Car Screen Money

I thought I'd through my 2 cents in here as once upon a time this is how I made my living.

Here's the low down on making money from painting car screens.

The good news is...

Yes you can make really good money doing this, I use to charge $10 per screen for 10 screens, $8 for 10-30, $6 for 30-50 and $5 for 60 or more. Sounds a bit messy price wise, but it got the whole yard down and then back every week to do the cars they sold usually 5-10 depending on the yard.

May not sound like a lot per screen, but I could do 60 screens in about 3 hours, $300 for 3 hours work!! minus paint.

I would never do less than 10 screens so I always made at least $100 a day.

If you like being outdoors, it's great work and you get plenty of exercise walking around 60 cars!!

Now here's the downside.......

I could never get paid cash, always a check when I was done. Car salesmen especially the owners are some of the biggest 'screwmasters' on the planet. It's not their fault, they're use to everyone trying to screw them on price day in and day out.

It's hard work. Lots of cold calling, leaving your card and faxing, plus you're in the sun all day bending over car screens.

You have to know what you're doing and be fast, clean and good at it. It's actually hand brush signwriting and even though you don't use a sign brush, you have to know how to create lettering and numbers with a baby roller and that takes time. Time to learn and time to get good.

It's messy. Not for you, but for the detailetrs who have to clean the paint off the windows. It's not actually hard, once the paints soaking wet it slides right off, but I had my share of detailing idiots ring me, angry that they couldn't get the paint off easy and that was after I told them how!

Overall, if you're prepared to learn how to do it which will take time and you like physical outdoor work dealing with people who love the art of the sale (trying to screw people) then give it a try, the money's very good and you get to create something artistically.

I've made as much as $3000 a week doing car screens, so it is profitable. I think the worst week I ever had was about $600 and that was in January.

Johnny Bravo

TIP: If you want to make it easy, use 2" baby rollers and day-glo fluro paint with a white base and a 1/2" round black paint marker pen. Also only ever do the passenger side of the car, that's so they can still drive the thing around.

Johnny ...

Thanks for your 2 cents.

1). How did you get started in the business?

2). When you say (painting car screens) are you

refering to car windshields?

3). (You say one needs to know what they are

doing, be fast, clean and good at it).

I take it, some type of training would be

best before starting this venture.

Raymond

------------------------------------------

> I thought I'd through my 2 cents in here as
> once upon a time this is how I made my
> living.

> Here's the low down on making money from
> painting car screens.

> The good news is...

> Yes you can make really good money doing
> this, I use to charge $10 per screen for 10
> screens, $8 for 10-30, $6 for 30-50 and $5
> for 60 or more. Sounds a bit messy price
> wise, but it got the whole yard down and
> then back every week to do the cars they
> sold usually 5-10 depending on the yard.

> May not sound like a lot per screen, but I
> could do 60 screens in about 3 hours, $300
> for 3 hours work!! minus paint.

> I would never do less than 10 screens so I
> always made at least $100 a day.

> If you like being outdoors, it's great work
> and you get plenty of exercise walking
> around 60 cars!!

> Now here's the downside.......

> I could never get paid cash, always a check
> when I was done. Car salesmen especially the
> owners are some of the biggest
> 'screwmasters' on the planet. It's not their
> fault, they're use to everyone trying to
> screw them on price day in and day out.

> It's hard work. Lots of cold calling,
> leaving your card and faxing, plus you're in
> the sun all day bending over car screens.

> You have to know what you're doing and be
> fast, clean and good at it. It's actually
> hand brush signwriting and even though you
> don't use a sign brush, you have to know how
> to create lettering and numbers with a baby
> roller and that takes time. Time to learn
> and time to get good.

> It's messy. Not for you, but for the
> detailetrs who have to clean the paint off
> the windows. It's not actually hard, once
> the paints soaking wet it slides right off,
> but I had my share of detailing idiots ring
> me, angry that they couldn't get the paint
> off easy and that was after I told them how!

> Overall, if you're prepared to learn how to
> do it which will take time and you like
> physical outdoor work dealing with people
> who love the art of the sale (trying to
> screw people) then give it a try, the
> money's very good and you get to create
> something artistically.

> I've made as much as $3000 a week doing car
> screens, so it is profitable. I think the
> worst week I ever had was about $600 and
> that was in January.

