Professional Car Cleaning Franchise.

[markys]

Anyone any experience of it? Its part of the Chips Away group, happen to have a leaflet delivered to work, looks interesting, seems to be between £10K and £13K start up costs and them £200 a month licensing costs.

[Smartie]

I always wonder with these type of franchises, why not just do it yourself?

£13K pays for a lot of equipment and advertising, and you're already £200 a month better off!

[justinp1]

I agree.

Unless for the £200 they are supplying you with business each month, then what is the point?

I dont think chips away is a good enough brand name to have a franchisable worth, certainly not in the McDonalds category.

You could save youself a lot of money and give yourself some benefits by just setting up yourself.

[Phil Hopkins]

Mobile valetting companies are two a penny round here. They all seem to do alright though. I'd just buy a little van on a lease plan, get all your kit and go out and do it yourself. It's the sort of thing you can advertise with minimal costs by dropping leaflets through letter boxes, putting them in friendly pubs/shops etc.

Doing it yourself means you can write another £200 back into your bottom line too

[M400 NBL]

A mate and ex-colleague started his own valeting business after we were layed off.

He did spend quite a bit (around £15k) on the van, pressure washers and whatever else was needed.

But it was all stuff that he could sell if it hadn't worked out. As luck would have it, another mate of ours, also in the business, got more and more work cleaning the planes at Heathrow and so passed all his clients ont my mate for a fee.

Be aware that it isn't easy work though. My mate has always loved washing cars and his old motor is always as clean as a new car in a showroom. But it's not for everyone.

I agree with the above. If you can establish yourself as a business, you can sell it if and when you want to try something else. I guess with a franchise you'd get nought back.