Working with dealerships?

AutowerxDetailing

AutowerxDetailing

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Hey gang,

I have read through several threads about the pros and cons of working with dealerships for steady income... I understand it is hard work and I understand why some people don't want to get into that type of work. My goal right now is to immediately move into full time work mode with my detailing business so I am going for it... I just have a few questions for the pros who do multiple dealer cars every day.

What I am wondering is what are some tricks you pros use to blow through these volume details so you can actually still turn a profit? I typically spend about 8 hours on a full detail but I need to essentially cut that time in half to have any hope of making a decent living. The dealer only wants to pay about $100 per car... I refuse to do hack work so I am just hoping to learn some pro tips to work quickly and produce a quality turn around.

I know this is sort of a vague question: how to work faster? I guess my main question is how do you change your process to work faster for a dealer car compared to a retail customer's car? Thanks in advance!
 
:bump:

I know my questions are vague... I really don't know any other way to ask it.

Let me try to rephrase: How do I turn out a quality detail, quickly, without becoming a dealership hack? I have never worked at a high volume detail shop, nor am I familiar with any special techniques to work "faster" and still produce quality results...

Feed back please
 
Nicholas@Autowerx said:
:bump:

I know my questions are vague... I really don't know any other way to ask it.

Let me try to rephrase: How do I turn out a quality detail, quickly, without becoming a dealership hack? I have never worked at a high volume detail shop, nor am I familiar with any special techniques to work "faster" and still produce quality results...

Feed back please
Click to expand...

I am not a pro, but I would guess you need to just detail a car vs. paint correction. Use some AIO products, no clay.... Offer paint correction, engine cleaning.... and other options as upgrades to the $100 basic detail.
 
Do guys who do dealer work turn a profit? They may use the dealer money just to tread water and keep the lights on.

I wish I could help. Everyone keeps warning me to stay away from dealer work so I do.
 
I'm assuming these are mid to lower level dealerships (i.e. NOT Ferrari or Rolls Royce). So these are probably vehicles that were daily drivers run through the water blaster car wash and given the quarter machine vacuum treatment. Here are some best practice tips for knocking these out.

1. Make a list in the order you do things and stick with it: This will prevent you from doing things twice. Also make sure the list makes sense to you and has a definite logical flow to it.

2. Have a set pattern of how you wash the exterior/detail the interior: Again, this will prevent you from doing things twice or standing there for a few seconds wondering if you washed a section or not. If you follow a set pattern for every vehicle you'll always know for sure things are done and if you get distracted by something you know right away where to pick up where you left off.

3. Minimize "down" time: Probably the best example of this is waxing the vehicle. Generally it takes a good 10 to 15 minutes for wax to dry so it comes off clean with the swipe test. This is a perfect time to apply tire dressing, clean the exterior glass, dry off wheels, and anything else you need to do.

4. Organization: This goes along with having a set pattern of doing things. Have your items organized in the order you need to use them so you're not fumbling around looking for the next thing you need.
 
I wish I could help Nick, I've got no clue other than the same things you have thought of probably. All I can think is hustle hustle hustle and all in ones or filler lsp.
 
Bimmer650 said:
I am not a pro, but I would guess you need to just detail a car vs. paint correction. Use some AIO products, no clay.... Offer paint correction, engine cleaning.... and other options as upgrades to the $100 basic detail.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I agree. I have been crunching some numbers and that is the only way the math works out is by cutting out steps. Cut out clay, or maybe only clay the hood/roof/trunk. 1-step AIO with MF pads, etc.

rustytruck said:
Do guys who do dealer work turn a profit? They may use the dealer money just to tread water and keep the lights on.

I wish I could help. Everyone keeps warning me to stay away from dealer work so I do.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I keep hearing the same. My thought process is if I can lessen the time spent on each car it actually wouldn't cut into my margin so much.
 
ctgrenade said:
I'm assuming these are mid to lower level dealerships (i.e. NOT Ferrari or Rolls Royce). So these are probably vehicles that were daily drivers run through the water blaster car wash and given the quarter machine vacuum treatment. Here are some best practice tips for knocking these out.

1. Make a list in the order you do things and stick with it: This will prevent you from doing things twice. Also make sure the list makes sense to you and has a definite logical flow to it.

2. Have a set pattern of how you wash the exterior/detail the interior: Again, this will prevent you from doing things twice or standing there for a few seconds wondering if you washed a section or not. If you follow a set pattern for every vehicle you'll always know for sure things are done and if you get distracted by something you know right away where to pick up where you left off.

3. Minimize "down" time: Probably the best example of this is waxing the vehicle. Generally it takes a good 10 to 15 minutes for wax to dry so it comes off clean with the swipe test. This is a perfect time to apply tire dressing, clean the exterior glass, dry off wheels, and anything else you need to do.

4. Organization: This goes along with having a set pattern of doing things. Have your items organized in the order you need to use them so you're not fumbling around looking for the next thing you need.
Click to expand...

