Another "How much would you charge" (Out of curiosity)

[Juniorss]

So I posted some pics in the show n shine section of a wash I did yesterday. It's a GMC Sierra 1500 that was driven through the snow and salt we had here last week. The products used were

Meguiars Hyperwash
Meguiars APC
CG Snow foam
Meguiars spray wax
I didn't apply tire shine but normally would

It took me about 2 hours to do it all, I tried getting every last bit of salt off the truck. I even sprayed the underside of the truck as best I could. The inside is mint so I didn't bother touching it. Now I'm not trying to make this a career as I usually work 60+ hours a week, but I wouldn't mind washing a fellow car enthusiasts vehicles. Im on Long Island which is one of the most expensive places to live so keep that in mind. I also have local $20 car washes but Im sure you guys know how the cars come out from those types of places (all around the emblems still dirty, wheel wells filthy, wheels half done, etc).

 

[TTQ B4U]

I only do this part-time on the weekends for extra play money. I don't do just washes or clean ups like that but overall, my target is $50-$65/hr range for the work I do put in. My prices may be a bit lower than those that have a shop and do it full time of course but mainly because they have standing as a full time shop. Similar a car dealers prices vs for sale by owner situations.

On the above, IIRC this was your relatives car, but if it were a customer who didn't want to approach things from a paint correction perspective, I would likely have approached them with a basic clean up package for $195.

• Full Wash and clean up including door jambs wiped down
• Iron-X
• Nano Sponge
• AIO / Cleaner wax with a green pad, etc. machine applied of course; mainly to remove road grime and provide seasonal protection, windows cleaned, trim/tires dressed.

That's a good size vehicle with some tough spots but overall that's about what I charge. I do 1-2 of these per week just word of mouth in the summer and have averaged 1 per week here in the winter only because I'm busy with some home projects. These are easy money really and while customers and expectations vary, tons of people really just enjoy a car that looks and feels clean and has protection on it.

Of the above the first 3 steps would take me 1.5-2hrs tops on that truck. The rest is pretty easy too considering it wouldn't involve corrections. I use CarPro Essence which costs a little more but does a fantastic job and will help fill in swirls on top of helping clean and polish things. I then top with CarPro Reload or perhaps Collinite 476. Both can be done quickly and with our weather 476 will last a long while.

Hope my thoughts prove helpful. Not everyone may agree with my approach or may have a different view but that's okay. Whatever works for each of us while serving happy customers is what it's about. I works for me as most of the people who bring me a vehicle for this type of service have been so impressed that they either have brought me a referral / another customer or another vehicle for a much more intense correction.

 

[VR8]

I read the original post to say this was just a wash? Minimum of $50. If you can do that in 2 hours by yourself, that's movin'. Nicely done.

 

[Juniorss]

Thanks guys for your input

I read the original post to say this was just a wash? Minimum of $50. If you can do that in 2 hours by yourself, that's movin'. Nicely done.

Id like to call it a mini detail wash lol. IMO I wouldn't touch a "wash" like this for under $50 a hour, but I was wondering how out of line that is. I feel like most people would balk at a price like that unless they really understood the process.

For example, my Corvette when its dirty, I can wash in 30-45 min. I wouldn't mind doing that for $40-50. However the truck is twice the size.

 

[briarpatch]

I got through a 'salt removal' wash on my Tundra CrewMax in about 2-3 hours, and it is similar in size to that truck. I was moving fast because I had my wife's Sequoia to do after that...another 2-3 hours. I'd say that vehicle you did is worth every penny of 50.00.

 

[LEDetailing]

Given your cost of living and the income of others in your area. Minimum of $75 upto $125 for your 2 hr clean up.

Nice fleet you have. Pains me to see a Corvette parked in the driveway

 

[Juniorss]

I got through a 'salt removal' wash on my Tundra CrewMax in about 2-3 hours, and it is similar in size to that truck. I was moving fast because I had my wife's Sequoia to do after that...another 2-3 hours. I'd say that vehicle you did is worth every penny of 50.00.

$50 for that wouldn't be worth it to me. Unless that was per hour

Given your cost of living and the income of others in your area. Minimum of $75 upto $125 for your 2 hr clean up.

Nice fleet you have. Pains me to see a Corvette parked in the driveway

Thats right along the lines of what I was thinking, considering the income of the area and surrounding towns. Like I said, I have a full time job working 60+ hours a week so this isn't my main source of income. That also gives me the advantage of picking and choosing my work, and making it worth my time on the ones that I do.

And thanks. I've had her brand new since late 2012, she only has 9k miles.

