Pricing for specific vehicles....

[Sonic Pilot]

Do any of you professional detailers up-charge, or charge a different rate for work done on an "exotic" car like a Lambo, Ferrari, or perhaps a "showcar"?

There are certainly detailers that exclusively cater to this market I'm sure. But, I'm asking about the detailer who mostly does daily drivers.

There are 2 ways I suppose one could think about this. One is to say that what should it matter what kind of car you are detailing? The processes are the same right?

Another point of view is to say that these cars are extremely expensive, and a screw-up would also be extremely expensive to correct or repair. So, due to the additional risks, you adjust pricing accordingly. Ideally, there should be no screw-ups. However if one does occur, you could on the hook for some serious expenses. Does your business insurance account for this possibility?

 

[Eldorado2k]

Do any of you professional detailers up-charge, or charge a different rate for work done on an "exotic" car like a Lambo, Ferrari, or perhaps a "showcar"?

There are certainly detailers that exclusively cater to this market I'm sure. But, I'm asking about the detailer who mostly does daily drivers.

There are 2 ways I suppose one could think about this. One is to say that what should it matter what kind of car you are detailing? The processes are the same right?

Another point of view is to say that these cars are extremely expensive, and a screw-up would also be extremely expensive to correct or repair. So, due to the additional risks, you adjust pricing accordingly. Ideally, there should be no screw-ups. However if one does occur, you could on the hook for some serious expenses. Does your business insurance account for this possibility?

Insurance isn’t going to cover any of your screw ups... As far as charging more for something exotic? Well you can think of it this way.. If a person can afford a 40’ RV that must’ve cost upwards of $100,000 thousand dollars, why should you be the one getting nickel & dimed if he thinks having it detailed or washed & maintained should suddenly be cheap to do? It costs thousands of dollars to properly maintain an RV the same way it does to maintain a Ferrari.

There’s generous rich folks out there, but for every one of them there’s the cheap ones who want to nickel & dime the part of maintaining their vehicles looking perfect. It boggles the mind.

You certainly aren’t out of line if you decide to charge more for basically the same job simply because it’s an exotic vehicle... You have to convince them on the value of your services. That’s the #1 goal and it’s not always as easy as it sounds because some rich people are surprisingly cheap. Don’t be the fall guy..

As far as daily drivers that can make you kind of nervous to maintain? Try a brand new 1 of these. It’s new, it’s big, it’s black, and it can be tedious to maintain because if you slip up and make a mistake oh boy there’s nowhere to hide. You have every right to charge more.

And if anyone ever brings you a Hummer, especially 1 with this ridiculous roof rack you should immediately hit them with a high price because there’s no way to properly detail it unless that stupid roof rack comes off. It took 2 ladders and 3 guys. And once you get it off you have to have the wingspan of Shaquille Oneil to reach the center of the roof! Lol.

 

[Dan Tran]

I charge more for those kinds of vehicles. The reason is because, in my experience with dealing with these ones, the owners tend to be more pickier of what they are looking for.

There are more intricate areas to look out for also. Even going from Honda’s to Mercedes-Benz, I am more careful on the “leather” door panels etc.

Then jumping into classic cars, you are now taking more time because some parts are more scratch sensitive then modern cars.

So again, yes I charge more due to the time and process I personally use.


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[dcjredline]

Id think an exotic while being "harder or more intricate" would generally already be cleaner than a DD would be. For ME its about the current condition and the time it will take me to get it to the point Im happy. The badge on the front has nothing to do with it. Ive not done anything real exotic yet just for full disclosure.

 

[sudsmobile]

I don't. I think it's basically unfair to penalize somebody for being successful. Who are you, Robin Hood?

 

[Calendyr]

To answer your question, I think it's a matter of time and product needed, not a matter of what you are working on. So would I upcharge someone because his car is a Ferrari? No. Would I upcharge him if he wants me to spend twice as long as I usually do doing the work? Absolutelly.

On a daily driver, I aim for about 90-95% perfection for most of the work I do. This allows me to have packages with pre-determined pricing. If I get there and there is a major issue I know will take a lot of time, I have a little wiggle room in my calculated time for each package for 1 issue on each vehicle. So if there is only one, I don't upcharge. If there is more than one, I ask the owner if he wants me to spend more time correcting the issue and cut down on less important aspect of the detail to make up the time, or if he prefers to pay an extra to fix the issue and have the rest done as I normally would.

