# Detailing as a profession



## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

Ok, you will have to bear with me on this one, i know its been covered before, but need some advice

basicly i have just finished an apprenticeship at BMW as a mechanic. and well to put it politly i hate my job. it is nothing like i imagined but i stayed to atleast finish my apprenticeship. during my training i went on a specialist detailing training course provided by bmw, that was almost two years ago, so im not new to all this and have a fair bit of experiance, and have been thinking about starting up for a long time now. (im a perfectionist, which is why i went to bmw, and why i think i would be good at detailing as a profession)

to cut the chase. whats life like as a detailer? is the money good? sorry if im a bit rude for asking, but i need to know. pay is crap at bmw and there are no career prospects. i am currently on £4.77 an hour which will go up to the minimum wage off £6.10 and hour now im fully qaulified (was on more than that 4 years ago pushing trolleys around tescos)

i have reasearched alot and am planning to start a website up and get flyers made up
my main market would be expensive cars and enthusiasts (not to start with obviously)

i would like some stories from other traders, 
my dad thinks its stupid and i shouldnt do it as people wont pay the money im asking for, whereas other people think i should
i would really like some advice please as i dont know what to do
again sorry for bringing this subject up again, im sure your all bored of hearing about it now
regards Taylor


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## MA3RC (Jun 19, 2012)

I don't have any experience myself but from the amounts that companies charge in excess of £300 and rising depending on the amount of work I imagine there is good money etc but then again you have to weigh up will people pay it? And how often 

I suppose a lot is down to reputation to which is hard when starting out


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## Auto Finesse (Jan 10, 2007)

I think what you say about your job at BMW might be the same with detailing to be honest, it aint what people think its going to be like to do it as a profession, its not like cleaning your own car when the weathers good and you feel like it. The other thing often overlooked is the fact you not only have to be able to detail a car you need to know how to run a business, manage your cash flow, marketing/promotion as well as being the receptionist, book keeper, manager and dogs body all your self when you start up, even if your really good at detailing your own car and your friends/family its very different doing it for customers as a business. 

Its an Ok line of business, much like anything with a "low barrier to entry" the market is fairly well saturated and to really stand out you would need to do something fairly special in terms of your work and what your business offers (no point starting up offering something 10+ other people already offer in your area for the same service/price) but there are certainly ways to and gaps within the market if your clever about it. 

As for the money its like anything, what you make of it, but you will work for every penny in this game.


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## R0B (Aug 27, 2010)

James B said:


> I think what you say about your job at BMW might be the same with detailing to be honest, it aint what people think its going to be like to do it as a profession, its not like cleaning your own car when the weathers good and you feel like it. The other thing often overlooked is the fact you not only have to be able to detail a car you need to know how to run a business, manage your cash flow, marketing/promotion as well as being the receptionist, book keeper, manager and dogs body all your self when you start up, even if your really good at detailing your own car and your friends/family its very different doing it for customers as a business.
> 
> Its an Ok line of business, much like anything with a "low barrier to entry" the market is fairly well saturated and to really stand out you would need to do something fairly special in terms of your work and what your business offers (no point starting up offering something 10+ other people already offer in your area for the same service/price) but there are certainly ways to and gaps within the market if your clever about it.
> 
> As for the money its like anything, what you make of it, but you will work for every penny in this game.


Well said Mr B :thumb:


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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

James B said:


> I think what you say about your job at BMW might be the same with detailing to be honest, it aint what people think its going to be like to do it as a profession, its not like cleaning your own car when the weathers good and you feel like it. The other thing often overlooked is the fact you not only have to be able to detail a car you need to know how to run a business, manage your cash flow, marketing/promotion as well as being the receptionist, book keeper, manager and dogs body all your self when you start up, even if your really good at detailing your own car and your friends/family its very different doing it for customers as a business.
> 
> Its an Ok line of business, much like anything with a "low barrier to entry" the market is fairly well saturated and to really stand out you would need to do something fairly special in terms of your work and what your business offers (no point starting up offering something 10+ other people already offer in your area for the same service/price) but there are certainly ways to and gaps within the market if your clever about it.
> 
> As for the money its like anything, what you make of it, but you will work for every penny in this game.


