valeting business

tiptops

I have an opportunity to start a small business where rent is very very affordable, approx 5miles from a majour town, in the country side.

there is 3 works shops and 2 available, 1 of which is currently an up and running successful garage repair / service shop.

I was thinking about opening a valeting unit directly next to the garage as they currently do not offer this service, along with car valeting I would be thinking of buying and selling some used cars 2002 upwards, valeting to a high standard and offer the service and mechanical work to the guys next door.

My concerns is, Why hasnt an up and running garage of 4 years not offered this servicve, Is there any customers out there still spending 80€ for a full valet inside&out in our recession.

I would like to hear some ideas for what else would run alongside a car valeting business. Prehaps sell some car accesseries, Seat covers , Floor mats, cd car stereos, alloys / new tyres, batteries, or a car wash service ect.

The unit itself has the abbility to operate 5 large salloon / estate cars at any 1 given time with an added retail shop to the front.

I have 3 working days to come up with a business plan before the landlord offers the unit to the next interested party.

I would like to hear other peoples views on this

Many thanks

CamperMan

I don't think people can afford €80 these days to have their car cleaned, chances are, they will clean it themselves, main dealers will have someone in house valeting the cars.

Nuttzz

Dont make a business decision like this in 3 days. Make mistakes now and you can pay for them in the long run.

Other Questions
Is there any other valeting in the area?

Why would I drive 5 miles out of town?

What is your experience in valeting?

Why not do mobile valeting instead?

tiptops

Hi all, I have 6 years trade experience behind me after working for a main dublin motor dealer. valeting servivce & parttime sales assistance

within this town there is 4 main dealers there is 1 other vallet buiness in exsistence approx 18/20 miles in the other direction, I spoker with the 4 main deealer garages, 1 has its own in-house valeter staff, 1 other has a contract with the far out valleting company which leaves me with 2. I am still in talks with these 2 garages and I will know a more definite answer on friday the lastest.

This unit has a very big potental, its shop front is on a main road with at least a thousand cars/vans/buss and trucks passing daily in each direction mininum. weekend it would be at least double!

I am only using valeting as a main example and I understand people could sooner go with just a quick car wash as aposed to a full deep valet, However I recon there is still a decent amount of people in full time employment driving the flash car that are still paying for the decent service. Aswell as the customer that can go a few weeks or months without even having there car washed or vaccumed . If i was to go ahead with valeting as the main source of income, I will been soon approuching the department of transport / garda siochana and do my best to tender the work for valeting there veichles ect. maybe I will be shot down maybe they leave it to the drivers to have there veichle clean 'who knows', I guess theres only 1 way to find out.

I had thought about the mobile approach, some of my conerns would be, If it pours rain, It would be no chance of polishing / waxing the the ouside of a veichle. Investing in a pop up marque would addon addtional setup time, the need to carry a generator, power washer and tank of water, so for that reason I think it would best to setup shop. maybe do a mobile version for the summer months, where customer is in a work place and unable to make it into the shop.

my parnter works in a very busy department, excess of 300 cars. I plan to speak with the garage next door and I am confident I can get the a serious amount of new custom without the need of them advertising. what I mean is, She can, with premission, send out an email to all herstaff colleagues. this is some thing she has done before for a taxi firm and window cleaning company over the past 12 months.


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Back to the shop.,
Prehaps there will be more profit & less overall labour in selling new tryres or clean used cars. I am open to all options at the moment.

Landlord has mentioned someone else would like to view this unit at the weekend so he has left me the keys until then


If by friday evening, I feel I have a great business plan put together I will make a more definite decision, at the moment, Rent, Rates and public liability is comng it at *under* 6,000 per annum! with No forwarding/ upward rent agreement.

This is based on the garage operating full time right next door. this does not include the esb, but this is more than affordable if I will be going with the valleting. vaccum/ seat washer, polisher, light, security alarm and ph line ect, staff room, kettle, micro wave and tv ect.

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I am away now to speak with some other like minded people who have setup business in other far out towns, I will be away now for some hours. please keep your replys coming!

