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Taking Over
Posted by Jonathan
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Taking Over December 13, 2005 06:12PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 6 |
<HTML>Hey everyone, how’s business? My name is Jonathan and I am new to this forum. I am 22 years old and I have been detailing, reconditioning, undercoating, rust proofing, and installing auto accessories (running boards, spoilers, ect.) since I was 16 years old. I just graduated from Penn State and now I want to expand my fathers business. We do everything listed above including pinstripes, paint sealant, acid-rain protection, and fabric sealant. My father has been in this business for 20 years. 90% of our income comes from major used car dealerships, and when I say major I mean dealerships that sell 50-100 used cars a month.
I want to know how I can expand my fathers business. I thought about getting into washing car lots on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
- Can someone explain the spot-free washing technique? What equipment would I need to start washing lots?
- Any ideas on how to expand my fathers business?</HTML>
Jonathan A
Mr. Ed's Auto Care
Allentown, PA 18109
I want to know how I can expand my fathers business. I thought about getting into washing car lots on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
- Can someone explain the spot-free washing technique? What equipment would I need to start washing lots?
- Any ideas on how to expand my fathers business?</HTML>
Jonathan A
Mr. Ed's Auto Care
Allentown, PA 18109
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Re: Taking Over December 14, 2005 12:19AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 33 |
<HTML>Hey Jonathan
Welcome to the site and GO PSU . I'll answer your spot free question the best I can . DI water or RO water is what you'll need for spot free washing . To make either one you'll need a filter system designed for either DI ( deionized ) or RO ( Reverse Osmosis) Check your B2B yellow pages for Water Filtration companies or Water companies finding a local company is your best bet . You can rent DI systems fairly reasonably . If you plan on doing large lots get a big water tank 200-300 gallons , and a quality pressure washer . Keep your costs down because the profits aren't high in doing lot work. Best of luck to you .
Regards
Jerry</HTML>
Welcome to the site and GO PSU . I'll answer your spot free question the best I can . DI water or RO water is what you'll need for spot free washing . To make either one you'll need a filter system designed for either DI ( deionized ) or RO ( Reverse Osmosis) Check your B2B yellow pages for Water Filtration companies or Water companies finding a local company is your best bet . You can rent DI systems fairly reasonably . If you plan on doing large lots get a big water tank 200-300 gallons , and a quality pressure washer . Keep your costs down because the profits aren't high in doing lot work. Best of luck to you .
Regards
Jerry</HTML>
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Re: Taking Over December 15, 2005 02:24AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 9 |
<HTML>Spray-on truck bed liners was a great add-on to our business. We spray for both dealerships and private individuals. We also became a licensed used car dealership in 2005 and purchase vehicles (mostly pickups) wholesale from new car dealers, detail them, spray bed liners, etc. and resell them.
It takes many sources of income to make it all go!
Good luck.
Robert Csukker, Co-Owner
American Auto Shine</HTML>
It takes many sources of income to make it all go!
Good luck.
Robert Csukker, Co-Owner
American Auto Shine</HTML>
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Re: Taking Over December 16, 2005 06:14AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
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Re: Taking Over December 16, 2005 01:39PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 585 |
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Re: Taking Over December 16, 2005 05:30PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 1,838 |
<HTML>Gladly...The market for boat detailing is so high yet there are so little detailers who offer boat detailing. A great many detailers I talk to on here and throught the PDTA will agree that this area is more beneficial finsncially than auto detailing. Auto detailing is still a great business and I'd never think otherwise.
Another reason why I say this is because of the per foot versus the per hour job. Say you have a 30' Sea Ray which takes 8 hours to do (I'm just using averages here) and you charge $35.00 an hour for operating expenses, you charged $280, rounded to $300. For a boat, standard is to charge by foot. Average charge per foot is $15.00...30' x $15 = $450.
Hope that explains my veiws a bit better, Gina. Nice to hear from you.</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
Another reason why I say this is because of the per foot versus the per hour job. Say you have a 30' Sea Ray which takes 8 hours to do (I'm just using averages here) and you charge $35.00 an hour for operating expenses, you charged $280, rounded to $300. For a boat, standard is to charge by foot. Average charge per foot is $15.00...30' x $15 = $450.
Hope that explains my veiws a bit better, Gina. Nice to hear from you.</HTML>
Take care,
Brian
Precision Auto & Marine
Learn to detail boats! Visit www.detailtheboat.com
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Re: Taking Over December 19, 2005 06:39AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 6 |
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Re: Taking Over December 19, 2005 07:16AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 6 |
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Re: Taking Over December 21, 2005 01:01PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 237 |
<HTML>Rather than expand, I would try to shift from trade work to retail work, there is far more money in it. (boats are good too!)
If you are ticking along okay at the moment, this gives you the oppotunity to learn more about marketing... it is a new skill set, and marketing can be expensiveif you get it wrong, but it should be more worthwhile in the long run than buying into new systems and services.</HTML>
If you are ticking along okay at the moment, this gives you the oppotunity to learn more about marketing... it is a new skill set, and marketing can be expensiveif you get it wrong, but it should be more worthwhile in the long run than buying into new systems and services.</HTML>
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Re: Taking Over January 27, 2006 08:52PM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 13 |
<HTML>What are the accessories necessary to undertake boat cleaning/detailing aside from the obvious. The first things that comes to mind for me are how do get around the areas that are covered by the trailer? What sort of coatings are you using on the submerged portions of the boats? Difference in techniques for salt and freshwater boats? I have seen quite a few miracle coatings sold on the internet for boats but are any of them really effective?</HTML>
X-Calibur 1 Auto Detailing / Paint / Collision Repair
12626 Old Jefferson HWY.
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225)756-5551
X-Calibur 1 Auto Detailing / Paint / Collision Repair
12626 Old Jefferson HWY.
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225)756-5551
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