DealersEdge Professional Forums

Does anyone have any average time figures on performing typical, hand car wash and vacuum jobs? For example, just a thorough exterior wash and interior wipe down and vacuum, emptying ashtrays, applying tire dressing, and not cleaning the trunk area. My retail wash and vacuum business is increasing and some of my wash/detail employees feel that we are expecting too much out of them. I would be most grateful for any comments on this matter.

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Reggie Day
Service Manager
McComb, Mississippi

The time is not set in stone, since a compact is one thing and a big SUV or van is another, and there is the conditon of the vehicle.

Since we do about 14,000 plus vehicles a year, conduct the only OEM recognized prep and recon school, I would say that on average figure 45 minutes to an hour to do it right.

30 minutes to 45 minutes to do a sloppy job.

Ketch

It also matters on what your charging for a wash and vac. If your only charging $10 for a w&v then your retail customer should expect a 30 min. job. We don't do many retail w&v but we do a lot of wholesale and service customers, which are all internal. Our going rate is $20, which includes a very extensive exterior(including tar and road paint romoval), interior(ashtrays, vacuum, no wipe down), dress the tires and not cleaning trunk area. And we charge an extra $15 to pinstripe. I agree with you Ron a good w&v could take up to an hour.