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  1. Waxman

    Looking to build 5 self serve and one touchless.

    for me the leased land aspect makes the project a nonstarter. Like others have said here a key component to a car wash business is maintaining control and ownership of the property/real estate. I'd like to know what research you have already done to get you to this point in your decision...
  2. Waxman

    Is working at a car wash PT a good idea?

    Yes I worked for a company called Golden nozzle before opening my own car wash in 2006. my boss was Mike Forgotch. Mike taught me how to manage the in Bay automatic segment of the car wash business. I don't think you necessarily need to let them know that you're planning to start your own...
  3. Waxman

    Saw a great idea for ALL IBAs

    Mine was made out of some old warehouse racks. A decent welding and fabrication shop should be able to make up the frame. Then you can have a sign shop Make the rest.
  4. Waxman

    1 1/2 year Carwash Update

    I would do even more buy up options. i'm sure other operators have better suggestions for this than me, but you could add extra presoak passes, extra rinse passes etc. if your machinery and cashier are capable, maybe four buy up options or even five would work. Get creative with it and give the...
  5. Waxman

    1 1/2 year Carwash Update

    Do you offer any "buy-ups" on your IBA packages? Is $1 start on the self-serves really feasible anymore? Seems awfully low.
  6. Waxman

    Last coin alert beeper

    how about adding a second horn?
  7. Waxman

    Looking to get into the business

    Wow you really need to do more research on the business! Questions like this illuminate the fact that you know very little. I appreciate you being on this form to learn more about the business but I think some independent research is necessary as well.
  8. Waxman

    Looking to get into the business

    Well another investment idea is multifamily commercial buildings. This is some thing I learned from other members on this forum and I took the leap myself about 10 years ago. It has worked out well for me and it's pretty easy compared to the car wash business.
  9. Waxman

    Looking to get into the business

    what I suggest to everyone in a similar situation to you is to go and get a part-time job working at a car wash to see if you even like the business or if the "under the hood" aspect is something you think you could even handle. You have to do a lot of things yourself In the self serve car...
  10. Waxman

    Why isn’t my self serve working out?

    A big part of the problem is that your pricing hasn't kept up with inflation. I was charging 185 for a detail before Covid. I never charged a dollar for the self-serve bays. The car wash is a retail business and retail businesses accept credit cards. Mep has offered you some sensible...
  11. Waxman

    Last coin alert beeper

    sometimes you have to be careful about the noise coming from the car wash. I recently had to reapply for my special permit because the paperwork was completed incorrectly almost 20 years ago. This was discovered by the building inspector who was responding to a noise complaint. My new automatic...
  12. Waxman

    Some one talk to me about IBA menu design

    Calling the second from the top the 'Ultimate' makes no sense. Xtreme should be below 'ultimate'. Otherwise, "ultimate" is not really ultimate..... Ultimate means best and how is something the best if there is a better option??? I like to downplay the description on the lower packages, even...
  13. Waxman

    Just received a site analysis... thoughts?

    i'm not a tunnel car wash operator but I know a few things about creating a business plan. Creating your own business plan is where you start with any project like this. You create your own pro forma's based on your own research and data. You don't rely on anyone else for this critical step in...
  14. Waxman

    Adding Fragrance to Presoak

    I can't really imagine that too many automatic customers complain about this. What they want as a clean car at a reasonable price.
  15. Waxman

    Who is doing your maintenance?

    There is simply not enough profit margin in an IBA/SS car wash to hire out all the work. That's why we rinse bays, empty trash, fix leaks and repair equipment ourselves. I've had friends teach me alot of what I now know ( and was clueless about before). This has made my business successful...
  16. Waxman

    Saw a great idea for ALL IBAs

    My partner in the used cars business made the metal frame and my sign shop made the signs
  17. Waxman

    Adding Fragrance to Presoak

    Why not just save the smelly stuff for the wax and the foam polish etc. that way you'll get the cleaning power of a good presoak and the show of the wax and foam.
  18. Waxman

    Weird compressor belt issue

    I bought a new FS curtis air compressor a little while back for my detail shop. The belt broke a couple days ago so I put a new one on. I didn't notice right away that the motor pulley and the pump pulley were not properly aligned, so the belt wound up twisting itself as it ran. The compressor...
  19. Waxman

    Welds Broken/Cracked on WW Profile Frame

    another way to look at it is that you spent $750 to repair a machine that has grossed over $1 million in revenue during its useful life so far. Doesn't seem too bad to me if the welders work holds up, you'll be ready for a new machine before he needs to re-weld anything. It's fixed; move on...
  20. Waxman

    Educating Myself on the Industry - Should I get involved?

    just say you want To work at a car wash to learn more about the business. Who knows… You may wind up being able to buy the one you get a job at. Stranger things have happened.
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