Albir_Tom

Infact I'm half paranoid about them trying to land on my car wash lol

stuboy

I'm sure you're correct but it doesn't have to be like that. A deal is only ever good if both sides are happy.

I'm sure you would run your business in a much more civilised and cordial manner.

It doesn't mean the model is wrong.

Albir_Tom

Claro que si

IamStu

You stated that "most" people leave work at 8pm.
That simply isn´t true unless your refering to the many cafe/bar type workers and using them as an example of the Spanish work force as a whole.

Moving on, I´m starting to have some sympathy for the OP.
It would seem that many believe a "valet" is the same as a "wash".
Unfortunately, a bit like the term "luxury" when refering to property, the term "valet" has been bastardised by many proclaiming to be a "valet" when in fact they simply have a bucket and a sponge.
A professional valet will turn a very tired looking vehicle into near show room condition. Something that simply can´t be done for 5 quid at your local supermarket.
A service most of us should consider at such times for example when selling our car.
Or, in the case of a friend that recently bought an old classic sports car. After he´s done his cleaning and polishing he still wasn´t getting the look he wanted. He paid a professional approx €50 and bang, the car looked shiney as new.
On a side note, he had this done on his day off.
(Work was carried out by a mobile valet)

cricketman

Most professional workers and funcionarios who work in offices leave at 8pm - during the winter.

In the summer often they have a different timetable and work 8am-3pm straight through

I don't know any Spaniard who would finish at 6pm. It doesnt make any sense. The afternoon working session starts between 4.30pm-5pm.

stuboy

It's not a question of sympathy it's a question of determining what the business is.

I don't think many people are confused by the terms 'valet' and 'carwash'
apart from Tom. The title of this thread is 'Mini Valet/ Car Wash.

The speed with which Tom believes he can do anything to a car suggests to me it is a 'car wash'. I don't believe anyone can valet or mini valet a car in 15mins and turn it around ready for the next customer.

If it's a car wash then fine. That's what it is. If it's a valeting service then equally fine.

Personally I would target the high end luxury valet market. This market is generally impervious to economic difficulties. Work on recommendations instead of working every hour God sends like a lunatic for nothing.

At least this way you're only employing people as you need them and not paying them to sit around half the time. The Mistral does blow on that costa and the rain does fall. I doubt these will be very busy days.

Tom knows that whatever he decides it's going to take time to build up. So him and his mate either valet 4 cars a day or wash 20. You also don't need premises for a valeting business. A huge saving there.

Personally I would rather take pride in returning 2 Lamborghinis to showroom condition than slopping buckets of water over 20 clapped out Seat Ibizas

And now I give up.

Albir_Tom

Nout stopping me doing both is there really.

The fella I'm intending on doing this with was a valeter at Mercedes Benz in Newcastle for twenty years until he moved to Spain with his family, he knows exactly what he's doing to a tee.

We won't be standing there with a bucket and sponge at all there is going to be two high powered pressure washers run off generators, iv got a good link for all the best chemicals at best prices plus other equipment. Even though the cheapest is going to be 10€ + IVA it's still a valet.... When your having upholstery, plastics, glass and wheels cleaned aswell as the outside it's a valet. When this is built up and I'm on site cracking on being hands on doing the so called "bangors" which is untrue, there will be no reason why my mate martin won't be on an outcall in the altea hills doing a full valet on a Porsche Cayenne which by the way would cost a pretty penny.

I have also forgot to mention that there are six or seven huge caravan sites in the same vicinity that house thousands of caravans, i intend to approach each site owner//manager for permission to access the sites to clean caravans in exchange for a percentage, most caravan plots have access to a water main to water flowers etc and I know cleaning caravans is allowed but not cleaning cars on all the sites (weird) but it's allowed and would be win win for everybody, I could do like a 6 monthly round sort of like a window cleaning round everybody would know when I am coming onto site sort of thing.

Nothing's going to put me off doing it to be honest lol I do appreciate all the negative things that could go wrong it's interesting to read and I'm taking note of everything, I'm glad I have posted about it on here because it's bought certain issues to light about water etc etc but at the end of the day I feel more positive than negative about it and I feel there is endless opportunity for it in the long run.

Anybody who has a business brain knows you spend little earn big, the mark up is ridiculous on each job it's just about building the custom up, I ain't going to be ploughing all that much money into it.

If say for instance I was getting call outs to do prestige cars, there really is decent money in that and would be over the moon then iv got the site itself for drive ins, the caravans and the idea of approaching coach, bus, taxi companies even police, ambulance etc for possible contracts.

This is what I love about being fluent in Spanish I can approach abrupt and confident. I can just imagine trying to approach those companies and the caravan site owners not being able to speak español, they would probably crack up laughing when I left.

I also speak quite a lot of Dutch/Flemish which will go along way in regards to customers too.

Rosemary

So the decision has been made. How long will it take you to gain all of the appropriate paperwork and open your business?

Rosemary

Albir_Tom

Not quite sure yet rosemary haven't approached anybody but I know each step I have to take, what forms, who to see, licenses, gestor etc etc.

All in good time.

Oh and suppose I'm going to have to register as resident now too.... Hehe

stuboy

Tom, if you're still feeling positive about it after all that's been thrown at you then I wish you the very best of luck.

You clearly have a vision and the drive for the business.

Let us know from time to time how you get on.

Regards
Stuboy

Albir_Tom

Cheers.

Like I said I will give an honest account on here when it's up and running.

Que sera sera!!

IamStu

Good luck buddy!