Mobile Car Detailing

somewhere were people are lazy. i would think that people on car forums like this would clean their own cars.

Knock on the doors of local business - many business owners are too busy to wash their cars.

Tip - check and see what they are driving first up - if its a rust bucket that hasn't seen a hose this side of the century then walk away and concentrate on those that have something new & shiny.

WWW.iclaenyourcarlazydog.com
The internet

Start a face book page under the business name. let your friends know about it. and before you know it your booked out three months in advance.

Keep a yearly diary. it helps with keeping track of everything.

facebook page is now up, got 500 business cards in the boot of the wagon, gonna go knocking today as boss gave me the day off.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sterling-Quality-Mobile-Car-Detailing/127155044000931?v=photos&ref=ts#!/pages/Sterling-Quality-Mobile-Car-Detailing/127155044000931

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Originally posted by JordyCharlieBoz

If your door knocking I wouldn't bother people with poo poo boxes. Me personally would slam the door in the face of a person asking if I want to pay to have my laser cleaned =P. BWM's Audi's high end commos and falcons ectect would be my target clients.

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yeah as shallow as it sounds thats just the way it is...

i went to alot of medical and dental places, ( every one had a bmw or merc, one guy even had a "911 carrera"? porsche)

but also at a few mechanics and other automotive workshops

got some positive responses, some even said how much they hate having to drop off there loan/company cars during work hours to get cleaned.

quote:

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Originally posted by maxrs

Careful using truck wash on your skin, it will take away a few layers in the first day.

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what exactly is "truck wash"?

only dangerous chemicals i know of are

mag wheel acid, cracks skin, burns any cuts and can cause rashes and the like,

degreaser, dries skin immensly, yet doesn't hurt so you dont realise till your hands look like sand!

and prepwash, basically same effects as acid???

quote:

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Originally posted by maxrs

I just noticed you will clean trucks.
Truck wash is a more concentrated car wash to remove the heavier soot and oil from the diesel.

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doesnt even have to be truck wash, i spent all day using ordinary of the shelf "wash n wax" and my hands already showing sores..

i finally got a full day call.

6 NEW car details, and wash all the lot cars out the front (10)

finally enjoying the fruits of my labour!

i literally tripled todays pay (compared to, if i went to my old work today) and then some.

quote:

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Originally posted by BryanS81

Nice work!!!

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thanks! my backs pretty damn sore now though haha

well its been exactly 2 months since i started, so why not do a progress update....

definately learning the good and bad sides to being self employed,

the number of people that have said "expect a call from me mate" or "yeah ill probably give you a call like Wednesday or Thursday" or "mate i should get you to do my company cars soon"

and never called back, is quite frustrating, definately cant depend on every phone call i get, learen't that within the first fortnight.

as business has been slowly growing/expanding, it gave me opportunities to buy better equipment for work, like a winding hose reel, an actual pressure washer & a better vacuum cleaner...

i started off by relying on garden hose pressure to rinse cars, engines etc, which obviously looked very unprofessional, and an el-cheapo vacuum cleaner that i had to empty after every car i did otherwise suction was nil....

also came up with new ideas to get more business, and keep the customers even happier... like unique hole punches, get an inside + out clean or more, get one hole punch, when you have 3 you get a free inside and out clean,

and air freshener, something i didn't even think of until about 2 weeks ago, it costs me like $5 or something, ive sprayed it in over 10 cars and theres still plenty left...

and is anyone familiar with swirl marks? left from a buffing machine?

well after buffing my first car, i quickly learen't, that the pad i bought from autobarn leaves HORRIBLE marks, but can be taken care of just fine with some extra attention in the swirl removing procedure, which i normally didn't even bother with if the car was white/silver...

ive forgotten my camera to take pictures of customer cars literally atleast 40% of the time... and ive now got 81 photos on the facebook page..!

and last but not least, starting your own business is HARD! its so stressing!! one week i make very comfortable money (for my age anyway) another week i dont even hit $100!! but to top that off, its also the timing that really doesn't help, some weeks ill go to Thursday without a single job, then Thursday and Friday will have enough work to make the whole week affordable no problem...

and since ive decided to keep the EL wagon, (which was due to me realising how little its worth) i may as well run it into the ground then upgrade. luckily mum has a spare car, that i can use if i ever had to stop driving the wagon unexpectedly...(rodeo)

so the company car upgrades have started... getting tyres white walled in trade for a free clean on my friends car.. did an FG style paintjob that cost $28 worth of paint,

some may think it looks tuff, some may think it looks ridiculous, but hey if your looking then ive succeeded!! company stickers with logo and phone number have just been ordered, to go with the paint.







yeah, paints permanent, but the car's value is so low it really doesn't matter...

that will probably be it, no loud exhaust, no lowering suspension etc.

and the local competition ( there happens to be another guy doing mobile car detailing, based in langwarren vic ) ive recieved some excellent feedback now that i have done two cars that were once done by him.

and even got a mid-work picture!



here are some of the "nicer" cars ive done.



^^ public customer, cut + polish, spot remove & engine clean



^^ a friends vy, Cut and Polish



^^ a friends BF ute and corolla hatch, outside wash X2



^^ a friends Honda, Cut + Polish



^^ public customer, inside + out clean, lexus





^^ a friends BA, Cut + Polish



^^ public customer, Cut + Polish & interior clean



^^ friend of a friend, Cut + Polish

quote:

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Originally posted by pj

Sterling is good to see a young guy not scared of a bit of hard work
Well done
PJ

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thanks PJ, ive just been using the old "the squeeky wheel gets the oil" saying and its been paying itself off! i dont mind the hard work and constant driving! this is the real working world!