Well I'm thinking of starting a summer business in a few weeks. I like cars. So I may open up a detail shop.

I already have some equipment to start up with. (vac, carpet shampooer ext). Basically I'll just have to buy some extra stuff. Clay bars, porter cable, swiss vax, stuff like that.

I plan on going around to some of the detail shops and seeing how much their prices are and go according to that to see how much to charge.

I could print up some 3 fold brochures with my location, name, number and prices on there and put them under windshield wipers at walmart and other places.

My friends mom used to own her own detail shop, so I plan on asking her for advice on many subjects, however I would like to know what the members here think.

I'm open to any ideas/suggestions that you have. Helpful input will be greatly appreciated.

Even if you have a link to how to proceed about detailing a car better I'd be open to look at all new ideas and learn as much as possible.

 

My son and one of his buddies tried this once. To make along story
short, they failed miserably.

 

http://autopia.org/forum/professional-detailers/

 

I know several people who owned detail shops, 2 of them were part of a large "successful" chain. They all have had only moderate success personally and have since gotten out of the business.

I think it's just a tough business and unless you somehow become known as a high-quality exotic car detailer like the 1 in 50,000 others in this business, you'll experience only the same moderate success.

 

learn how to do paintless dent removal and maybe fixing window rock chips to carve a niche for yourself.

 

^agree. Think from customers' perspective. Why would they go to your place to get it detailed? Is yours much cheaper without compensating the quality? Are there any specific tasks that you are able to do for much lower price?

 

I do detailing privately for associates and friends of friends. It's just a service I provide, not an official business. Money under the table and I have no real overhead (I do it at home).
I'm already buying the supplies anyway to feed my own detailing addiction..may as well offset the cost a little bit.

I can imagine that "making it" as a detailer to be very difficult until you establish a regular clientele, and before that can happen, you have to be GOOD at what you do. Randomly saying "I think I'm gonna be a detailer, I should go buy supplies" is a bad way to start, IMO.

**EDIT**
Also, starting with something like SwissVax when 90% of the population could really care less seems overkill. If the water beads on their car and the paint is shiny and smooth, they're usually happy. You can get that just as easily with a nice OTC wax like NXT.
If you were detailing Porsches and Ferarris all the time, then I might say otherwise.

 

I was going to do it out of my garage for my friends for a few weeks and get the word out that I can do the job. Then slowly expand. or just have people come to my house for a while so I can see if there is a need to expand or whatnot.

 

One thing I hate about going to get my car washed/detailed is the wait. The big name places I go to usually takes 20 min to get my car done. I'm assuming because you want to do an excellent job on each car, and your staff is limited to you and your friend, the wait time will be rather high. Have your clients call in for appointments so they can be slotted in instead of 2 cars showing up at the same time. It makes your business seem more of a personal thing, like a trip to the family doctor, rather than stopping by the 7-11 real fast before going home. The people who go to the quick car washes wouldn't go care to get their car detailed anyway. The people who do care will keep your card.

Also, what sort of entertainment or complimentary customer service could you provide to make the whole experience, and not just the quality of the actual job, pleasurable? i.e. magazines, tv, easy access restroom, seating/waiting area.

 

ie. Detail in the nude, or offer happy endings.