Mobile Detailing Trucks

[Paulvr4]

Hello,

I was just wondering what mobile detailers out there use. Some use vans, some use pick up trucks. Do you have any recommendations? I'm starting a business this year and will be using my parents passat wagon until it gets bigger - and when that happens I'll need to invest in a truck. Any recommended ideas? I'm not familar with many of the commericial options. Please let me know. Thanks.

[travisdecpn]

Some people detail out of compact cars, as long as you have what you need, there is no reason to have a huge truck or van. Eventually you may need a truck with room for an extractor, pressure washer, and generator, but if you're just starting out you can easily get by with just the wagon.

[TexDetailer]

This is a very good question, because I keep going back and forth with the pros and cons surrounding this question.

I'm looking into going into business part time with my brother. Originally I thought of a shop, but think mobile is the way to go now. We have decided there is more potential and less overhead with mobile, but now it’s down to using the vehicles we got, or getting something to pull a trailer so that we have our own water supply? We figured a truck or SUV would be better then a VAN, so the business part of it (trailer) could be detached, leaving the vehicle for other users when needed.

Also, what do you mobile guys do for shade?

I think being mobile offers the benefit of doing client’s cars at home or work, making it an additional time saving convenience to the client, but feel having to use their water supply (if even available, what about at their work site?) is a bit unprofessional? Any further advice is appreciated.

[Paulvr4]

texdetailer:

some guys use EZ UP tents for shade. I believe supreme shine does something like this from one of the pictures I've seen.

good luck.

[DETLMAN]

I have been at this for over 10 years now and have had 5 differnt rigs with 5 different setups. The best one by a long shot is the one I have now.

What it is.

2003 ford f250 regular cab ( could be any cab configuration ) with a service body/utility bed.

Pros.

Everything is in reach from one of the compartments, you can carry everything you need and much more.

Bins are all lockable so your stuff wont just disapear.

Everything is outside the cab so the dirty rags and chemical smells arein inside the passenger compartment.

It will fit in any underground parking structure and is easy to manuver through smaller spots when there is limited room.

If you happen to overflow the water tank when filling it goes outside unlike a van.

Cons.

Nothing really, only thing I would have done different is I would have ordered the bed with the hard locable ( retractable ) cover.

I think the setup looks sharp also, maybe a little industrial for some but even at theat the look has brought a fair amount of biz all by its self. It gives the look of being a bigger company.

Mike has seen my truck, it has diamond plate on the boxes and polished wheels and tinted windows. Makes a nice subtle statment.

Here are the other vehicles I have used.

1993 dodge dakota a cab, pulling a trailer. Nice but a trailer can be a pain.

1996 chevy astro ( passenger van ) pulling a trailer, same as above

1999 chevy astro cargo van. Everything inside, they are in my opinion not heavy duty enough to carry the load and are a little tight on getting everything to fit inside in a functional manner.

2001 chevy express van 2500. this was nice but the downsides were that if you overflow the tank it got eveything wet and got a little stinky as it dried out. Also smelling the chemicals, gas and dirty rags gets old after a while. Also the equipment tends to rattle a bit and that also gets old.

Current is the ford.

I am possibly looking to sell the ford let me know if you are interested, I can sell the truck as a turn key deal for a good price.

[Superior Shine]

I have a trailer and a van. The trailer is a major hassel. The van is as Brian said. I don't like crawling into the van to get things. I like deltmans idea of the service body where everything is acessable from the outside.

[TexDetailer]

Hey DETLMAN

Drop me a note and maybe we can talk about your truck, thanks again.

[refurbish]

I personally use my 4 dr sedan for my business,
lrg. duffle bag of supplies goes in the backseat,trunk full of
plush terrycloth towels,microfibre towels,mini shop vac,
1200 watt inverter.
2 1/2 gallon sprayer ( for rims+tires ) gets seatbelted in the
passenger seat, and all the rest of misc. supplies go either
in the trunk or backseat floor area.

( not much trunk space for me,but thats what I get for having
a 2000 watt kicker box in there )

I too will get a trailer in the future as business grows,
I just started. so for now your wagon should be sufficient

[barry]

I use a 90 model mitsubishi pickup,I bought it new and its still in great shape and only has 88,000 miles on it ,a aluminuim campertop on it price of about $400.00,have a 125 gallon holding tank,bought it at farmers co-op for alittle over $ 200.00,and a internal sump pump for getting the water to the pressurewasher
price of around $150.00,bought at home depot.also my pressure washer was around $400.00 and a 900watt ac dc converter for power for your pump,buffers and vac. for about $125.00. also think about the gas prices that can be your biggest expense if you don't watch out.

[AMDin93103]

I started working at outside locations about three years ago out of the back of a 4Runner using customer water and power. My accumulation of stuff got out of control and I found myself losing time because it would not all fit, if it did it took me five minutes to dig it out. Inefficient. I started looking for another remedy.

I looked at a trailer but SB streets are so narrow that I was sure to hit something and damge my equipment. Pick-up truck looked promising but I was worried that either someone would jack my stuff or lifting it out day in and day out would grow tiresome. I looked at the utility-bed trucks but not too hard. I am not sure why. Astro's were too small and I ended up with my 2004 Express Cargo.

I love the space it has, security, and the fact that I can close all the doors with my generator/PW running and muffle the sound so the neighbors don't get PO'd. It took me about three months to get everything dialed in, I wash out of the rear doors and all my detailing rolls out the side. I went with a set-up like I have because in being somewhat new to the scene, I wasn't sure what sort of jobs I would face, have to take or be given the opportunity to work on. My van is equipped for a broad spectrum of work and areas.

That said, when I finally reserve my time for a clientele that has been with me for a duration and I am looking to sustain versus grow my rig will feature a smaller tank, all the detailing goods and will be a lot smaller than the one I have now. I will dedicate other rigs to more volume based work or work not as specialized as I personally hope to produce. When that time comes, I will buy Joes rig off him!!! That thing is sick!

HTH.

[Rollman]

Originally posted by Superior Shine
I have a trailer and a van. The traile ris a major hassel. The van is as Brian said. I don't like crawling into the van to get things. I like deltmans idea of the service body where everything is acessable from the outside so...............

Here is my dream rig. I have already spoken to the owner of the company that builds these. I can get it fully custom to exactly how I need it with shelves and compartments for all my equipment.

Fully loaded the way I want it will cost about $7,000 for the bed only. They said it will weigh about 800 pounds empty.

That's a sharp looking box , does this guy have a web site ?

[Superior Shine]

Yes, I don't have the address.

The company is " 3W TRUCK BODY" or something like that.

There is another guy in NY.

I have the info on both filed away somewhere.

[Superior Shine]

????????

[Rollman]

Originally posted by Superior Shine
Yes, I don't have the address.

The company is " 3W TRUCK BODY" or something like that.

There is another guy in NY.

I have the info on both filed away somewhere.

Thanks

[roushstage2]

There are a couple of mobile detailers around here.

One of them uses a 2003 F350 with a 8" lift, rims, huge tires, tint, flames, etc.

Another one used to use a lowered F150 with the works on it as well, altough they traded it in for a new F250.