^^ this.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

dennis said:


> ^^ this.


What's business like for you in Herne Bay?


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

James B said:


> I think what you say about your job at BMW might be the same with detailing to be honest, it aint what people think its going to be like to do it as a profession, its not like cleaning your own car when the weathers good and you feel like it. The other thing often overlooked is the fact you not only have to be able to detail a car you need to know how to run a business, manage your cash flow, marketing/promotion as well as being the receptionist, book keeper, manager and dogs body all your self when you start up, even if your really good at detailing your own car and your friends/family its very different doing it for customers as a business.
> 
> Its an Ok line of business, much like anything with a "low barrier to entry" the market is fairly well saturated and to really stand out you would need to do something fairly special in terms of your work and what your business offers (no point starting up offering something 10+ other people already offer in your area for the same service/price) but there are certainly ways to and gaps within the market if your clever about it.
> 
> As for the money its like anything, what you make of it, but you will work for every penny in this game.


Thanks for the hounest answer  
reading this makes me see it from a different point of view (a realistic one)

Im really not sure what to do. and i can imagine myself quitting work to start up and find myself ending up dislking something i used to love. exactly like work. i loved working on cars, and now i hate it, doing it everyday takes the fun out of it.

well i still dont know what to do haha, but thanks for your help 
regards Taylor


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## martin_46 (Aug 7, 2012)

How about starting up like a weekend one to get your name out and gauge interest? 

One big thing to consider is how serious would you be? You have facilities where customer would drop off car? As usually you would be looking at a 2 day job in my opinion.


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## 666 (Dec 4, 2010)

as james said, you will also find that after doing some years out in the cold getting wet that you will get arthritis and hand problems, i have it after 15 years as does my brother in law after the same amount time, if i could turn back time i would have stuck with my apprenticeship as a grease monkey and saved myself the pain, and had an easy life, like you i dint like it but hindsights a bi+ch


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## alxg (May 3, 2009)

A good point you make yourself is that if you decide to make a living out of a hobby then it is no longer something for your leisure; as James said, if it's cold and raining you can leave your car for another day. Not something you would really have the option with for a customer.

Just my thoughts mind, if you are dead set on it then all the best :thumb:


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

James B said:


> stuff


Exactly this :thumb:

Former Southampton Bro here :wave:

I went full time for 6 months and it was OK, lost a bit of the enjoyment from it doing work for carsales places as they pay you for 1 job yet expect you to do 6 

Used to really enjoy the customers who were really passionate about their cars, made it feel like you were robbing them sometimes as they made the day such fun and several times would stay for dinner and have a good old natter about cars and detailing.

One thing I did notice when doing cars was if it was a lady owner they were never ugly lol.

As I presume you work at the Chandlers Ford BMW place you'll probably get a car with the number plate 'g8sal', can you save up a stinky fart and let rip if it's in and tell him it's a present from Alex :lol::wave:


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

Also have you thought about moving overseas? now you're qualified the worlds your oyster :thumb:

Lots of money in Oz or in NZ theres Giltrap Prestige or Continental car services who deal in Euro luxury cars.


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## ShiningScotsman (Jun 20, 2012)

Sure there are areas where the markets saturated and sure its damn hard work but you sound like and your experience suggests you already know this.

Please forgive me from assuming but from the info you gave in your post I would say you have little to lose....an enterprising young man with good training and assuming there is passion, flair and talent is an attractive selling point for people who are pasionate about their vehicles.
I would say go ahead and give it a go - give it your all and if it doesnt work for whatever reason you are still young enough and have a great name on your cv with BMW that you should be able to re-enter your current line of work without too much hassle.
Trust your gut, all the best


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## Guest (Aug 10, 2012)

Alex L said:


> Also have you thought about moving overseas? now you're qualified the worlds your oyster :thumb:
> 
> Lots of money in Oz or in NZ theres Giltrap Prestige or Continental car services who deal in Euro luxury cars.


