600 Quid Detail !!

[Deleted member 37751]

You must of missed my detail on this SL500:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/detailing-mbclub/107569-2003-mercedes-sl500-detail.html

Shortly after this, this guy sold this car for £3000.00 more then he bought it.

So just by you giving it a detail it sold for £3000 more than it would have done without? as long as your punters think that is the case, then that's all that matters.
I've bought and sold many cars ranging from £2k right up to £20k and I've NEVER been asked if my cars have been 'detailed'. It's obviously a personal thing keeping your car as clean as some do, but to say that they sell for vastly more than it should do is seriously having a laugh.
I'll say this again for the tenth time; good luck to you lads that are charging what you do, I'm just showing genuine amazement that people will pay it.
There is no doubt that the cars look excellent after you've had your hands on them, they really do look well.

My point to the op was to buy these swissvax products and do the cleaning himself, he will get a lot more satisfaction doing it that way.

 

[d w124]

You must of missed my detail on this SL500:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/detailing-mbclub/107569-2003-mercedes-sl500-detail.html

Shortly after this, this guy sold this car for £3000.00 more then he bought it.

Looks like I should do a bit of detailing at my work.I sell used White goods and wonder if I can get more money by making them look shiny Lol

You have to remember that all this crap only started lately but everyone was happy before that
Now you get a bunch of (what I would call) asking £600 and you think that's ok

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Looks like I should do a bit of detailing at my work.I sell used White goods and wonder if I can get more money by making them look shiny Lol

You have to remember that all this crap only started lately but everyone was happy before that
Now you get a bunch of (what I would call) asking £600 and you think that's ok

Lol ^^

I was trying to be polite Dash!

 

[nick mercedes]

Has anyone else been more than satisfied with their own results?

No need to spend £600 or buy a bucket and sponge, just pop down your local IMO every week or two, problem solved.

 

[crockers]

Well going from this:

to this:

Makes a big difference whether you like it or not.

watch the video yourself in HD IN DIRECT sunlight. These 500's are not expensive either.

YouTube - ‪Canal de GemcleanDetail‬‏

Wow - so a detail can turn a black car into a blue one????

 

[tpwuk]

The brightness on the "after" photo is more brilliant than the "before". Look at the colour of the tyre rack and light stand!

 

[moonloops]

LOL - you saying detailers simply photoshop cars to big-up themselves on line?

 

[JohnDeere8530]

personally wouldnt pay that ever, seems a waste even for my £50k motor. However if I had a high end car or classic that looks were everything and it was not used much, ie sat cossetted in a heated garage then I might think about it

For a car used everyday, nah forget it mate. Go and find someone that would do nearly as a good job every two yrs for say £200.

Most would never notice the difference except on museum pieces under halogen lights

 

[Whitey]

I think i will spend 100 quid on some gear and see if I can get it looking as close to showroom as I can.

Takes some photos if you can !

Before/after like on the detailing forums and you will be pleased with the results !

 

[Howard]

Looks like I should do a bit of detailing at my work.I sell used White goods and wonder if I can get more money by making them look shiny Lol

Sounds good ...

Apply 'Mr Sheen'
Allow to 'dwell' for 10 seconds
Wipe off.

Extra £100 please.

 

[mikec32]

Lol, I should never of got involved in this thread. As shown everyone is different and like different things. Which is a good thing as life would be boring. Detailing does make a huge difference to the appearance Of a car. But I do agree if you are using the car everyday for work and for the family it is a waste of money. I do like to agree on the pricing as that is very expensive for 1 days work and most big time pro's would never charge that.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Living in dirty, dusty, polleny and bird-pooey London my detailing was a brilliant investment in beauty. Michael (Detailed) corrected the paint, put some real depth of colour and shine into it, then sealed it so keeping it clean was a doddle.

This was the result after a very simple wash and dry, with detailing fluid finish - this is my parents' old garden on a sunny day reflected in the paint:

As someone who likes to spit and polish shoes, I approve of detailing.

 

[billywhiz]

Blimey - a lof of detailing 'haters' on here..

