D16PJM

Hello im after some advice as im thinking of a slight change in career as im fed up with electronics i have seen a complete set up for sale and was thinking of buying it but would like to know a few things first like is this seasonal work, is there any money in it anymore, i know its hard work, this is what iv seen for sale
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA:IT&ih=017

any thoughts does this sound like a good deal or not.

thanks Pete

B16JUS

i think its a good idea but remember all the other costs

van insurance
products
liability insurance

not sure how much you would charge for a mobile valet maby do some door to door enquiries see what the views are if they would use etc and what they would pay

i just think that the kosavans for £5 is a bargain and only 5-10min of your time then just give it a polish when you get home

J

Daveyboy

looks a decent setup for the money. it is quite seasonal though. I had my own valet business for a year or so - when its good its good, but there were some dire weeks with no phone calls. ok if you have no commitments, but no good if you do!

rscombi.

need a bigger van

CRAIG HAYTER

it looks ok i have my own valeting business it has its up but also downs people think being your own boss is better but sometimes its notyou will really need to be commited and lots of advertisement

BM08

i think it looks good on reflection, but really it aint that great from what people are saying(mostly here) for me i need to know ive got money constantly coming in, if i havent then sod that.

Csm

I have my own mobile valeting business and as mentioned when its good its good but can be very dire when the phone doesnt ring for a week or two and no email requests etc

I am only part time as i am also employed as i have commitments with the house, kids etc etc and theres no way i could have survived without my employment which pays me a good wage.....

I started as is something i always wanted to do and kinda look at it as a hobby aswell.

All in all it does take lots of advertising be it local magazines, poster in shop doors, walking round the housing areas at night posting fliers through doors etc etc

As for seasonal i was busy last winter no probs and was shocked tbh, just gotta keep telling the customer that it makes sense to get the car polished up for protection etc .........sell yourself do deals etc

I knock money of if they have 2 cars or can get another car be it friend or family etc at the same address to benefit the saving and give you more work.

The reason i can be quiet also is because i live in the sticks and there is competition although i know 1 long established valeter has closed his doors this month (but he isnt mobile)

Good luck if you go for it

Csm

Ohh and with this credit crunch going on ...........

You are the first to be bumped

Most peeps aint going to pay someone to clean there car when they can do it themselves albeit it might be a poor job they do but all they see is a saving on the outgoings

D16PJM

i wouldnt have to earn huge amounts of money as i have the wive to do that but iv always enjoyed doing my own cars and thought this sounds ideal, iv looked on the net and the prices people charge can vary i was also thinking with the alloy wheel kit being with it may make it a bit more profitable, iv done some spraying etc in the past also if it doesnt work out iv still got all the kit to sell, how much liability insurance is needed for something like this, i can drive the van on my traders policy.

SassyRS

edit wrong thread¬

CRABBY

if you have got a traders policy give them a ring and tell them you are adding valeting on as well they should be able to add this on also most companies can offer public liability in with it as well for not much more

the key to this is to diversify your business like offering pressure washing services as well guttering cleaning as you will have the kit to do it

boost mad

iTrader: (8)

ive been detailing for a while, but over the winter people only tend to want quick and cheap washes... which i hate doing.

Unless you have a few rich clients, but at the moment, they seem to be few and far between !

D16PJM

i know everyone says about a credit crunch and people not spending money but i work for the banks and there still seems to be plenty of money floating around, mind you who wants money in the bank at the moment.

so what i have discovered from this thread is that the set up for sale is a reasonable one and will be o.k to start and like all trades you have good and bad times.

im tempted to try and buy it and see how it goes on a part time basis, still doing my normal work as i have a few days off each week.

Csm

Will you set up a business account with the bank ??

Most banks are free banking for the 1st year then boom ............... they rape you for charges for this that and the other

You get charged for paying money in, taking money out ...... charged even more if its chqs, get charged for having 2 D-Debits they charge you anually for having a atm card, they charge you for having a overdraft that you probs dont want lol

Do your banking through your own account and deal with cash as much as possible or store it under the floorboards

Eggburt

Do it Pete, we'll give you loads of work


Keir.

D16PJM

kier by the time you and liam get round to advertising your cars they will need doing again anyway, i will only need the one client and two cars YOU.

Eggburt

Hey! Liam's the one collecting cars

Honestly though would be a good thing to get into.

D16PJM

seriously thinking about it kier.

Dan16v

iTrader: (1)

Not true at all, I run my own mobile valeting business in an escort van:



i have a baffled water tank, generator, wet vac, henry vac, jet wash, all my products etc etc and i manage perfectly, the winter makes no odds to my income, as long as its not raining i work, the winter just restricts what hours i work, with dark/light etc.

If you think you can do it, go for it mate, just remember, its all about your attention to detail

D16PJM

Dan16v what do you think of the setup that is for sale on ebay any good, anything else needed etc.

