# Using an estate car for mobile valeting and detailing



## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

So i wanted to know who uses a estate car for their mobile valeting and detailing and if you did could i see your setups please as me and my mate are looking in to this.

Thanks.


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## PhilsCar (Mar 22, 2011)

we use a van, due to water tank and generator, + petrol PW.

Estates are good for detailers, who use customers electricity and water.

alot of people i know, just hoy the seats down and put it in the best they can, think of it as a camping or fishing trip! lol


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

i know some valeters use them with water tank and gennies in it.


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

pointless imo

looks a bit pikey ive always thought too....


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## PhilsCar (Mar 22, 2011)

ianFRST said:


> pointless imo
> 
> looks a bit pikey ive always thought too....


So true, looks more professional with a van IMO...

or at very least, a tasteful estate, highly polished, tinted windows, with stickers with the business name. bmw or an audi would suit.


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## Driftland Liaison (Sep 17, 2009)

I used my RS4 for dealership work when i first started out and even in that i felt like a pikey :lol: as others have said i dont think it looks very profesional lugging about a genny,water tank etc when you turn up at a customers door.


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## paulyoung666 (Jul 6, 2011)

PhilsCar said:


> So true, looks more professional with a van IMO...
> 
> or at very least, a tasteful estate, highly polished, tinted windows, with stickers with the business name. bmw or an audi would suit.


no snob value there then  , i reckon a mk2 or 3 mondeo would make a good vehicle , limo tints on the back windows and you should be good to go , of course it would need shiny paintwork .........


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## PhilsCar (Mar 22, 2011)

paulyoung666 said:


> no snob value there then  , i reckon a mk2 or 3 mondeo would make a good vehicle , limo tints on the back windows and you should be good to go , of course it would need shiny paintwork .........


im very opnionated! lol. but a half decent vehicle would be good. mondeo would be reliable. it would need to look businessy like the limo tints and paint thing is be SHINEY.

but if you have a mk4 astra estate in faded red, with a missing roof bar, just no! lol


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

PhilsCar said:


> im very opnionated! lol. but a half decent vehicle would be good. mondeo would be reliable. it would need to look businessy like the limo tints and paint thing is be SHINEY.
> 
> but if you have a mk4 astra estate in faded red, with a missing roof bar, just no! lol


I dont have any eat estate car yet i have red mk4 astra yes and i do say the paint work is shiny!! was detailed 3 weeks ago.!! but im not using it for work its the wifes day to day car.


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

I was thinking about a V70 or an A6 Allroad, the main problem for me being younger is getting insurance on a big car with a larger engine, 2.5 tdi A6 = £3500 to insure. A smart 4x4 or pickup might be a good alternative, something like an X5, Touareg, Murano or a high spec Navara.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

If your saying it look pikey i know a few on here that use them Showshine being one.


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## PhilsCar (Mar 22, 2011)

depends on the car though mate... if it looks nice, and does the job, then why not.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

i wasn't planing on just getting any car and throwing my gear in to it LOL

It was going to get signed up and limo tints and all that


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## PhilsCar (Mar 22, 2011)

LOL i guessed that. an old cortina estate 

signed up and limo tints would look well smart. Possibly better than a small van!


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## PJM (Jan 23, 2010)

Laurie.J.M said:


> I was thinking about a V70 or an A6 Allroad, the main problem for me being younger is getting insurance on a big car with a larger engine, 2.5 tdi A6 = £3500 to insure. A smart 4x4 or pickup might be a good alternative, something like an X5, Touareg, Murano or a high spec Navara.


An x5 or Touareg for valeting? are you serious??

Always a van 
A) looks professional
B)A Bulkhead stops your henry from knocking you out when you brake
C) cheaper than an x5..


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

I want a van just insurance is alot at the moment and thats with the car being registered for business.


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

Astra Van, search for threads on James B's old one - it was an absolute beauty


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## dominic84 (Jan 27, 2007)

> Always a van
> A) looks professional*
> B)A Bulkhead stops your henry from knocking you out when you brake*C) cheaper than an x5..


Good point, also if you're thinking about using an estate with a water tank in the back then you may want to watch this video:

http://www.ionicsystems.com/english/crash_testing_barrier.html


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

I want an astra van, i want a van but just finding one thats cheap on insurance.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

dominic84 said:


> Good point, also if you're thinking about using an estate with a water tank in the back then you may want to watch this video:
> 
> http://www.ionicsystems.com/english/crash_testing_barrier.html


Ive seen that video..... but thats the same with anything being used for a mobile valeting or detailing!!!!


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## dominic84 (Jan 27, 2007)

> Ive seen that video..... but thats the same with anything being used for a mobile valeting or detailing!!!!


Not if you use a van with a bulkhead.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

That amount of water with out with a bulk head would be deadly in a crash imo


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## dominic84 (Jan 27, 2007)

> That amount of water with out with a bulk head would be deadly in a crash imo


The second video shows it's OK if it's properly secured, but you'd most likely struggle to do that in an estate. A bulkhead gives you protection from flying objects such as tins of product, tools etc, as well as providing extra protection from your tank.

