properties, making more difficult to work with. M80 is easier to use, will require more passes than M83, but on the other hand, has polishes similar to #7 Show Car Glaze, such that you can go directly to wax after it.

Soooo, to make a long story even longer, with the Meguiar's system, you use
1.) Paint Cleaner like M83 or M80--dual purpose Polish & Paint Cleaner
2.) Wax to seal it in like NXT Tech Wax on the Consumer line or M21 on the Pro side. I prefer Synthetic Polymers over Carnauba. They are easy to apply and remove, last a long time, and offer a super slick, high beading surface.

Ok one more thing.

When we detail a car we, and after washing:
1.) Inspecting the finish. If it feels rough to the touch, we use Clay Bar to remove the bonded Above Surface contaminants. Once you've done that, any pre-existing wax protection is now gone as well.

2.) Now you can deep clean the paint using a paint cleaner, which removes stains and blemishes within the paint. This also polishes out the surface removing swirls and fine scratches.

3.) Now we gotta seal that with a wax--it's your choice

For quick and easy jobs, sometimes you want to combine steps 2 and 3, with one product, so that's when you pull out M66 Quick Detailer--a cleaner wax for low cost production jobs.

With all that said, I've never used Klasse, so I'm not familiar with their system. But I can show you plenty of eye opening before and afters using this process, and Meguiar's Professional products are still a niche product line, that most customers have never heard of them. The important "customer tip" is to say, they've been around since 1901! And they are then like "ooooh cooool".

I would pose your question over on SCG, as there are bound to be other detailers who are familiar with the Klasse system.

 

I've heard that owning a MINI causes stuff like this to happen! I think you've got a great plan and hope you can be successful!

My daughter did the same thing when she was going to college. She did spend a lot of time doing interiors and most of her customers raved about how clean the inside of the car was along with the outside.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for all the good luck and to OctaneGuy for the invaluable experience and tips. I'll be around more over at SCG with plenty of questions I'm sure. I'm still waiting on my package of stuff from autopia. Hopefully it will be here by Wednesday.

I unfortunately discovered Meguair's Pro line after I ordered my Sonus stuff. It looks like the Pro stuff is mroe geared to business owning (higher concentration and bigger quantity). I'm pretty confident that Sonus will deliver tip-top results as well.

'Til later.

-Chris

 

What's up Chris. Being from LI, I understand the needs of the people out here, and I think your business is a great idea. The only thing I can think of, is like, in the winter, a lot of us have our outside water/pipes turned off to prevent pipe freezing, so do you only do work at the customer's place? Just wondering. I love to wash my car myself, but when the time comes that I need some detailing done, I will definetly get in touch with you. I've even bookmarked your homepage.

Good luck to you!

 

Chris, don't worry about the Sonus vs Meguiar's. It's more about technique than the products themselves. Learn the techniques well, and you can use any system after that. It all boils down to the same steps of cleaning the paint and protecting it.

As for Apoptosis point, it's a good one and you may have to work with something like this.
http://pakshak.com/protectall-qew-32oz.html

Since detailing is more than just washing, this will allow you to use a minimum of water-less than a bucket full, and 1 oz of this product to get the car clean. Then you can proceed with the detailing steps.

They claim it won't scratch the finish, but what they MIGHT be claiming is that the product itself won't, but they may not be talking about the dirt and grime you are dragging across your finish as you wipe it down. Anyways, I've used the product a few times. The reason to use it is when you don't have access to water--you can wash the car in the garage. You just apply it with a sponge, mitt or MF towel, then dry it immediately. No rinsing needed.

Richard

 

Thanks for keeping me in mind apop .

FINALLY, the weather is starting to break on LI this weekend. I am finally going to be able to get after my Mom's minivan (it makes me cry when I see it, hasn't been washed in like 4 months ) and my girlfriend's old car, an early Ford Taurus with deliciously disgusting purple paint. Those are my two before and after projects. Can't wait to get started!

Oh and I neeeeed to give the Mini a bath, all that salt and sand looks gross.

 

carry a polariod camera with you. take a photo of the customer's finished car, put your business name, number on and sign it. then, give it to the customer when you're done. they can see how pretty their car was when you detailed it and will call you when it is dirty again. you could give them a discount with the picture/card.

dan

 

dan- we use digital cameras in our era.

 

chris- the first step to sucess is listening to veterans (whether you agree or
disagree to what they say is up to you) and you sure are doing that well.
good luck. i think you're going to do very well.

 

Thanks for the support everyoen