Mud Bog In Town - Would You Close?

[Red Baron]

Mud Bog races are at a nearby lake tomorrow afternoon: http://www.buffalospringslake.net/mud in rhe hub new poster.JPG

I've been told that these Jeeps can literally trash every bay at a car wash when the mud races are over with an amazing amount of mud, and I know these guys carry shovels to remove the bigger mud (for free). I'm thinking about sitting at the car wash to run them off, or just close for a few hours after the races giving them time to pass on through.

What would you do?

 

[Jeff_L]

Problem or Opportunity?

You have good information up front that they are in town, so why not just prepare for them? You may want to welcome them to your wash by dedicating a certain number of bays just for them. Put some cones and signs out pointing them to the bays you want them to use. Hire a couple of local teenagers to stay there with shovels and have them move the mud. Offer up some coffee/juice while the mud guys wait in line to use your wash.

While we all dislike the mudders, I often wonder why? Is it because they trash the bay when you're not there leaving it unusable for the next customer? Or do we just hate cleaning up after them? If I'm at the wash, I direct them to the bay that has a bigger pit or is less full of mud. They tend to spend some money while in the bay, especially when they know you know they are there and they're not trying to hurry up and get out for fear of being caught. I've even put a shovel by the bay while they are using it and they help clean it up.

Just some thoughts.

 

[bigleo48]

I have one this weekend in my community. We will be manned and turn away excessive mudders.

Big

 

[Red Baron]

I thought about manning and directing mudders to the outside bay, then tripling the price. If they want to spend $80 cleaning their Jeep, I guess I can live with that.

 

[MEP001]

While we all dislike the mudders, I often wonder why? Is it because they trash the bay when you're not there leaving it unusable for the next customer?

That's my primary concern. I've been doing this a long time and I'm not too bothered by the work, but there have been a few times after a long, hard rain where I've gone to the wash and found all the bays six inches deep in mud. Most of the guys who leave a bay like that only spend enough money to get the heavy mud off, and some will even spend a couple dollars in one bay, go drive around the block to sling some off and come back to finish in another bay, so not only do I have two bays shut down by one customer but the whole lot is covered in mud, and usually for less than $10. Like Red said, an "opportunity" would be making $80 per vehicle, not making $80 for an entire day because all the bays are too trashed for anyone else to use.

Perhaps you could designate one bay for the mudders, raise the start-up price to say $20 and cut the time per coin in half and hang out to direct the traffic. I don't see closing as an option since some of your regulars will likely not appreciate it. If you're considering staying there all day, you might as well profit from it.

 

[crewchief97]

mud bog

We have had a mud bog at our county fair for the last 12 years, the first year deicated one bay for the boggers and didn't make enough off of them for the mess that theymade. I did not raise prices. I now close the wash on that night.

 

[Red Baron]

If you could pull it off, would you be willing to reduce your revenue by 5% in order to reduce the mudders by 75%? I sure would!!! And when someone complains about my "Leave The Bay Like You Found It" policy I tell them that.

I was told by one local farmer last week: "I can tell you what farmers are saying about you, they say 'Hey, he's making money off me, he can clean the mud up himself.'" The faster I can **** off that guy so he never comes back and tells all his likeminded friends not to come here, the better off I'll be. I don't want him here, I don't want to make money in the car wash business bad enough to be anyone's maid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll sell my washes and do something else before I let lazy ingrates tell me that I can't choose how I run my business in this country!

 

[MEP001]

I was told by one local farmer last week: "I can tell you what farmers are saying about you, they say 'Hey, he's making money off me, he can clean the mud up himself.'"

That attitude is born from disrespect in my opinion. It's like the people who go to a movie theater and throw their trash on the floor because they've paid their money and they think because of that they have the right to do so, since someone else is paid to clean the theater after each showing. I'm there to keep the wash in operating condition in all aspects from mechanically to cleanliness, and if I have to **** off a few undesirable customers to do it, so be it. If someone came in every day and dumped 10 bags of household garbage and spent $1.00 to vacuum each time, does that justify them as a valed customer? A line must be drawn somewhere.

 

[SplishSplash]

I would just sit at the entrance to your wash and turn them away. Not only are they going to close a bay while you clean the mess for $5, they are going to track mud from the entrance to the bay and then from the bay to the exit! Cleaning the lot is not worth the business to me.

