Do all you Pro's use the same stuff the weekend enthusiasts use?

[ahheck01]

I'm taking my seasonal work-from-home business to an actual leased garage, and looking to increase volume gradually as the season warms up. I realize to make this my full time gig, decreasing cost per detail is important. What I don't see discussed often is the actual products you pros use for all the standard work.



I've researched for hours and days and weeks on the products discussed in the Detailing Products forum here and on AutoGeek, but are those the consumer products, while the full time pros use something more bulk-practical?



Thanks all.

 

[Accumulator]

..I've researched for hours and days and weeks on the products discussed in the Detailing Products forum here and on AutoGeek, but are those the consumer products, while the full time pros use something more bulk-practical?



Thanks all.

Huh, I woulda thunk it the other way around; with a few, uhm..."boutique" exceptions, I woulda thought that serious amateurs (e.g., me) use mostly Pro stuff, just in perhaps smaller quantities. I'm thinking stuff from Meguiar's, 3D/HD, FK, and so on. The only consumer stuff I use all the time are the Car Wash and SpeedShine from GG.



Anyhow...guess I'm just thread-jacking on a tangent

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Huh, I woulda thunk it the other way around; with a few, uhm..."boutique" exceptions, I woulda thought that serious amateurs (e.g., me) use mostly Pro stuff, just in perhaps smaller quantities. I'm thinking stuff from Meguiar's, 3D/HD, FK, and so on. The only consumer stuff I use all the time are the Car Wash and SpeedShine from GG.



Anyhow...guess I'm just thread-jacking on a tangent

Thing is, even not-so-serious amateurs who buy "boutique" products are often doing exactly as you say, using pro stuff in smaller quantities (bulk products poured into a bottle with a fancy label and sold at twice the price). Many times those bulk products are even watered down to make them "safer" to use.

 

[Dan]

There is no hard set rule. A lot of consumer stuff has turned into professional stuff, for example Quick Interior detailer and Ultimate spray wax. I'd say there are four categories, Consumer (Megs/Mothers), Enthusiast (Zaino, Wolfgang), Pro (3D, Optimum) and Bulk (think dealer, cheapest stuff you can find).

 

[Ron Ketcham]

Thing is, even not-so-serious amateurs who buy "boutique" products are often doing exactly as you say, using pro stuff in smaller quantities (bulk products poured into a bottle with a fancy label and sold at twice the price). Many times those bulk products are even watered down to make them "safer" to use.

Which brings up a good point.

When someone purchases a "gallon of a bulk water based cleaner", the very next thing they should do is go to the "kitchen" dept at a local store and purchase an inexpensive "measuring" cup. These are marked in ounces, etc on the sides and allow for an easy way to get the correct amount of the concentrate measured before adding into the correct amount of water.

If a product's instructions say to "dilute 1 part to 10 parts water", there is usually a very good reason for such.

Plus, correct mix ratios save product vs just dumping some in a bucket or spray bottle and taking a guess on how much of the product they are putting in.

Another tip for the newer people, if mixing a water based cleaner, like an all purpose into a container, be it a 1 quart spray bottle or a gallon jug, "PUT THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF WATER IN FIRST, THEN ADD THE CONCENTRATE OF THE PRODUCT."

With quality bulk, concentrated products, if you try to add the water after putting the correct amount of product in, the bottle will fill with foam and time will be wasted trying to get it done, plus the ratio's get off of the correct amount.

A "tip", if one does get a bit too much foam, simple spray the top area of the foam with some IPA and it will break the foam down quickly.

:clap2:

 

[David Fermani]

You're totally right; when doing this for a living, you really need to dial in your expenses. Just because a vendor claims to meet or beat anyone's price doesn't mean diddly squat until you break down your complete cost structure. I spoke to a full time detailer the other day and talked about what he was paying for basic things like glass cleaner, quick detailer & APCs and he was floored by how much cheaper the products were that I suggested to him. Almost double.



Back when I owned my shop I priced out every product amoung each of the 3 local car care lines and made sure I was paying the least amount for each product. I basically told the my favorite rep the prices his competitors were charging and insisted that he meet/beat their prices to win my business.

 

[RaskyR1]

Which brings up a good point.

When someone purchases a "gallon of a bulk water based cleaner", the very next thing they should do is go to the "kitchen" dept at a local store and purchase an inexpensive "measuring" cup. These are marked in ounces, etc on the sides and allow for an easy way to get the correct amount of the concentrate measured before adding into the correct amount of water.

If a product's instructions say to "dilute 1 part to 10 parts water", there is usually a very good reason for such.

