I should take up car detailing as a side gig

RJM62

RJM62

Touchdown! Greaser!
Gone West
Joined
Jun 15, 2007
Messages
13,157
Location
Upstate New York
Display Name
Geek on the Hill
It's mindless, I have the equipment, and I enjoy it.

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I wonder how much money is in it. I should check.

Rich
 
We have local folks the do airplane detailing, they charge quite a bit for it. Don't know if they make very much doing it or not, but they do some very nice work.

Brian
 
brcase said:
We have local folks the do airplane detailing, they charge quite a bit for it. Don't know if they make very much doing it or not, but they do some very nice work.

Brian
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I was thinking about that, but the nearest airport of any size is quite a distance away, and the 103 guys are much too cheap to pay for detailing.

Rich
 
You don't get paid for the clean cars.
 
Looks great! I think detailing your own car is a labor of love, but doing someone else's...repeatedly...would be mind-numbing, even if the money is decent. My pet peeve? Dirty glass. Feels so much better driving a car with a super-clean, streak-free windshield.

What product are you using on the bumper plastic? I'm in the process of buying a car that's in Arizona, and typical of such vehicles, the black trim is a little bleached out from the sun. Bought a package of Forever Black, which contains some dye rather than being solely a protectant, and will give that a whirl.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
Looks great! I think detailing your own car is a labor of love, but doing someone else's...repeatedly...would be mind-numbing, even if the money is decent. My pet peeve? Dirty glass. Feels so much better driving a car with a super-clean, streak-free windshield.

What product are you using on the bumper plastic? I'm in the process of buying a car that's in Arizona, and typical of such vehicles, the black trim is a little bleached out from the sun. Bought a package of Forever Black, which contains some dye rather than being solely a protectant, and will give that a whirl.
Click to expand...

Meguiar's Back to Black. It's neither the best I've used nor the worst. It lasts about four to six weeks, which I guess is okay. I may try something pigmented when I finish the bottle I have.

The glass is one of my pet peeves, too. The best product I've found, Super Clean Accuvision, doesn't seem to be available anymore. But Invisible Glass is a close second. The Rain-X windshield washer solution is also very good.

Rich
 
Thanks, Rich. I like the Meguiar's line a lot. I'm currently using a Rain-X windshield cleaner with very good results. Getting truly streak-free glass is an art!
 
I exusively use OPT, optimum polymer technologies... came from meg, never going back. Use the same on plane too and pretty impressed with the results.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
Around my area detailing goes upwards of over $200.
 
WannFly said:
I exusively use OPT, optimum polymer technologies... came from meg, never going back. Use the same on plane too and pretty impressed with the results.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
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What about it makes it better?

I happen to use Meguiars Black Wax because it was recommended to me by a local detailer and it works as well as anything else I've used. But I'm not married to any particular product.

Rich
 
mscard88 said:
Around my area detailing goes upwards of over $200.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I doubt folks around here would pay that much, but you never know. It's also not great money when you consider the time involved (including travel time up here), but it's not horrible either. It takes me about two hours to do my own car inside and out, which is easy because it's new, small, and frequently maintained. But I could see some cars taking a lot more time. I also wonder if I'd want to clean and dress the engine compartment of someone else's car without insurance. Even coincidental problems could lead to aggravation and potential litigation (although I've never heard of that happening).

Another car-related business that I find fascinating is paintless dent removal. I'm always amazed watching those guys work. This guy is a magician, quite possibly the best at it I've ever watched. But they've all been good. It's a much steeper learning curve than detailing, however, and a much bigger initial investment for equipment. It also brings DMV into the picture because those guys are technically repair shops and have to be licensed.

It might be worth looking into the aviation angle, as well, although I'm sure it would also be more of a pain in the ass security-wise and insurance-wise.

All of this is just pondering at the moment. I'm actually pretty happy working two to four hours a day when I feel like it.

