How much should I charge for car clean ups?

bossmustang16

bossmustang16

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i'll try to keep this short. I offer a $35-45 package where I clean the whole car inside and out and dress vinyl and tires, do all door jambs, trunk jambs, and under the hood if customer request.. windows interior steam and everything and spotless wipedown on the outside. it generally takes me 4 hours or more to do this. am i charging enough? too much? customers are always pleased when they receive there cars just wondering if i'm charging fair rates..also now that i've got a gg da polisher i will be offering some paint correction stuff or more or less a clay, compound then polish then wax or sealant. would $150 be about fair for all that including the rest..? thanks guys new to the forum, i love it!
 
You better raise that price. I would do at least 60 for what you are telling us.
 
You will be out of business and burnt out at those prices. For everything you say your doing I charge $300+ I know every market is different. You need to look at what other detailers are charging in your area. Then go off of that.
 
Sign me up, might even let you practice with the DA on my car for that much. ;)

Sounds a bit low to me but all depends on what demographic your in. I would think $35-45 seems low for just what you are doing on the outside, not including engine compartment, about the same for just the inside. This is unless you live in B. F. Egypt, then I guess get what you can get. If you are in a metro area, maybe more once you get a customer base built up.

I have to assume that you are doing this as a side job at these prices.

Edit: $150 for a 15hr job=$10/hr
 
yea I'm a community college student and i've just kinda eased into doing this over the past few years and its really picked up this past year. its become a passion of mine that i love doing so much and god is providing me plenty of clients, often more then i can get to during the school year since i wait tables at night during the winter and school year. my dad sells car and most detail shops are charging him between $150-225 but they are doing hack jobs, leaving terrible swirl marks with rotary buffers that are noticed immediately after a rain, makes me sick!! but we are in a bit of a rural small town not incredibly BF egypt but small
 
Your talking 9-11.00 an hour gross. Now subtract your overhead what are you really making? I don't know your situation or demographics. I can tell you if I were doing this for a living I would want to make more money than that.
 
and i've just been thinking i'm not charging enough for what i do because i'm making more money waiting tables doing half the work lol but i don't wanna price myself out of business..
 
I would try to have it priced at 100 dollars at least for what you are doing. Thats alot of for 45 dollars
 
I can't wait to show dad what a real clean up looks like with my GG DA, it comes in tomorrow! so excited!! I can't wait to do my first 50/50 shot.. although idk how i'm gonna capture it on my phone
 
bossmustang16 said:
I can't wait to show dad what a real clean up looks like with my GG DA, it comes in tomorrow! so excited!! I can't wait to do my first 50/50 shot.. although idk how i'm gonna capture it on my phone
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If they are doing hack jobs at that price, they are basically worthless. You would not try to cut wood with a saw and use the saw wrong. If they cant use a rotary right, they cant doing anything else right
 
man i would love to make that doing a car! I charged a lady $100 to do her minivan this weekend. full interior detail stain removal, wipe down, windows etc (although i'm still looking for a way to get dirt and oils off of leather to make it look new again) I didn't claybar it just because she said she just wanted it cleaned up real good and waxed and its an old silver van with 150,000 miles so I don't think she's to particular.
 
bossmustang16 said:
man i would love to make that doing a car! I charged a lady $100 to do her minivan this weekend. full interior detail stain removal, wipe down, windows etc (although i'm still looking for a way to get dirt and oils off of leather to make it look new again) I didn't claybar it just because she said she just wanted it cleaned up real good and waxed and its an old silver van with 150,000 miles so I don't think she's to particular.
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not really a good way to do things. You need to at least clay when waxing. I would say that a minivan or suv should be near 130 and sedans about 110 to start. Leather can be cleaned by lexol or other brands that are good with a nylon brush
 
I usually always clay, but I could tell they wanted as cheap as possible and claying done right takes a while. I totally agree just skipped it this time only to keep the price down per customer request.
 
I think $20 an hour is fair to ask if doing this on the side while in school.. At the very least, $15 an hour.

Detailing is very hard work.

I really doubt you'll price yourself out of business if you're charging $60-$80 for a spotless steam cleaned interior and wash.
 
With the prices you're charging, customers that don't know about detailing and everything involved will think that $35-$45 is the norm for work like that
 
bossmustang16 said:
yea I'm a community college student and i've just kinda eased into doing this over the past few years and its really picked up this past year. its become a passion of mine that i love doing so much and god is providing me plenty of clients, often more then i can get to during the school year since i wait tables at night during the winter and school year. my dad sells car and most detail shops are charging him between $150-225 but they are doing hack jobs, leaving terrible swirl marks with rotary buffers that are noticed immediately after a rain, makes me sick!! but we are in a bit of a rural small town not incredibly BF egypt but small
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You're in Egypt?! where exactly?
 
Heheheh. Please don't post pictures of "where" in "Egypt". Heheheh
 
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