> Johnny Bravo

> TIP: If you want to make it easy, use
> 2" baby rollers and day-glo fluro paint
> with a white base and a 1/2" round
> black paint marker pen. Also only ever do
> the passenger side of the car, that's so
> they can still drive the thing around.

> Johnny ...

> Thanks for your 2 cents.

You're welcome.

> 1). How did you get started in the business?

It's wrong to say that anyone with no training or skill can start making money painting signs on car windscreens. It takes time and effort to master controlling the tools you need to execute the work. I spent 5 years in a sign shop before I had the skills necessary.

Maybe with the right guidance someone could master the basic skills to do just car screens, but I doubt that a basic tutorial could provide what's required. What's funny is that I bought a so called 'Make money doing.....' for car screens and there is no way from that video tape could a novice master the skills, in fact the person featured on the tape had many years in the field.

> 2). When you say (painting car screens) are
> you

> refering to car windshields?

Correct, but like I said, only half the screen, passenger side.

> 3). (You say one needs to know what they are

> doing, be fast, clean and good at it).

> I take it, some type of training would be

> best before starting this venture.

If you think that buying some paint and a roller/sponge is going to make you $300 for 3 hours work.....I say good luck! From my experience, you must have some basic skills perfected through time and practice. You can't just buy an instruction sheet and off you go, putting signs on car screens uses the same skills that traditional signwriters/signpainters have acquired often through years of training.

Yes you can make serious money from signs whether they're on car screens or where ever, but like all the graphic arts, it's a skill that requires a certain level of training.

Johnny

> Raymond

> ------------------------------------------

Hey Johnny B --

I agree with you that hand painting car windows is a skill that must be developed.

You really need to have an artistic knack to even consider doing this professionally -- but I still think the basics can be learned with a week's practice. Maybe won't be as good or fast as the "pros", but you learn quickly once you get comfortable w/ your "tools".

Kind of like when I first started cartooning professionally 20+ years ago -- my lettering was "good enough" to be considered "professional", and I got paid for it.... but it twasn't NEAR
as good as it is now -- and I don't even have to THINK about it anymore. Heck, even my hastily scribbled notes look like a comic book font!

By the way, I never did say thanks to you for your reply to a post I made over on the Blake forum once upon a time about being a tourism director for a small town with "nothing" in it.
Your words of wisdom -- "think, Bubba, think" -- are forever burned into my mind. : ) I DID, and now I'm sitting here in the Tourism office with more projects than I can handle. Speaking of which, I better get back to 'em....

Best Wishes,
Jim Erskine
Homeway Press

PS. Johnny, what kind of stuff do you sell by fax to your local businesses?




Start your own local shopping guide

Johnny ...

Thanks for your "Shoot from the hips" straight forward answers to my questions.

After reading, and re-reading your post, I can see where some training and skill would be required before one attempts to make money by painting signs on car windscreens.

So, before buying some paint and supplies, and approaching a potential customer (I'll keep my money in my pocket) and continue to research and learn about this idea.

Thanks Again,

Raymond

P/S: Thanks for the TIP. (If you have others, please send them).

-------------------------------------------

> You're welcome.

> It's wrong to say that anyone with no
> training or skill can start making money
> painting signs on car windscreens. It takes
> time and effort to master controlling the
> tools you need to execute the work. I spent
> 5 years in a sign shop before I had the
> skills necessary.

> Maybe with the right guidance someone could
> master the basic skills to do just car
> screens, but I doubt that a basic tutorial
> could provide what's required. What's funny
> is that I bought a so called 'Make money
> doing.....' for car screens and there is no
> way from that video tape could a novice
> master the skills, in fact the person
> featured on the tape had many years in the
> field.

> Correct, but like I said, only half the
> screen, passenger side.

> If you think that buying some paint and a
> roller/sponge is going to make you $300 for
> 3 hours work.....I say good luck! From my
> experience, you must have some basic skills
> perfected through time and practice. You
> can't just buy an instruction sheet and off
> you go, putting signs on car screens uses
> the same skills that traditional
> signwriters/signpainters have acquired often
> through years of training.

> Yes you can make serious money from signs
> whether they're on car screens or where
> ever, but like all the graphic arts, it's a
> skill that requires a certain level of
> training.