Rich
 
I just had my Suburban detailed by a mobile detailer that came to my office and had it as good as the day I drove it home 8 years ago...$180
 
My neighbor has a part time detail gig. He doesn't really detail the way some people would define it, more of a deep clean car wash. Wash, dry, wipe down the inside, clean the glass, vacuum carpets and seats, clean floormats, and dress tires. I think his going rate is $75 and he can do 4-6 per weekend in his driveway and still have time for himself and his family.
 
RJM62 said:
Another car-related business that I find fascinating is paintless dent removal. I'm always amazed watching those guys work. This guy is a magician, quite possibly the best at it I've ever watched. But they've all been good. It's a much steeper learning curve than detailing, however, and a much bigger initial investment for equipment. It also brings DMV into the picture because those guys are technically repair shops and have to be licensed.
Click to expand...

A PDR guy removed 978 hail dents from my then fairly new car. I was concerned at the time that the paint could delaminate and eventually I would end up with rust-pocked car, but 10 years in that hasn't been an issue. Yes, it's magic.

PDR is a bit of a migratory crowd. They follow the thunderstorms around and set up shop within local body-shops after a storm. The body shop bills for the work through their insurance contracts and the PDR guy is paid as an independent contractor.
 
RJM62 said:
What about it makes it better?

I happen to use Meguiars Black Wax because it was recommended to me by a local detailer and it works as well as anything else I've used. But I'm not married to any particular product.

Rich
Click to expand...
The polymer coat that it leaves behind makes much slicker finish and it helps next time u wash. They have a spray wax or u can use something called wash n wax, it's a no rinse product, wash, dry and buff. Only pro retailers usr it, they are not much into advertising. I got hooked first time my detailed used it on my car, I also have a permanent polymer coat on my car, that's much harder than the clear coat and it's a breeze to clean. I clean my big black suv in less than 20 mins. YouTube have a bunch of videos. I will post some pics when I have a chance

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
These are after a recent ONR wash and wax, no spray wax or clay bar used, glasses washed with same wash n wax , I do use their opti-coat as drying agent. It's a sealant. I have another pic of the hood reflecting clouds, can't find it now
fe16d457f65e4b38f4108d7da572677e.jpg
24d6c7f90059feca60fd24f5b9a0a01d.jpg
b092d8e04e701e7775395db312ab792b.jpg
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Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
 
I belong to a BMW Z4 forum that has a detailing section. Lots of good advice and videos.
 
I used to like cleaning my vehicles when I was a suburbanite. Once we moved to the end of a 2 mile dirt road and 850' dirt driveway, it became useless.

We still "treat" ourselves once in a while to an in-town detail at a reasonable place once in a great while, but mostly anymore that's Karen. She babies her truck.

I just nicknamed the Subaru "Box of Dirt" and got on with life. :)
 
WannFly said:
These are after a recent ONR wash and wax, no spray wax or clay bar used, glasses washed with same wash n wax , I do use their opti-coat as drying agent. It's a sealant. I have another pic of the hood reflecting clouds, can't find it now
fe16d457f65e4b38f4108d7da572677e.jpg
24d6c7f90059feca60fd24f5b9a0a01d.jpg
b092d8e04e701e7775395db312ab792b.jpg
c13d7ef8f06428775c62b821119f69d4.jpg


Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk
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Okay, thanks. Looks great. I'll look into it.

Rich
 
The best airplane wash job I ever saw was on my old Cherokee, and was done by an auto detailer who owned a partner a favor. I would pay real money for that level of work again.
 
RJM62 said:
Another car-related business that I find fascinating is paintless dent removal. I'm always amazed watching those guys work. This guy is a magician, quite possibly the best at it I've ever watched. But they've all been good. It's a much steeper learning curve than detailing, however, and a much bigger initial investment for equipment.
Click to expand...
I dunno...from the web page, it looks like the equipment is a couple of scrap sticks from the wood shop. ;)
 
As someone who washes my vehicles one a year whether they need it or not (but sometimes I get lazy and skip a year), more power to you if you love detailing. I just try to keep my vehicles reasonably clean by not getting them super dirty in the first place. Honestly it amazes me how filthy most cars are.