I was just about to mention overseas. Great opportunities and the skys the limit.

I actually prefer doing detailing as a personal enjoyment hobby, rather than when I had my business. Looking back on it, I'm annoyed I didn't advertise the detailing more than I first did but customers here, don't seem to understand it. I didn't regret doing detailing as a business though but won't do it again. As previously mentioned, it does take the fun out it for me and there was to much competition as there is a few highly recognised companies around my area who are superb.


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## DetailMe (Jan 13, 2011)

James (autofinesse) is spot on, you can learn alot from someone like that (just look at his marketing and how he has filled the market with his great products and business model) 
However it all comes down to your desire to succeed and the risk in doing so. James, me and every other would have started just like you. In fact look at every other succesfull business that exists, it's always down to hard graft, gambling and some times a little luck!  Two things to note, you won't get any 'business' help here from the pro's, after all you should learn yourself, and secondly you get out of life what you put in! 

Last thing, maybe you should be looking at being an indy BMW tech, I can assure you there's plenty of work out their, and you could offer detailing as a sideline! Others do it  nuff said, good luck

Chris


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

martin_46 said:


> How about starting up like a weekend one to get your name out and gauge interest?
> 
> One big thing to consider is how serious would you be? You have facilities where customer would drop off car? As usually you would be looking at a 2 day job in my opinion.


Yeah, i used to do most weekends, recently not though, thats only due to having soo much other work.

well my mum has a big drive and is pretty supportive, she said i use that to start and get myself a decent sized gazebo, once i start getting a name for myself and some regular customers aswell as a steady income then look into a lockup with a water supply and electricity


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

Alex L said:


> Exactly this :thumb:
> 
> Former Southampton Bro here :wave:
> 
> ...


Yeah thats were i work  haha, small world. i work in the bodyshop part  actually, im sure a recognise that plate, has he ever had any damage repair done on his car?

and yeah, i have thought about working abroad. but it all seems a bit sketchy. i will be ATA qaulified in october (which is highly recognised abroad) bit again, it will probably be the same as what i do now, just in a very nice sunny country lol


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

ShiningScotsman said:


> Sure there are areas where the markets saturated and sure its damn hard work but you sound like and your experience suggests you already know this.
> 
> Please forgive me from assuming but from the info you gave in your post I would say you have little to lose....an enterprising young man with good training and assuming there is passion, flair and talent is an attractive selling point for people who are pasionate about their vehicles.
> I would say go ahead and give it a go - give it your all and if it doesnt work for whatever reason you are still young enough and have a great name on your cv with BMW that you should be able to re-enter your current line of work without too much hassle.
> Trust your gut, all the best


This was exactly how i was thinking, i have very little outgoings (just the basics) and im a low earner so like you said, i have very little to loose and now would be the best time to do it. i just dont want to regret quitting my job as it took a year to get in the first place lol


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## KmChoPs (Nov 1, 2010)

IT Takes a while to build up to be making £250 -£350 a day and you would have to build up client list first, that may mean doing cheaper valets to start with, Like Auto Finesse said its not like cleaning your own car when the weathers good and you feel like it, You be out in freezing conditions, cold ,wet. Can you could with all this. Some People think you will make a fortune, but in general alot of valeting company`s are doing jobs for less than minimum wage just to get jobs. Also detailing is the higher end of the market but unfortunately Valeting is still what people are searching for via Google etc. Do A lot or market research for your area and see what people are doing and charging
all the Best


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

DetailMe said:


> James (autofinesse) is spot on, you can learn alot from someone like that (just look at his marketing and how he has filled the market with his great products and business model)
> However it all comes down to your desire to succeed and the risk in doing so. James, me and every other would have started just like you. In fact look at every other succesfull business that exists, it's always down to hard graft, gambling and some times a little luck!  Two things to note, you won't get any 'business' help here from the pro's, after all you should learn yourself, and secondly you get out of life what you put in!
> 
> Last thing, maybe you should be looking at being an indy BMW tech, I can assure you there's plenty of work out their, and you could offer detailing as a sideline! Others do it  nuff said, good luck
> ...


