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is a car wash profitable in an auto repair shop

nando5
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nando5 Newbie

nando5

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im a car wash detailer but im getting paid well about 600 a week but im getting a job offer from an auto repair shop to be their sole detailer where all the profits go to my pocket. im unsure about this as i dont know how profitable a car wash is while located in an auto repair shop. i imagine its inconsistent but does anyone know how profitable it is? will it be worth it to leave my safe weekly paycheck for it?

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5 Star Auto Spa Community Regular

5 Star Auto Spa

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We actually have it the other way around here. We are a car wash, with a full service auto repair shop as part of the car wash. The car wash is definitely the larger part of the business compared to the auto repair shop. We do a ton of full details at our auto repair shop but I think this is because originally the entire building was a full detail shop that was partially converted to an auto repair shop, not the other way around.

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ATLAuto Rising Star

ATLAuto

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If you do this right, you could make some decent income. I'm assuming that you will have your own bay with all the detail / washing tools you need. Then, I would develop your base in two ways. 1. Bring all your current customers over with you. 2. Make a deal with the shop to wash every single vehicle that comes in. Not a full detail at all, just something that makes the customer think, "Wow, I just went in for an oil change, and they washed my car too. I'm coming back here." Depending on the shop and the experience that they are trying to create, this can be a big win and help you have a stable flow of "customers."

 

Additionally, I have seen some mobile detailers in our area striking deals with local apartments and big office complexes. They will come by the complex and wash cars in the parking lot. If you can present yourself well to the office managers and close these deals, it looks like there is a lot of money to be made in this area.

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ATSAutomotive Collaborator

ATSAutomotive

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How did this shop come to offer you a job? Do you know much about this shop? Reputation, etc. I am always leery about telling someone to take the leap of faith when you have a safe paycheck already. For me having dealt with dealership managers, I would never leave a safe paycheck for an unsure thing. The sole reason I started my shop was just to make a living. Couldn't do it working at the dealership so what was the point in staying. Your personal life and situation comes in to play. Just take a step back and look at the BIG picture.

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GeeZ Enthusiast

GeeZ

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Let me understand this:

 

All of the profit from this part of the business stays with you. Define profit. You have to pay the overhead of rent, electricity, taxes, and especially water, then you get what is left?

 

What is the owner of the business getting? Good will? The ability to have this access to this service? New customers? This makes no sense to me.

 

No offense, but detailers are a dime a dozen. Unless you are bringing a lot of new customers that the garage owner can possibly get

repair business from, this model is doomed to fail.

 

Keep your current job.

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mmotley Proficient

mmotley

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I read the first post, then just kind of skimmed the replies... Here is how I see it:

 

If the detail side of the shop was making any kind of profit to be substantial, why would they give it away to someone else... Let me re-phrase that. If the detail side of the shop was making ANY PROFIT AT ALL, why would they give it away. Even if it is just breaking even, they should want to keep it.

 

Doesn't sound like a smart move, just my thoughts though

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