The Hype vs Effectiveness When You Start Your Car Detailing Business

[thebamboo23]

Are you sure what you're doing with your time is helping you grow your business?

I know there are a lot of things we can buy and spend our time on, but you need to make sure they are aligned with your main goals as a business.

For instance:
If you wanted to get more customers for paint correction, does that mean you HAVE to go out and buy every single machine, compound, polish, pad, and microfiber towel? Not at all.

Does it seem like the 'hype' items may help you? Yeah, you can easily think if you have those items you'll be better at paint correction. But that won't get you more customers.

So instead of saving money to buy the new Rupes thinking that's going to be the game changer, you need to focus on going wherever your ideal customers may be.

Laser focus
The main point to look at is to know exactly what your goal is and what you have to do to get their. Although things may seem like they're working, it may be slightly off course and will actually take you longer to reach your true goal.

What you need to do
Anytime you’re working on something, stay aware of the actual objective you are trying to achieve to not get sidetracked. You need to have something that is measurable so you know you are either going towards your goal or away from your goal.

If you’re looking for a more detailed article, click on my signature and check out the article

 

[brondondolon]

I like what you said about the need for a rupes. I happen to be one of those ppl that strive for excelence. With that said, my initial mentality when i started my detailing business was "i want to be the best therefore i need the best tools and supplies". I now know thats a stupid way to look at things. I didnt invest the majority of my start up funds into the top of the line supplies and equipment and im glad i didnt. I can do just a good of job some one with a rupes can with my PC that cost half the price. Sure its probably not as quick as the rupes but it gets the job done. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Audios S6]

Very true. Working with a PC or GG6 will make you work a bit harder to get great results, but that will make you a better detailer in the long run.

You do have to spend money to make money, but no need to go crazy - I know I'm guilty of it.

 

[PinnacleAutoCT]

Very true, there's a lot of excitement and product testing that goes on throughout detailing forums and it's easy to get caught up in that. I think most people need to stay focused on the fact that they are a business owner first and a detailer second, not to say that they don't need to be a top notch detailer (they do). The point is that some products that simplify your process, provide a superior outcome and save time are definitely worthwhile (I believe the Rupes is one of them). Others which are merely iterations of products that you already know work great for you aren't worth the time and money to try out. It doesn't really matter if you're the best detailer out there and you have every product from every product line if you don't have sales.

In the words of Mark Cuban, "sales cure all".

If most people new to the business started off with some decent, economical MF towels, ONR, a carpet and upholstery brush, tire brush, crevice brush, a quality DA (Rupes 21 or GG6), D300, M205, a few different grades of pads, a good APC (OPC, APC+), shop vac, glass cleaner and an easy to use sealant (like Optiseal) they would be well off. They could afford to ignore the myriad of other options out there, focus on developing their detailing skills with the products on hand (providing a consistent system which allows assessment of technique changes) while focusing equally as hard on the logistics of growing a business (marketing, sales, customer satisfaction). Once both sides of the business are developed they would be able to focus moving upmarket (if they chose to) into extensive corrections, coatings, etc.

Edit: Equally as important as what's listed above would be to seek a mentor who currently successfully does what you wish to do, that would be key to someone who's green to this field.

 

[brondondolon]

Edit: Equally as important as what's listed above would be to seek a mentor who currently successfully does what you wish to do, that would be key to someone who's green to this field.

Seeking a mentor is easier said then done in my area. When i first started out i reached out to the top 2 guys in my area (there are very few where i am located) and they basically gave me the "beat it kid" type of response even though im almost 30... Once I started getting customers I didnt find the response these guys gave me as a shocker. Reason being is from every customer, and i really mean every one ive had so far, has told me "the last guy i hired was super rude and did a terrible job". Im not joking when i say this either. Every customer has said something similar to that. The one guy i called to mentor me told me that he would mentor me for $150 an hour which i thought was ridiculous and the other guy said "the last thing i need is some one who doesnt know what they are doing stealing my customers" and hung up or something to that effect.

IMO if you can find a local mentor then great. Consider your self lucky. If not my advice is to go to SCORE meetings and other small business workshops as they have a ton of resources and can help a lot. That and when ever you have a business question use google and this forum.

