Whats the difference between iba, & express

[Strava]

I will want to upgrade my old IBA soon & I'm trying to look at all the options out there and see what other people are doing. I'm sitting here surfing carwashes for sale on LoopNet and found this wash. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/872-River-Hwy-Mooresville-NC/29598322/

Would this be classified as an express wash? It's similar to what D&S advertises as an express featuring an IBA, two arches, a tire scrubber, and dryers.

What's the difference between a tunnel, and an express if all the examples of express that I search for have conveyors? Other than the conveyor what's the difference?

Can someone talk about the philosophy behind the difference between the two? Or is an express just a catch-all term for any wash operation that falls between an IBA and a full-size tunnel?

 

[Earl Weiss]

IBA - Car Stays in one spot and equipment moves. Tunnel - Car Moves and equipment stays in one spot. Current definition for "Express" seems to be no human Cashier. Just auto cashier / paystations . (Which most IBA seem to have) Just exterior cleaning. Full Serve has interior cleaning performed by others offered. Matts / Windows and Vacuums. Some might say to be "Express" you must offer free vacuums. Some have "Flex Serve" which has Interior Cleaning available. We have what I would call "Express" but we had it since before Pay stations really existed for tunnels so our Loader is also a cashier.

 

[Strava]

So essentially any site unattended by an employee and has more functions than an IBA would be considered an express.
On a side note, I don't normally see many IBA sites that have pre-soak and triple foam on arches before entering the IBA area. Why isnt this done more often? Is it the cost or cars per hour issues?

 

[Wash4Life]

So essentially any site unattended by an employee and has more functions than an IBA would be considered an express.
On a side note, I don't normally see many IBA sites that have pre-soak and triple foam on arches before entering the IBA area. Why isnt this done more often? Is it the cost or cars per hour issues?

No, express car washes do have attendants. Someone has to load the vehicles onto the conveyor. I do know of a place that has an unattended conveyor tunnel (not of the express variety), and I have no idea how he can do that without confused customers and lots of property damage.

With regard to the pre-soak and triple foam arches, I don't believe that would work out well for us. For one thing, I cannot imagine how putting both on would clean a car.

Then there is the customer factor. We have an undercarriage spray that comes on before the customer parks. A fair amount of customers will stop and let the undercarriage spray time run out. They think that the whole underneath is being sprayed. I'm sure there will be customers who would stop with such a pre-soak and triple foam set-up, and they'll be made When only the front of the car is not cleaned. Too much of a required learning curve.

Perhaps the biggest factor overall is how customers will see with pre-soak and triple foam on their vehicles while driving to parking? The answer is that they'll either use their wipers (which most will not want to do), or they'll fly blind, and you gotta hope they don't damage the equipment.

 

[OurTown]

So essentially any site unattended by an employee and has more functions than an IBA would be considered an express.
On a side note, I don't normally see many IBA sites that have pre-soak and triple foam on arches before entering the IBA area. Why isnt this done more often? Is it the cost or cars per hour issues?



View attachment 10525

It is hard to get perfect coverage because the customer is in control of speed. Also not able to control dwell time. As you can see this is a friction wash so it is not nearly as critical.

 

[Roz]

also space is a consideration. Most IBA bays are 40' or less, this one appears from the pics to be longer (an asset) - perhaps 55-60'? Looks like a nice setup (from the pics) so then the next question is how well is it performing....At the asking price it could be a solid opportunity (depending on the revenue)!

 

[traveler17]

I will want to upgrade my old IBA soon & I'm trying to look at all the options out there and see what other people are doing. I'm sitting here surfing carwashes for sale on LoopNet and found this wash. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/872-River-Hwy-Mooresville-NC/29598322/

Would this be classified as an express wash? It's similar to what D&S advertises as an express featuring an IBA, two arches, a tire scrubber, and dryers.

What's the difference between a tunnel, and an express if all the examples of express that I search for have conveyors? Other than the conveyor what's the difference?

Can someone talk about the philosophy behind the difference between the two? Or is an express just a catch-all term for any wash operation that falls between an IBA and a full-size tunnel?

I’ve seen this post but never inquired. I’m in Wilmington NC so 200 miles from me being the reason I’ve never looked into it. Nice looking facility though !! Have you talked to the broker about the numbers ?

 

[Greg Pack]

A true express is going to have automated cashiers (even though now they usually have an attendant standing there selling memberships) and a conveyor. 95% of them have free vacuums for customers. They can wash 60-120 cars per hour (cph) or even more if the tunnel is long enough. They require at the minimum a loader and often have a total of 3-4 employees on site depending on volume. Most conveyors are 60-100 ft long.

Your example above seems to be the autec version of an express automatic. Autec has been doing "express Automatics" for a while that requires you to drive through entrance arches that apply products, the vehicle then stops, and the machine washes the stationary car. Then, when the machine is finished the customer exits through final rinse and wax arches. the purpose of this is to speed up the wash process and increase throughput. Istobal has recently developed an "express on rails" which is similar. These seem to fit the niche of needing a medium volume location but not the throughput of a true conveyorized car wash. They can be built on a smaller footprint too. Throughput is probably 20-30 cph. Employees are optional but desirable at least during peak hours to help facilitate the process. These can stay open 24 hours

Then you have the traditional IBA where the vehicle stops and the machine does everything (except possibly dry) while the vehicle is stationary. Throughput is usually 10-20 cph. No attendant required.

 

[Strava]

also space is a consideration. Most IBA bays are 40' or less, this one appears from the pics to be longer (an asset) - perhaps 55-60'? Looks like a nice setup (from the pics) so then the next question is how well is it performing....At the asking price it could be a solid opportunity (depending on the revenue)!

I looked it up and it sold a few years ago for 400kish. I just saved it because i liked the way it looked.

 

[Axxlrod]

From what I've seen, customers have a hard enough time driving their car into the bay and stopping at the required spot for an IBA to operate.

I can't imagine spraying pre-soak and try-foam all over their car and then having them to still drive into the bay and stop at a specific spot.

Would be entertainment to watch.

 

[Strava]

Your example above seems to be the autec version of an express automatic.

You were right. Thank you for posting, it's interesting to learn about this stuff : )

 

[Earl Weiss]

So essentially any site unattended by an employee and has more functions than an IBA would be considered an express.

The term "Express Exterior" seems to have been applied to conveyor operations. I have heard of some operating with no attendants but they are often located at Gas stations where someone is around but generally there is a loader.

Some IBA mfgrs have used the "express" terms for marketing but as in the example you cite that might be called an In Bay Express. "

It was only when technology evolved to have pay stations some considered that to be a necessary element for "Express Exterior" and still some consider Free Vacs a necessary element notwithstanding that has nothing to do with the wash process.

 

[washnshine]

A few IBA manufacturers are now making an “IBA Express” version of their equipment. I think they want to increase throughput and offer some of the options and add-ons that exist in tunnels. Oasis has one called the Eclipse where they even separate their wash portion and dry portion of the process with a rollup vinyl door so that one car is dried while stationary and another washed while stationary . This set up also has have drive through wheel brushes as you enter and tire shine applicators as you exit.

I think that is leaving too much up to the customer. I don’t mind high pressure wheel/rocker and undersprays when a car drives in and a drive through blower at the exit, but that’s it. Detergents, trifoam, wheel brushes, rinses and waxes are best applied automatically by the machine for consistency.