SUV Nation

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

SUV Nation


Took this picture the other day ago. I think it represent a change in the car purchasing dynamics in the United States.

I count 6 SUVs and one car.

I've read numerous articles about the death of the car. Automakers are phasing out cars in their line-up and favoring Trucks and SUVs.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Which leads to this....

At my last big 3-day class, I had 8 SUVs and 2 trucks.

Only 3 cars.


Flow Chart for February Detailing Bootcamp Class


Here's the Flow Chart for the weekend's class.

See there's 3 cars for the first training session? That's because two of them have soft tops - no place to run a polisher. So I bring in a third car. Now there's PLENTY of real-estate for each student to use and train with short stroke polishers.

Free-4-All is a class session where we go over using AIOs to do high quality production detailing, (that's one-step products), and at this point in time all the students have used, short stroke polishers, RUPES System, Griot's System and FLEX tools and now they can re-visit any tool of their choice or any tools or tools they want to spend more time with. Then after this session we have a dedicated rotary polisher class.

A number of people asked me,

Question: Why so many SUVs in this class?

Answer: Because whether you're detailing your own vehicles or detailing for money - chances are pretty good you'll be detailing SUVs.

 

[Desertnate]

The last figures I read said SUV's and trucks made up about 70% of market of new sales.

Just like your picture, I see this every day at work. From my second story window looking out across the parking lot, all I see is a sea of ginormous pick-ups and SUV's of all shapes and sizes.

I'd be curious to hear what this means for people who detail as a business. SUV's take far longer to complete and consume far more of everything, from liquids to pads. That has to have an impact on costs and the number of customers served. I did a my neighbor's two mid-sized SUV's as a side job and they easily took 16-ish hours to complete where I could do the same level of work on a mid-sized car in around 12.

 

[John U]

I'd be curious to hear what this means for people who detail as a business. SUV's take far longer to complete and consume far more of everything, from liquids to pads.

On a personal level. I'll drive the vette in rain before the minivan because of the cleaning time involved.

 

[Desertnate]

On a personal level. I'll drive the vette in rain before the minivan because of the cleaning time involved.

That and it's probably infinitely more enjoyable than any minivan, SUV, or truck will ever be.

 

[dgage]

First, that last SUV was a minivan and SUV owners hate you making that mistake. . Even though I think a minivan has way more utility than any SUV I’ve been in unless you’re one of the rare ones that will actually take a luxury SUV off-road.

I love driving cars too much to ever use an SUV on a regular basis. I’ll take quicker and better handling every day. But too many people think bigger means safer.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I'd be curious to hear what this means for people who detail as a business. SUV's take far longer to complete and consume far more of everything, from liquids to pads.

PLUS - unless the SUV is a crossover, (like the 2 SUVs I own), you have to get up and down on some kind of work platform to knock out the roof. This takes more muscle, energy and time.


My detailing packages state for full size SUV'S and trucks - an extra $300.00

 

[PaulMys]

You are right on in your thinking, Mike.

I work for a Ford dealer, and in the short time I have been there, the Focus, the Fiesta, and the Fusion have all been axed from the Ford lineup in favor of the Escape, Edge, Explorer, and now the new Bronco Sport and soon-to-come full-sized Bronco. Of course, the Mustang will still be available. But that is a marquee sports car.

Regular passenger cars are pretty much extinct now.

 

[DetailKitty]

Yup... kinda sad.
Only reason we have an SUV is for the dogs... it’s the 3rd car.
Otherwise we wouldn’t have one.

 

[PaulMys]

Yup... kinda sad.
Only reason we have an SUV is for the dogs... it’s the 3rd car.
Otherwise we wouldn’t have one.

Gee, Monica. We haven't seen your pack in the "Show us your pet" thread in some time...........



:dunno:oke:

 

[Bill D]

I'm still planning on getting another coupe for my next car if they remain in existence.

 

[FUNX650]

SUV Nation


Took this picture the other day ago. I think it represent a change in the car purchasing dynamics in the United States.

I count 6 SUVs and one car.

I've read numerous articles about the death of the car.
Automakers are phasing out cars in their line-up and
favoring Trucks and SUVs.

•IMO:
-Many man-made factors have gone towards
the creation of the current SUV craze—C.A.F.E.
requirements (for cars), being just one of them.

-And without skipping a beat...
all of the “necessary” due diligence towards
this craze has been taken up by the Marketing
and Advertising gurus.


With that advertising-manifesto in mind:
I’d like to paraphrase/plagiarize a line from the
iconic poem ’A Visit from St. Nicholas’
(aka: 'Twas the night before Christmas’):


”While visions of Patagonia danced
in their heads”;



Bob

 

[PaulMys]

“While visions of Patagonia danced in their heads”;



Bob

I've been most interested in their raincoats.

I just can't seem to find if they have one long enough to prevent the dreaded "piss down my leg and tell me it's raining" model..........

 

[Bill D]

I almost gave up on trying to find a raincoat until I saw the selection on Amazon for a very reasonable price.

 

[acuRAS82]

Things are cyclic and I’m guessing cars/coupes will make a comeback in 10 years before the last hurrah when everything becomes automated and we all sit in a robot like zombies (robots and zombies sounds like it should be way cooler than automated vehicles, right?).

So many people bought SUVs for comfort of getting in and out, and to see better on the road. But when everything is an SUV, you don’t see over the vehicles in front of you anymore. And the younger generations seem to be into health and exercise so by the time today’s 20-30 year olds are 40-50, they will be better equipped getting in and out of lower cars... plus cars will make it easier. Plus this 20-30yr old generation is statistically frugal (not all!). Cars being a bit cheaper and further distance in smaller batteries will appeal.

Ok, that’s my thought anyways, hopefully there will still be special edition cars with gasoline engines that have manual shift.

 

[FUNX650]

I almost gave up on trying to find a
raincoat until I saw the selection on
Amazon for a very reasonable price.

•Nice thinking process.
Amazon. Rain Forest. Raincoat.


Bob

 

[DetailKitty]

Gee, Monica. We haven't seen your pack in the "Show us your pet" thread in some time...........



:dunno:oke:

I thought it was a 1 and done?
Damn dude! Oh I'll post!

 

[98CayenneTA]

Went hiking today and this thread popped into my head when I returned to the vehicle.
Mine is the BMW X5 on the left and when I arrived this morning I was the only vehicle here lol.