Car Valeting Equipment / Biz

[chris2007]

Hi

I'm looking to start a car valeting biz shortly. I'm just a bit confused about how i would get a jet washer to work. I would need a water tank, and a jet washer that would plug into the tank. But would i need a generator in order to power the jet? I know i will need one to power the hoover.

At the mo am just thinking of doing a wash n wax service at a couple of sites i've noticed. Am just thinking of where i will get the water from that i will need etc if there is no on site supply?

Does anyone do this sort of thing already, and do you have any hints/tips that you could throw my way?

Cheers!

 

[easiprint]

A couple of chaps near me do mobile valeting. Both have big vans. One has a very big water tank in the back of his van with a generator, the other has a smaller van with a trailer. The water tank is in the trailer so he can keep the water away from his electrics. I don't think either of them make loads of money, but they both seam to make a decent living.

 

[PRP]

Hi Chris

Get yourself over to a site called Detailing World. You will find all the info,
products you need to get yourself up and running.
Most of the guys on there are professional vehicle detailers and im sure
they will answer all your questions.

Just type DETAILING WORLD in google and it will be at the top of the page

cheeRS

Chris

P.S. Easiprint is right, most vehicle detailers/valeters have big water tanks in the back of there
vehicles which supplys water to the power washer which in turn is powered by a petrol generator.

 

[chris2007]

thanks. will check them out...

 

[dataferret]

You could rent a stand pipe from the local water authority and get a licence to use the pipe for washing cars at certain locatons, but it is pricey and there is no guarantee the stand-pipe location is convenient to where your clients are likely to be. It also means you have to get permission each time you visit a client at their home.

The best solution is to have a water tank which can be filled by a hose and to which you connect your jetwash. The power for the jetwash will need to come from a portable generator. This is why most car valeting vehicles are large transit type ones.

 

[Senior]

Can I ask why you are chosing this sort of business when you seem to have no knowledge of it, I always think that to succeed in business a good grounding in the business is essential.
I'm not critisizing and wish you well but if you don't understand the basics then surely it will be a struggle?

 

[Empire1]

Hi Chris

Get yourself over to a site called Detailing World. You will find all the info,
products you need to get yourself up and running.
Most of the guys on there are professional vehicle detailers and im sure
they will answer all your questions.

Just type DETAILING WORLD in google and it will be at the top of the page

cheeRS

Chris

P.S. Easiprint is right, most vehicle detailers/valeters have big water tanks in the back of there
vehicles which supplys water to the power washer which in turn is powered by a petrol generator.

Hi just thought id ask you something im a mobile valeter and ive got 3 pressure washers and they have all broke and not cheap ones £450 do you think it is the water flow rate from my 300 ltr water tank to my jet wash because i cannot work it out ive been a valeters for 21 yrs now and when i worked for other companys didnt have this Thanks ?

 

[midgetman]

you dont need a generator if you go for one of these. http://www.google.co.uk/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1TSEACENGB342&q=petrol+power+washers&meta=lr%3D

 

[KDMINX]

My Brother-in-law does valeting.

He used to have a SWB transit with a 1000L tank. The transit was a dog to drive with the tank full and the water and when the tank wasn't totally full the water used to slop about and make you feel a bit sea sick! Anyway the transit failed it's MOT

Now he has an Astra Van and a 280L tank he got off ebay. He uses a generator for the pressure washer / hoover etc.

I'd reccomend against an inverter 'cos you'd need a big one to run the PW and hoover and it'd flatten the battery in no time!

He much prefers the Astra van to the Transit, it's faster, uses a lot less diesel, drives like a car and looks a lot more proffessional.

 

[Empire1]

Thanks for your reply.

I do use a generator for the pw and hoover. My water tank holds 250 litres the trouble i am having seems to be with the water flow from the water tank to the pw. Any suggestions please?

 

[Silly GCS]

Hi Chris

I used to run a valeting business. Hard work but I enjoyed it!

You can do a couple of things. There are pressure washers that will suck the water from a tank without much or any pressure.

You can also use a pond pump to pump the water to the pressure washer.

Good luck with it and I used Autosmart products as they were excellent.

All the best.

 

[Empire1]

Thanks for your reply!

Can you let me know which pressure washers to look for. ie what will they be described as. I have asked the staff at various shops but no one seems to know what i am talking about. Also can you let me know how to use a pond pump as I have a baffled water tank and I have no idea how to set a pond pump up.And the tanks are about 4 foot high.

 

[Empire1]

Oh and we do use autosmart you know you can use them on any car, And ive been a valeter for 21 yrs now and this as never happened until i started up on my own,
Thanks!

