Fair price to charge to take wheels off?

[PaulMys]

Geez, am I the only mobile detailer that doesn't make $100/hour or think that mobile detailers should make $100/hour? My wife saves people's lives. She doesn't make $100/hour.

Many professions are WAY underpaid IMO.

Unless you can figure out hedge funds and how to swindle our money on Wall Street. Lol

 

[sudsmobile]

Many professions are WAY underpaid IMO.

Unless you can figure out hedge funds and how to swindle our money on Wall Street. Lol

I don't think you or anybody else would suggest my wife is underpaid. But she doesn't make $100/hour on STRAIGHT TIME.

 

[PaulMys]

I don't think you or anybody else would suggest my wife is underpaid. But she doesn't make $100/hour on STRAIGHT TIME.

Nope. Wasn't suggesting a thing. Just stating my opinion.

 

[MattPersman]

Just taking them off and cleaning them ? Or are you coating them.

You are in business you have to consider more than just your time. Cost of the equipment to remove them. Yes you have it likely paid for many moons ago but it’s still a cost. What if something fails on this job and you need to buy another 400 impact wrench to use over the next x amount of years. Gotta factor that equipment into each job you use it

Second if you are coating, polishing, sealing you gotta factor that in. Sure it’s 40 bucks or less in carpro Dlux if you went that route or probably 5 bucks in polish compound whatever

I don’t see 100 bucks out of line. Most places will charge you 15-30 bucks to merely rotate your tires. No cleaning no additional. Just remove and install. That’s the easy part.

some folks may spend 3-4 hours on the wheels and wheel wells. Some may blast it through in 30 mins. You know the task and you know yourself of how you are going to do the job.


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[Pats300zx]

I gave up on removing wheels as part of details. There is just to much liability for me. The risk of damaging a wheel, having the client blame you if the wheels aren't torqued properly etc. If I had a lift I would consider it but for now I can get them just as clean as if I took them off. The only thing is that it makes it difficult to coat the inner barrels.

 

[Eldorado2k]

You are in business you have to consider more than just your time. Cost of the equipment to remove them. Yes you have it likely paid for many moons ago but it’s still a cost. What if something fails on this job and you need to buy another 400 impact wrench to use over the next x amount of years. Gotta factor that equipment into each job you use it



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Ehh, IMO that’s sort of a stretch... I think a better way to look at things would be like {Ok Mr. customer, you’re paying me to buff your vehicle which results in paint correction/removal of swirls & scratches, polishing the paint, and applying protection aka wax. So not only are you charging for that, but you’re also charging for the fact that if he were to want to DYI he’d be looking at quite an investment if he were to use the top level equipment & products that you have at your disposal. Just try buying the polisher I use and that’s $400 dollars just to start with. Thinking about it like that and translating it to the customer if he doesn’t already know can really help tilt the negotiation in your favor}.

And then there’s the whole skill thing that sort of makes you good and knowledgeable at detailing.. I dunno about you, but have you ever seen someone who’s far from a natural at cleaning/washing/detailing a vehicle? I’ve seen some atrocious basic car care technique from otherwise competent people. I’m sure I’m not the only 1 who knows what I’m talking about.. It’s interesting to witness, and makes you feel proud that you really do provide great service.

 

[Heisenberg]

ITT: OP asks for thoughts and argues with or is skeptical of almost every response in one way or another.

 

[sudsmobile]

ITT: OP asks for thoughts and argues with or is skeptical of almost every response in one way or another.

I asked a specific question. I don't care if you're too scared to take off wheels. And I'm getting ready to address the last response about charging $100. Because I didn't say $100 is out of line, in fact, I said I was thinking that amount was in line with my thoughts already. I specifically addressed the person that said (paraphrased) "if it only took an hour. Otherwise you need to charge more." I don't believe there's anything about this work that demands a salary of $100/hour.

But, hey, thanks for your input, it's as good as a lot of other input received in this thread.

Oh, and I believe the word you were looking for is dismissive. I'm not being skeptical, I'm being dismissive.

 

[sudsmobile]

Just taking them off and cleaning them ? Or are you coating them.

You are in business you have to consider more than just your time. Cost of the equipment to remove them. Yes you have it likely paid for many moons ago but it’s still a cost. What if something fails on this job and you need to buy another 400 impact wrench to use over the next x amount of years. Gotta factor that equipment into each job you use it

Second if you are coating, polishing, sealing you gotta factor that in. Sure it’s 40 bucks or less in carpro Dlux if you went that route or probably 5 bucks in polish compound whatever

I don’t see 100 bucks out of line. Most places will charge you 15-30 bucks to merely rotate your tires. No cleaning no additional. Just remove and install. That’s the easy part.

some folks may spend 3-4 hours on the wheels and wheel wells. Some may blast it through in 30 mins. You know the task and you know yourself of how you are going to do the job.


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I don't see $100 as out of line. Reread what I wrote. The customer pays for your tools for sure, but each customer is not paying the freight for like 10% of your tools. Buying tools is the cost of doing business. It's like credit card processing. You don't charge the customer for that. That's there for the convenience of the business (you might be too young to even know about taking bad checks as a business) and to make your business more attractive to customers.

