Prestige brings the car wash to you
If you don’t have time to get a car wash, Eric James will bring the car wash to you.
James, of Spring Hill, has spent the past 15 years building Prestige Mobile Detailing and now he and his crew of six detail as many as 300 cars in a good month.
Prestige can be seen in all areas of the county, and as far south as Palm Harbor, swarming on a vehicle, with rags and buffers and other cleaning tools. James said they can do a complete detail job in as little as an hour.
They serve clients at their homes, work and event while they are at the movies.
“I usually put four on a vehicle,” he said, two working the interior and two on the exterior. “We’re quick and precise,” he said. And they have the fundamentals down to a science.
Like most small startups, Prestige began on a shoestring budget. After working for another company, James recognized he could do better on his own. He began with a truck and a few supplies and got his clients through old fashioned persistence.
James has a passion for his work that stems from a love of cars.
“I always loved cars,” he said. “And I always had to make sure mine was clean.”
He built a following based on his detail, work ethic, and quality of work.
The business grew quickly as clients realized the value of having their vehicles detailed at their place of employment or even their home.
“It’s convenient,” James said. “We come to you.”
James felt a shift in priorities when the economy tanked, around 2008, he said. His number of regular clients dwindled and he felt the pinch.
“Having your car cleaned is a luxury,” he said. But as the economy began recovering, though slowly, he began seeing his numbers rise again.
“In the last five years, I’ve had double digit gains,” he said.
His crew sets him apart from his competition, he said, because jobs are completed quickly without skimping on detail.
A four hour detailing job can be completed in about an hour, he said.
Prestige also consistently keeps up with the latest trends by attending conventions and trade shows that introduce eco-friendly products and better techniques.
He is currently working toward using steam on a vehicle’s interior to better sanitize. Using steam is also better for the environment, reducing the need for harsh chemicals.
Prestige trucks are out seven days a week, traveling between counties and packing in the appointments for both commercial and private accounts.
One client takes in a movie while James’ crew details his car in the parking lot.
Prestige doesn’t just detail cars and trucks. Some of James’ clients own boats, RVs and airplanes. He also does fleet vehicles and tractor trailers.
And he has regular stops, like Oak Hill Hospital on most Thursdays where Prestige will open up shop behind the medical offices and work on a number of vehicles for medical staff. Occasionally a visitor will be drawn to the activity and ask if they can squeeze in another job.
They always try to fit them in, he said.
James is working to add a third truck and trailer to his current fleet. The trailer will be bigger and pack a new design, providing easy access for his team to quickly get whatever they need to meet all levels of detail jobs.
And he is working toward one day branching into a compete detailing center where clients can get all their detail needs met at one location. The dream may not be all the far off, he said.
But for now, James is content bringing his business to his customers, some whose vehicles James has been detailing for more than ten years.
“I meet so many different people,” he said, “and I love it.”
Email Hernando Today correspondent Kim Dame at [email protected].
Biz at a Glance
Name: Prestige Mobile Detailing, Inc.
Phone: (352) 442-1324
