Adding detail services

[tw1012]

I am adding detailing services to the wash that I just bought. This is my first carwash so I am having to learn everything that goes along with it.
I need to buy all the product that I will need to effectively detail a vehicle. I am looking for good quality product but I do not have to have top of the line for everything. Please tell me what products are the best for the money in the following categories and who to order them from.


The car wash was operational when I bought it, the workers use Dawn Soap mixed with water to prep the cars before they go into the wash. Is there a better alternative? Where is the best place to buy a large quantity of soap for a reasonable price?

Tire Shine-
Wax-
Leather detailer-
Clay bar-
Buffing Machines-
Carpet Shampooer – I am looking to get a good one for a good intro price.
Interior wipe down product-

 

[rph9168]

Are you going got be doing the detailing? If you are I suggest you find a detail distributor that will offer you some training as well as products. If you are hiring someone with experience you might want to wait to purchase products until they can get involved. Experienced detailers tend to have favorite products they like to use. If you select the products and they are not getting good results they will blame the products rather than their ability to detail.

I guess you could use something else beside Dawn to prep but off hand I can't think of one much worse. Bud Abraham had an article about using dish detergent in your wash in a recent issue of PC&D. If you don't get that magazine you can go on line and find it. Find a good supplier in your area to help you decide on chemicals. Be sure to talk to as many as you can before you decide who to buy from.

 

[jfmoran]

Please do yourself a huge favor and put off adding detailing to your business just yet. If you are new to the car washing business you have enough of a learning curve there to keep you busy for quite a while. Clearly no one on your current staff has a clue how to wash cars let alone detail, since they are using Dawn dish detergent to prep cars. Get yourslef a good chemical rep and sart using chemicals designed for the car wash industry to wash and produce clean cars. Once you master that, then I would foray into the detailing world, which is whole hole other animal.

 

[smokun]

Sensible Option

TW...

Texas has a wealth of good carwashes and detail operations... and they are owned by some of the nicest people in the industry who will selflessly share sources and offer recommendations that work for them. A good start to finding answers is to get in your car and visit operators that aren't competition in your backyard. You'd be amazed at the level of help that's available, simply for the asking.

I absolutely agree with John's advice about priorities but recognize the genuine importance of hands-on detailing services. With regard to detailing, I suggest that YOU get professionally trained first, and then hire and train your staff to your standard. If you train all future detailers in your employ, you'll retain a much better handle on product usage as well as the best tools and technology to utilize. That way, you'll be easily able to control of your operational performance and maintain your ideal benchmark. If you need good suggestions for top hands-on trainers, I'd be happy to supply some as a professional courtesy.

 

[Waxman]

Wax: Pro #1 polish.
Clay Bar- Kleenrite light cut version
Tire shine; kleen rite brand
vinyl dress: kleen rite.
wipe down; kleen rite general purpose cleaner
leather dress; lexol is my favorite.

I agree on training advice.

Also use air tools and a compressor.

I love a tool called the tornador. look it up.

Use a d.a. polisher with air and a 6" polishing pad to apply the wax.

Use mineral spirits for tar removal after you clay a car.

I also agree you should get the carwash under control first and putting out a good quality clean car.

Detailing is 50% of my annual revenue, so getting it started is important, but do it right so you don't ruin things or pi$$ off customers.

Feel free to contact me thru my website if you like. My advice is free and I don't sell anything.

www.houseofwax.us

 

[robert roman]

“I am adding detailing services to the wash that I just bought. This is my first carwash so I am having to learn everything that goes along with it.”

Since most people school themselves on the fundamentals of an industry before building or buying a small business, you may have placed yourself in a precarious position.

Not only do you face an accelerated learning curve to grasp the fundamentals of the carwash business to achieve average performance and grow a business, God only knows what you need to learn about car washing and detailing to stabilize the business if you have people washing cars with dishwashing liquid.

I would suggest you engage a carwash consultant to help you sort things out, but you sound like a hard charger by jumping straight-in head first.

So, I recommend contacting Bud Abraham.

Bud knows everything there is to know about car washing and detailing. Bud has been around for so very long, the rumor is he probably invented half the industry.

He owns a company, Detail Plus, based out of Portland, Oregon, that will sell you as much chemical, equipment and supplies as you could possibly want to buy for your detail program, from cheap to expensive.

 

[tw1012]

Thanks for all the advice. Yes I jumped in with both feet without really knowing the industry. The wash was a foreclosure and I got a good deal so I was willing to take the risk.

I have decided to hold off on the detailing process, as stated above I don't want to do it half asked and drive away potential long term customers.

The wash now only does the exterior of the car and the workers were adding additional services to pad their own pockets so I am adding a "Quick Detail" Package that adds vacuuming the interior, wiping down the dash and center console and treating the tires.

I am going to focus on getting this part right before proceeding into the detail world.

Thanks for all the other advice. Waxman thanks for the rec's I am going to start buying the necessities and practicing on my car and my friends cars while I continue to research and learn.

 

[tw1012]

thanks

Thanks for the advice, I have decided to wait to add the detailing service. My car wash is exterior only and the workers have been doing “a la cart” services to pad their pockets. I am adding a “Quick Detail” wash that involves vacuuming, wiping down the dash, cup holders and door jambs and treating the tires.

I did jump in without doing a lot of research into the industry; it was a bank foreclosure so I had to act fast. I did my best to learn as much as I could during the feasibility period but I am hoping my lack of experience will be balanced out by the deal that I got.

I will continue to read, research and talk to people. I will probably try different products and procedures on my car and my friends’ cars until I feel confident in our detailing procedure.

 

[Ireland123]

I was gonna recommend the Salt-Away options, but I'm presuming your car wash is in Austin, correct? But hey, there might be salt sediments on cars over time from the roads, so it might not be a bad idea. I'm from Kansas City and we have epic snowstorms, so Salt-Away lubricants are a must.

 

[Waxman]

What are salt away options?

 

[Ireland123]

Salt Away is a certain spray that hoses down the exterior and underbelly of the car, more or less removing salt residue leftover from the snow plows treating snow-covered streets. I have to get my car treated with this at least a dozen times during the winter, because I don't want the salt to eat away and rust my car.

 

[Waxman]

I have that at my automatic carwash; it's called 'underbody wash'.

 

[Ireland123]

Yeah, it's a lifesaver for cars. It's always gonna be an extra dollar or so with most car washes, but it's better than having to pay for replacement wheel weels, bumpers or any other car part that might degrade because of it.