Looks very nice. You could make good money doing that.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
As someone who washes my vehicles one a year whether they need it or not (but sometimes I get lazy and skip a year), more power to you if you love detailing. I just try to keep my vehicles reasonably clean by not getting them super dirty in the first place. Honestly it amazes me how filthy most cars are.

Looks very nice. You could make good money doing that.
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I usually semi-detail the engine compartment and clean off the outsides nowadays whenever I have to work on them, just to keep the grime off of me. LOL.

If I'm working under the hood that is. If not, just the outside spray off. Hahaha.

Thing is going to be covered in dust the first trip down the driveway anyway... :)

I used to wonder why dad's cars always looked so freshly clean when he lived out here and came into town for stuff or to our in-town house.

I finally figured out that he was stopping at the hand washed car wash place in the first suburb and having them cleaned while he drank his coffee and then driving whatever he was driving that day around town for errands, clean, all day. And they were dirty once he got back home. LOL.

It's also why he kept his collectors edition Miata in our garage in town. :)
 
In the winter I try to keep as much salt off the cars as I can, but that's hard to do if temps stay below freezing. The slush won't really freeze or melt, it just sort of sticks in the fenders, wheel wells, and rocker panels. I don't like hooking up the hose at home in weather like that, so I'll try to find a drive-through wash that can knock off as much road-gravy and salt as possible. Once the weather warms up I'll get out all the cleaning supplies and go at it.
 
Matthew said:
In the winter I try to keep as much salt off the cars as I can, but that's hard to do if temps stay below freezing. The slush won't really freeze or melt, it just sort of sticks in the fenders, wheel wells, and rocker panels. I don't like hooking up the hose at home in weather like that, so I'll try to find a drive-through wash that can knock off as much road-gravy and salt as possible. Once the weather warms up I'll get out all the cleaning supplies and go at it.
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They salt the roads here? :dunno:
 
denverpilot said:
I usually semi-detail the engine compartment and clean off the outsides nowadays whenever I have to work on them, just to keep the grime off of me. LOL.

If I'm working under the hood that is. If not, just the outside spray off. Hahaha.

Thing is going to be covered in dust the first trip down the driveway anyway... :)

I used to wonder why dad's cars always looked so freshly clean when he lived out here and came into town for stuff or to our in-town house.

I finally figured out that he was stopping at the hand washed car wash place in the first suburb and having them cleaned while he drank his coffee and then driving whatever he was driving that day around town for errands, clean, all day. And they were dirty once he got back home. LOL.

It's also why he kept his collectors edition Miata in our garage in town. :)
Click to expand...

We have a lot of gravel roads out here, so our cars tend to get dirty quickly. But we don't live on one, and my daily commute doesn't require me to get on gravel roads. But yeah, they get dirty quick.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
They salt the roads here? :dunno:
Click to expand...
Maybe not where you are, since they figure all you guys drive farm tractors and semi tractors with chains and stuff, but in town they do. The last couple winters have been pretty dry, so they have a good surplus of salt and any time there is a hint of ice in the forecast, they'll be out with the salt and spray trucks to pretreat for the ice that doesn't come after all.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
They salt the roads here? :dunno:
Click to expand...

They use Magnesium Chloride here which is sticky and nasty and horrible and yeah, I DO get that stuff off of the cars at least once a week during snow season when they're using that crap.

At least a run through an automated car wash as a bare minimum but I prefer to wand it so I can get it off all the undercarriage bits.

White sticky corrosive film all over the cars after the snowstorms. Ugh.

I guess the stuff is cheaper to get from the Great Salt Lake than getting the other more common Chloride types from salt mines in Kansas. That or someone in CDOT has a brother in Utah. LOL.
 