You should have a clause in your contract that allows you to bill some extra over the estimate in case something you had not expected happens. I allow for 2 hours of extra work in the contract at 40$ per hour. I have not had to use it yet, I pretty much always spot the major issues when I inspect the vehicle and when I do miss something, it's usually quick to fix so I have not felt I needed to overcharge from the estimate price. But it's in there so I am covered if something goes wrong.

 

[Sonic Pilot]

Some interesting comments so far. Keep 'em coming!

 

[sudsmobile]

Did you read the question? LOL

 

[Sonic Pilot]

At the moment, I am of the opinion (and this could change) that one should not be charged more simply because they have an expensive car. Unless that particular car requires some unique or special skill, service or products not typical for most other detailing jobs. Or, if the customer requests some additional or unique services.

 

[RTexasF]

At the moment, I am of the opinion (and this could change) that one should not be charged more simply because they have an expensive car. Unless that particular car requires some unique or special skill, service or products not typical for most other detailing jobs. Or, if the customer requests some additional or unique services.

True for the most part. I had a Range Rover to deal with one time that had every type of grill guard, light guards, tail light guards, every type of African jungle protection that existed. This thing never even saw a muddy road but those areas were all but impossible to reach. Due to that and the time involved I charged them a Princely sum and they paid it. No guilt here friend, it was bugger to work on.

 

[Sonic Pilot]

True for the most part. I had a Range Rover to deal with one time that had every type of grill guard, light guards, tail light guards, every type of African jungle protection that existed. This thing never even saw a muddy road but those areas were all but impossible to reach. Due to that and the time involved I charged them a Princely sum and they paid it. No guilt here friend, it was bugger to work on.

That is perfectly justified! This particular vehicle required "particular" attention and significantly more time and effort. Totally makes sense. So long as the client is advised, this is absolutely and understandably justified. That would go for any vehicle that requires such attention.

The point in my original question was meant to be "is there any justification to up-charging exotic vehicles, and if so why?"

One could most certainly up-charge anytime there is additional work required beyond what the standard service provides. But that goes for any vehicle and is not exclusive to exotic cars. At least that's what I am thinking at this point.

I think the same could be said for "Show-Cars". If your standard services meet the needs of the client, then that's what they should receive and be billed for. If this type of client is demanding some sort of special or unique services, then the rate charged needs to be commensurate with the services.

On the other hand, there may be a significant difference in pricing if the detailer has achieved a certain reputation for his quality of work. His reputation and local market forces will dictate what he can charge, and the sky is the limit in some cases I would imagine!

 

[Calendyr]

You can charge what ever you want. The client will decide if he wants to pay it or not. If you feel that working on an exotic car requires a surcharge because of the cost that would occur if you damage something, that is your decision. As for your base price, that is entirelly dependant on your market and your clientele. If you are so busy you have to turn away work, then for sure, raise your prices. For me, what the car is makes no difference. Of course it is more fun to work on nice cars but in terms of price, I don't see a reason to charge more.

 

[LSNAutoDetailingLSNAutoDetailing is verified member.]

Interesting topic... While it is true that some would say, paint is paint. leather is leather (except for MB Tech)... I view it as yes, the exotic will be more expensive than a Camry for a whole HOST of reasons beyond the car alone. As Dan Tran pointed out, more intricate angles and more detail... i.e. But I think the cost comes into time, competence, confidence and where your business model is at.

There are more specialized tools required, and somewhat higher skill level. If the vehicle has air inlets that run through the doors or quarter panels feeding into the engine bay (rear/mid engine) you will definitely need a small tool and small pads to get those areas, such as the Rupes iBrid Nano, pads, and Rupes Creams. But know enough of what you can safely get and not safely get.

Mid engine vehicles show off their prowess as a crown jewel through some kind of glass... You have to make sure that area is in show-car ready condition.

