headlight restoration tips and advice..

[gt_repair]

Ben

I do not know if it is right to post Pricing on this site, But I can tell you I am quite a bit higher than what you posted.

I did a Jeep Gr. Cherokee today and the cust. was blown away and willing to pay what I asked knowing what they charge to replace them....

I took a little over 1.25 hrs just grinding not counting prep and cleanup, that took it to 2 hrs. I hear you all saying you are done in 45 min.s. I can tell you I am not slow or a slacker by far, but my fasted job was 1.5 hrs in and out. and one took 3.5 hrs. It looked like I was looking at a concrete slab and felt like it also.....

I am backed by 3 car lots and a lube station to refer cust. to me after they get the sticker shock on replacement. The one I did today has been looking for me for four months just from one add I ran and lost the clipping so he went to the chry. dealership to buy new lights and was steared to me to restore them.... There goes $25.00 for a refferal fee....

See that is were I charge more for my work. 100% return on my addvertizment... Give referals to the ones that see what I can do for there cust.s

I know what I want to make per hr. and average that out to the average time it takes to do a set of lights... Small lights have one price, rap around lights have there price and large lights have there set price. If I beat the time it takes to do the lights I come out a little ahead if not so be it, the customer got there moneys worth and then some...

I know I did not give you a price, but I did give you an idea on what you should charge for your time.


I did a job for a guy that came to AZ for a wedding and when he drive home back to Tenn. he called me and asked how he can get into this. I set him up and he still calls me for advise and is charging a little less than what I charged him. He said he will raise the price as he gets better.... He has no complants on his fees either..

If you are doing half ass work then charge nickel and dimes. If you are taking the time to perfect your work, charge what your work is worth... And let the customer know we are learning more every week from other pros like your self...
We are not hackers with a peice of sand paper in one hand and a can of clear laqer in the other for a cut in this perfetion.. We hope.

SORRY for the miss spelling... I do not see a spell checker and I am not being tested on my input for my spelling.


Don D.

[mrchip]

good post don d sounds like you have your act together

[harrellbenjamin]

good post don d sounds like you have your act together

1 hr 15 min just to sand??And 3.5 hrs to do a set of headlights????Plastic is just that .PLASTIC!How in the world would it take that long to sand????When I am done with a set of lens they are as clear and and appear "as new"What would you spend 3.5 hours doing ?? as far as Jeep products go I have been doing the local Jeep dealer with great results and get referals from my customers because of the quality of the job not by bribing with a $25.00 spiff.I think you might rethink your technique as there is many ways to "skin the cat" I am sure that there is going be many techs here that will respond the same way.Not saying that you are wrong in the way you do them ,just know from experience that you are spending way too much time on this basic skill level job.

[gt_repair]

harrellbenjamin

Post a before pic and after pic of your worst headlight job and I will post my worst headlights....

In regards to spiffing the dealership service dept............... They could run the job though service as a set of replacement and make more off commition or still the service and give themself some pocket change..... I do not have to give them anything if I chose. BUT it is my choice to keep my advertizers happy knowing there is something in it for them.

This is an average headlight out here. This one start to finish 1.25 hrs. tape off to cleanup.

You ask what would take me 3.5 hrs.? If I remember it was a 88 ford mustang with lenses a lot worse then the one I am posting and felt like rubbing you hand on the ruff concrete...

I may not be as fast as you but I do a decent job. And that is all I and my customers can say.

Don

[harrellbenjamin]

harrellbenjamin

Post a before pic and after pic of your worst headlight job and I will post my worst headlights....

In regards to spiffing the dealership service dept............... They could run the job though service as a set of replacement and make more off commition or still the service and give themself some pocket change..... I do not have to give them anything if I chose. BUT it is my choice to keep my advertizers happy knowing there is something in it for them.

This is an average headlight out here. This one start to finish 1.25 hrs. tape off to cleanup.

You ask what would take me 3.5 hrs.? If I remember it was a 88 ford mustang with lenses a lot worse then the one I am posting and felt like rubbing you hand on the ruff concrete...

I may not be as fast as you but I do a decent job. And that is all I and my customers can say.

Don

I am sure you do a very good job.I think that this forum is for exchanging information and tips,not "mines bigger ,better than yours" ect.After all ,the end result is going to be the same no matter what variation of the basics you use as long as the end result is exceptable to all parties involved.You have a very valid statement about keeping the business from being run through the Dealership and a spiff could be a way of getting more customer pay retail work..I also feel you are right in the fact I should charge more for what I do!! .We could probaby get 50% of what a shop would charge for replacement if we asked from retail customers .Because the bulk of my h/light customers are Dealerships there is a price point that has to be considered with getting all the lights on the lot or just the worst ones.By doing them in bulk I can line them all up and knock them out assembly line style$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ When I do this my time per set gets even better.Anyway you cut I love those plastic lens...........and sooner or later they are going to need us.....................

[gt_repair]

"Anyway you cut I love those plastic lens...........and sooner or later they are going to need us....................."

Sorry, Confused on what you are saying on the last sentence..


Most of my work is retail from past customers, (no spiff to them) or refferred from sales dept. (no spiff) or service ( yes, Spiff) to keep them happy and in my back pocket..

I do dealer work also at a major discount also, but they only do the ones that are down right terible. and I do a faster job for them. I am not as picky on them but they look 95% to the rest and the dealers are pleased they do not have to replace the lights.

The dealers will pass on the milky lights and just run it through there detail shop inturnaly and clear laqer them down "as posted before..".


Don

[glassdoctor]

I may have been doing this longer than anyone... I don't recall exactly when I started messing with them but it was in the 90's working on the old Rangers, Tempos, etc...

There were no "headlight refinishing" products on the market then, it was trial and error. I just found things that worked, and some that didn't.

I can make them look great, sure.... the quality is there. But still I hesitate to charge a lot of money when I can't guarantee how long it will last. Dealers is one thing, but charging $70-100+ to retail customers as I would like to do is another matter, if it's a temporary fix. If we can guarantee 2 years and it really works, I'm sold.

The past 2-3 years I have concentrated on w/s and just done some h/l work for dealers as I wnated to or got asked to do. I have researched the coating process in the past and even have some product I have never used from an old affiliate of IPS. I don't know if this stuff ever made it to market or not?

Anyway, I am hoping these coatings are finally worthy of using and charging good money for. Sometime I will get around to testing a few things I have.

[gt_repair]

With my retail customers I do advise them that this is not a perment fix, it may last 6 months if not recoated or as long as 1 - 2 years if treated and I make sure they understand 100%. I tell them if they see coloring or unsure just to call me and I will touch them up for free or when they are detailing their car, add that to the detailing.

This does add a little more secertey to the customers spending there hard earned money....

I am trusted in this town with all the dealers and others that have worked with me in the past. That does help.

Todays Jeep customer told me it was going to cost 325.00 ea. from the dealership on his replacement and he would rather pay me and take the chance on how long they last...

We do talk for 10 - 15 min. or so with out presure. If they want the lights done then they get done or they do not... I also have a booklet I put together with the ones I have done to show them what they will look like when done.

Don

[glassdoctor]

Sounds just like me, GT.... that's basicly my experience also.

[toab]

These money stories are music to my ears but we are still fishing for the topcoat clears that people are useing.I think that there has got to be more out there than the 3 or 4 products that i've been hearing about so far.Keep em coming guys.Some of you guys are charging some serious coin.I didn't realize that there could be this much money in this side business.