Some things I learned the first year operating a car wash

[D3Dubs]

I am creating some content for my other business website. I thought this blog post would be of interest to the folks in this sub-forum. The forum only allows 4,000 characters so I included the beginning of the post and a link to the complete post to read more.

Last year my business partner and I bought a car wash. Neither of us had any experience in the industry so the prior owner stayed on for a month to show us the ropes. It has been a great experience so far and I have learned quite a bit in the short time period since we opened.

My Car Wash Set Up

• 2 In Bay Automatics, both Razors from Wash World
• Unitec C-Start POS system
• 3 JE Adams Vacuums
• 1 JE Adams Vacuum/Tire Shine combo
• Vending machine selling air fresheners and basic detailing supplies
• Bill changer

Below are some of the things I’ve learned over the course of the year. It is not an exhaustive list and is geared towards operators interested in the industry or just getting started.

Maintenance:

• Fix it when you find it, especially the little things.
• You can save a lot of money/profit by learning how to maintain and fix things yourself. This is especially true in smaller operations. I keep a shelf with the printed manuals for every piece of equipment at the wash. They’re not always helpful but can be a good starting point.
• “Buy once, cry once”, aka get a good set of tools. We bought a cheap set of harbor freight tools that literally fell apart trying to use them. I find Klein tools to be a good value.
• You’re going to get dirty, usually when you’re “just stopping by to check on things.”
• Solenoid valves don’t last forever. Rebuild or replace annually or the first sign of trouble.
• Don’t over-grease your bearings
• Keep common spare parts and hoses on hand

read more using this link

 

[soonermajic]

Outstanding read

 

[copperglobe]

Agreed.

Tools: Buy the best tools your pocket can afford. Buy all the tools you need today and all the tools you may need someday to to that repair/replace that you think may happen on that cold Saturday night when everyone is closed.

 

[Rainway]

I am creating some content for my other business website. I thought this blog post would be of interest to the folks in this sub-forum. The forum only allows 4,000 characters so I included the beginning of the post and a link to the complete post to read more.

Last year my business partner and I bought a car wash. Neither of us had any experience in the industry so the prior owner stayed on for a month to show us the ropes. It has been a great experience so far and I have learned quite a bit in the short time period since we opened.

My Car Wash Set Up

• 2 In Bay Automatics, both Razors from Wash World
• Unitec C-Start POS system
• 3 JE Adams Vacuums
• 1 JE Adams Vacuum/Tire Shine combo
• Vending machine selling air fresheners and basic detailing supplies
• Bill changer

Below are some of the things I’ve learned over the course of the year. It is not an exhaustive list and is geared towards operators interested in the industry or just getting started.

Maintenance:

• Fix it when you find it, especially the little things.
• You can save a lot of money/profit by learning how to maintain and fix things yourself. This is especially true in smaller operations. I keep a shelf with the printed manuals for every piece of equipment at the wash. They’re not always helpful but can be a good starting point.
• “Buy once, cry once”, aka get a good set of tools. We bought a cheap set of harbor freight tools that literally fell apart trying to use them. I find Klein tools to be a good value.
• You’re going to get dirty, usually when you’re “just stopping by to check on things.”
• Solenoid valves don’t last forever. Rebuild or replace annually or the first sign of trouble.
• Don’t over-grease your bearings
• Keep common spare parts and hoses on hand

read more using this link

Great article. Been in business bought existing operation a year ago that was built about 12 years back. It's been a huge learning experience. Thank you for sharing this!

 

[Waxman]

Embrace the daily chores at your wash that make a big difference; things like lubrication schedules can help you stay operational. Fixing things before they break is great. It takes discipline to paint, fix and do projects on slow days instead of relaxing, but it's worth it.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Embrace the daily chores at your wash that make a big difference; things like lubrication schedules can help you stay operational. Fixing things before they break is great. It takes discipline to paint, fix and do projects on slow days instead of relaxing, but it's worth it.

I've always heard there were people that do that, but just thought it was a myth...who knew?

 

[soapy]

If something breaks and it is not too expensive I usually buy at least 2 so I have a spare for the next time so I can minimize down time. Usually the down time you save will pay for the extra part many times over.

 

[MudMoney]

I should have been an engineer @ NASA. I got back -up for every issue that seems to arise.Brass inventory is better than the hardware store and the list goes on. I cannot afford to be down for long in any bays,not just the revenue but the public perception .

 

[MEP001]

I should have been an engineer @ NASA. I got back -up for every issue that seems to arise.Brass inventory is better than the hardware store and the list goes on. I cannot afford to be down for long in any bays,not just the revenue but the public perception .

I even have backup tools for the ones I most often use.

 

[copperglobe]

I even have backup tools for the ones I most often use.

Yep. And I have tools that I've never used just in case there's a situation where they would be needed. An orange cone in front of any bay is a sign for anyone driving by that there's a problem. Get it fixed and get rid of the cone. I drive by a wash every day where they've got an orange cone in front of a bay that has been there since last summer.

 

[MEP001]

Yep. And I have tools that I've never used just in case there's a situation where they would be needed. An orange cone in front of any bay is a sign for anyone driving by that there's a problem. Get it fixed and get rid of the cone. I drive by a wash every day where they've got an orange cone in front of a bay that has been there since last summer.

I used to run a wash with another one nearby that had a bad reputation for things not working. They kept three cones by the equipment room door for customers to block off bays if something didn't work, and almost every time I drove by it there would be a cone in a bay. I was telling someone about it years later and pulled it up on Google Street View and sure enough, one bay was coned off in the image.

 

[Robert2181]

I find myself buying in lots of 3. Even buying the better quality parts and supplies, Sometimes the first new part has a problem.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

Yep. And I have tools that I've never used just in case there's a situation where they would be needed. An orange cone in front of any bay is a sign for anyone driving by that there's a problem. Get it fixed and get rid of the cone. I drive by a wash every day where they've got an orange cone in front of a bay that has been there since last summer.

If I ever put a cone in the bay, my customers just drive over it and start putting coins in the meter box. Then they drive off with the cone under their car.

 

[OurTown]

If I ever put a cone in the bay, my customers just drive over it and start putting coins in the meter box. Then they drive off with the cone under their car.

That is funny! Our customers are not quite that bad.

 

[slash007]

If I ever put a cone in the bay, my customers just drive over it and start putting coins in the meter box. Then they drive off with the cone under their car.

Happened too many times to count lol. Think I have a couple on video. 2 weeks ago a guy drove over 2 cones, both the entrance and exit cone and had no idea.

 

[MEP001]

I've had that happen many times. Sometimes they argue that there was no cone in the bay. Had one girl come into the room while I was trying to prime the boiler I had just replaced, she wanted me to come help her get the cone out from under her car. She didn't want to wait five minutes while I finished what I was doing and drove off with it still there. I came out of the room just in time to see it come out from under her car way down the road.

 

[mjwalsh]

We have 30 gallon plastic trash drums tht we put in front of the bay during repair & when we are closed. It is rare that a customer drives around one or moves it to drive in. The drums are left over from when we would order car wash chemicals in 30 gallon drums.