Anyone installed a "lava arch" on their IBA?

[Greg Pack]

I just came back form the SECWA convention and noticed the super high volume foam arches were all the rage. These are commonly referred to as a lava arch, as in Simoniz's lava shield. Even in the low cost express market, the high cost for the service has contributed to raising their ticket average considerably.

In an effort to give my customers an ability to spend more money I may try to retrofit one on my cloth unit. I've essentially been the same cost on my IBA washes for years, with $10 being my top wash. There may be customers willing to drop $15 on an IBA wash, but the first thing I've got to do is give them the opportunity to make that selection. I would probably offer this foam as a pre friction option and then follow up with a carnuba product at the end.

The Mr. Foamer unit looks like a fairly easy retrofit, and the Mr Foamer guy said he has installed one on a water wizard

http://www.mrfoamer.com/

Anyway, has anyone retrofitted their IBA with a high foam arch? Any success? Any tips?

 

[BBE]

That second video is actually warsaw's waveshield system:

www.warsaw-chem.com/waveshield.html

It was promoted pretty heavily at their booth at the ICA show. Looks pretty neat, 3 bubblizer arches seems a bit overkill to me. Kinda feels like it cheapens it. I think one would have better luck having one bubblizer and including it on the top wash, and/or selling it ala carte.

We are getting ready to roll out a hot wax in our IBA's in the next month or two. We decided to go a bit more cost effective route than retrofitting a bubblizer. We mounted our own 144 watt led's from TSS and turned one of the passes into a hot wax.

 

[pcb]

I just had a new laser 360 installed and finished up on Wednesday so it has only been in operation 2 days, but I ordered their lava type arch and lights on it. So far it seems to be doing well. I'm applying hot wax and increased the price of the top wash $2. I don't have any signage yet and am selling quite a few of the hot wax packages so with some signage and advertising on site I think it will be a good thing.

 

[SSadmiral]

I asked my dist about this a while ago he said my ww2.0 has an option for this. He said I could build my self with PVC line in boom with holes drilled in it. Place PVC in boom with holes facing down where slotted cut outs running length of boom. Then plumb to pump and in my case unused low ph tank. I'm reclaimed and not sure how silicone / rainx is going to affect me so I haven't gotten around to experimenting. But would like to hear how it turns out if anybody tries.

 

[Greg Pack]

I asked my dist about this a while ago he said my ww2.0 has an option for this. He said I could build my self with PVC line in boom with holes drilled in it. Place PVC in boom with holes facing down where slotted cut outs running length of boom. Then plumb to pump and in my case unused low ph tank. I'm reclaimed and not sure how silicone / rainx is going to affect me so I haven't gotten around to experimenting. But would like to hear how it turns out if anybody tries.

That is essentially the standard low pressure wax setup. It works for good product application, but little/no show IMO

 

[Greg Pack]

I just had a new laser 360 installed and finished up on Wednesday so it has only been in operation 2 days, but I ordered their lava type arch and lights on it. So far it seems to be doing well. I'm applying hot wax and increased the price of the top wash $2. I don't have any signage yet and am selling quite a few of the hot wax packages so with some signage and advertising on site I think it will be a good thing.

Perry, post some pics when you get a chance!

 

[Mr. Foamer Inc.]

Cfcw,

I wanted to post an update on our Foaminator Inbay System. Below is a link to our complete unit on a Water Wizard 2.0. Our new unit is a custom fabricated unit similar to our original Foaminator system for tunnels but is 1/2 the weight and is 4" wide to allow it to fit in tight places. We are doing our firs PDQ Laser 4000 tomorrow.

http://youtu.be/M-JOqilIGMg

Pricing and full information coming very soon. Based on testing and size we should be able to mount the unit on almost all inbay units touchless of touch. The video above is on a single Dosatron pump.

Jim McClimond
mrfoamer@gmail.com

 

[Greg Pack]

Looks pretty good, although it would look better with some modifications to change the existing water wizard decal.

