Guide for mobile detailing?
- Thread starter DetailnByDustn
- Start date
AeroCleanse
New member
brwill2005 said:
Sometimes they don't want the sound / smell of a generator, just depends.
brwill2005
New member
AeroCleanse said:
Mine barely makes any noise at all. As for the wattage, I have no problem running any of my equipment. The only exception would be the electric PW.
get a pramac with a honda motor. will run about 400 bucks, been using it for detailing last 5 years full time never broke down once. u will want about 2800 or more watts, because to turn a 1hp or 3/4 hp compressor takes a toll other than that everything else runs fine, even a 1600 watt extractor.
DetailnByDustn
New member
ohiostate said:
Okay, saves money, instead of fliers.
AeroCleanse said:
Ill just have to ask them, when I start on their car, if they want me to use their power or mine.
brwill2005 said:
Okay, ill have a gasoline pressure washer if I get a pressure washer
quamen said:
Okay, quamen whats your set up other than a pramac with a honda generator, do you use a truck, trailer or car?
DetailnByDustn said:
I have a small chevy xtreme with a 4 1/2 by 8 foot trailer. On the trailer i have a generator, pressure washer, compresser, 65 gallon water tank, utility box, air hose real. This whole setup cost about 2000 dollars give or take and i painted the trailer to match my truck, looks really sharp. here is a picture of my setup. similiar setups retail for 8k or more which is quite a bit. I turned profit within a month or so, and the only real equipment i replace is the pw. A decent consumer honda will last about 2 years, but the pumps go bad they run about 500 bucks. My commercial pressure washer was over 1000 dollars but i got it on sale for 600 bucks, they last forever. the picture isn't the greatest,but u get the hint. I have been using this setup all throughout college, i didnt have the trailer when i fist started out.
It is time for a new setup, i just didn't realize i would still be doing this. I went to school got a BA degree and haven't had a job that i enjoyed as much as being my own boss and making decent money pretty quickly, even when i live in a ****** area. never thought the business would be even like this, i planned just doing it part time to make extra money and it took off. U have to let me know what kind of budget etc your trying to work with, because i can layout a nice setup for you. As i mentioned, my first setup sat in the back of that small 6 foot bed, and included a 35 gallon water tank, and everything else, but i had to take it out and place it on the ground but it worked. The 65 gallon you can do alot of cars, believe it or not. Today i did a wash on a Toyota sequoia, a eclipse, a f550 dump truck, a f250 truck and a 16 foot enclosed trailer, had about 5 gallons left to spare.
also don't waste your money on one of those super quiet Honda generators, unless you have that kind of money. My generator has never bothered anyone, and inst that loud at all. If it is running i really cant even hear it in my own home, no need to spend 2 grand on a ultra quiet, but will be nice. I only use my generator at certain places, because 99percent of the customers always have a outside outlet on there home, so u can just plug in and they dont mind at all. The only downfall to my generator, is you cant really run the vaccum and the air compressor at the same time, needs a little more juice. Tractor supply has some really good equipment at cheap prices, even cheaper then the internet. Harbor freight tools even though they are ******, offer the best replacement warranty. My compressor costs 100 bucks and the 3 years replacement cost 8 dollars, i wont be paying for a generator anytime soon. The last one lasted 5 years, so it costs me about 20 dollars a year lol. the most important machines would be ur pw and generator, i really recc getting a commercial washer if ur going to stay int the business.
Barry Theal
New member
I can't beleive no one said a water reclaim mat?
DetailnByDustn
New member
quamen said:
This information fits me to a t! Thank you for this info, The way people are talking about mobile detailing, you can start out small and work your way to full trailers, I think the best approach is to buy something I can put in the back of the bed of my truck that will allow me to do six car washes, which sounds like your first set up, do you still have the information from where you bought your mobile set-up for your truck bed? If the prices are not to much more, I would like to buy a small tote around trailer that way I didn't have to take the equipment out every other day.
DetailnByDustn
New member
bufferbarry said:
Me either? I probably don't need one for Madison County, there pretty lenient for run-off of water, but if I go to Asheville, I will def. invest in one. The only reclaim mats I have seen is from detailing king's videos on youtube.com
quamen said:
That's probably what I will use, don't they attach to a shop vac?
Envious Eric
New member
DetailnByDustn said:
ONR...problem solved!
brwill2005
New member
One more thing in regards to marketing. This is a very important part of starting any business. I learned the hard way about this. You should develop a plan that states who your target market is, and how you will reach them. Word of mouth alone is not enough to grow your business. If your doing this part time, it is fine, but full time is another story. Develop a strong web presence, as that is where most people look for these types of services. Find ways to advertise that will drive traffic to you website, which should be professional looking. As for the generator, buy what you can afford, however, like most things you get what you pay for. It is not all about noise and wattage either. The cheap gens have very erratic power that is not 'clean'.
DetailnByDustn
New member
toyotaguy said:
ONR Bio-degradable?
brwill2005 said:
Great Point, If I build a skid for my truck, I will look into the different features of each generator and make a choice then, If I can find a tug along trailer that has a pw, tank, generator, and hose reel ill go with that for now, when I start to get a bit bigger Ill go for the very best in equipment, even with my detailing equipment, I would love to try the different menzerna's products, and zaino's products, and buy a flex, but for now one thing at a time!
don't buy a trailer with everything mounted, to expensive. if u dont go the trailer route, don't build a skid for your truck. Get a little carry grate that will attach to a hitch, sort of like to carry coolers or some people use them when they kill dear around here, mount ur stuff to that.
quamen said:
+1, if you're on a budget this is a good route to consider. In fact I've been sending PMs back and forth to another member who saw my old setup using a hitch mounted carrier. Rather than retyping it, I'm just going to copy/paste what I've written already:
Morgan said:
Morgan said:
AeroCleanse
New member
toyotaguy said:
Exactly, no water run off equals no need for a water reclamation system. I take my dirty ONR water and put it down a sanitary sewer.
AeroCleanse said:
most people will not take kind to the fact of not using a pw or water supply, trust me i have been through it. Might work in certain areas, but most of the time water runoff is not an issue depending on where u live. You should always carry your chemical data sheets to show these products are safe for the environment in case any questions are asked, you should be fine. research it out before spending money.
AeroCleanse
New member
quamen said:
I have to disagree, most people like the idea that you not making a mess everywhere with running water. Its not your chemicals that matter, its the stuff that comes off the car. I know a few people that have got a ticket because they didn't reclaim water.
Envious Eric
New member
AeroCleanse said:
agreed....people LOVE the fact that I am not making a mess in their driveway, parking lot, etc. I dont encounter the " i love the earth" type people, rather the "i hate a mess" type people...
ONR for the future of car washing!!!