wash,clay and seal detailers??? NO WONDER PEOPLE FLIPP WHEN YOU TELL THE $350 $450

DanaDetailingPros

DanaDetailingPros

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Lately I have been watching allot of smaller You tubers talk/advertise there wash & clay sealant package! I can't wrap my head around it? And these are NOT NEW CARS! Even on a new car I at least use a light polish like Essence. Then I will apply a ceramic spray of some sort. Lately been really liking the Adam's advanced spray. Easy on and off! But has any of you guys seen theses random detailers lately. They have 3-400 videos and maybe once using a buffer:wowwow:
My Clay and Seal Package - Tony's Professional Touch - YouTube
Exterior Detail with a Clay and Seal Package - Top Class Detail - YouTube
I can understand it if the car is regular maintained after a full enhancement or correction. But this is a common $250 package on cars that have never been previously detailed on most occasions.
 
Do you think the price is too high

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DanaDetailingPros said:
Lately I have been watching allot of smaller You tubers talk/advertise there wash & clay sealant package! I can't wrap my head around it? And these are NOT NEW CARS! Even on a new car I at least use a light polish like Essence. Then I will apply a ceramic spray of some sort. Lately been really liking the Adam's advanced spray. Easy on and off! But has any of you guys seen theses random detailers lately. They have 3-400 videos and maybe once using a buffer:wowwow:
My Clay and Seal Package - Tony's Professional Touch - YouTube
Exterior Detail with a Clay and Seal Package - Top Class Detail - YouTube
I can understand it if the car is regular maintained after a full enhancement or correction. But this is a common $250 package on cars that have never been previously detailed on most occasions.
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Taking a short cut in this instance seems funny to me.

No paint correction at all ?!

:wowwow::wowwow:
 
I can't understand this approach either but they're satisfying customers.

Remember folks, it isn't what we want, it's what the customers want. I'm happy with 90% of my customer's paying me for what I would do to my car on their's. And it's done right.

If these guys/gals are getting $100-$125 an hour more power to 'em.
 
Paul A. said:
Remember folks, it isn't what we want, it's what the customers want. I'm happy with 90% of my customer's paying me for what I would do to my car on their's. And it's done right.

If these guys/gals are getting $100-$125 an hour more power to 'em.
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This part. I mostly do coating but sometimes I get people that want a good exterior cleaning with solid protection and don’t want to pay for even a light polish so a wash, clay and seal meets their needs. I also start at $135 which seems like a far cry from the prices the OP is seeing.

I can only speak for my area but I can’t think of anyone that offers this starting at $250, which is criminal in my opinion. For me, $250 is what I charge for an exterior detail with a gloss enhancement but to each his own. If people are willing to pay, more power to them.
 
Like mike p always said, they dont know a difference between a swirl or a squirrl.

That 2nd guy has no method to his clay process. Hes just rubbin that bar every which way. So many things wrong with these hack jobs imo.

They are making a killing half assing it...but most people see clean and shiny, they dont see swirls.

I wonder what they would charge for a paint correction. Me personally, i do try to make more "per hour" doing a paint correction/ceramic coatings than compared to doing more basic exterior/interior details.

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I was asked monthes ago what I'd charge to do polish and ceramic coating on an SLK AMG, black and without seeing it. He said the paint was in pretty good shape. Well everyone sees things differently and I said $500. I'd be providing all the products, including the coating (Gyeon Pure EVO) and doing Chem decon/1 step and good tire/wheel cleaning, protecting and dressing, only the best products used here.

Once I sent him the txt he said "he'd get back with me", the 2nd time I heard him say this. This guy has a bottle of "ceramic coating" that he goes around telling people he uses instead of paying hundreds of dollars to have it "ceramic coated"

Now last year I washed/clayed/1 stepped his buddy's Volvo 544 and we didn't talk price, he offered me $350 and I said that's too much (he bought lunch) and I gave him $50.00 back, so IMO the charge of $500 wasn't out of line IMO

Live and learn...oh did I mention he owns 10 cars, 3 are basically DD's.

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Klasse Act said:
I was asked monthes ago what I'd charge to do polish and ceramic coating on an SLK AMG, black and without seeing it. He said the paint was in pretty good shape. Well everyone sees things differently and I said $500. I'd be providing all the products, including the coating (Gyeon Pure EVO) and doing Chem decon/1 step and good tire/wheel cleaning, protecting and dressing, only the best products used here.