 

[thebamboo23]

I like what you said about the need for a rupes. I happen to be one of those ppl that strive for excelence. With that said, my initial mentality when i started my detailing business was "i want to be the best therefore i need the best tools and supplies". I now know thats a stupid way to look at things. I didnt invest the majority of my start up funds into the top of the line supplies and equipment and im glad i didnt. I can do just a good of job some one with a rupes can with my PC that cost half the price. Sure its probably not as quick as the rupes but it gets the job done. Thanks for sharing.

I think that's a very common and natural way to think to be the "best"

But in reality, the product and tools have a very small part in the overall "best" services

To be the best in your area, you need to give your customer a great experience from start to finish, leave no questions unanswered, be available to your customers 24/7, etc...

Shiny paint with a bad experience is a bad detailer

Very true. Working with a PC or GG6 will make you work a bit harder to get great results, but that will make you a better detailer in the long run.

You do have to spend money to make money, but no need to go crazy - I know I'm guilty of it.

EXACTLY! The Rupes is nice to have, but the GG6 does just as good of a job... You can always upgrade later

Very true, there's a lot of excitement and product testing that goes on throughout detailing forums and it's easy to get caught up in that. I think most people need to stay focused on the fact that they are a business owner first and a detailer second, not to say that they don't need to be a top notch detailer (they do). The point is that some products that simplify your process, provide a superior outcome and save time are definitely worthwhile (I believe the Rupes is one of them). Others which are merely iterations of products that you already know work great for you aren't worth the time and money to try out. It doesn't really matter if you're the best detailer out there and you have every product from every product line if you don't have sales.

In the words of Mark Cuban, "sales cure all".

If most people new to the business started off with some decent, economical MF towels, ONR, a carpet and upholstery brush, tire brush, crevice brush, a quality DA (Rupes 21 or GG6), D300, M205, a few different grades of pads, a good APC (OPC, APC+), shop vac, glass cleaner and an easy to use sealant (like Optiseal) they would be well off. They could afford to ignore the myriad of other options out there, focus on developing their detailing skills with the products on hand (providing a consistent system which allows assessment of technique changes) while focusing equally as hard on the logistics of growing a business (marketing, sales, customer satisfaction). Once both sides of the business are developed they would be able to focus moving upmarket (if they chose to) into extensive corrections, coatings, etc.

Edit: Equally as important as what's listed above would be to seek a mentor who currently successfully does what you wish to do, that would be key to someone who's green to this field.

This is solid advice right here :dblthumb2:

Seeking a mentor is easier said then done in my area. When i first started out i reached out to the top 2 guys in my area (there are very few where i am located) and they basically gave me the "beat it kid" type of response even though im almost 30... Once I started getting customers I didnt find the response these guys gave me as a shocker. Reason being is from every customer, and i really mean every one ive had so far, has told me "the last guy i hired was super rude and did a terrible job". Im not joking when i say this either. Every customer has said something similar to that. The one guy i called to mentor me told me that he would mentor me for $150 an hour which i thought was ridiculous and the other guy said "the last thing i need is some one who doesnt know what they are doing stealing my customers" and hung up or something to that effect.

IMO if you can find a local mentor then great. Consider your self lucky. If not my advice is to go to SCORE meetings and other small business workshops as they have a ton of resources and can help a lot. That and when ever you have a business question use google and this forum.

Wow :nomore:

That's crazy! Looks like you have an upper hand for your business Im the MAN

 

[brondondolon]

Wow :nomore:

That's crazy! Looks like you have an upper hand for your business Im the MAN

I feel that way too. I feel that as soon as i get my name out there more i dont see any reason i shouldnt be able to dominate my area. Reason being is i know how to treat a customer and i know what im doing. I still have much to learn but its all a work in progress that comes with experience. I always enjoy reading your posts because the majority are pretty insightful and a person in this industry can learn something from it. Keep up the good workrops:

 

[swanicyouth]

Dunno about the anti-Rupes crowd. There is a lot to be said about a 6" blue foam compounding pad that can remove extreme defects and finish pretty much LSP ready.

