Any Ahha moments from ICA in Nashville?

[Roz]

Mine are…..

learned how to allow my iPhone screen to auto rotate from portrait view to landscape view

that CryptoPay has no plans to integrate the swiper and tap as they see the swipe totally going away and that all cc will have WiFi embedded within the next three years.

that CryptoPay now offers a one time use card you can give to a customer for a free SS wash.

the WW double barrel looks impressive

Sonny’s and NCS just keep getting larger and they host good parties.
Dencar has an interesting solution for upgrading equipment to have a LCD screen. Not clear that I want to be first wash on the block to try their solution. May wait to see how it goes for others as their solutions are fairly expensive (for now) and remain untested at scale.

ICA still has a large offering of equipment to see and touch. Mostly geared to tunnel operators. Only a handful of SS solutions.

one additional item. Talked with Dixmor. The LED7 is being discontinued and will be replaced by the LED8. This change is due to the global chip and supply issues so they redesigned the device. Looks similar however the actual LED8 box is narroweR than the 7 box yet will still fix in the same 7 screws. They expanded the piece that you attach to the screws. No new features added.

 

[jack954]

the cobra system. heated cta. seems to be a very well built system. having a new washworld razor edge installed next week and plan on adding these as well. initially wanted the double barrel only to find out it has to be installed about 4” higher and wouldn’t work in my bay

 

[HeyVern]

Mine are…..

learned how to allow my iPhone screen to auto rotate from portrait view to landscape view

that CryptoPay has no plans to integrate the swiper and tap as they see the swipe totally going away and that all cc will have WiFi embedded within the next three years.

that CryptoPay now offers a one time use card you can give to a customer for a free SS wash.

the WW double barrel looks impressive

Sonny’s and NCS just keep getting larger and they host good parties.
Dencar has an interesting solution for upgrading equipment to have a LCD screen. Not clear that I want to be first wash on the block to try their solution. May wait to see how it goes for others as their solutions are fairly expensive (for now) and remain untested at scale.

ICA still has a large offering of equipment to see and touch. Mostly geared to tunnel operators. Only a handful of SS solutions.

Did Dencar have any update on their card readers?

 

[Roz]

Did Dencar have any update on their card readers?

Do not know answer. They were lightly staffed in comparison to other companies. Ended up talking to the wife of one of their key people (all hands pressed into action). She did a yeomans job answering questions but not the same as talking to someone with all the info. The bill recycler is a neat idea but I would look closely at the change back system to make certain it is robust as it appeared that the recycler was the only change back system. Again I never had opportunity to speak w one of their techs or key people there.

 

[Sparkleclean]

I agree the Washworld double barrel is pretty impressive looking.

I talked to the reps at the pdq booth and expressed my displeasure of having to deal with sonnys for service on pdq equipment. Sonnys buying the pdq service contracts up around the country really screwed up pdq’s business model! I think they are pretty screwed because I see lots of people in New England changing to Washworld equipment and those hits are 10+ year changes before pdq would become another option

I didn’t know crypto pay had a disposable card, I wonder how much it costs? But I was so disappointed by their lack of integration of both devices into one and extremely impressed by the Nayax device.

I realized stand alone vacuums are way more expensive then they should be for something that is in essence an empty tube with a couple vac motors on it… most of them were pushing the $4k price range for plain vac with nothing but coins acceptance.

The eurovacs use steel that is probably twice as thick as all the other vac manufacturers do, almost to the point of being overbuilt, and they had a nice feature where it uses a regular 5 gallon bucket as a clean out container but right above the bucket is a steel divider that funnels the debris into the bucket from the hose reducing the mess inside. But their clean out chambers don’t lock?! That wouldn’t work for me at my locations, people would be going through them daily… lol

I foundout I need to avoid certain areas of the show floor or I risked getting electrodes stuck to me and shocked in the name of relaxation! Lol or molested by people with vibrators…

I was disappointed in the lack of good stand out tunnel signage. TSS used to have so many signs at their booths but since being acquired it’s gone downhill. Almost every sign manufacturer there had moved into back lit signage that all looked identical to each other. Sure the occasional sign had some led pucks or whatnot but nothing impressive that stood out.

I didn’t see a lot of innovation in the way of wash equipment. Several years back you had new offerings like drying buffer wheels for tunnels, or flip nozzles for blowers or Belangers lighted gyros or more generically the integration of led lights onto equipment. It seems now like most of the newer innovation is coming from chemicals. Things like ceramics and hardners like carbonite.

I really liked Unitecs paystations. Giant led’s, geofencing ability, a wash branded downloadable app for the customers. I have still have more to learn about it, but I was impressed enough that I WANT to learn more. We use pdq access machines now and the best they have to offer since the access is technically not being sold anymore now that they merged with ICS is a retrofit kit that turns your old access model s machine into an ICS pay station. It costs $18,000 per machine and you have to reuse your old bill dispensers, and bill acceptors, and you get a new door with all new electronics turning the machine into the ICS machine. But I’m not sure if it can be done if your machine has been bricked in.