Csm

Exactly i am returning to a escort van after selling my mahoosive 02 plate transit

Purely too big for my needs in honesty and cos im part time anyway whats the point in me having a £5k transit that folk wanna borrow to often lol and you do just end up carrying more crap than you need

I'll post piccies of my new escy van when its ready from mates garage ........... its a eyecatching one lol

Muska

Have a read of this thread, made for interesting reading. I'd recommend the site to if this is the career path you're thinking of.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...ead.php?t=9987

Matt.

Dan16v

iTrader: (1)

It seems a fairly good setup but getting a good customer base is the hard part, you have to be very determined to make your business work, leaflet drops, pricing your valets right, not being afraid to up the price on a vehicle thats really shit up, but make sure you inform the customer of this prior to cleaning the vehicle

Always make your prices "from"

Do you have any experience in valeting?

you could buy the job lot and sell the wheel refurbing tools to someone else to get some cash back?

Hope this helps mate, anything you need just ask

And if you do go for it, good luck

nickscunny

iTrader: (1)

I am just starting part time valeting at the rear of FST Automotive in Scunthorpe....


I could do with a few pointers or tips.....

Dan16v

iTrader: (1)

nickscunny

Just use your eye for detail, if it looks dirty clean it, the key to it is doing that little bit extra, if your only washing and vaccing the car, give the dash a wipeover with a microfibre just for that little bit extra, takes two seconds and looks miles better, plus it hasnt cost, its the little things that make a big impact

nickscunny

iTrader: (1)

CHEERS Dan....

I have been doing just that.... Did a mates car who works with me from my full time job and he couldnt thank me enough. Paid perticular attention to all the things he would notice. Now he has spread the word around our dept and people are starting to enquire.

Just hope i do well because my regular job might not be there for me by xmas - redundancy is looming....

Dan16v

iTrader: (1)

Valeting is easy work and easy money, a lot of it is common sense, everybody knows how to wash a car, and how to vac a car, your job is just to do the bits they miss, attention to detail

Csm

Yep always go the extra mile

I got a call from a local guy to me who is a trader from his house, only really deals in sports & prestige type motors and my first job for him was a BMW X5 value'd at £30K , It wasnt an abused example and was a fairly easy mid-range valet that he asked for but i went the extra mile on it................ Courtesy call 2 days later telling me he was over the moon and has continue'd to use me ever since, even though the work dried up for him lately aswell due to the credit crunch i know theres work coming soon from him.

I'll clean anything, use your powerwasher for other things, I was asked if id powerwash a staircase in a block of flats due to cats pissing on furniture that a neighbour left out for a few weeks .............easy money straight for the pocket

Csm

Ohh you will learn to HATE citreon carpets couldnt be any shittier if they tried

D16PJM

iv just made an offer on it, will see how we go.

Muska

i don't know if you noticed the thread i posted a link to, it's well worth a look.

rsdene

iTrader: (1)

i work for autosmart, selling products not valenting, work still seems to be good, im still selling 20k a month, dont use autogym products tho, far to expensive, give your local autosmart franchisee a bell for some prices,
regards
Dene

D16PJM

Muska yeah i had a read of that some good information but to be honest if i dont give it a go i will never know, its 50/50 really some say go for it and others say theres no money in it any more, as i said earlier i dont have to earn a fortune il give it a go and if its no good sell the van and equiptment and get some money back but its not a huge investment so i will live and learn.

Thanks for all the advise given will have to see if i can agree a price with it now, will let you know.

Cheers pete

Dan16v

iTrader: (1)

exactly, patios, driveways, anything a power washer can clean

The thing is with the x5 is that you made it look like a 30k car, going that extra mile always counts

D16PJM

just to let you know iv bought this and im collecting it next week end, im looking forward to this and hope to make a go of it, failing that just put it back on ebay.

most people will probably think im mad buying it this time of year but what the hell i will give anything a go within reason.

Csm

Good for you fella

You can only try matey

cozzfather

iTrader: (1)

i have a mate in the valeting game who is doing shit,he has a mobile van and a unit opposite a Netto supermarket,he in the last week got burgaled and all they took was a remote control for the telly cos theres fook all else worth nicking at the mo, he has a swanky reception and now the skys been chopped, the diesel power washer has broke, the georgy and henry chucked their hands in too, the poxy hi pressure blaster is now on its last legs leaking water and the only small hoover went on strike right in the middle of a valet on friday. i think valeting is a brave move at the mo.

best advice he gave me was use one of them good synthetic shammys on the plastics with tfr,it gets the plastics nice and clean.

Dan16v

iTrader: (1)

Good luck with it mate, if you need any help gimme a pm

D16PJM

i think valeting is a brave move at the mo.

to be honest its not a huge amount of money,iv lost more on cars so if it doesnt work i will either leave it on my drive or just sell it

xr3-keith

so hows it going pete mate?