Getting a job.. Am I experinced enough?

B

BradUF

New member
The only experience I have is working on my own cars with Porter Cable and Poor Boy products. I really need a part time job and am unsure about what this job is. Looking at this job but it says almost nothing about itself and only has a number..







EXPERIENCED and RELIABLE AUTO DETAILER WANTED for established SOUTH TAMPA BUSINESS
 
Sounds like a used car lot looking for a hackmaster. If you have a Carmax in your area, they are always looking for detailers and run an ok shop. Its not Autopian level by far, but it is above and beyond what most used car lots and even new car dealers have.
 
yakky said:
Sounds like a used car lot looking for a hackmaster. If you have a Carmax in your area, they are always looking for detailers and run an ok shop. Its not Autopian level by far, but it is above and beyond what most used car lots and even new car dealers have.
Click to expand...



That is what I was afraid of and we do have a carmax. What is it like working as a hackmaster and what is their starting pay.
 
Sucks, they go after volume because they get paid a set price per car so the more they can crank out the better. I had a shop tell me that he had a product that would take care of swirls and scratchs and wax all in one without requiring a follow up step or two using wool. All his wool pads were siting face down on the floor. I told him that wasn't my style and he only wanted to pay me $8.50/hr. No thanks.
 
BradUF said:
That is what I was afraid of and we do have a carmax. What is it like working as a hackmaster and what is their starting pay.
Click to expand...



Its like Labster posted, you get paid just above minimum wage, have to work in all sorts of weather churning out cars as fast as you can, its all about volume. I'm pretty sure at Carmax you get paid by flat rate, so if you work fast, you can make a decent $.
 
Labster said:
Sucks, they go after volume because they get paid a set price per car so the more they can crank out the better. I had a shop tell me that he had a product that would take care of swirls and scratchs and wax all in one without requiring a follow up step or two using wool. All his wool pads were siting face down on the floor. I told him that wasn't my style and he only wanted to pay me $8.50/hr. No thanks.
Click to expand...



Im still angry at the body shop that used wool pads on my ****ing car. I never could get all the swirls out. Are there any detailing shops in Tampa that are decent I could apply for?
 
There's a couple of detail shops and car washes in the South Tampa area near MacDill AFB. Give them a call and see.
 
yakky said:
Sounds like a used car lot looking for a hackmaster. If you have a Carmax in your area, they are always looking for detailers and run an ok shop. Its not Autopian level by far, but it is above and beyond what most used car lots and even new car dealers have.
Click to expand...



Have you seen a typical (at least in this area) CarMax detail? Pretty scary stuff.
 
Scottwax said:
Have you seen a typical (at least in this area) CarMax detail? Pretty scary stuff.
Click to expand...



It definitely varies by store, but I can say with confidence its better than your average dealer. They use clay on occasion, have pads other than wool, use products we've heard of, and have some adequate supervision. That said, its still a low paying job that's all about volume. Certainly not autopian by a long shot, but if you are going to get your first part time jobs, its not a bad start. Otherwise start looking for a legit detailing business, hope there are some in your area....
 
i worked for a local detail shop for a couple of days, the reason i quit is cuz they are the biggest hacks known to man kind....no clay, and all cars wher buffed with filthy wool pads that sit face down on the ground....it was scary.
 
LS1-MEX said:
i worked for a local detail shop for a couple of days, the reason i quit is cuz they are the biggest hacks known to man kind....no clay, and all cars wher buffed with filthy wool pads that sit face down on the ground....it was scary.
Click to expand...





Yeah I can't do that.
 
yakky said:
It definitely varies by store, but I can say with confidence its better than your average dealer.
Click to expand...



:nixweiss



The ones around here run absolute hack shops. Of course, the local luxury car dealerships aren't any better and don't get me started on most of the body shops. :nervous2:



Honestly, I'd caution anyone here looking for a detailing job about working for any shop/dealership that has more than one location. Find an independent shop that isn't turning out volume details for the local tote the note car lots. Look for one that has high end cars in the parking lot and then look at those cars in the sun before you even ask for an application.
 
zoomzoom mazda5 said:
There's a couple of detail shops and car washes in the South Tampa area near MacDill AFB. Give them a call and see.
Click to expand...



Good advise Angelo - BradUF - did you ever look into this?
 
Scottwax said:
Have you seen a typical (at least in this area) CarMax detail? Pretty scary stuff.
Click to expand...



I was actually a Supervisor for a Carmax years back and I have seen plenty of there work. It is surprising what they consider good. Also on an ironic note, after they buff the cars completely they last step in there process is to run it through there carwash to spray rainx on it. Which is ironic again since the one I worked at only cleaned the car wash once a week. So that whole week over 300 cars went through it tracking all sorts of **** that blew in adn was on the vehicles into the auto brushes.



yakky said:
It definitely varies by store, but I can say with confidence its better than your average dealer. They use clay on occasion, have pads other than wool, use products we've heard of, and have some adequate supervision. That said, its still a low paying job that's all about volume. Certainly not autopian by a long shot, but if you are going to get your first part time jobs, its not a bad start. Otherwise start looking for a legit detailing business, hope there are some in your area....
Click to expand...



Automagic Clay, which is pretty much a brick. The 3M 3000 System with the 3M Wool Pad, Polishing Pad and Finish Pad. Though on a good note its not low paying. When the economy was good our top detailer was pulling down 70-80k a year. Was averaging 30+ hours a day 5-6 days a week at anywhere from $12-15 an hour pending how long they had been there.
 
We have 2 Carmax's locally and the way they put swirls and holograms on black cars you'd think it was like a custom painter putting flames on a hot rod. They are horrible.
 
MachNU said:
I was actually a Supervisor for a Carmax years back and I have seen plenty of there work. It is surprising what they consider good. Also on an ironic note, after they buff the cars completely they last step in there process is to run it through there carwash to spray rainx on it. Which is ironic again since the one I worked at only cleaned the car wash once a week. So that whole week over 300 cars went through it tracking all sorts of **** that blew in adn was on the vehicles into the auto brushes.







Automagic Clay, which is pretty much a brick. The 3M 3000 System with the 3M Wool Pad, Polishing Pad and Finish Pad. Though on a good note its not low paying. When the economy was good our top detailer was pulling down 70-80k a year. Was averaging 30+ hours a day 5-6 days a week at anywhere from $12-15 an hour pending how long they had been there.
Click to expand...



I guess I you proved my point, lol. How often have you seen anyone actually clean a carwash. And most dealerships have, literally ONE pad on their buffers the whole time, the wool one. Like I said, its not autopian by a long shot, but you have the tools there to do a decent job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top