A reputable detailer is a professional - all of you are blasting the fact that pah, how dare he charge £600 for 14 hours work.

ok > take your car to a Mercedes dealership > as many of you do > and when they say ok it's going to take 14 hours to fix at our labour rate then you pay it? Why, because it's being handled by professionals, people that are trained in their job, use correct products, methods, and have the ability.

For those of you that take your cars to the valet bays where the eastern europeans damage you paint for £7 then why not just call me? I'll come armed with a few brillo pads and scratchy sponges and will damage you paint for £5 if you want me to? - heck you can even tip me extra of you want.

A lot of you say oh well it's just a car that gets me from here to there > when you bought it was the paint tatty, dull, scratched etc? 80% of the time no but this is how you are selling it on.

Theres always going to be examples of cars being sold whatever but for most people buying a car, the top money is gained by the seller if it's all in good order or have I blindly missed something here ?

You are paying for a proffesional service.

I guess for those that don't think it is, let me know, I've seen some people down the road that if I pass on your adress, they'll come and 'tarmac yar drive sir' ? at a very resonable rate ?

 

[fatdazza]

I guess for those that don't think it is, let me know, I've seen some people down the road that if I pass on your adress, they'll come and 'tarmac yar drive sir' ? at a very resonable rate ?

I bet they'll even offer to give your car a brush down with their yard broom for a couple of extra quid!!

I agree with your comments. People will gladly hand over several hundred pounds at a time to their main dealer in servicing costs "as a full service history keeps the car's resale value higher"

And yet they are happy to spend only a fiver having their cars "cleaned" by some Eastern European with a washmitt full of grit and dirt. Totally ignoring the fact that a well presented car can add a lot to the resale value as well.

Some people take pride in their cars and if they don't have the tools / skills / time to do the job well, then it is up to them if they want to pay a professional to do it.

Me, I like to have a well turned out car and spend the time doing a good job on keeping it looking good. I also polish my shoes (which is sadly becoming a lost skill!).

 

[Deleted member 37751]

There is a difference between taking pride in the appearance of your car (which I do)and spending hundreds of pounds on a job that is pretty straightforward for anyone half-savvy to do themselves.

How you can compare cleaning and waxing etc prices with the actual maintenance of the engine and the other necessary costs of a car is a joke.

By your reckoning, the servicing & maintaining of a car is the same as keeping it clean??
Let me think about that one for a second.....

I'd never realised the hyperbole in the 'detailing' world was so widespread, but the more I learn about it, the more it just seems a smokescreen.

 

[billywhiz]

^^ there is a lot of difference between a DIY detail and a pro detail - It's not just about what wax - products, it's how the whole job is carried out - 95% of any vehicle detail is the preparation > and that is what takes the time.

If you need to paint a door frame at home, are you going to splosh some gloss straight on it, or are you going to spend time making sure it's a prepared, rubbed down and a smooth surface ready for the gloss ?

I'm talking about having a professional work on your car as opposed to an unqualified, trained person, if your happy with the scratch wipe half finished job by the valet bays then so be it - that's why everyone in this world is different - But I don't see anyone complaining about another proffessional service prices when they get quotes.

That's the problem we have today > Everyone wants a job done cheap > but no-one wants a cheap job.
!

 

[silver_star]

I'm talking about having a professional work on your car as opposed to an unqualified, trained person, if your happy with the scratch wipe half finished job by the valet bays then so be it - that's why everyone in this world is different - But I don't see anyone complaining about another proffessional service prices when they get quotes.


!

Out of interest, what qualifications can you obtain in detailing cars?

 

[billywhiz]

A few bodies out there who will train you and bear you then as qualified to their working standards - parc ferme for example, and a lot of the other detailing houses offer courses, Swissvax etc.

 

[tpwuk]

Main dealers, independants and specialists alike tend you have workshops, kitted out with expensive diagnostic tools, expensive hand tools, expensive power tools, expensive lifting equipment etc. They also have a vast knowledge of the working components of many different makes and models of vehicles. They usually employ several people. They tend to have large overheads. How can the price they charge for their service compare to that of a detailer?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

That's the problem we have today > Everyone wants a job done cheap > but no-one wants a cheap job.
!

and by the same token, ^^ no-one wants to have a normal name for their job anymore because you can charge more if you come up with another name for it.