Prices too cheap?

J

Jordan@DD

New member
People keep telling me im not charging enough for my services. What do you guys think?



Sterling Package:



· Vehicle is Cleaned inside and out

· Wheels, tires, fender wells, trunk door jams and engine are cleaned

· Painted is cleaned of contaminants (Pitch, sap, road tar, etc.)

· Carnauba Wax applied

· Dressing is applied to exterior plastics and tires

· Interior carpets and mats are vacuumed shampooed

· All plastic and leather surfaces cleaned

· All windows are cleaned



Platinum Package:



· Includes all cleansing aspects of Sterling package

· Two-stage high speed polish removes swirl marks and light scratches

· Upgraded sealant wax is used

· Cloth Seats are shampooed

· Leather Seats are conditioned with mink oil lotion

· Odor eliminator available

· Windshield is treated with rain repellant



Car Mid-size Van/SUV/Truck Full-size Van/SUV/Truck

Sterling Package $125 $135 $145

Platinum Package $165 $175 $185

PlatinumExterior $85 $95 $105

Platinum Interior $75 $85 $95
 
Where are you located ? A $20 difference from a small car ( what I consider small would be an Accord ) to a large SUV ( Suburban) sounds cheap to me . Are your prices covering cost and labor and are you happy with them , if so then your prices are fine.
 
yes, very cheap! I don't really get the package system but it looks like allot of work for the money.



We get $140 for a PMD (wash and wax basiclly) for an average size sedan. Reconditioning starts at $275 for the same vehicle.
 
We live operate in a very wealthy area (east of seattle).



I'm thinking there might be a better way to structure our details, but i'd really like to keep things simple.



Is $40 more accurate for Cars -- SUV (Full-size)?



If anyone has anyone could give some examples of how they structure prices that would be great (i know its been discussed before).



I feel like people are get too much for their money.



Today, had a customer call and complain about a dirty center console. We did both her lexus GX430 and S500 for $340. It was a full days work for me and my partner. I'm all about customer service but you almost cant feel good about providing it at the level you would like, if you dont feel like your not actually earning from it in the end.



Thanks all for your help, this is a great community.



Jordan Reynolds

Distinctive Detail
 
Superior Shine said:
yes, very cheap! I don't really get the package system but it looks like allot of work for the money.



We get $140 for a PMD (wash and wax basiclly) for an average size sedan. Reconditioning starts at $275 for the same vehicle.
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Reconditioning is a good way to put it...



Maybe have a "Clean car detail package" and a "Car restoration package"



The whole "Platinum" and "sterling" was just something we came up with early.
 
I'm actualy cheeper than that and do most of the same things. I have all the right tools so for me I dont' feel like I have to work as hard to make the car/cars look as good than if I had to do it by hand.(don't get me wrong, I like others here bust my ars!) I did a Nisson Armada the other weekend - the works other than the engine and charged him 155. Looked awsome but giving him a cheeper price will keep him bringing me all his other cars. I look at it as a multi car discount. I know its way under what I could get but its all relative in the end. Sometimes its all about the satisfaction, thats just me.
 
This is how I do it, I first figure out my labor rate. It is currently about $45 an hour per man. Two of us wash a car in about 1/2 hour so I charge $45 for an average size car.



If a vehicle is going to take me 4 hours I need to charge (4x$45) = $180 and so on.....



I don't have packages that clients can pick from. I am the pro. and I evaluate the vehicle to determine what needs to be done to bring it up to our standards.



Imagine going to your doctor because you don't feel good and he/she whips out a price menu with "packages" on it????



If a car is swirled up horribly with paint over spray on top of that are you going to give your customer the chance to choose "package X"- the wash and wax package? We do let the client choose if they want only the interior or exterior done or booth.
 
That is GREAT advice, i really like that.



So do you stay pretty consistant with your pricing or is it just kinda whatever you feel like charging?



Jordan
 
Depends on your area, but for a small sedan I'd charge around $125 for a basic detail (interior cleaned/protected, two step on the paint, wheels/fenderwells) but $225 for a Suburban for the same detail. Dirty interiors? More. Extra polishing? More. Heavy claying? More. East or west coast, add 20% (maybe more).



If I were you, I'd list the prices as "starting at $$$" so you have room to go up if the vehicle is trashed.



You are right to be concerned about pricing your services too low. In this business, low price means low quality and all you will get is the bargain shoppers with trashed vehicles.
 
Today, had a customer call and complain about a dirty center console. We did both her lexus GX430 and S500 for $340. It was a full days work for me and my partner. Jordan Reynolds

Distinctive Detail
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u charged $170 each and u left the center console dirty :scared: !?! even on my wash's i clean em spotless seeing its the SECOND thing they see apon entering there vehicle! (first being the steering wheel area!)
 
Where I work a basic detail on a car is $150.00 , that includes inside , engine , buff and hand wax . Claying, leather conditioning, scratch removeal extra dirty cars are all extra.
 
Superior Shine said:
I am the pro. and I evaluate the vehicle to determine what needs to be done to bring it up to our standards.
Click to expand...



I like that attitude, im not nearly as good as you are but i find it hard to bring myself to approach my customers like that. But believe it or not i did have a BMW i did the other day and i just shot out a price and he took it.
 
6']['9 said:
I like that attitude, im not nearly as good as you are but i find it hard to bring myself to approach my customers like that. But believe it or not i did have a BMW i did the other day and i just shot out a price and he took it.
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sounds like you guys are selling tires... aim high... then slowly inch down lower haha. :)



i have my base prices... and always have the disclaimer "starting at" just to play it safe and have some room to manipulate. but in the end, most of the time i'll just do it. most of the customers aren't bargain hunters and the word of mouth gets more business.



my prices start at $175 ext and int. includes AIO and FMJ by hand. reasonable? without interior it's $125.
 
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