Once I sent him the txt he said "he'd get back with me", the 2nd time I heard him say this. This guy has a bottle of "ceramic coating" that he goes around telling people he uses instead of paying hundreds of dollars to have it "ceramic coated"

Now last year I washed/clayed/1 stepped his buddy's Volvo 544 and we didn't talk price, he offered me $350 and I said that's too much (he bought lunch) and I gave him $50.00 back, so IMO the charge of $500 wasn't out of line IMO

Live and learn...oh did I mention he owns 10 cars, 3 are basically DD's.

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500 was not out of line at all, Fair pricing for vehicle size and work performed imo.

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opie said:
500 was not out of line at all, Fair pricing for vehicle size and work performed imo.

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$500 for a 2/3 year coating is a steal. There’s a handful of people around me that would charge $600 but most start and $700 and some even as high as $1200. If someone thinks $500 for a properly done coating is too high they should stick to Auto Bell.
 
Optimus Grime said:
$500 for a 2/3 year coating is a steal. There’s a handful of people around me that would charge $600 but most start and $700 and some even as high as $1200. If someone thinks $500 for a properly done coating is too high they should stick to Auto Bell.
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Haha. This is not my day job/career. I will say that in my area i think im fair. Could i charge more? Im sure i could but im happy with what i get for work performed. I feel most places charge way to much for coatings, And upsell them as end all be all. I do not do that. I know everyone that ive done work for. And i tell them maintenace is key. Ive even told a couple ppl that wanted a coating...hey ill take your money but a coating is not for you. They dont hand wash it enough, so its a waste of thier money. I cant in good concious price gouge folks, or take their money when i know its not the right product, especially when i know them.

Im a buck or two more than 5 (depending on size)for a 1 step polish and coating job(mohs evo is my go to), with all the proper steps that go along with it. I dont chase every defect, unless im getting asked to and compensated for it, cuz im about a getting that perfect balance of correction/finish with also preserving the most amount of clear.

Ive even recently told a person or two when it comes to paint corrections,"hey if the vehicle is already clean, itll save you some money". In the end itll save me time too. Cuz i can jump right into a clay after a quick wipe down of the paint. I dont have to pisss around with washing everything, and then making sure its dry and not leaking water in all the cracks and trim pieces.

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Optimus Grime said:
$500 for a 2/3 year coating is a steal. There’s a handful of people around me that would charge $600 but most start and $700 and some even as high as $1200. If someone thinks $500 for a properly done coating is too high they should stick to Auto Bell.
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Try Australia, some dealers charge $2,000 for ceramic coating for new cars.

When asked what ceramic coating process includes and what material is used, they have no clue. All they know is - $2,000

I don't blame hem, I blame ones paying that price without knowing what for and why.
 
While it may seem outrageous to offer/perform a wash/clay/seal (without a polish), you'd be surprised at how many people I've offered that to, that love the idea, the price point, and the results. I typically only offer it on cars that are already swirled, as the great majority of people really want 'clean and shiny'. The clay step adds 'smooth' to the equation, and I've come to realize that people like slick paint. On some of these cars. I've pointed out the obvious imperfections, and when the additional cost of a polish is brought up, most of them balked at it.

In my limited experience, the percentage of car owners who really want perfect, or near perfect, paint is very, very small.
 
opie said:
Haha. This is not my day job/career. I will say that in my area i think im fair. Could i charge more? Im sure i could but im happy with what i get for work performed. I feel most places charge way to much for coatings, And upsell them as end all be all. I do not do that. I know everyone that ive done work for. And i tell them maintenace is key. Ive even told a couple ppl that wanted a coating...hey ill take your money but a coating is not for you. They dont hand wash it enough, so its a waste of thier money. I cant in good concious price gouge folks, or take their money when i know its not the right product, especially when i know them.

Im a buck or two more than 5 (depending on size)for a 1 step polish and coating job(mohs evo is my go to), with all the proper steps that go along with it. I dont chase every defect, unless im getting asked to and compensated for it, cuz im about a getting that perfect balance of correction/finish with also preserving the most amount of clear.