But Like someone said to me at the show, I forget who, even if you upgrade everything at your site, if you don’t change the way your pay station looks the average customer will never know you upgraded anything as the pay station is what they interact with most! I’m not sure just upgrading the doors on my old machines would give the sites enough “pizzaz” to make the customer realize things are new.
Also the ICS paystations need to be retrofitted to divide the money sections from service sections so attendants can change receipt tape etc. without having access to the money sections. it certainly didn’t have that “vault” look that the pdq access machines have.

I am not sure I would have a use for it, but dakotas collaboration with optspot with his barcode scanner seemed to have good potential for some wash owners as their collaboration continues to form and grow.

sorry if some of this is rambling and/or seems negative, I tend to see the downside of things as a way to get to the positives…

and one other thing, they didn’t have a booth at the convention, but I met a guy from equilibrium point IOT from mass, he was staying in my hotel and just attending the wash but not as an exhibitor. They offer IOT monitoring options for carwash automation for everything you can think of from paystations to chemicals to revenue to power and internet to temperature,vacs, Tds water levels, heat, doors, maintenance tasks and the list goes on and on and on of things that can be monitored and controlled remotely with their devices. I’m really not sure why they didn’t get a booth because they seemed to have something good to offer.

 

[Greg Pack]

I was getting ready to add taps to my cryptopay but now gonna take a harder look at the nayax card readers and whether I should replace with them. The nayax is a much more modern interface for a lower cost and was giving a credit for crytopay swipers(maybe $150?). Nayax was also getting ready to introduce an MEI compatible bezel so that it would look like an all in one bills/ credit/tap interface

 

[slash007]

I agree the Washworld double barrel is pretty impressive looking.

I talked to the reps at the pdq booth and expressed my displeasure of having to deal with sonnys for service on pdq equipment. Sonnys buying the pdq service contracts up around the country really screwed up pdq’s business model! I think they are pretty screwed because I see lots of people in New England changing to Washworld equipment and those hits are 10+ year changes before pdq would become another option

I didn’t know crypto pay had a disposable card, I wonder how much it costs? But I was so disappointed by their lack of integration of both devices into one and extremely impressed by the Nayax device.

I realized stand alone vacuums are way more expensive then they should be for something that is in essence an empty tube with a couple vac motors on it… most of them were pushing the $4k price range for plain vac with nothing but coins acceptance.

The eurovacs use steel that is probably twice as thick as all the other vac manufacturers do, almost to the point of being overbuilt, and they had a nice feature where it uses a regular 5 gallon bucket as a clean out container but right above the bucket is a steel divider that funnels the debris into the bucket from the hose reducing the mess inside. But their clean out chambers don’t lock?! That wouldn’t work for me at my locations, people would be going through them daily… lol

I foundout I need to avoid certain areas of the show floor or I risked getting electrodes stuck to me and shocked in the name of relaxation! Lol or molested by people with vibrators…

I was disappointed in the lack of good stand out tunnel signage. TSS used to have so many signs at their booths but since being acquired it’s gone downhill. Almost every sign manufacturer there had moved into back lit signage that all looked identical to each other. Sure the occasional sign had some led pucks or whatnot but nothing impressive that stood out.

I didn’t see a lot of innovation in the way of wash equipment. Several years back you had new offerings like drying buffer wheels for tunnels, or flip nozzles for blowers or Belangers lighted gyros or more generically the integration of led lights onto equipment. It seems now like most of the newer innovation is coming from chemicals. Things like ceramics and hardners like carbonite.

I really liked Unitecs paystations. Giant led’s, geofencing ability, a wash branded downloadable app for the customers. I have still have more to learn about it, but I was impressed enough that I WANT to learn more. We use pdq access machines now and the best they have to offer since the access is technically not being sold anymore now that they merged with ICS is a retrofit kit that turns your old access model s machine into an ICS pay station. It costs $18,000 per machine and you have to reuse your old bill dispensers, and bill acceptors, and you get a new door with all new electronics turning the machine into the ICS machine. But I’m not sure if it can be done if your machine has been bricked in.

But Like someone said to me at the show, I forget who, even if you upgrade everything at your site, if you don’t change the way your pay station looks the average customer will never know you upgraded anything as the pay station is what they interact with most! I’m not sure just upgrading the doors on my old machines would give the sites enough “pizzaz” to make the customer realize things are new.
Also the ICS paystations need to be retrofitted to divide the money sections from service sections so attendants can change receipt tape etc. without having access to the money sections. it certainly didn’t have that “vault” look that the pdq access machines have.

I am not sure I would have a use for it, but dakotas collaboration with optspot with his barcode scanner seemed to have good potential for some wash owners as their collaboration continues to form and grow.

sorry if some of this is rambling and/or seems negative, I tend to see the downside of things as a way to get to the positives…

and one other thing, they didn’t have a booth at the convention, but I met a guy from equilibrium point IOT from mass, he was staying in my hotel and just attending the wash but not as an exhibitor. They offer IOT monitoring options for carwash automation for everything you can think of from paystations to chemicals to revenue to power and internet to temperature,vacs, Tds water levels, heat, doors, maintenance tasks and the list goes on and on and on of things that can be monitored and controlled remotely with their devices. I’m really not sure why they didn’t get a booth because they seemed to have something good to offer.