But if you're already aware of, and happy with the safety implications then that's cool.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

Like i said i would rather have a van but insurance is alot on a van almost double!


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## Laurie.J.M (Jun 23, 2011)

DJ1989 said:


> That amount of water with out with a bulk head would be deadly in a crash imo


Also if your going to use an estate car it's a pretty good idea to put in some kind of solid guard net and obviously secure things down properly. In a crash or even during a full on emergency stop anything unsecured can turn into a lethal projectile.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

I wasn't just to putting the seats down LOL i would put a floor in and them hooks can not for the love of me remember whats their called but the tanks would be striped down using a ratchet strap


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

Somthing like this



T4_ANNI said:


> Work in progress:


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## Flair (Dec 11, 2010)

what about a decent pickup with cab. that is what I was going to use, purely becasue it made more sense for me than running a car too as I would have four seats. But I have the connect now insted. But seriously considering selling and getting a nice black pick up. But the connectcost me £2400, and to £1200 to insure. So it's not realy much more than it costs for me insure a decent car.
I seriously wouldn't use an estate if you looking at it from an insurance point of view. because if you have accident and find your, A: using for business and it's not insured for that, and B: your overloaded on the weight side they are going rape you big time.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

i was thinking about a pick up but i can't find anything about closing the bed up so its safe and drive and will hold a water tank and gennie.


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## Flair (Dec 11, 2010)

DJ1989 said:


> i was thinking about a pick up but i can't find anything about closing the bed up so its safe and drive and will hold a water tank and gennie.


Depends what you look at, alot of pick ups have or you can get canopys for them. How safe they are from being broken into I dont know, but it cant be any worse than an estate with glass windows. But for lugging gear around there fine, that's what there made for.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

i will look in to it  but atm we're looking in to a unit as our last van went bang we have a escort it died on me last week, we also moving house lol and im in talks with some brands about becoming a stockist so as valeting will be drying up im hoping to be opening an online store selling products soon.


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## Serious (Mar 19, 2008)

Have you not had a chat with Lloyd from coversure (shiny on here) . I can't believe that all the extra £ you will be spending on an estate wouldn't be better being put towards the van insurance ?


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

Its somthing i will be looking in to in the next few months we are now closed on the mobile valeting side due to moving anyways hoping next spring to be at it again


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## 888-Dave (Jul 30, 2010)

Van all the way buddy, it's the right tool for the job.
As for insurance costs, if your setting up in business then you really need more than cover to drive just the van anyway. Get a policy that insures you for the van any other cars you own and customers cars. Add public liability to that too.
I've got 2 vans and 3 cars on mine, even with cover for customers cars and PL it's way cheaper than insuring the vehicles seperately.

speak to these guys http://http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=134 :thumb:


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

thanks.


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

good luck finding an insurer to insure a car full of work tools, water and a generator 

just get a van, if you cant cover your costs then theres no point being in business in my opinion.

you can get a lot into a "small van" ie: caddy, combo etc the astra is a bit tight for valeting, only good if you need enough water to do one car per day, not 4 or 5


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## Beau Technique (Jun 21, 2010)

Astra works fine. If it didnt, I wouldnt be using one.

Ive always viewed it as a man in a work van equipped well will always look the more professional set up. I know of a few that use cars and the vehicles themselves look very tidy and work for them but still stand by the van being the better option.

Are you wanting full self sufficiency? If so then a larger van will be needed unless you go down the inverter route. I dont have onboard power so dont have the issue there but have dealt with a number of smaller jobs in a day with no issues. I started in a fiesta hatch back van. Now thats small, but still worked. You have to use logic and imagination sometimes. Not always the case of who's got the biggest stick.


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

Beau Technique said:


> Astra works fine. If it didnt, I wouldnt be using one.
> 
> Ive always viewed it as a man in a work van equipped well will always look the more professional set up. I know of a few that use cars and the vehicles themselves look very tidy and work for them but still stand by the van being the better option.
> 
> Are you wanting full self sufficiency? If so then a larger van will be needed unless you go down the inverter route. I dont have onboard power so dont have the issue there but have dealt with a number of smaller jobs in a day with no issues. I started in a fiesta hatch back van. Now thats small, but still worked. You have to use logic and imagination sometimes. Not always the case of who's got the biggest stick.


thing is you need a van the size of your work load, theres no way on this earth i could use anything smaller than a caddy size (i moved from a VW Caddy new shape to what i have now, a trafic sport)

i have a huge generator, shelving, products, 2 honda pressure washers, tank etc - we do a lot of sub contracting for haulage works so a van any smaller now would limit how many people i can take, how much water and what not.

as you say though - buy a van, least if it gets bashed, water leaks in the back it doesnt matter, if you get a water leak in the car you're goosed


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