Washing Cars in Parking Lots

[Infamous Riders]

i want to start a mobile detail business but i have a problem. i get call and all but when it come to washing the car and detailing it take me about 1 to2hrs. i see other people on the corner washing 5 to 15 cars a day. i would like to do that when i dont have any appt. so what is the trick, what do you on a corner wash and what price do you give.

[Mike Phillips]

I see guys doing this out in the desert where I live all the time, they charge around $20.00 to wash a car, dress the tires and clean he windows.

The first thing you have to do is check on the laws and regulations where you live to make sure you're not going to get into trouble doing this kind of mobile washing without reclaiming or capturing your rinse/waste water.

Just because others may be getting away with it doesn't mean you will so start out thinking ahead and check with the local authorities to see what you can and cannot do.

[SL1CK]

Havent you posted this before? Or was that someone else?

[Superior Shine]

First thing first, become a legitimate business with a business license, insurance and all.

Second train and practice your technique to deliver high quality results quickly and efficiently. Define exactly what your service includes for the money.

Low priced services such as car washing is best done with help. You could charge $25 a car and take an hour to do it yourself to put $25 in your pocket or hire a helper for $10 an hour, wash two an hour and put $40 in your pocket after you pay the help.

That is a simplified example but you get the idea.

Also, a personalized service such as an on-site hand car wash should be offered to affluent clients that value a high quality wash and their personal time.

That is who we target. We wash 16-18 vehicles on our wash days and we charge $45+ each. We can do about 2 to 2.5 vehicles per hour.

[deadlock32]

You should work on Quick Easy Washes.

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67760&highlight=qew

http://www.tauruscarclub.com/wiki/index.php/How_to_use_QEW_%28Quick_Easy_Wash%29

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=32078&highlight=QEW

basically its a method that lets you wash a care completely with out the need for running water.

You can generally do them pretty quickly and with out the risk of marring paint when you get your technique down.

[Five Star]

what deadlock says
I can wash a car in 18 minutes by myself.
and 10 minutes for a vac, windows, and dress the tires

30 minutes per car

[Jimmy Buffit]

I know this reads sarcastic, but does this thread have any weight in a 'professional' forum?

Oh, I know it occurs frequently, but, hey, 17 yo kids washing cars on the corner? Me? I think the posts should just be ignored.

I'm sure Meg's wants to sell to them, so...

But, professional?

Jim

[buda]

If you plan to wash cars or detail cars and wash them before detailing you will be violating the Federal Clean Water Act which is administered by the Federal EPA, which requires each State establish their own EPA type organization.

Each State agency then is required to have the local government agencies enforce the law.

It is a violation for waste water from car washing to go on to the ground or into the storm sewer which drain directly into the streams and rivers.

In short, my friend, you need a containment system to prevent the water from discharging into the storm drains or on to the ground.

You can buy either a vacu-boom or containment mat.

Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS

[The Garage Massage]

Berger or Steak?

Those corner guys make a quick buck and pump out a lot of cars, while a complete, true detailing takes hours up to an entire day.

To me the corner guys are like a drive-thru resterant anyone can flip you patty.
A pro-detailer is great steak resturant, by a pro chief! Seasoned to dress the customers ride.

A person who loves their car goes to a pro, all others just don't know what steak tastes like!

Sam

[derek37]

Originally posted by buda
If you plan to wash cars or detail cars and wash them before detailing you will be violating the Federal Clean Water Act which is administered by the Federal EPA, which requires each State establish their own EPA type organization.

Each State agency then is required to have the local government agencies enforce the law.

It is a violation for waste water from car washing to go on to the ground or into the storm sewer which drain directly into the streams and rivers.

In short, my friend, you need a containment system to prevent the water from discharging into the storm drains or on to the ground.

You can buy either a vacu-boom or containment mat.

Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS

You're not in violation if your water doesn't make it to the drainage system. A boom or mat is not necessarily needed.

[JerseyPTCruiser]

There was a guy I worked with that just flat out loved his truck.

It was tricked out to the nines. Anyway, he found this guy that would come to our building during the day and wash and detail the car while you worked.

They came with a utility truck with two tanks in it one for washing the other to reclaim and process the water to be used again.

Two guys spend the 4 hours cleaning and detailing his truck. he paid $100 bucks for this service. And they did everything. They clean inside the engine compartment as well. You could eat off the thing when they were finished.

So you might want to look into one of those trucks. If they had one there must be more of them.

[Superior Shine]

Two guys for 4 hours!?!?! 8 total man hours for $100!?!?

So they made $12.50 an hour each before expenses and taxes!?!?

Go figure!

[derek37]

so each guy was paid $12.50/hour. Before taxes, supplies, insurance, fuel, etc. It's folks like these that really hurt our industry. This guy with the truck and anyone he tells is going to expect that a "complete detail" (whatever that is) only costs $100.
I hate guys like that. They should charge more. They'd probable get it. But like I say, "We all know what are work is worth".
I wouldn't touch it for less the $200.

Just my .03

[derek37]

great minds think alike. And at the same time!

[JerseyPTCruiser]

Dtailing

Yeah, 12.50 an hr. That's if they are the owners of this business.

Also, I can't tell if they were legal business. They may have been under the table type guys. Unless someone questions their status the law would never check up on them.

I know that it takes me the better part of a day to do my car. From washing to detailing. And you know during the summer months if you're doing it on a Saturday you finish up just in time to take her out for a early evening run where the setting sun and city lights bounce off the finish!