Considering Change of Career: Car Valet

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

A mate of mine does detailing, but properly. To detail a car takes two blokes a whole day and he charges £150. For that the car is cleaned to within an inch of its life including under the bonnet (including the inside of the bonnet) before being clay barred, machine polished and then polished with Megiures stuff. It's done indoors after the car is washed. Then the interior, in the boot, spare wheel out and clean the spare wheel well, clean alloys with a brush, polish the door shuts, the glass, etc etc etc. It is a LOT of work and despite advertising, he doesn't get a lot of it. He gets more £400 top end Ferrari detailing jobs.

Main dealers have either their own car cleaners or contract out to Autosmart who have a gang of DURTY STINKING IMIGRUNTS on the site 6 days a week.

 

The Kosos I've used do a nice job for a tenner. Most car owners don't give a flying one about swirl marks, me included. They don't really give a shit about their car. Clean and fragrant for a tenner, drop in on the way to work, job done, same time next month Sergei?

 

In other words, give it a go but 45.6 million others have had the very same idea.

[beko1987]

Liek this:

 

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=264844

 

If you get to that stage Volksy you will be my new hero! I could probably achieve something like that in about 3 weeks solid work!

 

Took me most of the afternoon to chase the RDS's out of the meriva tailgate when I de-badged it!

[cort16]

I still think doing Supagard is good idea as garages charge a for it so you've got a chance to under cut or do it with another product.

http://www.supagard.co.uk/

 

You could also offer the paint protection films (clear wrap) that are becoming more popular with fleets etc as it cuts down on chips and and scratches so the repair costs are reduced when the cars are returned.

 

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotchgard_Paint_Protection/Film/

[beko1987]

Problem with the protective film is you need to apply it to a defect free surface, otherwise it will look rubbish, as you will see the damage underneath it. Would appeal to more prestige owners though!

 

Supaguard is a good idea, but again takes time to apply correctly. Average Dealer slapping it on in half an hour does pretty much nothing, it needs time to cure, haze and sink into the clear coat, ready for the next layer etc.

 

On the plus side, supaguard and lifeshine can be picked up cheaply from ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUTOGLYM-LIFESHINE-Life-Shine-Auto-glym-Car-Cleaning-/140925864399?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item20cfd609cf, but probably wont last 6 months. You would be better with a good polish, then either a wax or good sealent.

[vulgalour]

This thread, coupled with a bit more real world opinions on the subject matter and some more market research have revealed that while I could make a career out of valet work, it wouldn't be the side of it I get satisfaction from. For that reason I'm shelving this as a career path. Worth investing a few months investigating costs and the market and finally asking people before taking the plunge, at least, I don't feel like it was time wasted.

 

I think I'd still be happy to clean the odd car here and there that wasn't mine for fun rather than financial gain (don't all crowd at once!) but I'll keep it as a hobby and look for some more different career solutions.

[beko1987]

Just charge mates rates. I make about £200 a month doing a few peoples cars, but its not consistent, and sometimes I hate doing it. At least you can walk away and not worry about having to do it tomorrow!

[mattblack]

http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=25953

[beko1987]

Having had a pint or 4 with the bloke that pisstake is aimed at he took some considerable offence to that at the time. Which is good really cos he is a bit of a knob!

[Akron]

Hey VA my daily could do with an interior deep clean this year PM me if you are interested and how much?

 

?

[Bobthebeard]

Hey VA my daily could do with an interior deep clean this year PM me if you are interested and how much?

 

?

 

Mine too...

Would happily drive over to you VA for one of your 'deep cleans' when visiting some friends. Admittedly I would have to hang around while you did it, but sounds like it would be worth it! If you didnt mind me hanging around etc,

[Mr_Bo11ox]

http://www.barryboys.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=25953

 

Christ i had forgotten about that, I reember pissing myself laughing at it, great stuff.

[beko1987]

Or set up business the autoshite way!

 

http://www.stuttgart9.co.uk/forum/car-detailing/5767-mozs-detailers-inc-versus-lambo-lp560-4-spyder-warning-detailing-porn-alert.html

[vulgalour]

@Akron and Bob: What cars are you wanting me to do? If it's something tiny like a 127 it's obviously going to take me less time to clean than, say, a Rolls Royce Camargue, though both would be treated equally. I can be paid in car parts (that I need, not just random bits of cars ) if that's easier than cash because that's what the cash would go on anyway, ideal if you got some crap I can make use of that's taking up space at your gaff.

 

@beko: Brilliant! Most amusingly, even though it's a pisstake, some of it is true! Household cleaners very often do give the same result as specialist cleaners for a fraction of the cost.

[Bobthebeard]

@Akron and Bob: What cars are you wanting me to do? If it's something tiny like a 127 it's obviously going to take me less time to clean than, say, a Rolls Royce Camargue, though both would be treated equally. I can be paid in car parts (that I need, not just random bits of cars ) if that's easier than cash because that's what the cash would go on anyway, ideal if you got some crap I can make use of that's taking up space at your gaff.

 

@beko: Brilliant! Most amusingly, even though it's a pisstake, some of it is true! Household cleaners very often do give the same result as specialist cleaners for a fraction of the cost.

 

Mine is a (slightly* scruffy) Porsche 944, payment would be cash only as I don't have any car parts you would/might need.

[vulgalour]

Because I'm doing this on a mates rates/earning pocket money sort of basis, I don't know what to charge to not sound like an arse so how about I do the work and you drop me some cash when it's done? That way, it gets done for what you can afford/think the work is worth. A 944 shouldn't take too long to clean, they're not a big or fiddly detailed car.

[Bobthebeard]

Because I'm doing this on a mates rates/earning pocket money sort of basis, I don't know what to charge to not sound like an arse so how about I do the work and you drop me some cash when it's done? That way, it gets done for what you can afford/think the work is worth. A 944 shouldn't take too long to clean, they're not a big or fiddly detailed car.

 

It's not that mucky TBH.In fact, the interior looks ok, I would just like a thorough deep clean now it is back on the road. It has been unused for 12 months. Got welding/filler dust in various nooks and crannies inside. I am fine with cleaning/waxing/polishing the outside, but am crap at cleaning the inside!

Where abouts exactly are you now? Could call in when passing to have a chat etc.

[vulgalour]

Just off J30 of the M1, I shall PM you a more exacting location.

[Bobthebeard]

Just off J30 of the M1, I shall PM you a more exacting location.

 

 

Have friends close by, (Roughly 30 miles south of Selby) so should be easy to pop over.

[Akron]

VA, 2005 Skoda Octavia (is modern ok ) as with BTB not too bad interior wise just needs a deeper clean than hoover and a dust round. Exterior I am happy doing. Cash is fine and I am near Alfreton so not too far.

[vulgalour]

Modern's fine Drop me a PM when you'd like to come over and we'll arrange something. You make it sound like you're going to turn up with a mostly clean car and all I have to do is add the final bit of beeswax* and elbow grease to bring it up to a glossy sheen.

 

 

 

*I don't actually use beeswax, unless it's wood or bakelite.