 

[Mo's Cow Wash LLC.]

I like the idea of directing the mud folks to a certain bay and increasing the cost. I also would throw in $2 - $5 of time just so they could hosae down the Bay they used. I'm in California and i only get serious mud when it rains. If the Mud Bog races where to happen near my wash i would inquire about sponsorship, seems to me a natural fit. If you cant beat them, - cheat, but if it dont work make your $ then join them.

 

[washnvac]

Ditto with Red Baron and MEP. It is a CAR WASH. Not a mud wash, not a tractor wash, not a pick up full of mulch, pine needles, & leaves wash, not a bobcat wash, not a front end loader wash, not a dirt track stock car wash, and finally not a backhoe wash.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

^ That's how I see it. I tell people that this is a car wash for people who use their daily driver and want to clean it off. I am not running some landscape dumping ground. People are finally getting the hint. I say grab a lawn chair, a sixer, and enjoy running them off. You don't have to be a **** about it, just explain, that the kind of mess they make is not worth the few bucks you might make. Good luck and let us know what happens..

 

[Red Baron]

^ That's how I see it. I tell people that this is a car wash for people who use their daily driver and want to clean it off. I am not running some landscape dumping ground. People are finally getting the hint. I say grab a lawn chair, a sixer, and enjoy running them off. You don't have to be a **** about it, just explain, that the kind of mess they make is not worth the few bucks you might make. Good luck and let us know what happens..

I've made special laminated placards that go over the coin slots in preparation for the mudders. I'll shoot a pic tomorrow. I'm thinking I'll just close the wash down at around 9 pm.

 

[crewchief97]

Mud bog

Thats what I do Red, mud bog starts a 7pm and I close wash between 8:30 and 9 reopen around 7am. Most of the locals know I don't want the mud and my regulars know the wash will be closed on mud bog night.

 

[jprb]

How about hiring a mobile pressure washer to attend the event and advertise for you?

"Leave the mud where it belongs! Wash for FREE here, compliments of RED BARON CAR WASH!!" (and any other disclaimers you might want to add about your wash)

A couple of banners on the side of the mobile washer's truck/trailer might make a good ad!

JPRB

 

[JustClean]

After I put up signs (thanks to advice from this forum): "Dirty bay incurs $250 clean-up fee" I haven't had any real serious mudders anymore.
Unfortunately, it sometimes makes valued customers clean-up non existing dirt as well....

 

[Red Baron]

After I put up signs (thanks to advice from this forum): "Dirty bay incurs $250 clean-up fee" I haven't had any real serious mudders anymore.
Unfortunately, it sometimes makes valued customers clean-up non existing dirt as well....

JC, that has been a problem for me too. I sometimes pull up to see a customer washing his soap down the drain, probably thinking he'll be in trouble if he doesn't. I feel bad that they think they have to do that and it causes me to dislike mudders even more - they create 90% of the headaches and I've found it virtually impossible to create just the right signage that helps the customer understand our policy on mud.

 

[Reds]

I live in a rural, mountainous area with lots of dirt roads. Two dirt racing tracks within 5 miles of me. Weekend warriors with 4 wheelers are everywhere you look - even driving right down the streets. I have no choice but to deal with mud on a continual basis. When I know that there is going to be lots of mud ( rainy holiday weekends, etc ). I raise my prices, stand guard and tell them they have to clean up after themselves, and deal with it as best I can. My business is at least 50% pickup trucks. Very frustrating, but I don't have a lot of choice in the matter. One weekend last summer I had a dozen monster trucks lined up at the wash - including the infamous "Bigfoot" truck. They each spent $20 - $30 cleaning their trucks for their next event. After I talked to them they all washed the bays down after they were done, and thanked me for letting them use the wash.

 

[rph9168]

Since this does not appear to be a regular event I would either close (my first pick) or be ready to make sure users are aware of bay rules and enforce them strictly.

 

[Waxman]

I'd staff a cleanup person, hand out extra tokens for them to help you rinse the bay down and collect all the money. I'd get alot of free fill, too.

I'm aware many of you disagree, but that's my business philosophy; take their money as much as possible.

I bet alot of it has to do with a wash's locale, too. Many places aren't set up to handle all the sand and dirt; I am.