I never actually thought of that... hmm, ive thought about being a mobile mechanic, but when ive done private jobs in the past it can be a pain. i had to do a flywheel on a mondeo once, had to drop the front subframe, all the suspension gearbox and remove an engine mount all on my driveway. was a complete *******. i thought about getting a lockup, but a decent one is around £400 with elec and water. (no ramp) 
working for myself as a mechanic and detailing on the side sounds quite appealing, especially as i do private work already


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

Thanks for everyones replies, is helpfull to see it from other people perspectives. it doesnt seem so appealing when thinking about detailing in the freezing cold, and i dont want that to ruin a great hobby (doesnt mean im not doing it) its a pretty big decision to make.. 

really appreciate everones feedback, thanks, Taylor


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## scotty grimey (Jul 8, 2012)

On the detailing side of things i personally dont think you can aim for a specific market ie high end cars . The way i see it it the car you are detailing wheter it be a bog standard clio , to a top market porsche is not a factor . At the end of the day your not going to be able to choose what car ypu want and dont want to do .

Its all down to what the customer wants np matter the type or class of the vehicle


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## DetailMe (Jan 13, 2011)

Z3i said:


> I never actually thought of that... hmm, ive thought about being a mobile mechanic, but when ive done private jobs in the past it can be a pain. i had to do a flywheel on a mondeo once, had to drop the front subframe, all the suspension gearbox and remove an engine mount all on my driveway. was a complete *******. i thought about getting a lockup, but a decent one is around £400 with elec and water. (no ramp)
> working for myself as a mechanic and detailing on the side sounds quite appealing, especially as i do private work already


True the mondeo's are a right pain on the floor, sometimes jobs are better not taken on, too time consuming for money earnt. Being a specialised BMW tech would be the way to go, you can do servicing, brakes an the like on any make but specialise in what you know. Think about compiling wiring diagram and service manuals and saving for a BMW diagnostics machine! People
Don't want to pay £100++ an hour for work on there cars!!


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## martin_46 (Aug 7, 2012)

Yup and another thing to consider would be the costs of starting the business...limited company? Accounting costs for tax if required, insurance and you may have to have a system where you collect the water used to wash the cars instead of letting it flow into the street...not sure on these things but someone else on here may be.


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## ianFRST (Sep 19, 2006)

im sure there is far far far easier money in being a mobile mechanic. people seem to be scrimping alot now, so would rather repair a car they have, than sell it and look for a new one.


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## tom-225 (Aug 30, 2009)

Z3i said:


> Thanks for everyones replies, is helpfull to see it from other people perspectives. it doesnt seem so appealing when thinking about detailing in the freezing cold, and i dont want that to ruin a great hobby (doesnt mean im not doing it) its a pretty big decision to make..
> 
> really appreciate everones feedback, thanks, Taylor


Also have you done proper market research, th Southampton area is covered by a fair few detailers offering most things available.


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

DetailMe said:


> True the mondeo's are a right pain on the floor, sometimes jobs are better not taken on, too time consuming for money earnt. Being a specialised BMW tech would be the way to go, you can do servicing, brakes an the like on any make but specialise in what you know. Think about compiling wiring diagram and service manuals and saving for a BMW diagnostics machine! People
> Don't want to pay £100++ an hour for work on there cars!!