Plus, correct mix ratios save product vs just dumping some in a bucket or spray bottle and taking a guess on how much of the product they are putting in.

Another tip for the newer people, if mixing a water based cleaner, like an all purpose into a container, be it a 1 quart spray bottle or a gallon jug, "PUT THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF WATER IN FIRST, THEN ADD THE CONCENTRATE OF THE PRODUCT."

With quality bulk, concentrated products, if you try to add the water after putting the correct amount of product in, the bottle will fill with foam and time will be wasted trying to get it done, plus the ratio's get off of the correct amount.

A "tip", if one does get a bit too much foam, simple spray the top area of the foam with some IPA and it will break the foam down quickly.

:clap2:

Which is why the Meguiar's Detailer line is so great! Their bottles have dilution ratios printed on them per the product as well as MSDS info.



Product Review: Meguiar’s Detailer Line Product Bottles – Detailed Image

 

[ahheck01]

You're totally right; when doing this for a living, you really need to dial in your expenses. Just because a vendor claims to meet or beat anyone's price doesn't mean diddly squat until you break down your complete cost structure. I spoke to a full time detailer the other day and talked about what he was paying for basic things like glass cleaner, quick detailer & APCs and he was floored by how much cheaper the products were that I suggested to him. Almost double.



Back when I owned my shop I priced out every product amoung each of the 3 local car care lines and made sure I was paying the least amount for each product. I basically told the my favorite rep the prices his competitors were charging and insisted that he meet/beat their prices to win my business.

Should I be purchasing from a local dealer? I had my carts full on Autogeek, etc. for things like Meg's 105, 300, SRP, 845, etc.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

Which is why the Meguiar's Detailer line is so great! Their bottles have dilution ratios printed on them per the product as well as MSDS info.



Product Review: Meguiar’s Detailer Line Product Bottles – Detailed Image

When at Finish Kare, we had the ratios in the instructions on the bottles, when I left them and went to Automotive International, they were doing the same.

However, the type of bottles used, did not make it possible to have an "indicator/ounce" stripe on the sides.

When I changed them from white to black packaging, was able to source black gallon jugs that had a "clear stripe" down one side, with ounce marketings on them.

I then sourced quart spray bottles with a generic silk screen on them, with ounces marked on the sides, plus added "product specfic" spray bottles to the line, this aided the shop in meeting OSHA bottle requirements.

That helped, but it was still difficult to get accurate measurements.

Which is why I always taught in the class, that if they were not going to invest in an automatic metering system (like shown in the ValuGard instructional video for ABC) that they spend $2 for a measuring cup, get the correct amount of product and save money in product usage.

:dance:

 

[David Fermani]

Which is why the Meguiar's Detailer line is so great! Their bottles have dilution ratios printed on them per the product as well as MSDS info.



Product Review: Meguiar’s Detailer Line Product Bottles – Detailed Image

Nice article Chad! Auto Magic has been labeling their bottles for decades. One the things they tried teaching in their training seminars was proper dilutions which is very important to not only product performance, but product cost. I think as things progress every bottle will have both dilutions and safety info on their bottles (OSHA).

 

[David Fermani]

Should I be purchasing from a local dealer? I had my carts full on Autogeek, etc. for things like Meg's 105, 300, SRP, 845, etc.

It totally depends on the products you are using currently. If you give me a breakdown of what you are using, the cost of the product and more about the kind of operation you are working in I can try to help.

 

[Jean-Claude]

Because I don't cater to volume business, product cost is not an issue for me. I try to zero in on what I believe to be the best products and use those. I am not tied to any specific brand. My goal is to provide the best service, not to hit a price point.



One thing I do believe in is buying in bulk when you find a product you like. One of the wheel cleaners I like to keep on hand is sonax. 16 oz. bottles would be gone in no time and 1 gallon doesn't last very long either. I buy 2 gallons at once and pay $80 per gallon.

 

[ahheck01]

Wow, I hugely appreciate it!



I've been away from the business for 6 months or so, so I need to restock everything, and have capital set aside for products and basic tools - air compressor, paint gauge, new machines, etc. I'd used primarily a PC and some rotary, but the PC is on it's last leg, and I sold the old rotary.



I'll be at a fixed location - a 1200sq ft shop with 12 ft ceilings, an overhead door, heated but not air conditioned, floor drain, water inside, etc.



My original plan was to get a Dewalt rotary, and a combination of 3 and 6 inch pads for most of my paint work, though these forums convinced me I may not need much more than the GG 6" DA with 5" backing plate and MF pads.



