Todays Detail: Couple Questions

TheSopranos16

TheSopranos16

New member
I detailed a 2003 Lexus LS430 today. Here's what I did...

Clay
SSR1 with PC
EX-P by hand
Shampoo carpets
Clean and Dress interior
Condition Leather
Polish and Seal front windshield
and of corse, all the obvious (wash, dress tires, etc.)

I charged $140 for the job, does this seam too high, low or about right? I am still trying to get a gage on what I should be charging people.

Also, this was my first time using SSR1. Great product, went on and off very easily and smells great. My only problem is that it stained my pad something aweful! Any tips for getting that out? I used lake country's snappy cleaning powder and soaked it for 20 minutes but not even a little of the color came out. Here is a pic of the pad...
 
Looks great, SSR stained my white pads also I wouldent worry about it to much the pad and product still work the same way I find that right after I use the product I automatically start soaking it in a APC of some sort.
 
What kinda pad is that? Wash it with warm water and Murphy's Oil. Scrub and just get it out right away or it will stain. Detail looks good. Right pricing I guess, but depends on tiem spent.
 
The pad is a Lake Country White (not any more though!) AVC. The detail took about 6 hours total. But, it was my first time with SSR so I would probably be able to do it a little faster next time...
 
Great job!

I finally cut my teeth with ssr1 this past Friday. Realy nice stuff; and got out ALL the swirls that were left behind from two Fridays ago. That staining is something else though (Meguire's polish pad). I'm inclined to leave my staining on the pad as well, though.

My next experiments are going to be ssr1 v. VM and ssr1 topped with VM. Have to know if it can get any wetter....
 
I would probably charge $140 for that minus the claying and leather conditioning. I believe those are services which should be upsold - perhaps $25 or so for each.
 
TheSopranos16,

Very nice work!

Depending on the area you live in, you want to make between $20 - $30 or more an hour. Once you get good at estimating time required for a job, you can charge accordingly. In NJ, I would be charging $30 an hour. At 6 hours, that would be $180............... so, I think you were a little under priced....... but not bad. Still, it's your hard work, so you decide. Of course, if you are just starting out, you may want to stay a little low until you get a name for yourself. In the end, you want to do "GREAT" work, and "CHARGE" for it!

Yep, SSR polishes stain my pads too. However, I just wash and dry them, and use the same SSR polish on them the next time.
 
usdm said:
I finally cut my teeth with ssr1 this past Friday. Realy nice stuff; and got out ALL the swirls that were left behind from two Fridays ago. That staining is something else though (Meguire's polish pad). I'm inclined to leave my staining on the pad as well, though.

My next experiments are going to be ssr1 v. VM and ssr1 topped with VM. Have to know if it can get any wetter....
Click to expand...
I've tried SSR1 vs VM, but not one on top of the other. I think the appearance of SSR1 is very similar to VM. SSR1 has the advantage for removing paint imperfections, while VM has the advantage in being able to hide imperfections. VM is probably just a shade wetter. Keep us posted about your findings.

BTW - SSR1 turns my white pads pink too, but I don't mind. I normally dedicate one product per pad anyway.
 
For that process that was done on that LEXUS is and outstanding job that charge for quality WORK should be no less than $200.00 and if you add the engine @ $30.00 a release form should come with that engine detail up front. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
 
Nice looking work . I think for the area your in the price was cheap, but if your happy with what you made less your material costs then thats fine. Thanks for the pics , again nice work :bigups
 
Great Job...

I think @ $175 plus $30 for the engine is a respectible number (give or take $20 in each direction). Thats about the average rate a shop in our area would charge, plus you are more convenient for the customer.

jason rawls

I practice and believe that every car should be clayed prior to polishing. Claying leaves the exterior so clean and ready for compounding and polishing. I feel that the extra time I spend claying reduces the amount of time I need to buff out the exterior. I could not detail a car without claying.
 
Thanks to everyone so far for the responses. I also felt that I had charged too little, but I am just starting out and it was a first time customer so I didn't want him to feel I was overpriced. He knows a lot of people so he can help me network a lot through word of mouth. But if I could do it over again, I would have charged more or done less, because it took me a lot of time for only 140.
 
price

i too am in new jersey in bergen county area . i woulda charged 160 for the in and out no engine and no clay . people will pay it and they have no prob comin up wit that kind of money if they are driving a lexus . i dunno everyones diffrent i guess it would deped on the condition of the cars in and out too though no ? anyways good job it looks good .
 
awd330 said:
I've tried SSR1 vs VM, but not one on top of the other. I think the appearance of SSR1 is very similar to VM. SSR1 has the advantage for removing paint imperfections, while VM has the advantage in being able to hide imperfections. VM is probably just a shade wetter. Keep us posted about your findings.
Click to expand...

I disagree. VM, when applied with a PC and polishing pads DOES remove imperfections, not just hide them. A quick once over with IPA/Water afterwards showed this on my weekend detail.
 
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