Yeah that is true. but when i start up money is money, and i will do anything to get a good customer base first. im doing a headgasket this week on a for fiesta for like £20 lol. just want to get a good name out first 

yeah i could become specialist in bmw. we charge £120 an hour at our stealership, i can imagine alot of people who have bmw's and really want thier car serviced at a dealer but cant afford the hourly rate.

bmw Diagnosis machines are £80,000 and thats just for the interface. it as a huge server which is double that lol. i could get a snap on code reader. but again thier like £4500 and you have to pay for monthly updates
regards Taylor


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

martin_46 said:


> Yup and another thing to consider would be the costs of starting the business...limited company? Accounting costs for tax if required, insurance and you may have to have a system where you collect the water used to wash the cars instead of letting it flow into the street...not sure on these things but someone else on here may be.


Yeah, looked at insurance (on here) the most expensive thing will be getting traders insurance to drive others cars because im young. which really annoys me as i drive 100k x6m's and new m5's at work.... but it still costs £1500 to insure a dog ford transit, rip off merchants


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## Gtiracer (Jul 17, 2008)

What I would highly recommend is staying with BMW, getting an apprenticeship with a big company is actualy quite a sought after thing and it is something you have been blessed with.

The pay may be low when you start, but no one starts off as an MD do they! We all have to start somewhere and spending 5-10 years working in a BMW garage will either;

A)Give you more prospects to move up in BMW Land

or

B)Give you decent credibility when looking for other jobs later on


Bottom line is you have been given a real opportunity here - don't throw it away, saying you used to get paid more at tesco's is irrevelant, Well what would you rather have on your CV when looking for another job? 10 years at BMW as a Service Manager or 10 years at Tesco as a Shop Floor SUpervisor etc

I hope you see my point.


All the best in your decision, keep it as your hobby and you'll keep enjoying it and get more satisfaction from it.


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

Gtiracer said:


> What I would highly recommend is staying with BMW, getting an apprenticeship with a big company is actualy quite a sought after thing and it is something you have been blessed with.
> 
> The pay may be low when you start, but no one starts off as an MD do they! We all have to start somewhere and spending 5-10 years working in a BMW garage will either;
> 
> ...


Thanks for your reply mate 
yes i do see your point, and i know i am extremly lucky to have my apprenticeship. but i just dont enjoy it, the automotive trade is all about, time, hours efficiency and bonus. no one has any pride in their work anymore, since working at our place 23 people have left and joined.. making me one of the longest working members on the shop floor, and ive only worked there for 3 years!. all the people that have joined since have said everywhere is the same, so its not like i can just leave and find somewhere else that isnt the same

also its very difficult to get anywhere in the buisness, unless you want to be an estimator, car salesmen, workshop controller or anything as equally boring where your job is to push a pen around a bit of paper for 8 hours a day.

i can become a senior tech or master tech, but the pay is the same as a normal tech £25k a year minus tax, with very little oppertunities to earn bonus.  
so its not all that great. out of the 7 people from all over the UK that i did my apprenticeship with (have to go to a specialist BMW college in reading) all of them want to leave the motor trade.

and i wont be on a fully qaulified wage for another 3-4 years even though im fully qaulified now. 
Thanks for your reply 
regards Taylor


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## Alex L (Oct 25, 2005)

Z3i said:


> Yeah thats were i work  haha, small world. i work in the bodyshop part  actually, im sure a recognise that plate, has he ever had any damage repair done on his car?
> 
> and yeah, i have thought about working abroad. but it all seems a bit sketchy. i will be ATA qaulified in october (which is highly recognised abroad) bit again, it will probably be the same as what i do now, just in a very nice sunny country lol


Probably, he's a terrible driver lol I used to work with him.

Working abroad isnt sketchy, get a company to sponser your work visa then away you go.


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## Edstrung (Apr 6, 2009)

A friend of mine had always dreamed of working selling Ferraris. He was a salesman for 8 years before finally getting that dream job. 4 months later he quit 

Went back to VW knowing he would have to sit at the far desk, and not the one he used to have, be at the back of the line constantly not being a priority. Fair dos to them, they let him back in there. 