:props::props::props:

Great tips Number 2 & 4!!! After you have repeated something enough times in the same order your muscle memory will do it faster than your brain thinks it.
 
And that's another thing work by machine as much as possible. You'll work faster, get better results and won't use as much elbow grease.
 
I used to work at a few dealerships as the used car detailer and I can tell you this. The dealership will want the car back ASAP, the sooner it hits the lot the happier they are. Claying a used car for the lot would be a waste of your time, as would using an expensive finishing wax. The dealership I last worked for actually sent cars out to be detailed as well as doing them in house, and what I found out is that most detail shops would have a couple guys working on one car at a time, which would speed up the process.
If you are looking for volume, then I say go for it.
 
ctgrenade said:
I'm assuming these are mid to lower level dealerships (i.e. NOT Ferrari or Rolls Royce). So these are probably vehicles that were daily drivers run through the water blaster car wash and given the quarter machine vacuum treatment. Here are some best practice tips for knocking these out.

1. Make a list in the order you do things and stick with it

2. Have a set pattern of how you wash the exterior/detail the interior

3. Minimize "down" time

4. Organization
Click to expand...

Thanks! This is great advice. I have actually had "create detail checklists" on my to-do-list for quite a while now. I think this is now the perfect reason to get the ball rolling on that. I can see this being especially helpful when I have a helper on board for high-volume days.

And, you are correct. I have not toured the lot yet but this will be mid-priced auction vehicles that just need to be reconditioned and shined up enough for eBay pics and to sit on the lot/showroom. They are looking for things like black trim, shiny paint, stains removed.
 
The problem with dealer work is that dealers have no idea what is actually involved in doing a detail, as MOST people do not! You don't know how many times I have gotten the look like :wow: ARE YOU SERIOUS, $100 to clean a car and you're not even buffing it! Most people have NO clue what it takes to clean a car properly, especially dealerships! The work I do, I do it as if it's my car; this is why I could never go into business as a detailer because I care too much to not do the job right and to do the job right, won't fit into what they want to pay. I see A LOT of guys wash a car, run a wool pad over it and toss on some cheap ass wax with a TON of fillers or better yet when they hit the car with handglaze after the buff, to make sure it hides and swirls...but after a wash of two and the cars in the customers possession all those swirls from the buffer show their ugly faces!
 
When I worked at a dealer doing used car doll-ups they made me only wax from the door trim up. Never the lower halfs of the cars. Also we blew the interior out with air, vacuumed then sprayed some stuff to make it smell like we cleaned in there, didnt wipe SQUAT.
 
I worked for a reputable used car dealership, but not for long. Their only interest was to wash, wax, and a quick vacuum. They paid $75 a car and wanted me to do at least 4 cars a day - they would have preferred 6.

I offered to do one vehicle for them to show them my workmanship, and once I finished the owner came out and said that he hadn't seen that detailing quality like that in a long time. I already had my own customers lined up so I decided it wasn't worth falling into bad habits and possibly a bad reputation and I quit.
 
Im thankful for the dealer whos trade ins i do. They want it to look new. I dont have to cut corners and I make 200-300 per vehicle depending on the time it takes. And i dont polish either !
 
rustytruck said:
Do guys who do dealer work turn a profit? They may use the dealer money just to tread water and keep the lights on.

I wish I could help. Everyone keeps warning me to stay away from dealer work so I do.
Click to expand...


Bunch of young hands from W. Tn./Ms. banging out 3 cars per day.

Wheels
Engine
Wash
Cut
Wash
AIO
Seal
Extract/interior
Tires lsp

Incoming auction vehicles are less time consuming than most trade-ins, or outgoing auction vehicles.
Your initial inspection is key, kind of like a mental test spot as you're progressing through the stages.
Stay focused and put your cell on your detailing cart.
 
they dont buff they wash and wax and turn cars in 1hr tops.I have a guy that will do dealer cars for me at 35 per and the dealer loves them .
I charge the dealer 70.00 per car. So I get 35.00 the stuff to do them is only 10.00 In the end I make 25.00 per car.he will do 8 a day makes me 200.00 when I use him.
Wish I had more work for him to do.but I only get 8 to 10 a week from this dealer. But if the dealer had more work he would just get his own guy and I wouldnt get any.lol
Need more small dealers
 
I still cant get over people saying they only get $100 per car. Maybe its different here but I make a minimum of $200 per car and im cheaper than most places with more overhead.
 
master detailer said:
Need more small dealers
Click to expand...

I agree.I don't do dealers anymore...but I'm not above it if I had to.

Wayneezy said:
I still cant get over people saying they only get $100 per car. Maybe its different here but I make a minimum of $200 per car and im cheaper than most places with more overhead.
Click to expand...

Consider yourself blessed hand...sounds like you've found a honey-hole.

I could not find enough to do on a vehicle in 8 hours with out polishing.
Seems that we're both perplexed.
 
Ya i dunno like i said it might be different in canada. they want them looking new b/c if they dont they wont sell. I consider myself very lucky after reading different threads on this subject.
 
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