Regards

bizzyb

Have you thought about a tyre service,we all need them changed! I have noticed part worn tyres are getting very popular alot of people cant afford a set of brand new ones.

Dont make quick desicion in 3 days or you might regret it tell the landlord you need more time and sit down and think about it i think a business plan in a 3 day period is madness.
Hope it works out.

Best of luck.

tiptops

hi thanks for your time to reply, it is not possable for me to offer tyre service as the garage next door sells and fits 'used' afordable tyres. however I could probably work out a deal where I sell 'new' tyres and get the garage to fit them and pay them a fitting fee ect

I agree on the 3 day business plan is short, very short,
I will meet the owner again friday and try get it extended, If I show him a realy good business plan Im sure he mighty extend it more.

200 +vat p/m is incredably cheap, someone is bound to get it if I leave it too much longer.

Regards

bizzyb

It is a good rate alright. Have you your heart set on a valeting business, dont limit yourself to work along side the guys next door think outside the box.

tiptops

Hi thats the thing, I know Valleting by itself is just not going to be enough. I have a great interest in motor sales aswell as valleting.

Someone suggested to sub rent the front retail shop out and basicly use the garage rent free Or use the shop myself to sell car accesseries, print and design shop, computer repair shop, snooker/pool room

Regards

bizzyb

It all depends on the size of your town. I have looked at a few different area's to get into in the past but in a town of 1700 people i am limited.

Gloomtastic!

Offer an overnight collect. clean and deliver service? Then out of town is not an issue. Would they trust you though? :rolleyes:

tiptops

I like your idea, over night, cheaper power rates, I could inform customer about my insurance policy, secure lockup, live camera view if they use a smartphone/internet they can view shop while i keep car, return to there home/workplace when finnished.


Good Idea

Fries-With-That

Hi Tiptops,

I'm currently looking for a storage area for stock etc.

I'd be interested in paying half your monthly rent in return for storage space.

The premises you describe sounds huge and more than big enough.

If in the right location I may also be interested in renting the retail unit.

Pm me with a contact number and I'll give you a call.


Fries.

tiptops

pm sent!

Regards

highlandseoghan

How did you get on talking to the landlord yesterday? Were you able to get yourself an extra few days to think about the business?

€200 rent pm is a very good price. With 1000 cars passing by your business in each direction during the week and only a few miles from town you seem to be positioned in a good location. 4 car dealers and only 1 has inhouse valeting so forget about that 1 garage because you wont compete with inhouse. That still leaves you with 3 garages to compete with you know 1 of them uses a competitor so find out what he charges them and try compete with him for the business.

Your partner works in a company with 300 people who she can send an email to. How far is this company from your potential business? If it is only short distance away you have a major advantage on your hands.

Customers don't like to leave there cars over night for a number of reasons and I dont like the stress of having to keep a car overnight. Yes you have insurance but you can be guarenteed if one car got damaged or stolen over night even tho you have insurance you can be sure that 1 person would be enough to close your business. Instead of offering an overnight service why not consider 2 options. Option 1 customer drops car of first thing in morning picks up that evening or 2 you collect car from customer work in morning and drop back in evening.

Car washing is another great form of keeping customers happy. Offer a great car wash service menu and the valeting business will build on its own. Car washing will be paying the bills and wages while valeting will be the cream.

If you need more advise just ask or pm me.

tiptops

Hi!

I managed to get an extention on time until monday am.

In relation to the partners work place, its about a ten minuite drive from the workshop. So it should be good for a decent amount of her work colleagues.


* the garage next door offer a wash service amongst other things like headlight focusing & tracking, part worn tyres ect


Regards

highlandseoghan

Do they only offer a wash service to there customers or are they operating a car wash too. If there only operating a wash to there customers then you have nothing to worry about. Your partners business is only 10 min away is perfect get an email sent out about your new business and mention that they can drop off there car or you can collect the car from work and it would build the business very fast.

Once you offer a great service you will get the business. Use good quality chemicals and do a great job, do up a check list even for car wash and inspect every car and the customers will keep coming. Car washing and valeting have been a very good business to be in and once you look after your customers they will look after you.