My rough product shopping list for my first (slow) few weeks looks like this:



Compound: Meguiars #105 32oz - $25

Moderate Polish: Meguiar's Microfiber Correction Compound D300 32oz - $28

Finishing Polish: 3D HD Advanced Polish - $49

AIO: Autoglym SRP 17oz - $20

LSP:

- Wax: Collinite 845 Insulator Wax 16 oz - $16

- Sealant: FK1000P - $18

Coating: Opti-Coat - $35 per application

Applicator Pads: 24 pack Pinnacle Foam - $30

Microfiber Towels: 36 pack eurow from Amazon - $23

Random Orbital: Griot's 6" - $90 from Tirerack

Meguiars G110 5" Backing Plate - $20

Pads:

- Meguiars 5" MF Cutting Discs x 4 = $40

- Lake Country CCS White x 6, Gray x 3 = $63



As far as washing and whatnot, the list was:

Wheel/Tire Cleaner: Sonax Full Effect 16oz - $16

Strong Wheel Cleaner: Brown Royal - 1 gallon ?

Clay: Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit - $19

Foam Gun: Amazon.com: Gilmour 75QGFMR Foamaster Adjustable Multi Ratio Cleaning Gun: Patio, Lawn & Garden $43

Shampoo: Chemical Guys 1 Gal $22





There's a fair number of things I haven't determined yet, such as tire dressing, and 95% of my interior supplies. I'm still debating on whether to get a really solid steamer, a solid extractor, or get the mid-level of both (Mytee Lite II & VX5000) based on a somewhat limited budget starting up.



I feel quite naive when it comes to sourcing cots-effective but also high-performance supplies for a full-time dealership, so I immensly appreciate the wisdom and experience you could share in helping me achieve profitability.



To be transparent, my number one goal is to profit $3580 a month within 6 months. That breaks down to about $172 after taxes per day, assuming 21 working days a month. I'm located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The metro area's population is roughly 200,000. There are two main country clubs in town, with quite a bit of wealth there, and I'd like to eventually get into the niche of the upper class, but there's a massive amount of mini-vans, SUVs and sedans from the middle class that I'd be foolish not to appeal to, assuming it helps towards my goal.



I'm honestly very open to feedback/advice/mentorship. I just read through Renny's book on how to start a business. I do have business experience, so I'm fairly confident with my marketing and sales approach, and connecting and building relationships with my current and potential clients, but I realize my greatest challenge is going to be understanding what to invest in to maximize efficiency while minimizing costs per detail. This includes bigger equipment that are one time large purchases, and the ongoing expense of product and pads, etc.



Thank you!

 

[David Fermani]

Wheel cleaners are such an important and highly used product in the detailing industry. No offense to you or your product choices JC, but $80 for a gallon of wheel cleaner is crazy expensive unless you're working on super fragile wheels all day. There are dedicated acidic and high-alkaline wheel cleaners that can safely clean a wheel for a fraction of that cost.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

I am about a hundred miles south of you in Keokuk.

Grew up in the area, and so when I retired, this is where I chose to live. Nice, quiet, low crime, etc place to live and cheaper than all get out.

 

[ahheck01]

I am about a hundred miles south of you in Keokuk.

Grew up in the area, and so when I retired, this is where I chose to live. Nice, quiet, low crime, etc place to live and cheaper than all get out.

Yeah, aside from this awesome weather such as today, it really is a great place to live. Just wish the climate was about 20 degrees warmer throughout the winter. I'd like the occassional light powder with nothing sticking. Right now as I look out my window, it's half covered with a snow drift of several feet. hah.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

Yeah, aside from this awesome weather such as today, it really is a great place to live. Just wish the climate was about 20 degrees warmer throughout the winter. I'd like the occassional light powder with nothing sticking. Right now as I look out my window, it's half covered with a snow drift of several feet. hah.

We lucked out today, only about 1/4 inch.(the rain though was over 2 inches before it stopped and changed over).Going to be two cold days coming though, but nice on Sat and Sun.

:cool1:

 

[Dan]

I'd think about your choice of AIOs as well, SRP has its place, but IMO not in any pro setting.

 

[Jean-Claude]

Wheel cleaners are such an important and highly used product in the detailing industry. No offense to you or your product choices JC, but $80 for a gallon of wheel cleaner is crazy expensive unless you're working on super fragile wheels all day. There are dedicated acidic and high-alkaline wheel cleaners that can safely clean a wheel for a fraction of that cost.

"one of the cleaners" I keep on hand.

 

[Ron Ketcham]

If you find a reason to call Beth, ask for a sample of Custom Wheel Cleaner.

It is for OEM and other "coated wheels", and is private labeled for several vehicle manufacturers.