I'm not arguing touchless is better or a better investment than a friction....
So when you added the comment "I doubt people change their mind right before they get in line for a wash" it was just to split hairs over what is at worst a poorly worded sentence, not to disagree with my stated opinion that the thread starter should go with friction.
How about this: (warning: anecdotal information) many car wash owners and potential owners have conducted surveys of their area which would indicate the majority of car wash users prefer touchless automatic car washes. However, there are a large number of car wash owners who report that when placed side by side, friction machines almost always outsell touchless washes, with reported ratios of 3-1 and 3-2 (with some in the industry going so far to say that a touchless machine outselling it's friction counterpart at the same location is unheard of). Also to consider is the success of many tunnel washes (not the same thing as an IBA but a car wash nonetheless) reporting in excess of 100,000 washes a year (to beat a volume like that, any IBA, touchless or not, would have to be running 5 minute washes on a constant basis, one after the other, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year). While difference in sales volumes may be caused by the saturation of touchless washes coupled with a relative lack of friction machines in the same area, and some may argue that comparing the sales numbers of tunnels and IBA's is comparing apples and oranges, it is something to consider nonetheless. There is absolutely a client?le for touchless IBA's out there, but any owner or prospective owner thinking of purchasing a new machine should consider a friction machine very carefully, especially if there are already touchless machines in the area and/or a relative lack of friction machines available for use.
