# Had enough thinking bout selling up....



## firebladerider0 (Dec 9, 2009)

Been trading now for 16 months & i feel flogging a dead horse as far as getting work is concerned. I have tried & tried by doing the leaflet drops local ads etc & too no avail. 
The problem i think is:
Too many drive thru places & ppl not being prepared to part with £40+ when they can get it done cheaper etc.
So due too being a single dad with two kids to support i am seriously thinking abt going back to full time employment. my query is:
Would i be better selling as a business with all the tackle or i also thinking bout keeping my equipment so i can maybe get the odd weekend work & still do friends & family etc but out of the back of an estate car.
I have a 54 plate Citroen Dispatch HDI with 105000 miles so i might even see if i can get a px or swap for a car.
Just cant decided for the best especially seeing as summer is only weeks away.
Any suggestions would be helpful....Cheers Steve.


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

sorry to hear about your troubles..

have you ever thought about keeping the van and business, and getting a full time job..

you might find just having the van sat outside your place of work, people will see it, 
also give you the opportunity to keep working as a detailer part time, 

unless you need to repay debts ect through sale of the van, i would use it as your normal daily driver for a while, with a full time job for security any work you do get can be booked for days off.


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## Stezz (Apr 29, 2011)

If you can try further a field, try you leaf drops around Hale Barnes, Didsbrury, Prestbury etc as these are the places where the football players seem to live.

Also, how about offering your service to local car showrooms or even better, I know there's a golf club somewhere near you, so maybe drop a load of leaflets in there.

Good luck with your choice, I hope it's the right one.


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

Stezz said:


> By the way my misses is dictating and I'm typing:lol:


Should be the other way round .


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

I know it is hard mate and I have had this thought cross my mind in the past.

I gave myself a month of trying the hardest i possibly could and it worked and i pulled in over £3000 after 4 1/2 weeks which paid the bill but more importantly boosted my confidence so much i carried on and made it work.

Don't let the business run you, YOU RUN IT :thumb:


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

I had the same thought the past 2 weeks and well came to a conclusion...

Sell up, i will be putting my van, gennie and tank up here for sale separate in the next 1-2 days i've had enough and going back to employment maybe do the odd weekend job currently looking at cars a Saab 9-5 Aero like this










Or a Volvo V70 T5 (i know people will move out the way lol )


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## The Turtle (Jul 15, 2010)

Old Skool said:


> Don't let the business run you, YOU RUN IT :thumb:


Good comment :thumb:


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## Obsessed Merc (Apr 10, 2011)

I was employed and self employed for the first 18 months of my business start-up. I had the benefit of a regular income and the buzz of doing my own thing. 
Downside, of course, is that you have ZERO spare time. 
But with the longer days, it's quite possible to combine the two....

Good luck in whatever you choose. Grass often appears greener whichever way you look at it


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## trackslag (Mar 20, 2011)

Dont sell up before you find a job again. So many going for work now with places shutting etc its pretty hard to even get an interview.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

trackslag said:


> Dont sell up before you find a job again. So many going for work now with places shutting etc its pretty hard to even get an interview.


Good advice that, so hard to even get a foot in the door now. 
Times are hard at the minute and people haven't got the disposable income to pay £40 for a car wash when the Poles/Kosovans are doing them for £3.50 in the swindlermarket carparks.


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

16 months is nothing, you need to run for at least 3 years to make it.

In the early days I almost went back to plumbing every day. I persisted and even a quiet day like today i took £200.

Is not easy, and 5 years ago I could stuff any old chemical down the drain. A few industiral estates in South manchester I have to use PH neutral stuff or steam.

I have also leaflet droped all the Alderly Edge areas as well and nothing from them.

I just expanded my business to cover smart repairs, window tinting and high end dealer preps and it all took off.


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## firebladerider0 (Dec 9, 2009)

Cheers for all the comments chaps....
Well the business owes me nothing as it is all bought & paid for with redundancy money so i dont have loan repayments to worry abt so thats something. Maybe it is just me & the area i am coverering i dont know. In the last week or so i have had 3 different ppl book work with me then phone up within hours canceling with lame excuses instead of just saying they have got a cheaper price, it is so annoying.
Anyway back too the topic in hand, as mentioned im only thinking about selling at the moment as i have got an appointment/interview on saturday with a chap who owns a motorhome place & he is looking for a valeter on an employed basis tho only part time to begin with, so if he gives me something it will be a load off my mind as it will be guarenteed hours. 
I just hope it dont turn out like the last dealer i did work for:
Got a phone call asking me to do a couple of cars & if i did a mint job he would give me regular work. He even said upto 30 cars per month. After doing 2 subaru's including machine polish on both for trade rates ive never heard from them since. Guess they were just after a cheap valet so hung the carrott of further work as an insentive, winds me up.
Well rant over lets hope saturday goes well otherwise the plan is to get a fulltime job driving as i have a lgv licence, even if its with an agency to begin with.
Thx.


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## PrestigeChris (Nov 17, 2009)

Well rant over lets hope saturday goes well otherwise the plan is to get a fulltime job driving as i have a lgv licence, even if its with an agency to begin with.
Thx. 




Thats your solution there pal. if you dont want to give it up yet dont. Try and do both if you can, Agencies can be flexible as to hours you work. So you could do both. That way you get a regular income from the driving but can still top up your income with the cleaning. You never know when you will make it with the cleaning so if you carry on with it you are keeping your foot in the door still and you might just get that 1 customer who changes everything? If you pride yourself on quality not quantity like most of the hand car washes it WILL pay off. There are plenty of people who wont go near those places! Good luck and keep us all updated.