 

[GSKR]

So I posted some pics in the show n shine section of a wash I did yesterday. It's a GMC Sierra 1500 that was driven through the snow and salt we had here last week. The products used were

Meguiars Hyperwash
Meguiars APC
CG Snow foam
Meguiars spray wax
I didn't apply tire shine but normally would

It took me about 2 hours to do it all, I tried getting every last bit of salt off the truck. I even sprayed the underside of the truck as best I could. The inside is mint so I didn't bother touching it. Now I'm not trying to make this a career as I usually work 60+ hours a week, but I wouldn't mind washing a fellow car enthusiasts vehicles. Im on Long Island which is one of the most expensive places to live so keep that in mind. I also have local $20 car washes but Im sure you guys know how the cars come out from those types of places (all around the emblems still dirty, wheel wells filthy, wheels half done, etc).

In a nice contex ,I wouldn't waste my time for under 60.00 any thing less doesn't make sense.There's a upside to this maybe as they would call you to detail it in the spring.Don't be cheap on your prices but be down to earth.when I started out I was over delivering but not really being compensated for my time.so I got rid of all my wash clients and just started doing detailing only.Took about a year to fix my promblem.As of today I only wash 2 vehicles a month for 60.00 each but they look like they have been detailed after I do them.

 

[Hammer77]

I've thought about this, just as you, what would I charge. Like others I came up with about $50 for what I do to my own car on a weekly basis. Beginning to end takes about 2 hours. Where I live (smaller community) as you said people will balk at those prices. We have a local tunnel wash were you can join "The Club" for $40 a month and take your vehicle there once a day, and that place always has a line to the street. A lot of people don't respect the craft and don't know any better. I am happy for the folks who do it part-full time and have clients willing to pay for it to be done right!

 

[GSKR]

There's really a cap on just washing only.whether it's long Island or worth Ave in South fla one of the richest zip codes in all of us people are not going to pay 130.00 to wash a car.That's a really good quick way of losing people.I can see that scenario in pricing if you had a client with a 300k lamb or Ferrari that trusted nobody but you.I see everyday the same on this forum about cars only.corporate jets and private owner planes is where the money is at.yesterday I wash a jet for 450.00 it took me 4 hrs to do.Details run into the thousands on jets.Boats personally I don't like doing because of gelcoat,to much time to much labor and product.Get in those private airports and your making money.

 

[Bill1234]

Exterior work like that by me (one of the richest zip codes in the United States) is about 110-130. I would suspect you want to earn about that considering its a bit more than 60 an hour

 

[fightnews]

I read the original post to say this was just a wash? Minimum of $50. If you can do that in 2 hours by yourself, that's movin'. Nicely done.

see this is the problem i have, a lot of people want me to do thier cars but it just takes to long. if this kid is working 60 plush hours a week then whatever work he does on cars is already automatically overtime. 50 bucks for two hours overtime. really isn't enough. i mean if its cash its prob worth it but its cutting it close. if im going to do a full job on someones car i need it for two full work days so overnight. 16 hours overtime is worth at least 500. i dont think anyone will pay that but its not worth giving up my weekend and working that hard for anything less. people dont understand how long it takes

 

[fightnews]

Exterior work like that by me (one of the richest zip codes in the United States) is about 110-130. I would suspect you want to earn about that considering its a bit more than 60 an hour

that sounds good

 

[fightnews]

i think the bottom line is it takes a lot of time and that time is pretty hard labor. you're working your butt off the whole time whether its washing a car or detailing it there's not much downtime. i feel like people just wont want to pay me what its worth. a lot of people just don't give a chit about thier cars that much. they just look at it as a utility.

 

[Bill1234]

My overall work is that if its very direct friends and family, they are free or discounted. If its clientel- then it would be in a typical price range given what is needed.

 

[Juniorss]

see this is the problem i have, a lot of people want me to do thier cars but it just takes to long. if this kid is working 60 plush hours a week then whatever work he does on cars is already automatically overtime. 50 bucks for two hours overtime. really isn't enough. i mean if its cash its prob worth it but its cutting it close. if im going to do a full job on someones car i need it for two full work days so overnight. 16 hours overtime is worth at least 500. i dont think anyone will pay that but its not worth giving up my weekend and working that hard for anything less. people dont understand how long it takes

Haha I wish I was still a kid. The thing is, I don't NEED the extra money but it would be some play money to spend on my cars. Thats why it was more of a curiosity thing. I also don't see it as "overtime" since its something I enjoy doing, and its unrelated to my regular job. However if I was only to charge $40, I'd rather spend my time doing something else.

This is what I do regularly..

Thats me up on the roof signaling the crane. A little interesting fact, if anyone remembers the crane that went down in NYC about a year ago, thats the crane three weeks before it happened. This was at a completely different site.

 

[Bill1234]

Interesting, Family is with the 731 union and was a steel king at one point and now has a pretty high level at the hudson yards

 

[Juniorss]

Interesting, Family is with the 731 union and was a steel king at one point and now has a pretty high level at the hudson yards

I haven't been over to Hudson Yards yet but I do a lot of work in NYC. That job with the big crane (luffer) was right by Rockefeller Center.

 

[KirkH]

Very interesting. I could ask you a hundred questions. But I won't hahahaha!

 

[Juniorss]

Very interesting. I could ask you a hundred questions. But I won't hahahaha!

Ask away!