Standard vs Cutting Corners

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mosin55

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I have been looking around comparing exterior detail packages.
I have seen ones on the forum that do really good work and charge about $120-200 There exterior package includes:

Wash
Clay
One Step
Glass
Dress Tires

Now, where I am they will charge about the same amount, but skip the one step. I assume they are trying to maximize their profits and use a quick wax and shoot the car out the door. (Also, all these places are around the same median income.)

I want your guys opinion if these places are being fair or trying to make more money. I would like know what the standard is vs cutting corners.
 
A one step is not standard. My Paint enhancement on a small car starts at $225. I do the Levi gates 30 minute method with UNO and BeadMaker. Most of my customers want a true one step paint correction. That starts at around $400 on a small car
 
Billy Baldone said:
A one step is not standard. My Paint enhancement on a small car starts at $225. I do the Levi gates 30 minute method with UNO and BeadMaker. Most of my customers want a true one step paint correction. That starts at around $400 on a small car
Click to expand...

I agree with the above. Big difference between a one step enhancement and a one step correction. One involves going over the car quickly with a product that fills and leaves behind a little bit of protection while another is much more time consuming and it does involve a separate stage for protection in most cases.

To be quite honest.... even the term "wash" means different things to different people. Car dealership offers free car wash all the time but I would never take them up on it. I witnessed their so call washing process first hand while I was waiting for my vehicle to come out of the service bay once. I was horrified.

The only way to tell is to visit such shops and observe their process.
 
psnt1ol said:
I agree with the above. Big difference between a one step enhancement and a one step correction. One involves going over the car quickly with a product that fills and leaves behind a little bit of protection while another is much more time consuming and it does involve a separate stage for protection in most cases.

To be quite honest.... even the term "wash" means different things to different people. Car dealership offers free car wash all the time but I would never take them up on it. I witnessed their so call washing process first hand while I was waiting for my vehicle to come out of the service bay once. I was horrified.

The only way to tell is to visit such shops and observe their process.
Click to expand...

How much do you charge for a one-step exterior detail?
Could you please help explain this article. Arent they doing at least some correction?
 
mosin55 said:
How much do you charge for a one-step exterior detail?
Could you please help explain this article. Arent they doing at least some correction?
Click to expand...

in the article... Mike was referring to a "Machine apply one-step cleaner/wax" or an AIO which is exactly what i was saying about going over the car quickly with a product that fills and leaves behind a little bit of protection. The amount of corrections is limited to a shinier car. If you have heavy swirls then you get shinier swirls. If the vehicle is a light color and has soft paint with very little to no light swirls then its possible to achieve a lot with this. Its not that common for a light color vehicle that has soft paint with little to no light swirls. LOL

The term "paint enhancement" is a relatively new term and it does differentiate from paint correction. A one step paint correction can take up to 3-4 man hours to complete (sometimes more if the vehicle is large). A one step enhancement can take up to 1 or 1.5 man hours and it is also vehicle dependent.

I hope this helps.

BTW... The paint enhancement method Billy uses is on youtube. Levi Gates is one of the main guys at "The Rag Company". Check it out and you will see what I am referring to.
 
Often times my approach to a customers vehicle will be based on my knowing whether or not they are a ‘car guy’. You can get a feel for someone as you talk to them about their car.

If I start down the road of discussing with a customer the difference between a ‘paint enhancement’ and a ‘one step’ I will often confuse them.

It’s always a dance. I want the more high dollar job, but have to ask about their expectations without talking over their heads using what is to their ears meaningless detailer jargon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Eric7810 said:
Often times my approach to a customers vehicle will be based on my knowing whether or not they are a ‘car guy’. You can get a feel for someone as you talk to them about their car.

If I start down the road of discussing with a customer the difference between a ‘paint enhancement’ and a ‘one step’ I will often confuse them.

It’s always a dance. I want the more high dollar job, but have to ask about their expectations without talking over their heads using what is to their ears meaningless detailer jargon.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You hit nail on the head !!!!

One do often have to level set the expectation with the client.

reality.jpg
 
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