My advice for you would be to stick with them, especially as you are already long serving there. There is a fair amount of investment in you already from BMW so it's not as if you are just another number, you are a number they want to realise into cash. Get what you can from them while being a loyal employee, set yourself up for going solo properly, not just having a bash and failing


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

James B said:


> I think what you say about your job at BMW might be the same with detailing to be honest, it aint what people think its going to be like to do it as a profession, its not like cleaning your own car when the weathers good and you feel like it. The other thing often overlooked is the fact you not only have to be able to detail a car you need to know how to run a business, manage your cash flow, marketing/promotion as well as being the receptionist, book keeper, manager and dogs body all your self when you start up, even if your really good at detailing your own car and your friends/family its very different doing it for customers as a business.
> 
> Its an Ok line of business, much like anything with a "low barrier to entry" the market is fairly well saturated and to really stand out you would need to do something fairly special in terms of your work and what your business offers (no point starting up offering something 10+ other people already offer in your area for the same service/price) but there are certainly ways to and gaps within the market if your clever about it.
> 
> As for the money its like anything, what you make of it, but you will work for every penny in this game.


This :thumb:


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## Beau Technique (Jun 21, 2010)

Savvy business sense helps. Buying retail / smaller bottles of products will add in overheads. Seen someone local just set up a supposed detailing workshop and they havent any car cleaning skills what so ever. All retail bottles from Halfords and no idea of business strategy let alone detailing. Spoke to them and they didnt even have the first clue of swirl removal..."what are swirls?" I walked away. The money will be as great as you can get from detailing. When you factor in all your overhead absorption rates of product / running costs etc the money isnt always that fantastic or for want of a better description "fluffy clouds and shampers on tap" You get out what you put in. Be prepared to become the worker, marketing campaigner, promotions and so on. Long hours and square eyes infront of the desk either doing paperwork or on the computer. If you have the skills after your apprenticeship at BMW then I would try and further develop round that. Detailing / valeting is a luxury or extravagance rather than a needed subject where as a mechanic will always have work whilst there is cars on the road.


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## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

Mate, this Country was built on the back of Engineering. You will find in the future there will be more call for this type of work as opposed to detailing. No offence to the professionals on here, you do an amazing job, it's just that cars will always need fixing. They don't '' need '' to be clean.


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## Magic Detail (Jul 25, 2010)

Stick with the spanners - some nice money to be made now the ar$e end has fallen out of the dealerships. I would advise you really need to learn how to work on other marques and on older cars, as that is where the decent money is. Those where you need genuine skill to actually diagnose and repair a car - none of this plugging it into a machine on brand new motors. 

Detailing is quite high profit but relatively low volume, and it quickly descends into valeting for your best/favourite clients (and that then means you have to do higher volume, which means less time for the detailing = you can't really win). You shouldn't be succumbed by the glamour of it all, not every car coming through the door is a nearly new Porsche or Ferrari with hardly any damage... some of the s**t you'll see will have you busting your balls to make good money :lol:


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## CleanDetail (Mar 7, 2009)

As said before. Detailing is not what everyone thinks it is. Nice cars, good prices been charged but what people dont see is the hard work, long hours and sleepless nights and a limited social life.

Also, again mentioned anyone can clean a car, but you need to offer something different, know how to get your message across. Loads of people start up a business but fail before they start as they buy all the expensive stuff, but dont know how to sell their self.

But dont let anyone put you off it. If you want to try then do. Just dont jump in with both legs as its took me since 2006 to get where i am today. Silly hours and if you look at the bigger picture. I could earn more money doing other things. But i bloody love my job!

ATB
Nick


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## Porkypig (Jun 20, 2012)

Z3i said:


> Thanks for the hounest answer
> reading this makes me see it from a different point of view (a realistic one)
> 
> Im really not sure what to do. and i can imagine myself quitting work to start up and find myself ending up dislking something i used to love. exactly like work. i loved working on cars, and now i hate it, doing it everyday takes the fun out of it.
> ...