Agree with lots of what you said. Nayax was everywhere at that show and looked great. Cryptopay one time use cards cost $1 each regardless of how many you purchase, but you have to get them in packs of at least 100. I'd rather give out MEI coupons and I get those back. Unitec machines are very nice, but there were at least 20 different pay stations at the show. Most now even let you sell memberships at the pay station, ala Dencar. I'm buying a site with PDQ IBA's and access machines and I was very disappointed in their offerings as well. 18k to retrofit and all you get is a touch screen and upgraded card reader, but then they charge you monthly fees to use it. No monthly fees with current pay station.

Double Barrel looks nice, but you lose the LumenArch and you don't really gain much in terms of functionality over the Razor.

 

[Roz]

Double Barrel looks nice, but you lose the LumenArch and you don't really gain much in terms of functionality over the Razor.

Losing the LumenArch is not a big deal as the LEDS do not seem to last too long from what we see. Curious to see how it cleans cars and if there is a noticeable difference or if the nozzles are more for show....

 

[Sparkleclean]

Losing the LumenArch is not a big deal as the LEDS do not seem to last too long from what we see. Curious to see how it cleans cars and if there is a noticeable difference or if the nozzles are more for show....

I could be wrong but I thought Chris Lindley from carwash pros told me they were installing the first double barrels here in New England this week. Or at least the first for his crew. Once they are done I definitely want to go see them in action.

 

[DiamondWash]

Here is a video of the WashWorld Double Barrel I found on YouTube

 

[soonermajic]

Here is a video of the WashWorld Double Barrel I found on YouTube

Does Sealant/ CCP go on b4 Ceramic?

That looked & sounded impressive.

 

[Roz]

I am going to ask for a few east coast installs as I think there is one in PA later this month.

 

[Roz]

Here is a video of the WashWorld Double Barrel I found on YouTube

Cool video.
A few observations

nice Pre soak coverage.

Arm seems far away from car which I am guessing is by design/programming because the zero degree nozzles make so much noise when they hit the car. Wonder if customers get out of their car to see if paint has been removed.

It seems as if the program has both sets of nozzles spraying at the same time during the rinse pass. Impressive to watch from the car waiting to go into the wash next.

Wonder how it impacts water used per wash since that is one of the most expensive aspects of the expenses.

arch looks different than reg razor arm. Perhaps three segments instead of two?

 

[Waxman]

It sounds pretty aggressive on the video. I wonder how loud it is inside the actual car.

 

[jubalr]

Here is a video of the WashWorld Double Barrel I found on YouTube

Having an Oasis XP with 0deg nozzles I was underwhelmed. Especially with the 5:20 wash time! I get an incredible clean on my top wash in 4min that includes undercarriage, tire/wheel cleaner, rocker blasters, tri-foam, 2hp passes, ceramic and spot free. But I guess that would be hard to do with only 1 arm.

 

[Carwashclubber]

Did Dencar have any update on their card readers?

Vern, my Dencar is a constant battle. Always something out of adjustment, up in the cloud. And at $2000 yearly in fees, after $38k for the box. Wish I had done better research. They have good ideas...but execution and consistency is no where near good enough at their pricing.

 

[Carwashclubber]

Agree with lots of what you said. Nayax was everywhere at that show and looked great. Cryptopay one time use cards cost $1 each regardless of how many you purchase, but you have to get them in packs of at least 100. I'd rather give out MEI coupons and I get those back. Unitec machines are very nice, but there were at least 20 different pay stations at the show. Most now even let you sell memberships at the pay station, ala Dencar. I'm buying a site with PDQ IBA's and access machines and I was very disappointed in their offerings as well. 18k to retrofit and all you get is a touch screen and upgraded card reader, but then they charge you monthly fees to use it. No monthly fees with current pay station.

Double Barrel looks nice, but you lose the LumenArch and you don't really gain much in terms of functionality over the Razor.

Wish I had researched exectly where Dencar was at in their vision. So frustrating...and no where near the suggested cost/benefit ratio. A bad decision on my part.

 

[SuperShine]

Wish I had researched exectly where Dencar was at in their vision. So frustrating...and no where near the suggested cost/benefit ratio. A bad decision on my part.

Sorry to hear you're having trouble. Hopefully Ron or Phil will jump in and get your issues sorted out. What issues are you having with Dencar? what's your setup consist of?
Thanks

 

[traveler17]

Vern, my Dencar is a constant battle. Always something out of adjustment, up in the cloud. And at $2000 yearly in fees, after $38k for the box. Wish I had done better research. They have good ideas...but execution and consistency is no where near good enough at their pricing.

2 grand yearly??? What do the fees consist of?

 

[New Washdog]

Wish I had researched exectly where Dencar was at in their vision. So frustrating...and no where near the suggested cost/benefit ratio. A bad decision on my part.

Sorry to hear of your troubles Carwashclubber. I have been very interested in the Dencar units. How many units do you have and how long have you owned them? Hearing from more owners would be most helpful, Maybe I should start another thread?