Since the early 1980s, auto detailing and appearance care has been evolving from a wholesale service done by or for the auto dealer to restore used vehicles for resale to a legitimate retail automotive service.

This evolution was sparked by a number of factors:

  • Rising costs of automobiles from $2,500 in 1975 to more than $20,000 today.
  • Extended length of loan contracts of up to six and seven years.
  • Increasing length of vehicle ownership from an average of 3.2 years in 1978 to nearly nine years today.

In short, the motorist is paying more for their vehicle, owning it longer and is more aware of the need to take better cosmetic care of it in order to maintain its value.

Another factor, unrelated to, but definitely affecting the rise in popularity of the auto detailing service, is the consumer's obsession with protecting their leisure time.

People today have less leisure time and want to protect it. With both parents working, many families have the disposable income to pay for services. They recognize that cosmetic car care is not something they want to spend the weekend doing themselves, especially if there is some where they can go to have it done better and faster.

Restoration & Maintenance Detailing

As mentioned, detailing traditionally was done by or for auto dealers to restore their used vehicles for resale. As such, the service was complete including: engine cleaning, wheel cleaning, body washing, trunk cleaning and shampooing, interior cleaning and shampooing, buffing, and polishing and waxing the paint. These are what can be called restoration detailing services.

These services are performed on older vehicles, or vehicles that have not been well-maintained cosmetically. Either the interior or the exterior, or both, are in need of extensive restoration to get that “new car” look again.

Restoration detailing services require a commitment in space (usually three to four bays), advanced equipment, skilled personnel and a full knowledge of paint finishes, leathers, vinyls, etc. For the dealer, restoration services are necessary.

And for the free-standing detail shop, they present an excellent financial reward. These same financial rewards are also available to the dealer who chooses to sell restoration detailing services to the public. A complete restoration detail will bring from $200 to $500 for a job that will take about four to five hours to complete.

There Is Another Side

The other side of detailing is called express maintenance detailing —  and it is what the words connote — detailing services that can be completed quickly and are performed to “maintain,” rather than restore, a vehicle's condition.

To clarify; late-model vehicles or vehicles that have been well-maintained do not require what we describe as restoration detailing. For such vehicles, it would be overkill. These vehicles do, however, need to be maintained cosmetically on a regular basis.

Such services would include: regular washing, periodic waxing and periodic cleaning and shampooing of carpets, floor mats and maybe seats. These are professional services, performed by knowledgeable and informed personnel, but they are different from restoration, in that you are only maintaining a vehicle that is already in good condition.

30 Minutes or Less

The benefit of performing one of these services is that it can be done by one person in 30 minutes, less if done by two people. They are easy to perform, require minimum training, require a small investment in equipment and can be done anywhere you have electricity.

Best of all, they are like a gasoline or quick lube purchase; they are an impulse buy. Why? Because they are done quickly while the customer is already at your place of business.

Will They Work for an Automobile Dealer?

Before answering that question, look again at the potential. First and foremost, they are an in-demand service. The motorist wants to take care of their vehicle. In fact, cosmetic appearance is actually more important to the motorist than the mechanical condition because the appearance is what they see.

Next, realize that most existing detail shops provide restoration detailing services. They are not set up to do a quick wax or carpet shampoo in 30 minutes or less, at a low price.

On the other hand, you, the dealer, have a huge bank of regular customers who come to the dealership because they trust the service and capability. They want convenience and are willing to pay a reasonable price.

An auto dealer has everything going for them to be able to capitalize on the opportunity that express maintenance detailing presents. You have numbers; consider the volume of service customers that pass through a dealership everyday.

All customers with relatively new or well-maintained vehicles could be sold express services that can be done while the vehicle is in for service.

Study Car Wash Success

The car wash industry pioneered express maintenance detailing services, and many automatic car wash operations across the country that offer express maintenance Detailing are reporting monthly sales in excess of $30,000 in simple waxes and carpet shampoos. Not bad for 15 to 30 minutes work per service. There is no reason a dealer could not do the same. The national average pricing for Express Services is $39.95 for a wash and wax, and from $29.95 to $39.95 for a carpet and mat shampoo. Seats go for $49.95 to $59.95.

The Decision Is Yours

The purpose of this article is to expose you to another moneymaking opportunity for your dealership. Whether you do it or not is up to you. But you owe it to yourself to investigate it further. If I can provide you with more information on this concept, call me toll free at 1-800-284-0123 or email me at buda@detailplus.com.