Auto Detailing Guide

Mobile Detailing Equipment

Your mobile detailing truck and equipment or "rig" is one of the most important items you will develop as you are building your business. If you don't have the equipment to get the job done, then you can't do the work.

Some companies push the open trailers with the water buffalo, pressure washer and other equipment out in the open. If you live anywhere cold or near any areas that aren't exactly secure, then this will end up being a real pain for you. In the cold weather open trailers need anti-freeze dumped into the water supply and the pressure washer needs anti-freeze in all the plumbing just to keep from freezing. If you park your truck somewhere in a city or near a construction site the chances of something turning up missing when you get back is very high.

Closed trailers are ok for this work, but not the best choice. You still have to drag a trailer around with you everywhere you go. Try backing up a closed trailer in a parking garage without hitting anything. The only nice feature about the close trailer is if you use your pickup truck for personal business then you simply unhitch from the trailer and go.

By far the best choice for transportation when it comes to your mobile rig is a cargo van. Preferably a 1 ton Chevy Express Cargo Van. We've had several cargo vans and this one is by far the best truck for the job. You can lock your equipment up inside. If you park your van in your driveway when you're at home during the winter you can run an extension cord to the van from your garage and plug in a small electric heater to keep everything from freezing. Plus, and this is a very big plus, if you have ever returned home after doing a ton of fleet cars you know how tired you are. Imagine how excited you'll be to have to unload the entire pickup truck or open trailer when you're that tired. Vans work great. Plus, if you go to lunch on the work site, simply throw everything inside the van and lock it up.

There's a ton of equipment you can get for your rig. Right off the bat you'll be excited to get everything you can afford, but don't waste money at this point. You need all the operating capital you can get.

Your first equipment purchases should include the following:

2000 PSI Pressure Washer
Hose - 3/4" industrial garden hose - 100'
Hose reel with 3/8" high pressure hose - 100'
High speed buffer - Makita 9227C, the most reliable and lightest
High speed orbital buffer - Porter Cable 7424 is the best
Generator - at least 5,000 watts

That's a good start to your equipment needs. Please check back and I'll be updating this page with more specifics as to smaller things you need to carry with you to job sites to get work completed faster.