Ive even recently told a person or two when it comes to paint corrections,"hey if the vehicle is already clean, itll save you some money". In the end itll save me time too. Cuz i can jump right into a clay after a quick wipe down of the paint. I dont have to pisss around with washing everything, and then making sure its dry and not leaking water in all the cracks and trim pieces.

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It looks like you and I think the same. My philosophy on coatings and my prices seem damn near identical to yours, especially about being up front with customers about how a coating is not the best choice because of their lack of diligent maintenance. I’ll gladly take their money is they insist but I’m very clear that if the coating fails it’s not an installer problem but a “lack of maintenance by the customer” problem.
 
Optimus Grime said:
It looks like you and I think the same. My philosophy on coatings and my prices seem damn near identical to yours, especially about being up front with customers about how a coating is not the best choice because of their lack of diligent maintenance. I’ll gladly take their money is they insist but I’m very clear that if the coating fails it’s not an installer problem but a “lack of maintenance by the customer” problem.
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Yes sir, exactly!

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The guy in that second video doing that hammered gloss black Escalade, I don’t know how you get away with not putting a buffer to that thing. Oh my word.

My exterior details assume an AIO and customers are always blown away. I haven’t ventured into the cheaper options because the cheaper I go, the worse customers I seem to draw.

The more I charge and the higher caliber my work is, the more pleasant and level-headed my customers are.


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Eric7810 said:
The guy in that second video doing that hammered gloss black Escalade, I don’t know how you get away with not putting a buffer to that thing. Oh my word.

My exterior details assume an AIO and customers are always blown away. I haven’t ventured into the cheaper options because the cheaper I go, the worse customers I seem to draw.

The more I charge and the higher caliber my work is, the more pleasant and level-headed my customers are.


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I get it. Ultimately it's what the customer wants and as someone mentioned early, most people just want a shiny vehicle and aren't willing to pay for anything beyond that. I live in a rather affluent area for my city and every week I see a new neighbor bring home a luxury vehicle and they let them go to hell. Either they don't ever wash it or a $20 wash from Auto Bell is good enough for them.
 
Danube said:
Try Australia, some dealers charge $2,000 for ceramic coating for new cars.

When asked what ceramic coating process includes and what material is used, they have no clue. All they know is - $2,000

I don't blame hem, I blame ones paying that price without knowing what for and why.
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From time to time I'll call other detailers and shops to find out what they charge for coatings just to make sure I'm charging a fair price which I always do. One shop I reached out to about six months ago sent me a text for their Labor Day "deal". They were offering a 3 year coating for $1000 to the first ten people that booked which normally costs $1800. I was shocked for 2 reasons. First of all, $1800 for a three year coating is highway robbery and I only charge $750. The other reason is that when I first contacted this shop a 3 year coating was $1600 so they've jacked their prices up $200 in the span of 6 months. Add to that the yearly maintenance wash ($200-$400/year) that is required to maintain their warranty and you could easily end up paying close to $2500 for a 3 year coating. These are the people that give coatings a bad name.
 
Eric7810 said:
The guy in that second video doing that hammered gloss black Escalade, I don’t know how you get away with not putting a buffer to that thing. Oh my word.

My exterior details assume an AIO and customers are always blown away. I haven’t ventured into the cheaper options because the cheaper I go, the worse customers I seem to draw.

The more I charge and the higher caliber my work is, the more pleasant and level-headed my customers are.


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Worse customer in that they want you to work for almost no pay or worse customer in that getting payment out of them dang near requires highing Quido to collect it?
 
Optimus Grime said:
From time to time I'll call other detailers and shops to find out what they charge for coatings just to make sure I'm charging a fair price which I always do. One shop I reached out to about six months ago sent me a text for their Labor Day "deal". They were offering a 3 year coating for $1000 to the first ten people that booked which normally costs $1800. I was shocked for 2 reasons. First of all, $1800 for a three year coating is highway robbery and I only charge $750. The other reason is that when I first contacted this shop a 3 year coating was $1600 so they've jacked their prices up $200 in the span of 6 months. Add to that the yearly maintenance wash ($200-$400/year) that is required to maintain their warranty and you could easily end up paying close to $2500 for a 3 year coating. These are the people that give coatings a bad name.
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Wow aint that some shitt! Absolute nuts. Its a shame more folks dont do some reasearch

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