 

[Silly GCS]

Type this into google and look at top of results. Lots of talk and info to read.

PRESSURE WASHER THAT SUCKS THE WATER


Pressure washer that draws water like this one on gumtree

GENUINE 6.5 HP HONDA GX 200 PETROL OHV ENGINE ( NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE CHEAP GC 190 AND GC 160 HONDA ENGINES WHICH ARE ONLY MEANT FOR DOMESTIC USE E.G. LAWNMOWERS ETC )

THIS WASHER WILL SUCK FROM A STANDING SOURCE AS WELL AS JUST CONNECTING TO A GARDEN HOSE


I would post links but need 15 posts first!

 

[harry munker]

Empire I would say if you are having problems with any of your equipment the manufacturers should be your first point of contact they will tell you correct water pressures etc and any problems you might have they have probably heard of before.

 

[Empire1]

Yeh all they said was plug it up to the garden hose and let the water ran through, They didnt know if they suck the water or not, But thanks for that.

 

[businessboy]

karcher ones suck water!

pro-user/boshe dont

 

[QuickHomeBuyers]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUTOGLYM-CAR-...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item2a05c04fab

This should get you off the ground. Shop around and you may get better price.

 

[QuickHomeBuyers]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Carpet-Uphols...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item3caa931391

Steam cleaner. Professional use.

 

[Empire1]

Thanks for that reply but i need a jet wash that sucks water in from a baffled water tank,Because they work fine pluged up to a garden hose but they hav a mind of there own when they are in the vans.

 

[BraddersL]

There's a couple on eBay at the
moment and even one in makro for £159.99 on offer at the momennt. Petrol one that sucks it's own water from a baffled water tank. Obviously you need to have the lid off the top so it puts Less strain on the water pump and over tine this would break it.

Get a petrol one. They've been the best for me. And the one at makro Is spot on

cheers

 

[Empire1]

Thanks for your reply we will go and hav a look, That is the one thing ive not done yet taking off the lid thanks!

 

[apexdetailing]

Hi,

I run a detailing company called Apex Detailing.
I have a 250ltr tank in the back of the van from Water Tanks Direct . co.uk and use a karcher pressure washer. Works with no issue. I also bought a generator from ebay for £150.
250ltrs will do about 3 cars if I am frugal with the water. More than enough as I normally work on one car for the whole day and can refill when I get home. Be careful with the water you are filling up from, check if you are on a meter or pay a flat rate for it. It can get quite expensive otherwise!
Also, bear in mind that will all that extra weight you will be using extra fuel and will need to replace suspension parts and brakes sooner than normal. So make sure your van is regurally serviced.

Hope this helps!

 

[Empire1]

We also have 300 litre baffled tanks from tanks direct and a karcher k5s and rockport generators. We have b een going for two years and they just kept breaking but we think we have solved the problem. We serviced the generators and everything seems to be working fine now. But thanks for your help. It was a problem with the power from the generators where they had not been serviced.

 

[topo]

Hi everybody,
can someone confirm me if mobile car valeting is supposing to have a data base with regularly customers for which to clean their cars monthly and so on ?
Also i want to ask, what you reckon, is it possible to build a data base with regular customers(domestic customers) advertising with leaflets.

Thanks !

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

I had a car detailed last week, they were on site for two days and will be coming back once a month for regular 'maintenance'

 

[QuickHomeBuyers]

I had a car detailed last week, they were on site for two days and will be coming back once a month for regular 'maintenance'

How much?............

 

[topo]

but as a MOBILE car valeting, you reckon is it possible to build a regularly customer data base advertising with leaflets ?
Do you think the domestic customers will accept to come monthly to their homes or jobs to clean the car?

 

[Gaskell]

but as a MOBILE car valeting, you reckon is it possible to build a regularly customer data base advertising with leaflets ?
Do you think the domestic customers will accept to come monthly to their homes or jobs to clean the car?

I distributed my own leaflets last year, one area can generate loads of business and another area can be a complete waste of time & money. Do you have many hand car wash businesses in your area?

I'll dig out the contact information of the people I use for leaflets, 5000 for around 60. pm me for the details.

Other than posting through doors, leaving a pile of leaflets in local pubs, cafes, shops etc etc can be good

 

[topo]

I distributed my own leaflets last year, one area can generate loads of business and another area can be a complete waste of time & money. Do you have many hand car wash businesses in your area?

I'll dig out the contact information of the people I use for leaflets, 5000 for around 60. pm me for the details.

