Vacs $3 - 5 minutes.. Should have done it sooner..

[CarWashBoy]

Hi. I raised my price on 8 Vacs finally...$3/5 minutes.. Very Nice, No complaints.. I should have done it a long time ago.. What a dummy I am sometimes.. Wow .. I should be slapped in the face and have my Butt kicked for not having done it sooner.. By the way, the
vacs work perfect.. They accept CC and Bills only, and are cleaned professionally every day.. You need to do it.. And yes, my competition is $1 for 4 min for vacs that are out of date, dirty and not maintained..I'm sure I will here a lot of comments of why it won't work for you.. But it will, if you do it right... just my 3 cents.
Happy Car Washing..

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I wish I could make more on my vacuums. I have 5 Fragramatics combo vacs and they average about $10/ea a week.

I have a EE with free vacs less than 3 mi away. I also have another SS with vacs at $1/4min, which is what I'm at.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Hi. I raised my price on 8 Vacs finally...$3/5 minutes.. .

Where are you located?

 

[chaz]

Wow. Good for you. What is your wash pricing? Where are you located?

 

[dewey9876]

I did the same thing a couple years ago. New Vacs, dollar bill acceptors, $2 for 5min., no complaints. I instantly doubled my monthly vacuum income.

 

[CarWashBoy]

Where are you located?

Corvallis, Oregon.. 80 miles south of Portland..

 

[CarWashBoy]

Wow. Good for you. What is your wash pricing? Where are you located?

Our wash pricing is.. $3 4 mins or $5 10 mins Bonus Time.. Each additional $1 or C/Pay button push, adds 1 min 20 seconds.. Bills or CC.. No coins.. Seems to work fine.. Since we switched to current system, for 1 year now, revenue up 88% over previous year..

 

[chaz]

I'm thinking of keeping vacs at $1 and then going from 4 to 3 minutes. I already allow for additional deposit for more time. Just wondering if I'll make more $ with the less time or just cause customers to work faster,,,which would be ok too, as most of my vacs are as you enter bay due to limited lot size.

 

[CarWashBoy]

I'm thinking of keeping vacs at $1 and then going from 4 to 3 minutes. I already allow for additional deposit for more time. Just wondering if I'll make more $ with the less time or just cause customers to work faster,,,which would be ok too, as most of my vacs are as you enter bay due to limited lot size.

I would just go $2 and call it good.. I have not had as much success in revenue increase when dropping time, vs. increasing price.. You will immediately see a Huge increase when you count your money.. Just my 3 cents.
Happy Car Washing..

 

[Randy]

Hi. I raised my price on 8 Vacs finally...$3/5 minutes.. Very Nice, No complaints.. I should have done it a long time ago.

We did the same thing about 18 months ago, $3 for 5 minutes. No complaints, we also raised the price in the bays to a all time high, again no complaints. We have a high vandalism problem with bill validators that when they no longer work or they are vandalized we don't replace them, most of them are gone now the bays and vac's. I hear it all the time, I'm going to be the lowest car wash around so everyone will come to me. I don't think most car wash customers are shopping for price they just want a clean car.

 

[TurboJet]

Been operating my SS for 20 years. I'm at $2 for 6 minutes, 4 minutes on the turbo function. I have 8 vacs. 4 are combo units.

Surprise surprise having an EE opening 1/2 mile away on small lot with 5 free vacs.

Don't know what to expect. My vacs are about 18% of my revenues. Kind of the gravy.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I love seeing people charge real $ for real service. $3 for 5 minutes is fantastic. We went to $2 for 4 minutes two years ago from $1/3 minutes and it has been nothing but good results. I know our per/minute pricing is slightly less than yours but we get the majority of customers for two cycles. Do you find the same? We're currently $3/3.5 minutes in our bays.

