Just had my best January

[Tpoppa]

I'd like to think it was due to my pricing strategy and well maintained equipment...but it probably had more to do with the unseasonably warm weather in Ohio. It's a nice change after poor wash weather during some key months in 2011.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

It was substantially better than 2011's p*** poor January. Unfortunately I can't jump up and down yet, because if we don't get some winter soon, you'll be looking at April & May numbers for February and March.

 

[Kirb]

I had my best January and also my best month in five years!!!! Feb started off great today I hope it continues!!!

 

[Buzzie8]

Me too! Unseasonably warm is better than 60+ days below freezing!

 

[Randy]

Quite the opposite out West, We’ve had the WORSE January I can think of. Most car washes are down 40%. Lots of rain, some snow and then more rain

 

[gearhead]

Good Jan

Good winter(?) numbers and virtually no floor heat. Im OK with that!

 

[Indiana Wash]

Wow, we had one of the worst January's in southern Indiana. It was unseasonably warm but we have received less than 1" of snow. The one time we received ice, it rained for a week afterward. Actually, I am willing to bet that it rained more than 15 days of January in southern Indiana.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

January was quite bad for me, among the worst ever.

Quite a bit of warmer weather holding down floor heat costs, true... but we also had a week in single digits to offset that.

 

[pgrzes]

Lousey January. 1 minor snowfall followed by 2 days of heavy rain. 1 nice weekend. yes its been warm but lack of sunshine and abundance of rain has killed the business. I can't remember the last week straight with at least 1 rain day!!!!! 2011 we had 3 times all year with 10 consecutive dry days!!!! Frustrated and hating this business!!! S.E. Pa. wash available!!!!

 

[washnvac]

2 washes in Delaware, 2 in Maryland---worst January since I have been in business. (1994)

 

[mjc3333]

Horrible January!! No Snow. Rain Rain Rain. Nice to see temps above freezing, but combine that with no snow, therefore no salt, more rain, and it becomes an extension of the Fall season which is the Slowest time of year for our area.

We only had one 4 inch snow fall ALL year, then 2 days later RAIN.

No my worst Jan, but at the bottom end!!

Same for the first week of Feb.

If this keeps up, we will have the worst winter season since 1991 when we received only 7 inches of snow all season.

It is a double edged sword, we need the snow for the Salt only, but along with it comes the cold temps.

If there is no Salty cars, people will not wash the regular dirt/ road film off their cars when the temps are below 40 45 degrees.

If the same scenario had salt involved, we would be talking about the very BEST season ever.

No so this year

 

[copperglobe]

Worst January in 23 years. Not one snow storm and thus no salt/sand spread on the roads.

 

[Tpoppa]

Just had my best February. Not much salt, but above average temps.

 

[mjc3333]

Just as I thought...... Similar to January. No snow at ALL not even a dusting, then rain each weekend but one.

Not my worst February, but nothing to write home about! The only saving grace are the above average temps.

This is turning out to be my worst year since 1991 when we only received 7 inches of snow all season.

We are down over 60% over last year to date. Last year was also not that great. We had record rainfall all year especially in the spring and summer months.

 

[Randy]

The first 2 weeks of February were pretty good, not outstanding just pretty good. When gasoline hit $3.90 a gallon business started to taper off. Now that gasoline is $4.03 a gallon it’s like someone flipped off the light switch, the car washes are dead. It was absolutely beautiful here this last weekend and there was very little action at the car washes. I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

 

[copperglobe]

Finished out February with the worst number ever. Down 24% over last year and last year was down 18% from the year before. In doing my weather formula we're on a down-hill slide of favorable weather days since 2008. Add to that the price of gas and other "necessities" and their increased costs and there just isn't the disposable income that there has been. I know the Feds say that unemployment is around 9% but private economists are saying that real unemployment is up towards 20%.

 

[MEP001]

I know the Feds say that unemployment is around 9% but private economists are saying that real unemployment is up towards 20%.

It's because they only count people looking for work as "unemployed." The ones who have tried for years to find a suitable job and have quit looking aren't counted.

 

[Nomoreusmc]

It's been warm and drought here and we have been a crazy yo-yo all over the place, 800 car day next to a 250 with no rhyme or reason to it. I'm pretty new to the biz but it seems everything in the car wash industry has it's own rhythm, from when you should clean your vacs to the ebb and flow of customers!

 

[keniniowa]

In doing my weather formula we're on a down-hill slide of favorable weather days since 2008.

I'm curious what your weather formula is, been trying figure something simple out.

I'm up 10% for the year from last year, which was up 10% from '10, which was up 20% from '09.

That's all great, but I'd like to quantify the cause. For instance last year did more advertising and ran some specials. Doing my taxes I looked back and there wasn't much correlation between my good months and the amount of advertising I did that particular month.