> Johnny

> By the way, I never did say thanks to you
> for your reply to a post I made over on the
> Blake forum once upon a time about being a
> tourism director for a small town with
> "nothing" in it.
> Your words of wisdom -- "think, Bubba,
> think" -- are forever burned into my
> mind. : ) I DID, and now I'm sitting here in
> the Tourism office with more projects than I
> can handle. Speaking of which, I better get
> back to 'em....

Sometimes all one needs is a little push in the right direction.

> Best Wishes,
> Jim Erskine
> Homeway Press

> PS. Johnny, what kind of stuff do you sell
> by fax to your local businesses?

Buisness consulting services priced at $995+ and business improvement information manuals priced at $150+

> Johnny ...

> Thanks for your "Shoot from the
> hips" straight forward answers to my
> questions.

You're welcome

> After reading, and re-reading your post, I
> can see where some training and skill would
> be required before one attempts to make
> money by painting signs on car windscreens.

You can make excellent money doing this, but it takes practice, practice, practice and then some more practice.

> So, before buying some paint and supplies,
> and approaching a potential customer (I'll
> keep my money in my pocket) and continue to
> research and learn about this idea.

If you ever what to make money doing it, just get some paint and a roller and just try doing it at home on your own car screen. Spend a couple of hours seeing if you like it. It helps if you have an artistic flare, that way you'll enjoy the learning curve and get better, quicker.

> Thanks Again,

> Raymond

> P/S: Thanks for the TIP. (If you have
> others, please send them).

If you mean tips about car screens signs, then here's some......

Buy signwriters paint, not general house paint, good quality sign paint is usually at least twice as good for coverage and consistency and not that much more expensive.

Not all car yards like paint on there screens, in fact some detest it.

When you go to the yards if you're on foot, always leqave a simple biz card with your screen rates on it. Emphasize the 'As Low As $5!!' deal.

The car yard won't care how long it takes, but they get irrate real quick if you splash paint on the cars, even little splashes.

The best yards are usually the big ones with 50 cars plus.

Dealers are okay, but they always take longer to pay, because they have more elaborate payroll systems.

The best yards are the owner operator yards, usually the guy who owns the yard is usually on the yard every day.

Stay away from 4X4 yards, the screens are higher off the ground and most often you need something to stand on to reach the screen. This can really slow you down and make more physical work for you.

I could go on and on and on.........but that's enough to wet ya whistle, so if you ever get out there splashin' paint around on car screens....then good luck....it can be fun and profitable.

Johnny Bravo

WHY put ANY paint on the car at all?

Why can't you paint a message or price on a piece of Form-Fitting Foam Board that will fit INSIDE the windshield...sitting on the dash?

People will still be able to see the sign and/or Price BUT...they won't have to be concerned about or have to remove PAINT from the suface of the windshield or windscreen.

Have Templates made...like those used painting addresses on CURBS.

When the car needs to go for a test-drive or is sold...just remove the board from the INSIDE of the car!

There are "window-sticker" people who make up window-stickers stating what's on thevehicle and the price. These are then placed INSIDE the rear, drivers side window. These folks get $8 a car....and have been operating for a long time. The guy in my area has crews that cover many lots and seems to be very lucrative.

OR....create a SIGN BOARD that hooks onto the rain gutters and sits ON TOP of a vehicle. Place the slogan or price on BOTH SIDES!

Just a little "food-for-thought".

When the internet first started to "heat up" about 1997...I helped a guy create a biz where he would go to car lots and take photos of cars and place them on his website for 90 days AND do a LOT of local advertising for the site. He was charging as I remember, $15 a car, including the write-up and uploading. He had a "route" where he'd visit each lot, once a week. Had enough lots so he was taking 40 to 50 photos a DAY. Don't know if this woud go now or not. You'd probably have to charge around $5 or $7 per car BUT...ya never knows unless ya try.

Don Alm

> Johnny ...

> Thanks for your "Shoot from the
> hips" straight forward answers to my
> questions.

> After reading, and re-reading your post, I
> can see where some training and skill would
> be required before one attempts to make
> money by painting signs on car windscreens.

> So, before buying some paint and supplies,
> and approaching a potential customer (I'll
> keep my money in my pocket) and continue to
> research and learn about this idea.

> Thanks Again,

> Raymond

> P/S: Thanks for the TIP. (If you have
> others, please send them).

>
> -------------------------------------------




$3,000/wk from Restaurants