Yo,
So my question is, on a scale of 1-10 what would you say the importance of having a nice vehicle for work is?
I’m not talking about the wrap, or lettering, but more the vehicle itself.
This is just my opinion, I take it that nice you are meaning a new or near new truck…importance to me is a 1
If you are meaning a nice vehicle as in a professional looking nice, then that would be a 10.
you can have a old vehicle and make it look very professional and get the job done. on the other hand you can have a vehicle you just rolled off the lot and put alot of graphics on it and still make it look unprofessional. its more of the overall look of the vehicle than it is the age. Keep your lettering/wrap simple, keep your vehicle clean and in good repair. everything you do the public is watching you.
Depends on what you mean by “nice”. If you are saying that it looks nice to customers then I would say 8. If you are saying that it runs well I would say 10. If you are talking about how much room that it has and how that room works for carrying the things that you need I would say probably 8 also. Window cleaning is a business where the vehicle is pretty darn important, it is your mobile office.
I started out with a 92 Nissan maxima(in really nice condition) Just threw tools in the trunk and put my 24 foot little giant style ladder in the passenger seat… Granted I didn’t put any vinyl wrap and that beast but it served its purpose to start with and it kept me from rushing into to something else. Customer service is whats important IMHO. You can drive up on a scooter with all your tool on your back just as long as you do great work and have some good social skills.
Putting your info on your vehicle(that’s doesn’t have a dent in every panel) will get you some work even if it just the magnets to start out with
I think a clean, well organized vehicle with simple lettering is important. You want to portray a professional image. It doesn’t have to be new or flashy or even traditional ( van or pick up). Pride in yourself, your work and your appearance is important.
as said it pays to take your time choosing the right vehicle. then get it as clean as is possible and keep it that way
I would say clean and reliable. Not too flashy and not beat up. We get compliments on our truck often, and the people are shocked when I tell them its a 1999. I just keep it washed. I figure that if people see that my truck is clean, I will take the same pride in their windows. It has always irked me when a contractor shows up to my house in a brand spanking new vehicle. Makes me think they are going add their payment to my bill.
Started in a little red 2 door escort sport.
Washed and waxed it once a week
While clients knew me as the " winder cleaner in the little red car" I never got any bad feedback from it( did get a couple chuckles though…)
as long as your vehicle is not dripping oil or blowing smoke and you feel good about slapping a magnetic sign on it… GO FOR IT!
Now if your vehicle is kinda beat up looking do NOT put vynil letters on it!
Us a magnetic sign that says WINDOW CLEANING then your number. Nothing else.
The feedback I got back was a beat up vehicle with vynil letters does not click as well as a beat up vehicle with a mag sign.
Of course this is feedback when I first started so take with a grain of salt and time.
Pax
Lots of great points made in this thread. I agree that the most important things about your vehicle are that its safe, reliable, and kept in the best looking condition as possible. People understand and even respect if you can’t afford the best and newest vehicle, but take pride in it regardless.
I like your point about the magnetic signs on an older vehicle. It makes sense that you would get temporary signage in anticipation of “moving up” to a nicer vehicle as you experience success in business. I think a beat up vehicle with vinyl lettering conveys the idea that the owner has resigned to the notion that this is all they’ll ever be able to drive.
But isn’t that how every vehicle is paid for?
I drive older stuff, but i should be able to buy a new 38k-54k sprinter van, or new quad cab pick up, and keep it for 15 years. I find it weird that people want to shop at nice stores, fancy restaurants, fancy hotels etc. and think nothing of it. They think nothing of spending a years salary on their personal car. But god forbid a small businessmen who might net three times what the would be client makes, the client gets to judge the service business, that he is getting one over on the home owner.
I hate it. People do not go to dirty old restaurants with worn carpet, and foggy windows, and dim lights and think, good, the owner is not getting one over on me, i got a good value here.
But they want the chimney sweep, the painter, the mason, the pool guy etc to have a sub $9,000 car, or the guy has to high opinion of himself, or is flashy etc. Mind you this is as you pull up to a $750,000 home that three people live in, and they are government workers etc. You know real humble modest folks.
seems like the right way to do it. You definitely do not want 1-2 grand tied up in lettering … and if they tranny goes, you basically have to junk the car. Or you are put in the position of putting a $2,000 tranny job, into a car that is worth 1,500 with a 2,000 wrap on it.
Definitely go for the magnet signs, until one can afford a truck or van that will last atleast as long as a wrap will look good.
Dont get me wrong, i would love to show up in a brand new F250 or 350, but that extra spending on a vehicle that depreciates, isnt what i want to have. Much prefer to have 15 acres in the mountains, versus a fancy truck. Or use that extra money to help grow my business. Yes, it is “ok” for them, our customers to do what they want, but i prefer to be all cattle, no hat. If a brand new vehicle helps give you the confidence and pride in your business, by all means, go for it! I guess I just like to and have worked for a lot of those humble, truly wealthy folks who dont flash their “money” and it has rubbed off on me.
Excellent points.
To be honest All my company uses are OLDER vehicles
( main vehicle is a 95 Volvo wagon, now looking for a Mercedes diesel wagon OR a older vw or Toyota van)
I guess nice older vehicles is part of my brand.
I have NOTHING Against a new vehicle but it seems EVERYONE has one.
And I have a few winder cleaning folks I know that DOdrive old beatup oily vehicles, but do excellent work and always busy.
It’s just not my image I wish to portrait
Pax
One of the more successful locally owned window cleaners I know has the same van he bought slightly used over 10 years ago. He has no wrap on it. No lettering. No phone number. Not even a magnetic sign. He has well over a 1,000 customers and nets over 6 figures a year. He works each day until 2, then calls it quits so he can volunteer at his kid’s school.
Now, I like a nice truck. But it’s not the main thing. Doing a top-notch job is the main thing. I think if you do that, everything else will fall into place…
Trucks dont mean anything, reputations do. my sh*tbox Exploder with a magnetic sign on the side does me very well.
Someday Ill have a new truck with a nice wrap, but why pay for it? I bought this thing 3 years ago for less than a grand, have dumped mayyybe a grand into it, and its fine. Thats probably about $21k in my pocket over 3 years that I DIDNT spend on premium insurance and finance payments.
I’m honestly liking this thread a lot better than “coolest vehicle contest”… And not just 'cause I drive an older vehicle with 180k miles on the odometer 
212,000 on mine!! Lol
I had a customer say, “you’re a neat freak aren’t you, look at your truck it’s spotless” Starting out I had some beaters and they got the job done but I enjoy having a nice truck, I work hard to have nice things.
A wise man once said its not the man with the nicest looking truck on the construction site that has the most money. It’s the man with the ugliest truck that has the most.
206 - ish 
