V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

As above, not seen anything new posted here for a while. Must admit though i've got a load of stuff to post up that i've not had chance to. Even an entry for the show and shine. Probably the worst i've started with and with the greatest difference in the finish. I'll be honest though it was a hell of a long day and i had to go back and tidy a few little bits up.

StickyMicky

IMO unless you have some kind of cover/garage/canopy, i would expect mobile chaps must be having a hell of a ride at the moment, its not just the "credit crunch" you have to deal with, but also the compleatly ****e weather we have had the past few months.

me and james from autofinnese used to frequent a message board that was mainly based around mobile valeters, i would love to logon and have a nosey about but we both got banned, i think he was naughty no idea what i did anyway, i expect its full of people who started up in the summer and are now closing down!

one of the plus points is that most of the "detailers" that frequent the likes of DW and such are usually weekend warriors and have proper jobs to do during the week, so its probably not effected them at all really apart from having a bit less beer money.

anybody running a proper mobile business from it, will probably be having a bit of a hard time of late, unless they have some decent contracts setup. we dont really tend to deal with the motor trade much as they are whiney, winging, ******* but we do have a few local used car dealers we do cars for (they always pay full price and book in like any other regular customer) speaking with them, they have told me that the market is buggered up at the moment and they are not expecting any decent rises until next year at least!

Mike Murphy

I've got 4 to post up, just not had the time, working 16 hour shifts at work at the mo, so time is tight!!

As said, though, the weather's crap!! Did an RB320 on Monday and had a 3m gazebo in front of my garage with the nose of the car stuck in the garage!!

C_WRX

iTrader: (2)

Quite a few have commented to me in last month "oh, think I'll wait till next year" - now that's either cause they don't get the point, or overly care, in the winter protection or cause they're feeling the pinch - or both ! Shame.

superdood0

iTrader: (1)

I'm having paint correction and detailing done by Tim from Envy Valeting next Sunday, can't wait to see the results

Tim Bomford

^Hello Simon, looking forward to it
I was going to say I had a quiet October but I think as Sticky Mickey's said the weather has had a huge part to play in that.
I steer well clear of trade work generally so not noticed any trends there, but would love to know (out of interest) how many start up over the summer months and fold when it gets colder and darker!?

Tim

StickyMicky

wowsers, just had the chap who owns a rollover wash and jetwash bays 0.5miles down the road just call in and ask if i would be interested in buying the whole lot from him

just needs a little bit of promotion according to him

he is unaware that i know the real reason for his sale, i know its only taking in 500quid a week

it used to be a petrol station, he stopped doing the petrol to make the car sales pitch bigger, and thought the car wash would still do the same figures, only it crashed and burned bigstyle as it was a simple add on business to the petrol station, not a proper defined carwash operation

another crash and burn!

Rich @ PB

iTrader: (3)

Yes, and no. Clean & Shiny went bust a few weeks ago, and I know of one other trader that is likely to close down before next spring. Sales have been slower for everyone reselling products lately, according to feedback we get from our various suppliers. We had a poor September, but a bumper October, so variable for us. However, in relation to our detailing services, we are fully booked to March next year, at full prices too, so no sign of a let up on that front. For us, at least the income from our services helps to offset slow sales of products. For traders relying solely on product sales, they must surely be struggling...

StickyMicky

for what its worth clark/rich i would suspect that come next summer, things will be generally "back to normal" so i doubt you will have a problem

with the gritters now hitting the roads hard, we always start turning away valeting work and concentrate on the carwash, it generally runs full speed until march ish, although it was still running full speed into may this year, so we should be fine as well

as long as things pick up in the summer like i suspect they will

Rich @ PB

iTrader: (3)

Fingers crossed! Over the weekend I worked out how much profit we have lost over the last six months due to increasing fuel surcharges on incoming stock, and due to the slide and subsequent crash of the £ vs $. OUCH! No choice but to raise prices now.

StickyMicky

i do our adjustments for the start of a new year

Rich @ PB

iTrader: (3)

I used to it annually, but things are changing too quickly these days... how does £15K of lost profit due to fuel surcharge increases and the slide of the pound sound in just six months?! FFS! I'll be monitoring things monthly from now on until we are out of this mess... and the bloody VAT cut has done my head in, as it means a lot of dicking about changing the website and making adjustments to our maintenance contracts for very little end benefit to the customer. Typical!