I used to be a Porsche guy ------now the dirt and grime keeps my truck from falling apart. You only need to keep a small circle clean to see out the windshield.:p
 
This is a topic I could talk about in great detail...I wrote some fairly detailed posts in another detailing thread on here a while back. If you have not been over to the Autogeek forums I would highly recommend it. You will learn a lot about detailing. If you are going to make any sort of business out of detailing it is in your best interest to become as knowledgeable as you can about proper detailing technique. There are a lot of weekend detailers out there who have really poor practices. I also highly recommend buying a copy of Mike Phillip's book: http://www.autogeek.net/how-to-create-a-show-car-shine-book.html

There are a lot of misconceptions and misinformation surrounding detailing. It might sound ridiculous, but most folks don't know proper washing technique. I have seen it time and time again where folks put more swirl marks and scratches in their paint from their poor washing technique (trust me I have done paint correction on many of them). Most know little about modern day paint systems (or even single stage paint systems) and quite frankly, most could care less. Most don't know anything about paint correction (compound, polish, seal). None of this stuff is rocket science - it is pretty simple stuff, but again most folks don't care THAT much about keeping their paint in new condition.

Today's paint systems, comprised of a base paint followed by a clearcoat can be very scratch sensitive. Different car manufacturers have very different paint systems. And these paint systems can completely change year to year and sometimes batch to batch. German cars tend to have really hard clearcoats. They are easy to scratch and can be a pain in the ass to perform paint correction on (using a proper dual action polisher). Others have relatively soft clearcoats. They don't scratch as easy, but they may have more issues with marring. Single stage paints (used before the mid to early 80's - before modern clear coats were introduced) can be nicer and easier to work with any many ways. Most airplanes are single stage paint. I am sure many of you have seen an old Mustang, Corvette, etc with old oxidized paint - it looks chalky. In many cases that can be completely restored to a show car finish. It is quite amazing. See here for an example: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...w-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html

Sadly you can't "restore" modern clearcoats. Once clear coat has failed you ain't fixing it. You have to respray the entire panel. The goal is to maintain your paint and prevent the degradation of clearcoat before this ever happens...Here are some examples of clearcoat failure: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...-clearcoat-failure-photo-gallery-archive.html

I have been pretty involved with detailing as a hobby since I was in high school. I don't have nearly the time that I used to so I don't get to do a lot of detailing work anymore, but I still make sure to detail my truck and airplane on a semi regular basis. Reality is you would have a hell of a time trying to make a living by doing a simple bucket wash. You can, however, make a pretty good living by doing quality high end detailing. There are folks who pay WELL over $1000 for a show car detail. Detailers who cater to these types of jobs can do very well. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of really good high end detailers in the Northeast. Here is a really impressive high end detail on a GT3: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...t3rs-neglected-museum-ready-oakes-detail.html

Another option is what I would call "middle end" detailing. Services ranging in the $200-$500 range. Many of these guys are mobile detailers with a detailing trailer to perform all services at your location. I imagine these guys can do pretty well if they have a good base of clientele.

I really try to avoid car washes as they tend to put swirls and scratches in your paint. Touchless car washes are your best bet if your really set on a car wash - if I am really in a pinch I will use one of these. Even then I try to avoid them. I get a real kick of out some of these folks who make a scene about their $20 car wash and how dissatisfied they are. LOL.

I'm not saying you couldn't make some side money doing a typical bucket wash. Reality is there are more people willing to spend $50 on a wash than there are a $200-$500 wash. Most are satisfied by that $50 wash and there is nothing wrong with that. Whether you can make much money doing it...I don't know. The best thing you could do as a detailer would be to educate your customers on paint, proper washing technique, etc.

I have a pretty decent Detailing "How-To" that I wrote up a few years ago on Word. If anyone is interested let me know and I can send you over a copy. It is a decent resource and quick guide to what I would consider is a "proper" detail. As always, if anyone has any questions about anything detail related let me know.