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## RS ROB (Jan 21, 2008)

Are things really that bad starting out as a valeter now?


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

RS ROB said:


> Are things really that bad starting out as a valeter now?


Worse.

I went months without a single call.

Mrs had to pay the mortgage for 6 months because my income was poor. I got lucky and hit a couple of good clients and then it spread like wildfire but i was working 13 hour days just drumming up work.


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## Colt Man (Dec 3, 2008)

Im finding times realy tough at the minute but ive only just started up full time in the last 2 months, ive been doing it part time for a few years. And thinking of going back to doing it at the weekends, ive even offered to do it at the same price as the swirl wash and still people i tell are going to them? That i dont understand.


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## M4D YN (Nov 24, 2007)

RS ROB said:


> Are things really that bad starting out as a valeter now?


terrible mate  am looking for a full time job now


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## Spoon (Jun 1, 2011)

:doublesho gotta open your eyes man. I know it hard everywhere I'm here in the US just started my own detailing biz and your right nobody wants to pay for a detail but you gotta look for that person who wants too. hit the streets drive everywhere if you haft to. it's not going to happen over night but it will soon give it time. And the ppl you pick up along the way tell the thank you for helping you in such hard time.. That's what i do.......:detailer:

Good luck!


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## Blockwax (Jan 23, 2011)

There is of course the age old problem of too many doing the same thing.
There are some top guys in here who are successful with good solid customer base,customers who know what a good job is and are willing to pay the going rate......
Then there are the customers with a low income who want a good job doing but are on a limited budget....they come the once then find the DW site and become detailers overnight...
....dont try and compete with the top guys unless you have an outstanding method and standard of work where doing a top job at a cheaper price is possible.
Quality always comes to the top in the end, one bad job done and it spreads like wildfire.
Im in here for my own car only,and i will have the pro job done before i settle into a regular routine of keeping the car up to standard.
I know which pro i want to do the job and when the time comes then its a go.
Be careful with doing  the full time and part time jobs together its a bad experience if you happen to get caught doing both, without delaring the income....there is always some one who will eventually pick up a phone and inform on you. I wish you well.


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## Beau Technique (Jun 21, 2010)

Luckily I have quite a good rep in my area so no sooner had I started up the phone was going ( regardless of BS that some haters think and have spread rumours of ). Not ballistically busy but enough to start with. Wont go into figures but last year was very liveable. This year is doubled so far. In detailing. Leaflets dont work nor knocking doors. You will get work if the £5 wash thing is your bag or your main aim is good and wholesome valeting and reasonable rates but detailing, it wouldnt work.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

firebladerider0 said:


> I just hope it dont turn out like the last dealer i did work for:
> Got a phone call asking me to do a couple of cars & if i did a mint job he would give me regular work. He even said upto 30 cars per month. After doing 2 subaru's including machine polish on both for trade rates ive never heard from them since. Guess they were just after a cheap valet so hung the carrott of further work as an insentive, winds me up.


Please take this as constructive, but have you given the thought that your work was just not good enough?!?!

It's always much easier to blame EVERYONE else around you, but most of the time the problems are really in the mirror...

I hope you find something soon though....being self employed is never easy, no matter what field you choose...

I have been self employed for over 3 years now, and it's still very hard (nothing to do with detailing thankfully)

All I was meaning from my comment was, when I do not get a contract, I look at what I done wrong, what I could have done differently and go back and ask for some feedback....

:thumb:



RS ROB said:


> Are things really that bad starting out as a valeter now?


The issue is (for me), and it's something that I have said many times on here, detailing seems to be the new "property development" in that, people look at a few pictures, videos and maybe get 1 class using 1 machine... they go out and buy a shed load of gear and think they can charge big bucks as they are professional....

The word professional is very subjective at the best of times, but some of the so called pros on here just make me laugh - they look hopeless and I would not let them near any of my cars.....

A van, a name and a rotary does not make a professional......

God loves a tryer they say.... thankfully I have a "pro" very near to me, that sends work my way on a few occasions - I don't think he means it mind you, he is just really s**t at what he does...he actually ran out of a pub once when he realised who I was... 

You can see these people a mile off, they join one day, say they have done a "friends" car, then the next they are asking all sorts of help and advice on everything from wax to flyers... these people are quite simply lazy, and do no work for themselves, so how do they really expect to make anything from their "professional" business...

They have no fundamental understanding of what they are actually trying to do, and do not understand the level of dedication and work ethic that some of the better pros have....

:thumb:


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## SarahAnn (Apr 6, 2011)

Daddy Cueball talking sense again :wave:


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## PaulN (Jan 17, 2008)

CraigQQ said:


> Have you ever thought about keeping the van and business, and getting a full time job..
> 
> you might find just having the van sat outside your place of work, people will see it,
> also give you the opportunity to keep working as a detailer part time,


Very good advice :thumb:

To the OP I hope everything works out and id guess it will, having a stand alone business with no or little running costs if you park up and do something else is a nice position to be in. Things will turn around but i dont think it will happen without a boost from a day job.

Trouble is unless youve had your head in the sand the honeymoon is over for this country, we are in a shocking state from gas prices to lack of water to roads failing to bits.

Less jobs, less money so can we really blame anyone for not wanting to spend more money to keep their cars clean. If i had to make a choice about a decent family meal or having my car washed only a single chap would choose the car.

Im mean we are in much bigger trouble then swirls and ash / pollen right now.

Btw im very lucky to have a decent enough day job and own a business but my day job is where the money comes from and the business is just where i spend the rest of my time! my working day started at 6.30am and finished at 11.20pm yesterday but thats just the way it is.

Sorry that kind or went off at a tangent.... 

Cheers

PaulN


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