Linctrader

Hello chaps, I've spent the last few days thinking about this and having a read on various previous posts on the forum plus speaking to colleagues for their thoughts. I Do 2-3 a week currently and they are mostly oddball stuff as that's what I like and get most pleasure out of retailling. Having said That, I get the feeling I could be making more money with less stress if I choose one or two models and specialised in just them. I have the funds to have 10+ cars sitting retail ready and the model I have in mind is new enough to not be overly problem some and plentiful enough to ensure there is always a nice amount of stock available for me to buy from the various sources. My fear is the choice factor 'oh I came here for the red one, but you have blue, silver and black and now I'm not sure' - with my current stock, I never double up so that I can avoid this issue. I guess I could choose different engines/ages/mileage/price but sometimes similar stock will come up that I have no choice but to buy. Is this the way forward for small independent garages do you think? And having made that statement, are many of you already doing This? Cheers.

Now that was a 2 day detail...on a £2k builders van that just needed a quick mop and polish...because he didn't want to compromise his standards... Im pretty sure I cried a little that afternoon.

Thanks chaps for the replies, I'm not convinced the euro car wash is the way forward myself...they get cars looking clean but miss the details as they are only concerned with getting the job done and on to the next asap. I find myself still having to go over the cars to clean glass etc properly. Problem seems to be finding someone who is good at the details and can turn out a consistently good car. The 'detail' guys (and I'm still talking valeters here, not 3 day retailers charging £££) seem to be amateurs with only a few customers because they got into the business because they like to clean their own cars and whilst they can finish a car well, it takes them 5 hours, 4 cups of tea, 10 cigs and 3 life stories (including how they can't make a living wage out if this business), so one ends up losing the will to live and starts to avoid being around when they turn up. They then become resentful that the price agreed doesn't pay them for their time so over time begin to do less and less until you chase them away because their work is crap and all you end up paying for could be done for £15 by the euro wash by ways of a mini valet, in 1 hour, with no whinging! Other side of that are the busy semi pro valeters who just like to splash water and do the bare minimum to get money and get away within the hour. Car half cleaned, water marks everywhere - why bother. Last guy I had - i bought in a van and after a mini valet at £25 he said it looked quite flat and would benefit from a machine polish. I agreed, and asked if he would do a quick machine buff of the exterior for £60 (the going rate for a 3 stage polish in my area). This guy moaned constantly about money and lack of work so I thought it would help us both. But no, he has standards he wouldnt wish to compromise, so he would only take it on if he could do a full detail, 2 days, £150. Needless to say neither of us got what we wanted. It shouldn't be this hard. 4 cars at £50 a time to the euros is part ways towards paying for a full time valeter on site. So should I be taking someone on and adding another small business to bring in money to keep them busy when I'm not using them.

Its the local euro guys I end up taking the cars to - but I'm not sure what insurances they would have to cover collection/drop off and I wouldn't be happy just winging it - so it's dead time for me waiting for them to clean the car and travelling to and from. Why can't valeters just be consistent? It's not as though they get less money from me everytime they expect paid so why do they think it's okay to let their work standards drop off and think I would be happy to accept it? Plus (and no offence to valeters meant, as I have done it myself as a day job) but it's not exactly rocket science, so how do many who profess to be a professional car cleaner manage to do such a poor job? I'm tired of chasing guys away and just want someone who will do as they say in return for a payment previously agreed before they start the job. Part of me thinks I should start a small valeting business along the car business to justify paying another wage...seems a bit extreme though.

Hello, Previously I valeted my own cars, but poor health means if I try to do one now I'm wrecked so little else gets done which is no good as I'm a one man band. I don't have enough stock (small set up 2-3 a week) to justify someone full time and I seem to be going through 'valeters' at a high burn rate...most loose interest in doing work for a price so standards soon drop and I find myself kicking them into touch. How do you other guys handle this situation when you aren't in a position to do the work yourself (due to no time/illhealth etc) but aren't big enough to cover the costs to employ someone full time for this roll? It's looking like my best option is the local car wash mini valet! Cheers.