Auto detailing questions

"Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras" (jegoingout)
10/10/2016 at 09:30 • Filed to: Halp!

How does one get into the auto detailing profession? I’m “casually” browsing for a new job and honestly I’d rather not stick to car sales. How does one get into auto detailing?

DISCUSSION (10)

E90M3 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 09:36

You should start a business, fly to Georgia, and detail my car for free. Then I write a glowing review, and you have a trusted business you can make money with.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 09:41

Just be very good, very detailed, and very patient. Start your own business and do some work so you can show how good you are. Get higher and higher end clientele and then you’re good to make some real money!

nermal > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 09:42

If I were doing it -

1) Buy all of the crap that you need to professionally detail cars (cleaning and waxing products, buffers, vaccuums, etc)

2) Find a garage you can use as a storefront

3) Come up with a sweet business name

4) Get a tax ID and a sign for your garage

5) Find people you know with dirty-ass cars. Offer them a discounted rate to detail them. Take before and after pictures to put on your website to show what great work you can do, thus attracting new customers.

6) Advertise the bloody hell out of your new business.

Kinja'd!!!

Tripper > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 09:43

Detailing is a business I would do on my own rather than try and work for a company. You’re going to have to go out and get your clients, but you’ll make more money when you do.

A friend of mine did this for a while. He gave family and friends with “stand out” cars a discount, then he used them all on his website/Instagram to draw in more people.

I think he was doing pretty well, however hes expecting a child so he took a desk job recently.

Mid Engine > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 09:43

The best way to make this sort of thing a success is getting in good with the car clubs. Most major cities have a Ferrari club, a Porsche club, a Corvette club, and so on.. and yes these folks have money to spend in detailing their cars. You can find these clubs at car shows, track days, etc.. they all have websites with a calendar of events. You do need to exhibit over the top attention to detail at a fair price, but once in you have a captive audience. Best of luck in your new venture!

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 09:57

also decide on what type of detailed you want to be. you can’t offer $10 washes and $500 full details. Decide if you want to do quantity or quality. More money in quality but quantity is easier to start a business off of.

E92M3 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 10:35

The good news is this is a business with little up front investment required ($1000 in supplies to get started), that anyone can start. The bad news is most people don’t know the difference between a $50 groupon detail, and a $300 paint correction detail. The customers you want are probably less than 3% of car owners. My advice is to train yourself by watching youtube videos. AMMONYC is a good place to start. Then practice on your own car, and family members cars. Start doing details as a side hustle before you quit your day job.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/10/2016 at 12:42

I did some detailing work in high school and college and got my start as an apprentice of sorts for a pretty well-known high-end detailer (solo guy) in my area. I happened to frequent one of the same local message boards that he did and he was looking for some unskilled help that he could groom.

I started out doing menial tasks and learning the ropes of his process, but he basically set me loose after a while on cars with him and I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. I compared notes with a buddy of mine who started doing detailing work in college as well and I was miles ahead of him from a knowledge and technique standpoint and I didn’t even know it until then. He had a far superior setup to me, but I (unwittingly) did far better work simply because I was doing it the only way I knew how and had learned from someone very good.

I think it’s the best way to go about it simply because, if you’re going to make a living/career out of detailing, high-end mobile work is far, far, far, far preferable to working for a volume shop like a car wash or dealership or mobile detailing company.

Working as an apprentice to a high-end detailer will not only develop far superior skills as compared to the rest of the marketplace, but you’ll learn the ropes of running a business and managing relationships and selling work to a much more comfortable client base.

I fell ass first into my setup and I realize it’s not the normal process for most that get into the business, but do some research and figure out who the top quality solo practitioners are in your area and bug them about helping them out. Maybe it doesn’t even start as a full-time gig at first, just nights and weekends, but just try to get your foot in the door.

That’s my two cents, at least.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
10/10/2016 at 13:10

Much appreciated

RedlineZ bought an SV (And is getting rid of the z) > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
10/11/2016 at 09:48

if you’re serious about getting into it id say reach out to reputable detailers in hopes of finding someone willing to make you an apprentice. Maybe reach out to Joe from GetItDetailed idk if he’d be up for it because i know he’s pretty damn protective of his company and reputation but it couldn’t hurt to ask. Dude is based out of Farmingdale, NY and does some incredible work. Had him do my Z back in 2011 and it looked like a new car once he was done. Unfortunately the past few years haven’t been kind to her roof paint and she’s started to oxidize pretty bad.