[Aiden.Detailing]

Hi guys so in my time of Detailing luxury automotive cars and even show cars, I've come to a conclusion like everyone else. People look obviously for the finer things in life, and as well as the best prices in life, with the Detailed/meticulous work behind it. Ok well when customers come to me and say well i want a detail to my car, i ask them what detail are you talking about, because the defintion of a detail to me, might be different to you. When quoting them i stay competitive but also ensure i cover my overhead and as well as all other aspects.
So for instence when i hear people say why do you charge so much for a maintenance wash or even to Decontamination and clay? I tell them well first we start off with cost of products, second we look at the time I'm going to spend washing it and detailing it within my "Maintenance Detail" guidelines. and last i DONT, or ever will wash your car improperly to indent or form any sort of Swirls,marring, or scratches then those that already exist if applicable. "Its cheaper at the gas station where they wash car" every time i hear that line i cringe... next time you go analyze what they do every car they wash they use the same dirty gloves and the wipe the dirt of and put it into the same soap bucket and repeat the process for the full 8-10 hours shifts they work.
When it comes to paint corrections and a full blown detail it can last anywhere from 12-40+ hours I've even heard and seen 110 hour detail jobs. SO back to pricing, when we quote as detailers we include the LABOR, and product cost, and other detailers add other cost as well if needed. When you start off by washing the car 2-3 bucket method, then dry, then decontaminate, then dry again, then clay(if needed) and dry again you already have spent a good amount of easily 3-4 hours on this, depending on how the surface is. now your are taping sensitive areas so polish doesn't damage. Now setting up the lighting and getting all compounds, and medium polishes, and final polishes set up and ready to go.
If you are doing a single stage polish then its basically removing 50-60% imperfections depending on your tools you can spend unto 12-14hours thats a fair amount of time to ensure good results anything below that you might have the customer spot something. When its a 2 stage paint correction removing 70-80% defects and are going at it with the medium polish the one that has a bit more cut but finishes nice, you'll need to go around the car completely and do a wipe at the end to remove oils and fillers, then go another round with the final polish, thats easily sometimes a 2-rolling over to a 3 day job if that. Once you go into 3 stage where its 85-95% defects almost impeccable you'll spend easily 40 hours on 8 hour days like any other normal job. But the detail is what separates us from all others.
Going that extra mile to ensure that what the customer brought you, looks magnificent and better then when it came in, is priceless when they see it and how they react. When we come to our pricing we also include any sealant/waxes/or Ceramic Coating in the price or if its to steep we try to rework with you on the topper not the work. 80% of people and i might be low balling this , when the wash they're car they spend a maximum of 2 hour-3 hours tops. thats fine but when it shows the neglect and the swirls or holograms thats when you tell yourself now i know why detailers charge what they charge. Ive got customers and majority of detailers too, that refuse to wash or let anyone else wash they're cars besides the guy or women when detailed it the first time.
Now with this all said i would love to hear any questions or feedback!!!!!! This is also my own thought but if you agree then hey more power towards us!

[lsturbointeg]

Awesome post! what can us guys do with jet black and no shade for cover do as far as products for waxing?

[1stbmwx5]

So here is the frustrating thing for me. I've never taken my car to a full service car wash-I wash it at home using the 2 bucket system. It's adult driven, never smoked or eaten in-it's almost new. There's a guy that does a few of the neighbors Lambo's and Escalades and since we're new here, he stopped and introduced himself. When I asked him how much for a detail that included claybar and wax, he gave me X price. It was reasonalbe, but then the menu came out. The price did not include the wash, interior vac, interior leather conditioner, interior wipe down, etc. The price was ONLY for the claybar and wax. How was he going to do either one without washing it first? And how was that a detail job if it did not include the interior?
Needless to say, I passed because once everything was added, the price was almost 3x's the original amount.
This has happened to me on two occasions. So to the OP, does your price ever include the wash and interior on a "detail" job or do you price it out individually? Maybe I'm just not getting it or do detailers have their own language?

[Aiden.Detailing]

Originally Posted by 1stbmwx5

So here is the frustrating thing for me. I've never taken my car to a full service car wash-I wash it at home using the 2 bucket system. It's adult driven, never smoked or eaten in-it's almost new. There's a guy that does a few of the neighbors Lambo's and Escalades and since we're new here, he stopped and introduced himself. When I asked him how much for a detail that included claybar and wax, he gave me X price. It was reasonalbe, but then the menu came out. The price did not include the wash, interior vac, interior leather conditioner, interior wipe down, etc. The price was ONLY for the claybar and wax. How was he going to do either one without washing it first? And how was that a detail job if it did not include the interior?
Needless to say, I passed because once everything was added, the price was almost 3x's the original amount.
This has happened to me on two occasions. So to the OP, does your price ever include the wash and interior on a "detail" job or do you price it out individually? Maybe I'm just not getting it or do detailers have their own language?

When i give a price it includes everything! i never just provide the service price, i include the full labor and task price. so for example and i might either low ball myself or to certain ppl they might think its outrageous. For a Clay bar and decontamination, because its two different things, a clay is to remove above surface contaminants and decontamination is to remove contamination that clay bar isn't worthy of removing. so back to the topic i charge roughly around $150-$180 depending on vehicle for this service, and i use a sealant which offers glass-like gloss, hydrophobicity, and dirt repellency of Silica Nanotechnology in a convenient spray-on, wipe-off. So this all includes two bucket wash, a wipe down in n out of windows, full vacuum and leather wipe down, as well as i apply dressing to all plastics that are applicable via spray gun attached to a air compressor so the finish is smooth and even. so overall i usually spend unto 4-5 maybe 6 hours on this task but i ensure perfection i don't settle or compromise anything to my customers because i rather work one car a day and ensure repeated business.

[Aiden.Detailing]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

Awesome post! what can us guys do with jet black and no shade for cover do as far as products for waxing?

lsturbointeg first and foremost i wouldn't waste my time with waxing it becomes to complicated it doesn't last as long and especially on black cars if u don't one wrong swipe you will have hologram galore. i would recommend these products from the best car product company i know which is Carpro USA. view link to this sealant http://www.carpro-us.com/coatings-se...l-new-formula/and or other products that will be 100,000,000,000,000 x better then wax. let me know if you are interested in it ill give you tips on how to apply it!!!

[lsturbointeg]

So better than blacklight?

[Aiden.Detailing]

Originally Posted by lsturbointeg

So better than blacklight?

i started using chemical guys product when i first started detailing and every since carpro i have never looked back watch this!

[u2b][/u2b]