I need your help.... really

[Ralph 123]

For my 1,000 post I'd like to ask for a little help from you all by asking a few questions:<br /><br />1) How often and how do you wash your car/truck?<br /><br />2) How often and how do you wax? Do you ever go so far as to polish and then wax?<br /><br />3) How often do you really clean the interior?<br /><br />4) Have you ever used a detailer? If so, how often?<br /><br />5) If you had a way of having it done for you quickly and cheaply would you do it?<br /><br />Thanks in advance for the help

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: I need your help.... really

1) whenever it rains<br />2) never<br />3) as often as I can get my kids to do it.<br />4) no<br /><br />Its an old 89 chevy convertion van...I love her and she pulls my boat fine but not much to look at.If I washed it ....it might fall apart

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: I need your help.... really

If you had a way of having it done for you quickly and cheaply would you do it more often?

 

[jimchere]

Re: I need your help.... really

1) Whenever the lawn/garden needs rain<br /><br />2) semi-annual<br /><br />3) Same as (2)<br /><br />4) No, I'm a cheap *******

 

[Homerr]

Re: I need your help.... really

1. Usually when I can't see the REAL pain color.<br /><br />2. 6 months minimum, and YES I do polish. I also use rain-x religiously. (wonderful stuff)<br /><br />3. When I can't see the floorboards anymore, or when trash falls out when a passenger gets in.<br /><br />4. NO! I use to do this for a living for a short spell. Too expensive anyways. As long as I'm able, I'll do it myself.<br /><br />5. Sure!<br /><br />As a teenager, I use to keep the car clean, as I was constantly after bootie, and I mostly lived in the car. <br /><br />But now, married... to work and home...who has time? And I don't have to impress anymore, so I'll clean it when I get to it.<br /><br /> <br /><br />H.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: I need your help.... really

well if I thought it might help its apperence and it was quick and cheap I sure would .Why do you ask Ralph? The wifes van does get washed at a car wash here and there.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: I need your help.... really

1) How often and how do you wash your car/truck?<br />There are 5 vehicles between the wife and I.<br /><br />The Harley and the Benz,gets washed once a week.<br />The F250 and Wrangler every two weeks.<br />The Toyota, once a year.<br /><br />2) How often and how do you wax? Do you ever go so far as to polish and then wax?<br /><br />The Harley polished and waxed to some degree once a week. The Benz and the F250 waxed once a month. The Wrangler every two or three months gets a wax.<br />Toyota, never.<br /><br />3) How often do you really clean the interior?<br /><br />The interior gets cleaned on all the vehicles at least once a week.<br /><br />4) Have you ever used a detailer? If so, how often?<br /><br />No.<br /><br />5) If you had a way of having it done for you quickly and cheaply would you do it?<br /><br />We already do it ourselves quickly and cheaply.

 

[Link]

Re: I need your help.... really

Hey Ralph<br />Still looking for that IBOAT 12 step <br />Interesting that for your 1000th post that you<br />pick here nothing to do with boats to ask about <br />cars? But you and a lot of others have been more<br />than kind in helping me, so I'll pay my dues and<br />see where your taking this <br /><br />1) How often and how do you wash your car/truck?<br /><br />1994 Wife car: about every 3 months or as needed<br />1995 Van : Twice a year or as needed<br />1985 Truck : once a year or as needed<br />1990 Boat : After every outing<br /><br />2) How often and how do you wax? Do you ever go so far as to polish and then wax?<br /><br />1994 Wife car: never<br />1995 Van : never<br />1985 Truck : never<br />1990 Boat : twice a year<br /><br />3) How often do you really clean the interior?<br /><br />1994 Wife car: every three months<br />1995 Van : 4 times a year<br />1985 Truck : about every two years<br />1990 Boat : every time it is used<br /><br />4) Have you ever used a detailer? If so, how often?<br /><br />Once and found that I do a better job. They never<br />roll the windows down just a inch and clean the <br />top of it. I say never because I have several <br />friends who only use detailers and every one of<br />thier vehicles are the same.<br /><br />5) If you had a way of having it done for you quickly and cheaply would you do it?<br /><br />1994 Wife car: only if she paid for it <br />1995 Van : Mabe<br />1985 Truck : never<br />1990 Boat : Always will do myself<br /><br />Oh you didnt ask but all the vehicles are serviced<br />and tuned up every 3000 miles or as needed.<br />Car and truck once a year for the last five years<br /><br />Miles driven per year, and total miles<br /><br />1994 Wife car: 600 : 74,000<br />1995 Van : 8000-10,000 : 174,000<br />1985 Truck : 300 : 300,000 +<br />1990 Boat : That would be goofy wouldn't it<br /><br />This represents driving habbits since 1998<br />Hey you made us work as in typing so I'm wearing<br />your eyeballs out reading <br /><br />Congrads on your 1000th post!<br /><br />Link

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: I need your help.... really

The reason I am asking is there may be a way to change the way people care for their vehicles. I just want a sense for the size and acceptance of the market, as well as the segments that may likely exist. My intuition tells me there are at least 4 segments:<br /><br />1) People who go to professional detailers<br />2) People who do it them selves, like doing it and do it frequently and would never pay to have it done<br />3) People who hate doing it, have not time to do it, or have no good opptions for getting it done (not worth going to a detailer)<br />4) People who could care less and do the least possible.

 

[catfish1]

Re: I need your help.... really

i hav'nt wash my truck in a year since my wife backed out in front of someone and crushed the passenger door in! i used to wash it weekly. <br />my wife's car i wash occasionally. i washed it once this summer, so i guess i dont wash cars to much!

 

[JGREGORY]

Re: I need your help.... really

1) How often and how do you wash your car/truck?<br />>2-4 times a year<br /><br />2) How often and how do you wax? Do you ever go so far as to polish and then wax?<br />> wax/polish 2 times year<br /><br />3) How often do you really clean the interior?<br />>everytime we wash<br /><br />4) Have you ever used a detailer? If so, how often?<br />>no Don't trust them / and I'm Cheap<br /><br />5) If you had a way of having it done for you quickly and cheaply would you do it?<br />>no, look at #4

 

[aspeck]

Re: I need your help.... really

My dad had (now it is my brother's) a car wash. So the vehicles get washed, vacuumed, and inside cleaning quite often - easy and cheap with the free tokens! Wax job is a pretty good one too - suppliments the twice a year wax jobs with Blue Coral.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: I need your help.... really

Aspek is it an automatic wash or a self wash? Do they offer any services like waxing?

 

[aspeck]

Re: I need your help.... really

It is both - one bay is fully automatic, 3 are self-wash with a neat "foaming brush" that really does a great job. The fully auto makes the vehicle look nice, but usually a film left on them.<br /><br />No attendant needed at this car wash - just go there in morning and evenings to check soap and wax levels, make sure everything is clean, etc. Worst problems is trucks that come in and get grease all over the hoses, but then they spend $10 - $20 per wash, so you can live with that.<br /><br />2 vacuums, an air pump for tires, towel machine, and change machine. Simple operation, but try to give customers value for their $ and plenty of options to satisfy the industrious to the lazy.<br /><br />Waxing is an option, but not a hand wax. Wax is sprayed on. It is a decent wax, considering what it is. Leaves a nice shine and beading on the vehicle. Lasts a few weeks. Doesn't do the job that a hand wax would, but great for touch-up's between hand waxes.<br /><br />Toyed around with the idea of turning one of the bays into "detail" bay - hand cleaning, waxing, interior and exterior work, but decided against it. Enough detailers in our area and didn't need the headaches of dealing personally with the customers .