I don't view the typical C300, E430, BMW5 Series or Ghibli etc as anything different than a really nice, typical daily driver, thus I don't think that's what your asking here. I'm assuming your asking about Ferrari's, Lambo's, Porsche's... Then yes, if you have reached the level where that is your clientele, you are probably no longer charging the rates you normally would for a 2004 PT Cruiser. Remember some of these cars are only number "x" of so many made. These types of cars are going up in value as demand increases.

At this point of your detail business, if you're doing super cars, you've set prescience, probably work by referral, and are competent, confident and highly knowledgeable about the paint systems on these vehicles and what works best. You probably have a reputation that precedes you from dealers and traders in these exotics.

Typically this won't be a wash-n-wax special.. There will be correction, coatings, possible off wheel polishing and coatings. Maybe the owner is taking it to a concourse?
And don't forget, low number, low mileage super-cars aren't all about being driven. Sometimes it's just to hold onto until the demand goes through the roof, then it's auction time. So the owner will be looking for something more than "curb appeal."

Yeah, when you add all the factors up... as you can see, it's more than just "the car." it becomes the fact that YOU are the "trusted resource" to handle that vehicle and deliver what the client, and potential future owners of that vehicle expect.

 

[Sonic Pilot]

Interesting topic... While it is true that some would say, paint is paint. leather is leather (except for MB Tech)... I view it as yes, the exotic will be more expensive than a Camry for a whole HOST of reasons beyond the car alone. As Dan Tran pointed out, more intricate angles and more detail... i.e. But I think the cost comes into time, competence, confidence and where your business model is at.

There are more specialized tools required, and somewhat higher skill level. If the vehicle has air inlets that run through the doors or quarter panels feeding into the engine bay (rear/mid engine) you will definitely need a small tool and small pads to get those areas, such as the Rupes iBrid Nano, pads, and Rupes Creams. But know enough of what you can safely get and not safely get.

Mid engine vehicles show off their prowess as a crown jewel through some kind of glass... You have to make sure that area is in show-car ready condition.

I don't view the typical C300, E430, BMW5 Series or Ghibli etc as anything different than a really nice, typical daily driver, thus I don't think that's what your asking here. I'm assuming your asking about Ferrari's, Lambo's, Porsche's... Then yes, if you have reached the level where that is your clientele, you are probably no longer charging the rates you normally would for a 2004 PT Cruiser. Remember some of these cars are only number "x" of so many made. These types of cars are going up in value as demand increases.

At this point of your detail business, if you're doing super cars, you've set prescience, probably work by referral, and are competent, confident and highly knowledgeable about the paint systems on these vehicles and what works best. You probably have a reputation that precedes you from dealers and traders in these exotics.

Typically this won't be a wash-n-wax special.. There will be correction, coatings, possible off wheel polishing and coatings. Maybe the owner is taking it to a concourse?
And don't forget, low number, low mileage super-cars aren't all about being driven. Sometimes it's just to hold onto until the demand goes through the roof, then it's auction time. So the owner will be looking for something more than "curb appeal."

Yeah, when you add all the factors up... as you can see, it's more than just "the car." it becomes the fact that YOU are the "trusted resource" to handle that vehicle and deliver what the client, and potential future owners of that vehicle expect.

Wow, that really puts things into perspective for me. Yea, I now can see where it may be justified to charge a premium for the kind of service required on one of these exotics. That totally helped, thanks!

 

[Dan Tran]

Interesting topic... While it is true that some would say, paint is paint. leather is leather (except for MB Tech)... I view it as yes, the exotic will be more expensive than a Camry for a whole HOST of reasons beyond the car alone. As Dan Tran pointed out, more intricate angles and more detail... i.e. But I think the cost comes into time, competence, confidence and where your business model is at.

There are more specialized tools required, and somewhat higher skill level. If the vehicle has air inlets that run through the doors or quarter panels feeding into the engine bay (rear/mid engine) you will definitely need a small tool and small pads to get those areas, such as the Rupes iBrid Nano, pads, and Rupes Creams. But know enough of what you can safely get and not safely get.

Mid engine vehicles show off their prowess as a crown jewel through some kind of glass... You have to make sure that area is in show-car ready condition.

