Pricing for Car Wash.

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Maestro Sam

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For those that detail for a living, how much do you guys charge to hand wash a vehicle? My price is $25 and takes me about 1-2 hours depending on the condition. Just got off the phone with a customer and after telling him that my basic wash was $25, he was shocked. What yall think?
 
Well I don't do it for a living buy your price is spot on IMO. I charge based on the size of the ride. I also do a full cleaning of the tires and wheels as well and always dress the tires. I will clean the jams and rinse them down with my 2 gallon hand pump. I guess you have to ask them, do you want someone with loving hands cleaning their ride or a machine that could damage the paint, hopefully they think about it and reconsider their surprise.

I would also upsell a spray wax as well!
 
I don't do it for a living but just as extra cash. I won't wash a car unless I've previously clayed it and applied a sealant. With that being said, I charge anywhere from $40-75 depending on the vehicle.
 
I washed over 160 cars last month -- Hand Wash, dry and wipe down the wheels for $5 each at a car dealer. -- I Rinseless Wash private customers cars for $10 to $15 according to how dirty. I am always busy. I never have a slow day unless it rains
 
Maestro Sam said:
For those that detail for a living, how much do you guys charge to hand wash a vehicle? My price is $25 and takes me about 1-2 hours depending on the condition. Just got off the phone with a customer and after telling him that my basic wash was $25, he was shocked. What yall think?
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I think your crazy at 25.00. Mimium 40.00 and up,are you Mobile?
 
There are many factors that go into pricing a car wash:

Mobile or shop (Overhead)

Material Cost

Vehicle Size

Process

Time

*****What you actually consider a wash******

For me, a wash is a rinseless wash followed up with Ultima WW+ as I dry (spray wax or Opti Seal for an upsell), wheel faces cleaned, tires scrubbed and dressed, wheel wells cleaned, door jambs wiped down.

FYI....if you`re taking 2 hours to do a wash for $25, you really need to examine your process.
 
CarolinasFinestDetailing said:
There are many factors that go into pricing a car wash:

Mobile or shop (Overhead)

Material Cost

Vehicle Size

Process

Time

*****What you actually consider a wash******

For me, a wash is a rinseless wash followed up with Ultima WW+ as I dry (spray wax or Opti Seal for an upsell), wheel faces cleaned, tires scrubbed and dressed, wheel wells cleaned, door jambs wiped down.

FYI....if you`re taking 2 hours to do a wash for $25, you really need to examine your process.
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My process is fine, along with my detailing. Maybe I might need to examine my price. Let just say I guess my wash is more detailed then your process, hence taking longer. But I agree, I might need to examine my prices.
 
Klasse Act said:
Well I don't do it for a living buy your price is spot on IMO. I charge based on the size of the ride. I also do a full cleaning of the tires and wheels as well and always dress the tires. I will clean the jams and rinse them down with my 2 gallon hand pump. I guess you have to ask them, do you want someone with loving hands cleaning their ride or a machine that could damage the paint, hopefully they think about it and reconsider their surprise.

I would also upsell a spray wax as well!
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Yea, thats what I was thinking! I usually dry the car using a quick detailer. Great advice!
 
nothingface5384 said:
Yeah somethibg like 45 for spray wax
Won't take you any more time, and will aid in drying
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Already doing that. Just wanted to see what others were charing for a basic wash!


Real Riders said:
I washed over 160 cars last month -- Hand Wash, dry and wipe down the wheels for $5 each at a car dealer. -- I Rinseless Wash private customers cars for $10 to $15 according to how dirty. I am always busy. I never have a slow day unless it rains
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Damn thats a lot of cars and seems like your charging less than me!

GSKR said:
I think your crazy at 25.00. Mimium 40.00 and up,are you Mobile?
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No not mobile. I think 25 is a great price but some people say its to much for a hand wash lol.

briarpatch said:
25.00 if it's a Smart Car
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LOL!
 
Quick detailers are going the way of the flip phone...6oh wait, they ARE gone. I only make WW and RW pre-wash, both do what QD's used to do.

Sent from my LGLS990 using Tapatalk
 
Your in a tough spot being that you are brick and motar.you need the washes for client retention.for the people that think 25.00 for a hand wash is expensive avoid that kind of clientele if all possible,you will never upsell them.I would just stick with the 25.00 price point so you don't lose the clients that you have now and are willing to pay.
 
Maestro Sam said:
For those that detail for a living, how much do you guys charge to hand wash a vehicle? My price is $25 and takes me about 1-2 hours depending on the condition. Just got off the phone with a customer and after telling him that my basic wash was $25, he was shocked. What yall think?
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Lets do some math.
lets say you average 1.5 hours per vehicle.
9 hour day you could do 6 vehicles a day if they were lined up and you did not stop.
At $25 you make $150 a day.
Subtract your costs of chemicals and cleaning your towels etc.. and that's not enough IMHO to call it a living. You would be working yourself to death. As far as the guy being shocked at the price; did he think it was too much, or too little?
I'm just starting out, but for exterior only I start at $65. Those who think that is too much are not the clientele I'm targeting.
 
bill110 said:
I'm just starting out, but for exterior only I start at $65. Those who think that is too much are not the clientele I'm targeting.
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What exactly do you do for $65? And not even a quik vacuum of the interior..
 
CarolinasFinestDetailing said:
There are many factors that go into pricing a car wash:

Mobile or shop (Overhead)

Material Cost

Vehicle Size

Process

Time

*****What you actually consider a wash******

For me, a wash is a rinseless wash followed up with Ultima WW+ as I dry (spray wax or Opti Seal for an upsell), wheel faces cleaned, tires scrubbed and dressed, wheel wells cleaned, door jambs wiped down.

FYI....if you`re taking 2 hours to do a wash for $25, you really need to examine your process.
Click to expand...

Also where you live!
 
Not to mention the customers are probably waiters,so there is a capacity restraint promblem.
 
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