He tried to figure out a better way for folks to get their cars washed without having to waste their time going to a car wash.
“I always hated waiting in long lines,” West, owner of Xtreme Details, a professional mobile vehicle-cleaning service, said. “I don’t want to wait and wait and wait.”
He also didn’t like the possible damage the car washes were doing to his car.
People told him he’d lose everything he had if he tried a mobile detailing business — there just wouldn’t be a market for it. No one would buy it.
After years of a successful car cleaning business in Florida, West moved back to Cleveland, where he was born and raised. With 22 years of experience in the mobile detailing business, four years ago he again opened a mobile car-cleaning business, this time here in Cleveland, with his wife, Judy, and son Matt.
Now he’s known around town as the guy in the Hummer pulling the trailer. His trailer is priceless to him.
But that’s only part of the reason he gets most of his advertising through word-of-mouth. The rest is the referrals he gets through his satisfied customers. And, he is also a member of the Cleveland Bradley Chamber of Commerce.
But he also has a brick-and-mortar place behind the Orbit Chevron on 25th Street.
“Anybody can go to Wal-Mart and get car washing supplies,” he said. “But the wash will only last about one month. But if we wash your car, your shine will last up to four months.”
Customers don’t have to do anything except make a phone call. West will take care of the rest.
“You’re in your office, on your computer, working and, when you come out, you have a clean car,” West said. He’ll also gladly come directly to your home or even pick up your car for free and clean it at his shop and deliver it back spic-and-span clean.
“A lot of people don’t want to run their car through a machine. If I wash someone’s car, it’s like I would do it at home. I like to take something dirty, make it all shiny and clean, and then see the smiles on someone’s face when they see their clean car.”
West is 100-percent licensed and insured.
He uses only biodegradable materials and commercial strength products directly from a commercial detailing supplier.
The starting price for a hand washing, vacuuming, door jam cleaning, mat cleaning, dressing the vinyl and shining the tires is $25, but West said he’ll match or maybe even beat the price of any competitor.
On a regular basis, he currently takes care of more than 600 cars, but he also cleans planes, a lot of boats, motorcycles, and even lawnmowers.
He has two complete mobile units to serve Cleveland customers up to a 40-mile radius from the city.
“But I’ve been all the way to Knoxville,” West said. His slogan is: “The car wash that comes to you.”
He’s cleaned just about every make and model of car and other vehicles and equipment.
“I’m like the mailman,” he said. “I’m out every day, seven days a week.”
He can, and has, cleaned vehicles in temps from 36 degrees to 117 degrees Fahrenheit.
“It’s never too hot,” he said. “I’m used to it.”
His business is officially open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 650-9660, or check out their website at Xtremedetails@bellsouth.net.