I don't view the typical C300, E430, BMW5 Series or Ghibli etc as anything different than a really nice, typical daily driver, thus I don't think that's what your asking here. I'm assuming your asking about Ferrari's, Lambo's, Porsche's... Then yes, if you have reached the level where that is your clientele, you are probably no longer charging the rates you normally would for a 2004 PT Cruiser. Remember some of these cars are only number "x" of so many made. These types of cars are going up in value as demand increases.

At this point of your detail business, if you're doing super cars, you've set prescience, probably work by referral, and are competent, confident and highly knowledgeable about the paint systems on these vehicles and what works best. You probably have a reputation that precedes you from dealers and traders in these exotics.

Typically this won't be a wash-n-wax special.. There will be correction, coatings, possible off wheel polishing and coatings. Maybe the owner is taking it to a concourse?
And don't forget, low number, low mileage super-cars aren't all about being driven. Sometimes it's just to hold onto until the demand goes through the roof, then it's auction time. So the owner will be looking for something more than "curb appeal."

Yeah, when you add all the factors up... as you can see, it's more than just "the car." it becomes the fact that YOU are the "trusted resource" to handle that vehicle and deliver what the client, and potential future owners of that vehicle expect.

That’s everything I wanted to say in a nutshell. Thanks Paul.


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[Justin at Final Inspection]

I don't typically upcharge just due to the type of car. But I do usually end up with a more expensive job because those owners want a more thorough job completed, coatings, wheels off service etc.

For instance I have a F430 spider in the shop. It's getting corrected, top tier coating, fabric coating on the top, leather coating on the seats, wheel off service and full frontal Xpel PPF.

Now here's where the risk of working on these cars comes into play and maybe you or I should upcharge. The car went to my buddies shop for the Xpel. The car had a couple old strips of PPF behind the front wheels that needed to be removed. My buddy started removing it and low and behold it tore some clear coat off down near the bottom of the fender. Now my buddy is on the hook for fixing it. Due to the design of the front end. Both fenders are connected so both need to be resprayed along with blending into the door. Also because of the design the fenders need to be removed in order to remove the headlights. What would be a straight forward repair is now something much more complicated.

Now this could happen on any car but it does prove that everything on these exotics is more money.

 

[Belo]

Just my .02. Not a rich guy, but if I'm buying a package from you, I'd be pissed that you might charge me more because you think I can afford it. Now if I want show car results, then that's the package I'd buy. I'd honestly think it might even be a favor for you and your website to detail my lambo and post pics. I'm sure they'll get a lot more attention than the Honda CRV you did yesterday.

Treat me right, do a good job and if I'm a rich ####### I would probably tip you. I'm in the market for a C7 vette. A stingray new is ~$60k but it's a beautiful car. I can afford that car, but that doesn't mean I'm rich either. It might just mean I really like cars and would like a vette over a trip to Europe. know what I mean?

 

[Belo]

As other mentioned, another way to think about this is size and of course condition. What's going to be quicker a Porsche 911 that is not a DD and garaged, or a suburban DD?

 

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Just my .02. Not a rich guy, but if I'm buying a package from you, I'd be pissed that you might charge me more because you think I can afford it. Now if I want show car results, then that's the package I'd buy. I'd honestly think it might even be a favor for you and your website to detail my lambo and post pics. I'm sure they'll get a lot more attention than the Honda CRV you did yesterday.

Treat me right, do a good job and if I'm a rich ####### I would probably tip you. I'm in the market for a C7 vette. A stingray new is ~$60k but it's a beautiful car. I can afford that car, but that doesn't mean I'm rich either. It might just mean I really like cars and would like a vette over a trip to Europe. know what I mean?

Great point of view. As some would say it's also a benefit to you the customer having a skilled detailer work on your car. I guess it can go both ways. But me personally I don't charge more because it's a exotic.

 

[Farmallluvr]

For the most part I charge on vehicle condition although I may squeeze a bit more out of exotics but not a huge amount ,not having many exotics around here I'd prefer to be the guy to do them.

BUT that only applies for an average detail/precondition and I am not you g to spend 3x the time on an exotic when I can do 3 Chevys in the same amount of time for more money,after all time is money in business.

Although I don't do detailing as a side business any longer that's still how I feel about,although I have been considering opening my own shop