Welcome to the real world dude!! :lol:

Listen, I could count on the fingers of both hands the amount of people i know who 'love' their jobs, and do you know what? most of them work for themselves... :thumb:

Going it alone is hard but it would be the best thing you will ever do. That said it is very far from easy and doing something like detailing adds to the difficulty as people who pay the kind of money that makes life nice want to see a portfolio that rocks which means you need experience not just with BMW but with a range of cars and products as what works on a BM would destroy other cars paints.

Advice on where to start... eek! 2 things, you need cas flow and customers, which mean you need everything else that goes along with that as others have mentioned, running a business is a lot of work, making it profitable is even harder but if you can you will love it! :thumb:


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## Foxx (Jul 5, 2011)

Good advice from all concerned. There's no reason to be dissuaded, but some realistic expectations should be held. 

There is the belief that detailers roll around in money, have nice cars and all that tosh, but that's not really the reality for the majority (if any). For most it is hard graft, and enough to make a living. 

Best to try it out in your spare time, without investing in premises, storage insurance, expensive equipment and all the associated financial commitments. If you take to it and business goes well, you can build it up, but if it turns out not to float your boat, you can ditch it without any major consequences. 

It is hard to be different nowadays, and there are countless detailers out there, and to succeed you'll need to make sure you have something unique that sets you aside from the rest. 

There's no reason to stop you ending up very successful and earn a nice crust, so if you want to try then you should most certainly do so - better to have loved and lost, and all that


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## PootleFlump (Jan 1, 2006)

I haven't really read every post but reading between the lines you want more money but have limited experience. Join the club, it can take time to build experience and earn bigger buckets. Lots of unemployed people in the UK (2.56m at present) so having a respectable job is good. Lots of independant mechanics do 5 - 10 years for dealers to gain the experience, tricks of the trade and in depth knowledge of the marque before starting their own independants and charging much higher rates (although they have business overheads then). I can't tell you what do do but 2 years into a career is nothing. Becoming a detailer doesn't sound easy to me but neither is being a mechanic.

Interesting they only pay min wage, do they charge clients £100 an hour for your work? Become a hairdresser maybe, from what my wife tells me the trainees get charged out at extortionate rates and it goes up from there.


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## Z3i (Mar 18, 2010)

Thank you for the answers from everyone 
i have some good-ish news, my manager has offered me a paint apprentecship at our place. as there is not enough work as a technician at the present
Im already pretty confident in prepping and spraying primer "gives me a head start"
just means i will be on minimum wage for another 3 years  but at the end of it i will be fully qaulified by BMW in two trades
as for detailing i will be doing it on the side as a hobby for customer/friends/family im still going to get a website up and getting buisness cards/name and logo made, i will put my buisness cards into cars i work on at work
im also going to carry on repairing cars on the side as i do now. if my reputation grows over the years of my paint apprenticship then i will look into starting to work for myself again, and by then i will be able to do mobile smart repairs 
but for now im going to carry on working, even once if finished the other apprenticeship i will only be late 23-24
so thanks very much everyone, ive learnt alot from what people have said, detailing is hard graft as a profession. and will more than likely take the fun out of a great hobby, especially as i do a fair but of polishing on freshly painted panels at work, the paint is soft as fudge, easier to burn through. just thought id add that as someone mentioned not having much experiance 
regards Taylor


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## Magic Detail (Jul 25, 2010)

All sounds good mate, but one final word of advice from me - I'd just check with your bosses first before dropping business cards in BMW's customers cars. That would almost definately be seen as a 'conflict of interests' and would lead to instant dismissal, probably. Always better to leave a job with your head held high and of your own free will. 

Good luck with your new apprenticeship.


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## PootleFlump (Jan 1, 2006)

Sounds like a good opportunity and decision. You are young, plenty of opportunity to progress and develop but you need the experience and knowledge that comes with time.


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