Planning routes for vehicle services
Whether you're washing cars in driveways, detailing boats at marinas, or cleaning caravans in storage yards, your day is defined by locations. A mobile car wash operator might hit 8-10 vehicles per day across suburbs. A boat detailer might visit 2-3 marinas. A caravan cleaner might visit a storage facility with 5 vans to clean. Group by location type and area to minimise drive time between jobs.
Managing different vehicle types
Each vehicle type has different service times and pricing. A basic car wash takes 30-45 minutes. A full boat detail takes 3-4 hours. A caravan exterior wash takes 1-2 hours. Store vehicle details (make, model, size) against each client profile so you can plan realistic schedules. Don't book 10 full details in a day when you can realistically do 5.
- •Mobile car wash: 8-12 vehicles/day (basic), 4-6 (full detail)
- •Boat detailing: 2-3 boats/day depending on size
- •Caravan cleaning: 3-5 vans/day for exterior wash
- •Fleet work: half-day or full-day blocks at one location
Recurring bookings and fleet contracts
The most profitable mobile vehicle services have a base of recurring clients. Offer monthly wash packages for cars, quarterly details for boats, and pre-trip cleans for caravans. Fleet contracts with businesses, dealerships, or caravan parks provide steady weekly income. A mix of 60% recurring and 40% one-off gives you predictable cash flow with room for premium jobs.
Weather and seasonal planning
Vehicle services are weather-sensitive — nobody wants a car washed in heavy rain. Check the forecast each evening and plan accordingly. Summer is peak for boat detailing and caravan cleaning. Winter slows car wash demand but increases interior detailing requests. Adjust your marketing and scheduling to match seasonal patterns.
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