How much is everyone getting for their vacuums? Also if you have combo units what are you getting for your fragrance gun and shampoo/spot remover too? I am currently at $1 / 4 mins for vacuum and $1 / 40 seconds for fragrance. I do not know off the top of my head for what I get on my shampoo/ spot remover. These are the same prices that I have had since I opened 12 - 14 years ago.
How much is everyone getting for their vacuums?
- Thread starter WikiWash
- Start date
We replaced all of our Vacs about a year and a half ago. Our old vacs were tired, coin only 2 motor vacs. We replaced them with 3 motor vacs with dollar bill acceptors and digital read out. We were 1.00 for 4 min like you for 12 plus years. When we put new vacs in we went to 2.00 for 5 Min and instantly doubled our monthly vac revenue!
I like the sound of that!
I am going to replace all old motors with new ones. The existing motors have been rebuilt a few times and need changing. I am also going to replace gaskets to increase better vacuum and update decals. Giving the customer a better appearance and performance.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
I changed out my vaccums from single motors to refurbished fragramatics with 3 motors and 1.50 for 3:00mins and there doing great
How much difference does the 3rd motor make?
Earl Weiss
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seattleguy
Member
I have regular JE Adams 2 motor vacs and I am $2 for 3 minutes. I have a JE Adams detail station machine at each island with shampoo and 1 with fragrance. $1 for 2 minutes.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
3 motors are a pain to install. I used to have just single motors had to bust up the parking lot to each island bc the conduit was so old and ran new wire bigger and alot of work but i have doubled the income on them in return they require more maintaince bc they get used hard now also cleaning weekly ect..
I did a little more research on other vacs in my area. My closest 2 competitors are $1/3 mins, $1.25/4 mins, and I am at $1/4 mins. None of my competitors have combo vacs with shampoo and fragrance like I do. I was thinking going $2/5 mins, $1/ 3mins, $1.50/3 mins, or $1.50/4 mins. I'm not sure that I want to have a $2 start on my vacuums and I feel that it may be too large of a jump. $1/3 mins will keep the same start amount but with less time, will customers feel like that are being jipped? $1.50/ 3 mins will definitely make me the most expensive in the area. Going $1.50 / 4 mins I am comfortable with that and I can always charge more by going to $1.50/3 mins. Let me know what you guys think? What would you do if you were me? BTW I plan on keeping my spot/shampoo and fragrance at the same $/min by whichever start $amount I go with.
mjwalsh
6 bay SS w/laundromat
BBE,
We had a 3 motor Monorail at one time. We found that by making an extra effort to actually clean & even change the 4 filter bags on our 1987 Doyle heavy duty stainless steel Vacuums ... the customer gets as good of suction as they want anyway. By changing filter bags ... I mean actually washing them in one of our very thorough front load washing machines in our laundromat. Has anyone seen (besides me) an older vehicle's carpet thread's unravel from too much suction? To be fair ... the newest 3 motor vacs might come with a better system ... eliminating any problem air flow ... preventing loss of suction in case any of the motors fail or are not on???
mike walsh www.kingkoin.com
GoBuckeyes
Self-Serve and Automatics
Wiki, we have all 2 motor vacs that are at least 24 years old. A decade ago we changed our prices from $1/4 minutes to $1/3 minutes and I'm sure it helped but cutting time is really hard to measure the impact it has. This year we rebuilt our vacs, like we do every year, but replaced everything whether it needed it or not..all gaskets, bags, hoses, claws, cuffs, and motors. We also removed all the decals from the actual vac bodies and just left them as naked stainless. Then we raised our prices to $2/4 minutes. Needless to say, we have had record vacuum revenue this year. Yes, had people ask about the price increase. Some were not happy with it, I even noticed some drive in, stop, then leave without vacuuming. I didn't drive around and check out others pricing because I already knew they are undercharging at $.75/5 min at gas some gas stations and $1/4 min at some other washes. I also already knew they don't maintain them like we do. They're vacuums might be 20 years newer than ours, but if you don't clean them out and fix holes in hoses, etc. they don't suck. Vacuums require a lot of time, why not charge for them? One of the best things decisons I made this year!
Jeff_L
Well-known member
I agree with you buckeye, people will pay for things that work. I have a wash near me who has been offering free Vaca for 2-3 years now, but I haven't seen a drop in my vac revenue. Customers tell me his Vaca don't suck very well, but mine are kept up regularly. We check the suction pressure multiple times during the week to make sure everything works well.
We charge $1.25 for 3 minutes on the vac’s and $2.25 for 3:30 in the bays. On Jan. 1st we are going to $1.50 on the vac’s and $2.50 in the bays. Vacuums are the highest income generator at the car wash so we keep them running at 100%, we clean them out 3 times a week and shake down the bags at least once a week. The problem with the Self-Serve car wash industry is the public perceives them as a cheap .25 cent business until this changes it’s almost impossible to charge a decent return. With so many cheap low priced car washes it gives the whole industry a black eye. I’m talking about the operator who charges .75 - $1.00 for 5 minutes of bay time and .75 for 5 minutes of vac time. Being by a large military base I get them in all the time, they can’t believe how much we charge, they tell me that I’m ripping them off because they can wash their car back home in Texas or Oklahoma for a $1.00, I just smile and shake my head.
Same topic but different thoughts. I agree, I look at the vacs as the most profitable services at out wash. We charge $1 for three minutes & feel like its almost like free income. I am at a loss as to why people are giving free vacs at their business. We just had a new wash open up close to us and they give free vacs, just push a button & they come on. You don't even have to use their wash! No, they don't make up the price on their auto washes, same price as we charge.