Other than posting through doors, leaving a pile of leaflets in local pubs, cafes, shops etc etc can be good

For the leaflets the best ones are printcarrier.co.uk (I printed 10000 last week with £66 !!!!A6 size 10cm x 15cm). For the moment I am doing painting & decorating but for some reasons I want to change this business with something else as mobile car valeting.
Gaskell how busy you are and how many cars are you doing weekly(or daily) and how often are you doing one customer?

i think is to easy to catch regulars customers and to do it once a month than big companies(the big companies and so on are for the "big sharks" etc). This is the reason for which I am asking if is possible to build a domestic customers data base.

one more questions: are you valeting the cars at home or are you going to the workplace also?

Thanks!

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

How much?............

£500 for the detail, £100 for the monthlies.

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

This is the company that did the job:
http://www.sportscarprotection.com/

This is the result:
http://www.clubscuderia.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=42225

 

[patty2k11]

hi there my names john i have my own mobile car valeting a good jet wash is between one thousand and two thousand pound u need a hot wash pressure washer thats how its so deer kracher is a good make as for your water supply u best get a fire hydrunt permit off of the water board that you take water from the fire hydrunt when you need it. this will save you loads of money on water rates it six hundred pounds a year hope this will help you

 

[dduncan161]

I recommend TD Car Valeting if you are a local business especially because the service comes to you and is not one of those 0800 national valeters who don't give that personal touch

 

[Geordie's Mobile Valeting]

hi there my names john i have my own mobile car valeting a good jet wash is between one thousand and two thousand pound u need a hot wash pressure washer thats how its so deer kracher is a good make as for your water supply u best get a fire hydrunt permit off of the water board that you take water from the fire hydrunt when you need it. this will save you loads of money on water rates it six hundred pounds a year hope this will help you

I have a valeting business and you dont need to spend £1000 to £2000 for a good pressure washer and it doesnt have to be a hot pressure washer either.

I went from a £200 karcher which was rubbish and blew up after 6-7 month now i have a kranzle k7 which has a built in pump and is worth all of the £500 i paid for it.

And water supply a council stand pipe works out a hell of a lot more then just filling your water tank up from home and that stand pipe licence will only let you use it from 1 location not the whole of the county.

 

[Clelos]

I've been told I'll need a 4k generator to run my mobile valeting equipment, hoover, powerwasher, power polisher, can anybody shed some light on the subject?

Hi,

I run a detailing company called Apex Detailing.
I have a 250ltr tank in the back of the van from Water Tanks Direct . co.uk and use a karcher pressure washer. Works with no issue. I also bought a generator from ebay for £150.
250ltrs will do about 3 cars if I am frugal with the water. More than enough as I normally work on one car for the whole day and can refill when I get home. Be careful with the water you are filling up from, check if you are on a meter or pay a flat rate for it. It can get quite expensive otherwise!
Also, bear in mind that will all that extra weight you will be using extra fuel and will need to replace suspension parts and brakes sooner than normal. So make sure your van is regurally serviced.

Hope this helps!

 

[Gaskell]

I've been told I'll need a 4k generator to run my mobile valeting equipment, hoover, powerwasher, power polisher, can anybody shed some light on the subject?

So you'll be using an electric pressure washer to run from the generator?

I would go for 5000w generator, seems a bit much just to power 1200w appliances but I've had so much aggro with generators its unbelievable. I'd also go for a good make, preferably Honda. The more you spend on the Genny, the less hassle and downtime you will have in the future. Buy brand new and service regular.

I have a Wolf generator, 3500w and it cant even power my small 'Henry' Numatic. Its going back!

Always carry 50m of extension lead in case it gives up on you.

Have you tried looking for a petrol or diesel pressure washer?

 

[Gaskell]

hi there my names john i have my own mobile car valeting a good jet wash is between one thousand and two thousand pound u need a hot wash pressure washer thats how its so deer kracher is a good make as for your water supply u best get a fire hydrunt permit off of the water board that you take water from the fire hydrunt when you need it. this will save you loads of money on water rates it six hundred pounds a year hope this will help you

Do your hosepipe connections for the pressure washer fit with the fire hydrant ok?

Has there ever been a fire whilst you were blasting a car and the Fire Brigade had to disconnect you for a short period? That would annoy me!

 

[oldmanriver]

This is the company that did the job:
http://www.sportscarprotection.com/

This is the result:
http://www.clubscuderia.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=42225

Interesting that you know Dave. He has detailed some of my cars for me. The guy will travel huge distances to make peoples cars clean. Although he does eat a lot of biscuits and drinks far too much tea.