If I was doing this for dollars, that is the route I'd be going.

 

[brondondolon]

Dunno about the anti-Rupes crowd. There is a lot to be said about a 6" blue foam compounding pad that can remove extreme defects and finish pretty much LSP ready.

If I was doing this for dollars, that is the route I'd be going.

I for one am not anti rupes. Basically what we all were getting at is it's not necessary to invest your initial start up money into the best most expensive equipment available when there are more important things to initially focus on. Hell I'd throw my PC out the window for a rupes lol.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using AG Online

 

[JWilliams.RadiantDetail]

I'm in this boat right now, I'm just starting out and want to get a polisher. I know I should start low like the Harbor Freight one, but I want a Flex. I'm trying to justify it by telling myself I'll get the Flex down the road so I might as well skip spending money on the HF one. But I'll probably get the HF and work with that until I have a clientele base that justifies a $400 polisher. So many things are needed, and every extra dollar you spend can add up quick.

Luckily for me I don't have "high end" money available to spend on high end equipment. lol

 

[thebamboo23]

I feel that way too. I feel that as soon as i get my name out there more i dont see any reason i shouldnt be able to dominate my area. Reason being is i know how to treat a customer and i know what im doing. I still have much to learn but its all a work in progress that comes with experience. I always enjoy reading your posts because the majority are pretty insightful and a person in this industry can learn something from it. Keep up the good workrops:

Thanks for the kind words!

Keep it up on your end too :buffing:

Dunno about the anti-Rupes crowd. There is a lot to be said about a 6" blue foam compounding pad that can remove extreme defects and finish pretty much LSP ready.

If I was doing this for dollars, that is the route I'd be going.

Oh don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful machine. But in terms of people starting their business, the ~$400 investment can go into something more useful than one machine.

Looking back at it now, I could start a detailing business with less than $150.

 

[thebamboo23]

I'm in this boat right now, I'm just starting out and want to get a polisher. I know I should start low like the Harbor Freight one, but I want a Flex. I'm trying to justify it by telling myself I'll get the Flex down the road so I might as well skip spending money on the HF one. But I'll probably get the HF and work with that until I have a clientele base that justifies a $400 polisher. So many things are needed, and every extra dollar you spend can add up quick.

Luckily for me I don't have "high end" money available to spend on high end equipment. lol

That is probably the way most people justify the price!

Get a HF or a GG6 polisher.. both will do just fine.

Do me a huge personal favor and DON'T buy the Flex... yet

Get customers, get money, then reinvest

 

[conman1395]

I'm in this boat right now, I'm just starting out and want to get a polisher. I know I should start low like the Harbor Freight one, but I want a Flex. I'm trying to justify it by telling myself I'll get the Flex down the road so I might as well skip spending money on the HF one. But I'll probably get the HF and work with that until I have a clientele base that justifies a $400 polisher. So many things are needed, and every extra dollar you spend can add up quick.

Luckily for me I don't have "high end" money available to spend on high end equipment. lol

OR get a quality machine like the Griot's Garage polisher. You'll still use it even after you get a Flex. I couldn't do a whole car with a Flex but I can with a GG or PC (or HF but those vibrate so much that my hands would hurt) because of the BP options. Plus you can use it for carpet and tires.

 

[Audios S6]

Dunno about the anti-Rupes crowd. There is a lot to be said about a 6" blue foam compounding pad that can remove extreme defects and finish pretty much LSP ready.

If I was doing this for dollars, that is the route I'd be going.

At this point you would have to pry the rupes from my cold dead hand, but it's a big investment for someone starting on a budget. Either a rupes or flex will pay for themselves quickly, but an HF polisher will pay for itself in 1-2 jobs and then pay for a rupes, at which point you can shift the HF to 3" pads for spots a rupes struggles and interior work. I think it's a natural progression starting out.

If your on a budget you can't beat a lifetime warranty from the GG6....that is, if your not using it professionally

 

[Audios S6]

Thanks for the kind words!



Keep it up on your end too :buffing:







Oh don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful machine. But in terms of people starting their business, the ~$400 investment can go into something more useful than one machine.