BTW, you may want to relay to the owner that if they are using LP wax or tri color outputs on the 2.0 to power this device, you can cut that arch off closer to the back of the car. There are settings that allow you to do that in the menu.

 

[Mr. Foamer Inc.]

I agree. This is the first full system we have done. The customer is going to clean off the old stickers. I appreciate the advice it is on the lp wax. I believe he changed it today I will remind him. No sense in wasting money. Doing a laser 4000 tomorrow. The front panel signage can go completely across as well.

 

[seattleguy]

Any one done this on a WW razor version 1? I understand WW has a kit for the v2 but what about the V1?

 

[cleaning up mud]

How much is the kit for a 2.0?

 

[robert roman]

The lava effect is not necessary to impart the attributes and benefits of super-hydrophobic products that contain carnauba or synthetic wax.

In short, it’s a gimmick to create “show” and sell equipment.

Yes, the lava effect helps to sell customers on the product but it doesn’t make the wax perform any better.

Actually, hot wax works as well as lava form when dispensed from a spray arch because water drops are negatively charged like flow/stream of water is, all things being equal.

So, if roll-over is $5.00 for soap, wash, drying agent and rinse, up-sell could be soap, wash, hot wax, rinse for $9.00.

So, at cost of good of between $0.75 and $1.25, selling hot wax for $2.00 is basically giving it away and selling short yourself.

 

[Jeff_L]

I installed on on my LW360. It does what it says and has great show. From inside the vehicle it really feels like you're gettin a great coating of product. Also, it's a good opportunity for the smells to get into the vehicle. It's just another way to apply product. I'm glad I put one on.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

I agree. This is the first full system we have done. The customer is going to clean off the old stickers. I appreciate the advice it is on the lp wax. I believe he changed it today I will remind him. No sense in wasting money. Doing a laser 4000 tomorrow. The front panel signage can go completely across as well.

Have you done the LW4000 install yet and if so, please post a video link. Any issues to overcome?

 

[newhampshiretech]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=giksAxGKZ_I

 

[K Lazy K]

I installed the Mr Foamer Lava Arch on my water wizard recently. Waited on new signage before I opened it up for business so it has only been open since Friday. So Far so good. Nothing but compliments on both the show and how shiny and dry the cars come out. I increased the price on my top wash by $4 for the Carnauba Wax. Pricing is now $14,$10,$8,$6. Its still early but after running over the weekend the top two wash packages are running even 1:1 and my average ticket revenue is up about $2. Hopefully this trend will continue over time.

K

 

[cleaning up mud]

Do you have a 1.0 or 2.0? Wheel brushes? And whats your menu? thanks.

 

[K Lazy K]

I have a 2.0 with wheel brushes that I gave up on and don't offer anymore. I took the "hub scrub" off the menu and turned them off because they were more trouble than they were worth.

Platinum $14
under carriage
2 pass presoak
tire cleaner
rocker panel blaster
HP wash
HP rinse
clear coat protectant
hot Carnauba Wax
SFR

Gold$10
Everthing above just substitute Tri-foam for Carnauba

Silver$8
Everthing in Gold but Tri-foam and one less pass of HP

Bronze$6
1 pass pre-soak
HP rinse

 

[cleaning up mud]

I understand about the wheel scrub, we still have them, my wife demands we keep them, and I admit, customers keep coming back because of them. they are a pain to keep going, I do 99 percent of the maintenance myself with help from my youngest son. small town we need something different.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

guys how much water is going to be wasted for weep on this Mr. Foamer in the winter and be able to go through all those 30 holes without freezing up when it gets 12 degrees outside plus the additional undercarriage weep and spray arm my water bills are extremely high this time of year I anyways I would have to charge more than $14 to break even and close down when its super cold I am not a fan of this concept yet. Someone help me or have we thought about this and I missed it ?? I agree alot with Robert Roman on this whole deal..