 

[RTexasF]

Although I never liked to do this due to the labor and research to torque the wheels properly it was $25 per wheel, no exceptions. The liability is another factor......

Well, just to be clear, I'm doing it. It's not even a question. I was just asking about a fair price, not wanting to get a lot of input on your worst fears of all the bad things that could happen.

Kinda abrasive for someone asking for advice aren't you? Sorry, I won't offer you my input again with your snippy attitude. :nomore:

 

[sudsmobile]

Your advice was fine. You answered the question but also added that liability was a factor. That is a perfectly acceptable response. If you choose not to reply to me in the future, that's your choice. I honestly couldn't care less, you're not going to hurt my feelings. The fact that you thought it necessary to make that last post tells me that was your intent. If you find my original response "abrasive", I probably don't want any more advice from you.

 

[sudsmobile]

Thanks to all that have replied in this thread. You confirmed my thoughts on the pricing. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't out of line in my thinking. No further replies are necessary.

 

[DBAILEY]

I have charged $100 extra for wheel off details on cars. $150 on pickups and SUVs with big wheels. I will charge another $50 for a coating other wise I will out a sealant on the wheels.

 

[DetailedByPrecision]

If you are charging 100 then its 25 per wheel.
Before you give him the final estimate/invoice please reconsider the pricing after you decide if my process fits your wheels off service.

Tools:
Jack
Jack stands
Tool and sockets to remove lug nuts
Torque wrench
Manufacturers specs for the car

Cleaning:
Pull wheel
Clean caliper, wheel arch, suspension with chemicals, brushes, steamer
Clean face and barrel of wheel
Decontamination of wheel includes clay
Polish caliper and wheel
Blow dry whole area to get rid of water
Coat caliper, wheel, plastic wheel wells

Mount:
Double check no missed areas
Carefully remount wheel without scratching the rear lip
Put on lug nuts and locking key carefully
Tighten
Remove jack stand
Torque down with torque wrench

This is easily couple hours worth of work per corner and there are no shortcuts. I would recommend at the very least charge 200 so its 50 per corner. I started out charging 400 now its 500.

 

[RTexasF]

Your advice was fine. You answered the question but also added that liability was a factor. That is a perfectly acceptable response. If you choose not to reply to me in the future, that's your choice. I honestly couldn't care less, you're not going to hurt my feelings. The fact that you thought it necessary to make that last post tells me that was your intent. If you find my original response "abrasive", I probably don't want any more advice from you.

I assure you that in the future anyone that has viewed this and your prickly attitude will not respond. I'm proud that you want no more advice from me as you are far from worthy of receiving it. If your attitude with your customers is the same as it is with those trying to assist you then you won't last long in this business. Frankly if you are so damned smart why did you have to ask the question? Please do not respond as you have already shown your ample hind side, no more is required.

 

[Calendyr]

Well, the way I see it you can do it two ways.

1. How much does a garage in your area charge to remove and re-install all 4 wheel. For example, here it cost me 40$ to have my local garage switch my winter wheels (steel rimms with winter tires) to my summer wheels (aluminium rimms with four seasons tires). This includes the tire rotation and checking tire pressure on the wheels getting installed.

2. You charge your normal hourly fee depending on how long it will take you to do the removal and re-installation.

Those of course are the surchages, cleaning and protecting the rimms and tires is something else entirelly.

Jacking the car, installing jack stands and removing wheels would probably take you about 30 minutes and re-installing them about half of that. So 1 hour of work at most. If you have quickjacks and an impact gun, you could do it much faster.

If it was me, I would just calculate my normal time charge for the whole thing. Cleaning a wheel completelly when it is off the car can take quite a while. Especially if you clay it. This is the type of things that really depends what you are gonna do once it's off the car. So if I were you I would go in detail with the client and see what he wants you to do, then calculate how long it will take you to do that. That should give you a good idea of the amount to charge. Don't neglect product cost if you decide to clay and/or use a coating.

 

[Calendyr]

Geez, am I the only mobile detailer that doesn't make $100/hour or think that mobile detailers should make $100/hour? My wife saves people's lives. She doesn't make $100/hour.

I base my fees on a 40$/hour basis and I am one of the most expensive service in town. It really depends where you are located. In Dubai they probably don't look at your car for less than 300$ per hours LOL

All the comments from detailers saying 100$ per hour are probably in rich areas like Holywood or Silicon Valley. This is not reasonable for most of the cities in the US or Canada.

It also depends on how much competition you have, here in Montreal there is a hand wash car wash pretty much on every street corner I exagerate but I know 10 of them in my area. And of course there are the automatic car washes that are just as prolific.

So no, you are not the only one not making 100$/hour

 

[Billy Baldone]

I think 100 is way too low. I did a Porsche Macan with flat black wheels. It took me longer to clean/polish/ coat the wheels than the rest of the exreior did....