EDIT: Few more things I would like to add.

Professional Grade products do make a difference. None of my products are from Walmart, Auto Zone, Oreilly's, etc. That said...there are some great consumer grade products out there and to be honest any of the Meguiar's consumer grade product is pretty good. The best bang for your buck in my opinion is Meguiar's Professional series of products. They are sold in gallons and are concentrates, which go a long way.

I have many other professional grade products as well though (McKees, Detailer's Pride, Wolfgang, Menzerna, HD, Collinite, Pinnacle, Blackfire, Sonax, CarPro, Optimum, etc...). All great brands. It is kind of fun trying all the different products.

I have a full write up on a detail I did on my truck over on AutoGeek, but I can't find it.

Here are some photos (I have interior shots somewhere too):
https://photos.app.goo.gl/cLNzyTq0CnBdrAer2
 
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Our city snowplows have salt/sand broadcast spreaders on the back. When they drive around town and hit an intersection, they'll start throwing it so you need to make sure to stay back a ways. We also have some tank trucks that spray calcium cloride on the road surface. They use them mainly for pretreating when the forecast is calling for snow or ice.

One of the overpasses that I drive on regularly has an automated or remotely controlled spray system. The barricade walls on the inside lane in each direction are plumbed and have spray nozzles about every 8-10 feet, about 3' off the road surface. There is a tank of solution between the two inner walls, and a sign with lights that flash when the system is spraying the road surface. I've never seen it in use, it's been there for many years, but I think it does get used.
 
denverpilot said:
They use Magnesium Chloride here which is sticky and nasty and horrible and yeah, I DO get that stuff off of the cars at least once a week during snow season when they're using that crap.

At least a run through an automated car wash as a bare minimum but I prefer to wand it so I can get it off all the undercarriage bits.

White sticky corrosive film all over the cars after the snowstorms. Ugh.

I guess the stuff is cheaper to get from the Great Salt Lake than getting the other more common Chloride types from salt mines in Kansas. That or someone in CDOT has a brother in Utah. LOL.
Click to expand...
Or the magnesium supposedly doesn't do as much environmental damage as the sodium. Never mind the mag chloride does more harm to infrastructure and vehicles. Anyway the EPA got wound up over stockpile runoff as a violation of the clean water act years ago which is when all the stock piles got sheds.

And for Mathew, if it is being sprayed I bet it's mag-chloride. I think all the pre-treat sprayers and bridge anti-ice systems are mag. And ya really don't want to follow a sprayer treating ice/snow in place since it gets really, really, really, really, really, really slick when that stuff hits the solid water.
 
Clark1961 said:
Or the magnesium supposedly doesn't do as much environmental damage as the sodium. Never mind the mag chloride does more harm to infrastructure and vehicles. Anyway the EPA got wound up over stockpile runoff as a violation of the clean water act years ago which is when all the stock piles got sheds.

And for Mathew, if it is being sprayed I bet it's mag-chloride. I think all the pre-treat sprayers and bridge anti-ice systems are mag. And ya really don't want to follow a sprayer treating ice/snow in place since it gets really, really, really, really, really, really slick when that stuff hits the solid water.
Click to expand...
Magnesium chloride = yeah, OK. I dunno what it is, so I guessed.

They'll spray the dry roads with the trucks before the wx hits. Once the snow or ice starts, they seem to stay off the roads unless they really need to be plowing while its coming down.
 
