How Much Do Mobile Auto Detailing Owners Make?

Five-Year Growth Trajectory

• Forecast EBITDA hits $76 million by Year 5.
• This massive jump requires heavy, sustained reinvestment.
• Weigh taking distributions now versus fueling hyper-growth.
• This growth defintely requires aggressive tech spend on the app.

Service Mix Drives Profitability

• Moving from Essential Shine ($16,250 AOV) to Ultimate Restoration ($80,000 AOV) gives you a 4.9x revenue boost per job.
• This shift means your contribution margin per service instantly improves, shortening payback time defintely.
• Focus marketing spend on attracting profiles willing to pay for the top-tier service.
• The higher AOV absorbs fixed costs much faster, even with stable volume.

Overhead Pressure

• Monthly G&A fixed cost is $4,280
• High fixed costs amplify volume shortfall risk
• If volume targets are missed, burn rate rises fast
• Focus on order density to cover overhead

Initial Asset Outlay

• Total required capital expenditure (CAPEX) is $193,000.
• This covers necessary assets like specialized vans for service delivery.
• It also includes essential operational equipment and necessary software licenses.
• This spending happens before you book your first profitable service.

Pricing Leverage

Optimize revenue capture by leveraging future pricing power on lower-tier services. While focusing on high-value jobs now, remember that even small future price increases on Essential Shine, like moving from $65 to $73 by 2030, compound significantly across high service volumes. Don't leave future margin on the table.

Rate Inputs

The target hourly rate must absorb high initial variable costs, which start at 175% of revenue in 2026 due to supplies and fuel. You need to calculate the time spent per job against the target rate to ensure you cover the $4,280 monthly overhead and move toward owner income goals.

• Need rate to cover 175% variable cost.
• Must contribute to fixed overhead.
• Target $55 to $100/hour range.

Driving Efficiency Gains

To hit the 132% variable cost target by 2030, you need volume leverage. Look at bulk buying for supplies and optimizing routing software to reduce fuel burn per job. Don't let operational complexity negate these savings; that's a common pitfall.

• Negotiate bulk pricing for detailing supplies.
• Implement routing software for fuel savings.
• Target 132% VC by 2030.

CAC Input Context

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) covers all marketing spend divided by new customers gained. For this mobile detailing service, the initial $15,000 budget supports the starting $85 CAC. Inputs needed are total spend and new customer counts, which must improve as the budget hits $220,000 in five years.

• Initial marketing spend: $15,000
• Target CAC in 2030: $50
• Budget scales over five years

Managing Fixed Spend

Since rent and insurance are set, optimization means maximizing throughput to absorb the $4,280 base. Avoid signing long-term, high-cost space commitments defintely too early. The owner’s $90,000 salary is separate; profit growth requires high utilization of this fixed structure.

Salary vs. Cash Needs

The $90,000 annual salary is locked in, acting as a fixed operating expense for you personally. This means distributions only happen after all operational needs are met. You need EBITDA high enough to cover that salary plus the mandatory $611,000 cash reserve required for smooth operations, which dictates early equity needs.

• Fixed annual salary: $90,000
• Minimum cash reserve: $611,000
• EBITDA must cover both before distributions.

Managing the Outlay

You can reduce the immediate $193,000 CAPEX burden by leasing vans instead of buying them outright, preserving cash for operations. Also, phasing the platform rollout might cut initial software spend. Remember, every dollar borrowed increases required future EBITDA just to service that debt.

• Lease, don't buy, initial fleet vehicles.
• Negotiate vendor terms for equipment payment.
• Delay non-critical software upgrades.