People are funny...

[jarred767]

I was out working at a job this morning in the middle of nowhere at a mobile home (sometimes I wonder how these people find me and how they decide they have the money to pay for a detailer). The neighbor drives by in his mid '90's F-150 that doesn't look likes in been washed in years and scratches all down the side from driving through countless brushes and trails. (A work/farm truck). He rolls his window down and asks:

How much to wax my truck?

Me: well, it depends on exactly what you'd want done.

Him: I want it to look brand new.

Me: (gulp) ok... well... a full paint correct to remove all the scratches and then get a good coat of protection on it would be at least a days work, probably more, and be at least $400-500, but I could definitely do less if you didn't want to spen-

Him: never mind, I'll get it done next year when I go to Mexico. (Then sarcastically) good luck with your business! (as he speeds off and throws a cloud of dust over the car I'm working on down this dirt road).



Yeah, people are funny.

 

[Heisenberg]

Some people have a hard time when they don't hear what they expect to hear.

The majority of people just don't place value in a detail in the hundreds of dollars, so it's to be expected.

 

[House of Wax]

Every time I read a story like this it makes me so glad I don't depend on detailing to put food on the table

 

[DetailKitty]

You are too nice.....

When he said "I want it to look new" I would have responded...

"Take it to your nearest dealership and trade it in. Then it will look new" :laughing:

 

[SKorch630]

I've learned very quickly that people expect way too much for way to little. I did an introductory price when I started my business 2 months ago, and I got a lot of people, but one lady scoffed at the fact that her vehicle wasn't done to her expectations for this introductory price. People are very funny... I told her, to have the job you want done, it would take me an entire day, and be 3x the cost.

 

[FUNX650]

Bob

 

[mwoolfso]

For the sake of lessons-learned.....

I would have asked him how much he wanted to spend after you gave him that "full-day $400-$500 comments". Consider that he didn't ask you for a full correction. He asked for "wax" and "like new".

Wouldn't a wash, clay and and cleaner wax have fit the bill?

 

[Ricorocks]

This stuff is foreign to most, but they see a shiny car, & think that would be nice, but reality sinks in with dollar sign. Lot's of people think were a little crazy, for all the attention we give our rides. They may envy, for a moment, then it's back it's just to get from A to B, & not worth the effort.

 

[dcjredline]

I highly doubt a cleaner wax and no amount of washing would make that description of that truck look any where near like new.

 

[Audios S6]

I highly doubt a cleaner wax and no amount of washing would make that description of that truck look any where near like new.

He probably would have been content with a pile of holograms from a compound and wool pad. But, better to just let that one pass. I'm sure a $40 craigslist detail will make him a happy man.

 

[jarred767]

It was an odd situation, and honestly, there wasn't an ounce in me that really wanted to back and do the job, so I was completely fine with the outcome of the conversation.

Every time I read a story like this it makes me so glad I don't depend on detailing to put food on the table

huh, not my thoughts at all, I love the fact that my business is the sole provider for my family. It keeps me going for more and I love it! There's always people out there that won't pay my price for a detail, but there's plenty that are more than willing to. I haven't had any income from anything else for the last 7 years and my wife has been a stay at home mom for the last 3 and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you put in the work, detailing can give you a rather enjoyable lifestyle. Pretty much no way I could go back to working for someone else now, but to each his own.

You are too nice.....

When he said "I want it to look new" I would have responded...

"Take it to your nearest dealership and trade it in. Then it will look new" :laughing:

Yeah, I am probably too nice, I'm quite glad he said no actually, I probably wouldn't have been too happy with my quote had he accepted. Dodged a bullet there. :xyxthumbs:

For the sake of lessons-learned.....

I would have asked him how much he wanted to spend after you gave him that "full-day $400-$500 comments". Consider that he didn't ask you for a full correction. He asked for "wax" and "like new".

Wouldn't a wash, clay and and cleaner wax have fit the bill?

I tried, but he just blatantly cut me off and made the Mexico comment and then took off. He specifically said to make it look new - not "like" new - but it's true, he probably would have been happy with a wash, clay, cleaner wax. However, I'm sure a quote for that wouldn't have fit his liking either. Letting him get it done in Mexico is more than fine with me, and after the 1000 mile trip back it would probably need some fresh work done anyway, although I'll be more than fine if I never see the truck again :dblthumb2:

He probably would have been content with a pile of holograms from a compound and wool pad. But, better to just let that one pass. I'm sure a $40 craigslist detail will make him a happy man.

I'm sure there's a few guys on craigslist in town that would jump all over the option to "detail" it. Not my target market, so more than happy to let than pass on through.

 

[runrun411]

You're very fortunate to be able to support your family doing what you enjoy. I'm just a hobbyist but it seems like it's tough to detail cars for a living. With all the craigslist detailers out there. What are the magic words you use to get people to pay so much for a detail? I recently had a co-worker tell me he'd pay me 40 dollars to detail his car. I'm still speechless about it but you guys on this forum know what I thought.

 

[dcjredline]

I think tons of people interchange detail and wash. I always try to kindly correct people and tell them that for $40 all I can do is W&W their car not detail it and explain the diff.

 

[Calendyr]

This stuff is foreign to most, but they see a shiny car, & think that would be nice, but reality sinks in with dollar sign. Lot's of people think were a little crazy, for all the attention we give our rides. They may envy, for a moment, then it's back it's just to get from A to B, & not worth the effort.

That reminds me of a friend of mine.

Last year he purchased a new Toyota Matrix AWD.

So when he told me that, I told him I could give him a hand to apply a sealant to his paint while it's new.

He said "Well, there a good and bad things about applying a sealant to my car... I think I will pass".

Completelly puzzled I asked him what bad things there were about paint sealants.

He said "I would need to take time to do it" ROFL!

So he never did. That little conversation made me realise that probably a lot of people don't care at all about their cars.

That's fine with me, I just work for people who do care

 

[Calendyr]

I think tons of people interchange detail and wash. I always try to kindly correct people and tell them that for $40 all I can do is W&W their car not detail it and explain the diff.

Some people understand the difference and they are the ones calling us. I think people who don't understand the difference come to our websites, look at the prices, have heart attacks and end up at the hospital

I should really do a section on my website explaining the difference between an automatic car wash, a touchless automatic car wash, a hand car wash and a detailer.