Looking back at it now, I could start a detailing business with less than $150.

$150, really? I thought Someone did a start-up thread a year or two back and that was about $400 for a solid set up.

Just thinking of buckets, grit guards, soap, brushes, clay, polisher, pads, mf towels, APC, multi purpose ONR, one compound, one polish, one AIO, one lsp, glass cleaner, one dressing, vacuum, and basics like hose, extension cord, inspection light, I think your well over $150, but perhaps you can trim my list a bit. I guess I wouldn't take on a job without everything I listed at my disposal.

That said, people 'detail' their own cars with a lot less than I listed.

 

[thebamboo23]

$150, really? I thought Someone did a start-up thread a year or two back and that was about $400 for a solid set up.

Just thinking of buckets, grit guards, soap, brushes, clay, polisher, pads, mf towels, APC, multi purpose ONR, one compound, one polish, one AIO, one lsp, glass cleaner, one dressing, vacuum, and basics like hose, extension cord, inspection light, I think your well over $150, but perhaps you can trim my list a bit. I guess I wouldn't take on a job without everything I listed at my disposal.

That said, people 'detail' their own cars with a lot less than I listed.

Exactly, a lot of people think they HAVE to have all the necessary items to take on a job

Which is truly not the case

My trick would be to ONLY work on interiors.

Here is what I would buy:
Gallon of Super Degreaser= ~$16
32oz bottle= ~$3
Upholstery brush= ~$8
Small brush= ~$4
Cheap MF towels from AutoZone= ~$20
Bottle of glass cleaner= ~$6
Glass towel= ~$10
Vacuum= ~$40

That's ~$107

Charge anywhere from $125 to $165 for interiors and I'm game.

 

[Scott@IncrediblyDetailed]

If you're focusing on paint correction you SHOULD have many different polishes, pads and machines even if you're just starting out. I personally have around 10-12 different polishes and many different pads because of how clear coat varies so much in hardness and softness. There have been times where I've had to try 5-6 different polishes and pads on stupid soft paint before I was able to finish out without holograms or micro marring.

It's much FASTER to have the rupes21 setup with 6.5 inch pads, the flex set up with 6.5 inch pads, GG setup with 5 inch pads, rupes mini with 3-4 inch pads when correcting a car. You're not fiddling with changing out backing plates and you have every type of pad to match to the correct workspace.

You really never know if product or tool is going to work well FOR YOU unless you try and apart of being a "professional" is having a professional process, tools and products to get the job done correctly the first time for your clients.

Honestly it's not possible to finish out all paint systems with just 1-2 polishes and 1-2 different pads. Your profits are directly linked to productivity. Buy the proper tools, products, etc. the first time so you aren't WASTING time with inefficient processes. Ask me how I know. :dblthumb2:

With that being said starting out it's not necessary to have 4 machines all ready to go but it sure is helpful and it SAVES TIME. If you're strapped for cash starting out I would pick up a flex with the interchangeable backing plate system and a PC 7424 with a 5 inch and 3 inch backing plate to change out. Then add in the rupes mini (it's a beast and very smooth to operate) and rupes 21 later on (slays flat panels).

 

[Scott@IncrediblyDetailed]

Exactly, a lot of people think they HAVE to have all the necessary items to take on a job

Which is truly not the case

My trick would be to ONLY work on interiors.

Here is what I would buy:
Gallon of Super Degreaser= ~$16
32oz bottle= ~$3
Upholstery brush= ~$8
Small brush= ~$4
Cheap MF towels from AutoZone= ~$20
Bottle of glass cleaner= ~$6
Glass towel= ~$10
Vacuum= ~$40

That's ~$107

Charge anywhere from $125 to $165 for interiors and I'm game.

I'm not sure if you're serious? Do you own a detailing business?

 

[thebamboo23]

I'm not sure if you're serious? Do you own a detailing business?

I'm serious :xyxthumbs:

What's the problem?

 

[lionshark]

^lol....uhoh. He is serious.....honestly though, having a myriad of products and tools is necessary to be great...along with the skills, technique, and know-how.