CC268 said:
This is a topic I could talk about in great detail...I wrote some fairly detailed posts in another detailing thread on here a while back. If you have not been over to the Autogeek forums I would highly recommend it. You will learn a lot about detailing. If you are going to make any sort of business out of detailing it is in your best interest to become as knowledgeable as you can about proper detailing technique. There are a lot of weekend detailers out there who have really poor practices. I also highly recommend buying a copy of Mike Phillip's book: http://www.autogeek.net/how-to-create-a-show-car-shine-book.html

There are a lot of misconceptions and misinformation surrounding detailing. It might sound ridiculous, but most folks don't know proper washing technique. I have seen it time and time again where folks put more swirl marks and scratches in their paint from their poor washing technique (trust me I have done paint correction on many of them). Most know little about modern day paint systems (or even single stage paint systems) and quite frankly, most could care less. Most don't know anything about paint correction (compound, polish, seal). None of this stuff is rocket science - it is pretty simple stuff, but again most folks don't care THAT much about keeping their paint in new condition.

Today's paint systems, comprised of a base paint followed by a clearcoat can be very scratch sensitive. Different car manufacturers have very different paint systems. And these paint systems can completely change year to year and sometimes batch to batch. German cars tend to have really hard clearcoats. They are easy to scratch and can be a pain in the ass to perform paint correction on (using a proper dual action polisher). Others have relatively soft clearcoats. They don't scratch as easy, but they may have more issues with marring. Single stage paints (used before the mid to early 80's - before modern clear coats were introduced) can be nicer and easier to work with any many ways. Most airplanes are single stage paint. I am sure many of you have seen an old Mustang, Corvette, etc with old oxidized paint - it looks chalky. In many cases that can be completely restored to a show car finish. It is quite amazing. See here for an example: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...w-car-finish-antique-single-stage-paints.html

Sadly you can't "restore" modern clearcoats. Once clear coat has failed you ain't fixing it. You have to respray the entire panel. The goal is to maintain your paint and prevent the degradation of clearcoat before this ever happens...Here are some examples of clearcoat failure: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...-clearcoat-failure-photo-gallery-archive.html

I have been pretty involved with detailing as a hobby since I was in high school. I don't have nearly the time that I used to so I don't get to do a lot of detailing work anymore, but I still make sure to detail my truck and airplane on a semi regular basis. Reality is you would have a hell of a time trying to make a living by doing a simple bucket wash. You can, however, make a pretty good living by doing quality high end detailing. There are folks who pay WELL over $1000 for a show car detail. Detailers who cater to these types of jobs can do very well. I am not sure why, but there are a lot of really good high end detailers in the Northeast. Here is a really impressive high end detail on a GT3: https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...t3rs-neglected-museum-ready-oakes-detail.html

Another option is what I would call "middle end" detailing. Services ranging in the $200-$500 range. Many of these guys are mobile detailers with a detailing trailer to perform all services at your location. I imagine these guys can do pretty well if they have a good base of clientele.

I really try to avoid car washes as they tend to put swirls and scratches in your paint. Touchless car washes are your best bet if your really set on a car wash - if I am really in a pinch I will use one of these. Even then I try to avoid them. I get a real kick of out some of these folks who make a scene about their $20 car wash and how dissatisfied they are. LOL.

I'm not saying you couldn't make some side money doing a typical bucket wash. Reality is there are more people willing to spend $50 on a wash than there are a $200-$500 wash. Most are satisfied by that $50 wash and there is nothing wrong with that. Whether you can make much money doing it...I don't know. The best thing you could do as a detailer would be to educate your customers on paint, proper washing technique, etc.

I have a pretty decent Detailing "How-To" that I wrote up a few years ago on Word. If anyone is interested let me know and I can send you over a copy. It is a decent resource and quick guide to what I would consider is a "proper" detail. As always, if anyone has any questions about anything detail related let me know.
Click to expand...

I'd appreciate a copy of that. Thanks.

Rich
 
MauleSkinner said:
I dunno...from the web page, it looks like the equipment is a couple of scrap sticks from the wood shop. ;)
Click to expand...

I have a VERY good paintless dent repair guy here in Phoenix. He really is a magician. It is amazing what he can get out and it doesn't cost much. He is always slammed...always has tons of business.
 
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