Express Detailing vs. Paint Restoration
This topic gets brought up ALL of the time. What is better as far as a business goes? An Express type detail or paint restoration?
First, let me explain the different between the two.
An Express Detail is a quick detail. Instead of getting rid of paint swirls, minor scratches or other defects you simply apply a one step cleaner wax or glaze to the paint. Maybe a glaze with a wax or sealant topper. For the interior you might just vacuum the carpet and seats and apply dressing to the dash. An Express Detail might only take you 2 hours and you charged $100 so you made $50 per hour.
A Paint Restoration Detail is a more thorough detail. You would use a polish or multiple polishes on the paint to remove paint defects using a mechanical polisher and then top it off with a wax or sealant. On the interior you might vacuum, use a carpet shampooer, clean the vents, use a cleaner and a protectant, and so on. A Paint Restoration Detail might take you 4-8 hours but you charged a lot more.
So, what one is better and why? Here is my opinion, the better one is whatever you can sell. If you do business in a high scale area full of Mercedes and Porsches you could probably sell the paint restoration details and produce awesome results. If you do business in a not so high scale area filled with Lamina’s and Escorts chances are you will loose your butt trying to sell costly high end details. If you happen to do business in an area where you get the best of both worlds you can either pick one type of detail and only do that or offer both details. The important thing to do is EDUCATE your customers or potential customers. Let them know why your $100 is better…because it is fast and cheap. Let them know why your $300+ detail is better…because it corrects paint defects and offers a lot more services than the express style details.
I hope that some people where able to find some of this info. helpful.
Bob Daniels
Danase.com
