Hey. Relatively new to AZ and have mostly been reading up on threads/info than posting yet,
but I started working at F3 and just wanted to give a shout out to anyone looking for excellent detail work in and around the NOVA area.

F3 mainly does:
-Detailing (both In-House or Mobile)
-Tinting
-LED and HID Upgrade/Install
-Headlight Restoration
-Audio System Install
but many other requests can be quoted.

Yelp has hundreds of final product pictures to look over:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/f3-auto-detailers-lorton-2

Vinh(owner) is a good friend of mine and has been in business for a long time,
so I thought it best to let anyone on AZ interested in getting quality work done to their vehicle know.

If you want more information feel free to PM me and I'll help you out the best I can.

 

Also, pricing starts at 90$ for the Basic Detail Package. Procedure and other packages available at our new website: http://www.f3autodetailing.com/services/cleaning/

Like on Facebook for 10$ discount.

 

I don't understand your website. It appears very incomplete and words appear to be placed on the page just to sound impressive. What the hell does "interior air compressed cleaning gun service" mean?

Sorry, but this conjures up visions of a couple of high school kids with a bucket and a dirty rag calling themselves "detailers."

 

^I agree. This website needs a lot of work, and as a business owner who has been a part of 3 startup companies, let me tell you you do not get a second chance at a first impression. If you're site isn't ready to launch, don't launch it.

1. You still have the latin word placeholders and some links just bring you back to the top of the page.
2. Your Home slideshow has images titled "Title 1"
3. Trained Professionals? No mention of training or certification?
4. Standard, Premium, and Elite...then introductory level?
5. Most detailers do not reveal the products they use unless they have partnerships or sponsorships; or you ask. If you're telling customers you use the best commercial products and are using stuff you can buy at the local store, ie NT 2.0 paste wax, that may not fly.
6. Pricing. If you're gonna ask someone to fork up $180 for a service there has to be more substance behind it. Even your $90 is a service those automatic car washes offer...for $20.
7. Distinguish your service as a premium and justify why someone should pay $90 for a standard package that costs $20-30.
8. Your Honda Ridgeline gallery picture is a picture of a BMW.

Not trying to dog on you guys, but please consider for future business development. Details details details. No pun intended. Other than that, I checked out the yelp page and you guys do great work.

 

So I looked at Yelp. According to that, F3 isn't open for business:

" We are currently assembling our first true self-sufficient mobile unit with power and water and at the moment have halted all in-house services for construction of our shop. We expect to reach this goal by the end of May and will now be able to come to your office at work, to your apartment complex, and to your town-home to return your car to the pristine condition it should be in"

I hope that the Yelp pictures 34 and 35 are "before" pictures and what is that greasy stuff you use on the wheels? I also hope you aren't proud of those shiny seats.

I'd suggest you go back to detailing school and buy proper products.

You get one chance at a first impression - you blew it. Off the shelf products and mediocre work don't make a good detailer. Striving to "return your car to showroom condition" isn't a lofty goal. The 18 year old high school dropout at the dealership only knows how to pour glaze on a dirty car to make it look good for a week or two - that's not a detailed car.

Oh, that car radio install is something you'd find at Circuit City - and they went out of business.

 

You guys look like you do a fairly nice job on the exterior but the website and pricing don't match. I would personally, as mentioned before, take down the site for now and put up a graphic listing starting (competitive) pricing along with contact info. If possible, add a few of your best detailing jobs. just my $.02

 

^To Everybody. Thanks for all the feedback but yea thats why I tried,(maybe not well) to have people talk to me because all lot of the information is conflicting or just wrong. The Yelp also has not been updated since I dont know when and isn't kept up, which I am currently trying to spur some action into getting to both. The website's really helps with professionalism and image and I guess that idea wasn't a main objective before I started getting on them... Its not my business, and I have all the same problems as you do but I'm getting paid for the job I have, and despite most of them being personal friends don't want to just bash and run out. Most of our business is referral based and "WE" know our work is superb as well as the customer that have seen their finished cars, I just want more people to figure the same thing and as you said that failed so far.

 

I think the guy responsible is that dude on the yelp page that says he's the new marketing/sales/business development guy. This is his responsibility.

Mismanagement at the mid to senior level --> unhappy employees --> low quality output --> customer/client dissatisfaction --> loss of business.

This applies ANYWHERE. I know that's your friends in the business, but you could look at it this way. As a friend, you're doing them a favor by telling them what potential customers are thinking about their business and WHY they currently are not thinking of hiring their services. That'll get their attention.

Consider pricing below market rates to attract early customers and build a following. Once people buy into your service and your prices, theyll be more likely to spend a little bit more the next time to get that same experience. Think about software and 90 day trial periods. This also promotes brand loyalty to your company.

 

I completely understand your point, I was just saying that the reason it is like it is now was because I felt, I had no place in saying anything without some context of their own situation and hadn't realized yet that it was so mismanaged in the first place. I have that now and I know they just forgot/neglected, so I am gonna at least see what their plans (if any) were in the first place on finished products for the sites and marketing. Then see what I can do from there. Now I don't want to spend to much time talking about on AZine, but its tough that when I thought I'd be able to open up a potentially large and friendly market of Acura customers, ended up coming back to bite flaws that I didn't notice were there. Again I appreciate and 110% agree with everyone(your list is perfect and im using it when I talk to him thx) but I thnk the reason its like this is because its just a "hey, whats up" environment based around straight referral of friends and family despite wanting to outreach, which even for me came off the wrong way when your advertising something as meticulous as Detailing, tinting and the like. I can swear up and down that its pro style results, but even I can't tell until work starts and the tint or finish is finished, ya know. anyway Ill talk to them (marketing and lead) next time I see them.

 

I had F3 Auto detail my TSX a couple months ago after hearing about them from a co-worker. They did a pretty good job. I don't think their website was up and running back then. I just looked at it now, and it does need a lot of work, like others here have already mentioned.

 

That's good to here, definitely missed that if it was more than a month back though. Maybe see you around there if you get something done later...or at one of the meets coming up.

 

What types of compounds/polishes are being used during details? for lets say a black colored car

 

You do know that this is an impossible question to answer.

The type of product depends on the type of paint and the condition of the paint. Mercedes black paint requires a different product than BMW's Jet Black which requires different products than BMW's black metallic paints.

BMW's Jet black is a very "soft" paint that always needs some correction, while some harder paints require little or no correction to maintain a proper finish.