 

[CarWashBoy]

I love seeing people charge real $ for real service. $3 for 5 minutes is fantastic. We went to $2 for 4 minutes two years ago from $1/3 minutes and it has been nothing but good results. I know our per/minute pricing is slightly less than yours but we get the majority of customers for two cycles. Do you find the same? We're currently $3/3.5 minutes in our bays.

Hi.. I have noticed quite a few customers using 2 cycles on the Vacs despite the $3 price.. our revenue is up proportionally.. Our bays are $3/4min and $5/10min Bonus Time.. Yes, I see many operators under charging.. and yes, Charge for real quality and service.. We run a full time attendant.. 7 days a week.. one of the keys to success of our operation..
Doug

 

[CarWashBoy]

Wow. Good for you. What is your wash pricing? Where are you located?

Corvallis, Oregon... 80 miles south of Portland, Oregon..

 

[CarWashBoy]

I did the same thing a couple years ago. New Vacs, dollar bill acceptors, $2 for 5min., no complaints. I instantly doubled my monthly vacuum income.

Awesome.. Get paid for Professional Services...

 

[TurboJet]

Can anyone comment on their vac pricing strategy or revenues when having to consider a new nearby express tunnel offering free vacs. I'm too low on pricing as far as I'm concerned but this throws a wrench in things. Competition I believe has an impact on what u can do if they offer value.

Right now I'm not planning to change my pricing. Just ensure all my vacs are maintained and functioning properly. If someone had other ideas or how an express tunnel with free vacs affected them. Please share. Thanks.

 

[CarWashBoy]

Can anyone comment on their vac pricing strategy or revenues when having to consider a new nearby express tunnel offering free vacs. I'm too low on pricing as far as I'm concerned but this throws a wrench in things. Competition I believe has an impact on what u can do if they offer value.

Right now I'm not planning to change my pricing. Just ensure all my vacs are maintained and functioning properly. If someone had other ideas or how an express tunnel with free vacs affected them. Please share. Thanks.

Does that new wash require a car wash for use of free vacs? Some express washes are designed that way with traffic flow.. Some require payment if no wash is purchased, if customer has access to vacs without purchasing wash.. If they require a wash purchase then that helps ease the situation.. I would make sure that your vacs are TOP OF THE LINE and Charge accordingly! In our area most vacs are $2 some even $3. Mine $3/5min.. Bills/Credit, Digital Readout timers..they work perfect and cleaned Daily..
Happy Car Washing..
Doug

 

[MEP001]

Can anyone comment on their vac pricing strategy or revenues when having to consider a new nearby express tunnel offering free vacs. I'm too low on pricing as far as I'm concerned but this throws a wrench in things. Competition I believe has an impact on what u can do if they offer value.

Right now I'm not planning to change my pricing. Just ensure all my vacs are maintained and functioning properly. If someone had other ideas or how an express tunnel with free vacs affected them. Please share. Thanks.

Had that happen a few years back - they cost us about a third of the vac revenue. I didn't change prices (4 min/$1) and just kept everything maintained as well as possible. The numbers did slowly climb up some, and a few people did tell me that the express wash vac area was always a mess, the hoses were dirty and stiff, it was hard to find one with a good claw on it, and they didn't have a sink or any vending.

 

[TurboJet]

Thanks for the replies. New express is still under construction. So not sure on how free vac is structured. I seen drawing at city hall that said free vacs on signage. Will have to ramp up the vac maintenance. I could probably change out the hoses and claws more frequently. As said, they do stiffen up when left to the elements. Thanks.

 

[CarWashBoy]

We did the same thing about 18 months ago, $3 for 5 minutes. No complaints, we also raised the price in the bays to a all time high, again no complaints. We have a high vandalism problem with bill validators that when they no longer work or they are vandalized we don't replace them, most of them are gone now the bays and vac's. I hear it all the time, I'm going to be the lowest car wash around so everyone will come to me. I don't think most car wash customers are shopping for price they just want a clean car.

I agree 125%.. so many operators undercharge..