Autobase conveyor car wash equipment

[Alan Bussey]

Hello, everybody. Merry Christmas to you!

Recently an applicant asked me to finance his purchase of an existing car wash business that has an Autobase conveyor wash system. The conveyor appears to be about 60 to 65 feet long. It may be a model T-901. Emblems on two of the major arches say 'Tepo Auto'. The equipment has yellow trim and yellow cloth.

I am not familiar with this equipment. lf you know something about the manufacturer or the equipment I'd appreciate you telling me about it.

Who are some of the dealers of this equipment in the USA?

Do all of the parts such as solenoid valves, relays, hydraulic motors, etc. have standard fittings and measurements that are common in the USA? Are the parts readily available from Granger or other similar industrial supply houses?

What would a complete system such as this typically cost installed new?

Does this equipment have any resale value?

What are the names and locations of car washes that have installed Autobase tunnel equipment?

Anything that you can contribute will be helpful.

Thanks!

Alan Bussey

 

[buda]

Alan that company is from Mainland China. Can give all the costs you need. They have been aggressively contacting our company regarding US distribution.

Bud Abraham

 

[robert roman]

Car Wash “USA” based out of Lake Jackson, Texas is selling Autobase.

Autobase carwash equipment is made in communist China, home to the world’s worst human rights violations, among other things.

http://www.carwashusatx.com/

 

[pitzerwm]

If its built like the majority of their crap, no one will need to worry about them being competition. It will break and you won't be able to get parts or help. The distributors will bail pretty quick when they realize they are holding an empty bag.

 

[AppleExpress]

just reading that link robert roman posted makes me believe this system will have major issues. Biggest problem...steel construction. regardless if it is coated, i would never use steel, all it takes is one area getting damaged and the rust will begin and spread.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Biggest problem...steel construction. regardless if it is coated, i would never use steel, all it takes is one area getting damaged and the rust will begin and spread.

See

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLocWkswP3U&list=UU2oDMe1Aklko_tcNnsQJJaA&index=14

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPxHw_2mqlk&list=UU2oDMe1Aklko_tcNnsQJJaA&index=15


Wish we had knowmn about 40 years ago when these steel wraps. lower details and slant brush unit were put in.

Sure, we replaced many a bearing, shaft and wash material. After about 5 million cars just retired it due mainly to roof top taxi ad issues.

Stuff doesn't last.

 

[Alan Bussey]

Autobase

A little more on Autobase -

The first link is to the Autobase brochure for all of their car/vehicle washing equipment. The second one is for just the tunnel equipment. The tunnel equipment in place that we are evaluating is the mid-length model, the TP-901.

It will take 5 - 10 seconds to download each file.

http://carwashloans.com/Autobase_products.pdf

http://carwashloans.com/Autobase_brochure_-_tunnel.pdf

I will keep these available for awhile if they don't eat up my web site monthly bandwidth allowance.

As a lender I guess that I am most interested in the longevity of the equipment as a whole, and then with whether or not replacement parts will continue to be available from the manufacturer, from a USA dealer, or from supply houses such as Granger.

The appraiser and the credit guys at the bank will be interested in the prospective re-sale/collateral value: What percentage of the original value would you expect if the equipment were removed and loaded onto a truck trailer to be re-installed at another car wash site?

I'd welcome your comments.

Thanks, guys.

Alan.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Is that conveyor a type with 2 paralle chains? One on each side of the roller? Wehn roller conveyors fiorst came out there wereserious issues with these because the chains never wore evenly causing the rollers to tilt. There were also bad injuries because a foot could become stuck under the roller more easily and the damb thing would climb um the leg.

As for your general question I looked at the brochures and without more 411 it's tough to tell. Some systems use of the shelf parts widely available. Sherman was infamous for having special stuff like Blower motors with the shaft tapped and threaded for their impellers. Just try to get one or have it made somewhere else!

Can't determine if their wearable components like motors, gearboxes, shafts, cylinders, stops, bearings etc. are widely available without exact specs.

Even with more common items things can be different and you can get a bad fit. A Sealmaster 4 hole 1.5" bearing for a lot of stuff has bolt holes 4" in center, but for Belanger the same brand and shaft size has hloes 4 1/8" on center.

So, someone well versed with this stuff AND comparable stuff would be the go to guy if you can find one.

 

[AppleExpress]

Alright Earl, i can understand where your coming from... lesson learned... but i ask you, is that system made in china? or made in usa?

 

[Alan Bussey]

Chinese car wash parts.

Don't the other car wash equipment manufacturers also use imported Chinese components such as pumps, air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, valves, gear boxes, etc.?

 

[Earl Weiss]

Alright Earl, i can understand where your coming from... lesson learned... but i ask you, is that system made in china? or made in usa?

I doubt very much that equipment from 40 years ago was from China.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Don't the other car wash equipment manufacturers also use imported Chinese components such as pumps, air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, valves, gear boxes, etc.?

I don't think the country is as important as having custom specs that may be difficult to source.

Sherman was probably all from UA but you still couldn't get the stuff anywhere else.

 

[AppleExpress]

Alan, when i asked about the system earl linked, i wasnt referring to the pumps, gears, ect. i mearly meant the base structure. Thats why it has lasted. When it comes to refining, the US has much better refining techniques than china does. It also depends on the grade of steel used. Most of my system is Aluminum, mainly because it was cheaper in shipping due to weight, however after 5 years, i can see the wear in the system. Take for example the sections on my wraps that hold the hydraulic motors just above the wraps, they are aluminum and all four are bowed out from torque movement in the motor when the system is started. Higher grade steel wouldnt be bowed out, however in turn, if i was using steel, it would show rust and be much less appeasing to a customers eye. im slowly in the process of trying to clean the aluminum that has been left go for 5 years. Everything has its ups and downs... steel will rust, and is much heavier however costs less. Aluminum cost more, however is lighter, alittle more appeasing, and easier to maintain than steel to an extent. it is also easier to cut, but much harder to weld. Stainless steel is a great option if you have the money for the higher grade. its much more resistant to chemicals, has the best visual appeal, and is much easier to clean. It is also easier to weld than aluminum, but can be alot harder to cut. Cost however is much greater than aluminum, but will last much longer than aluminum will.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Take for example the sections on my wraps that hold the hydraulic motors just above the wraps, they are aluminum and all four are bowed out from torque movement in the motor when the system is started. .

Interesting. I have a pair of aluminum belanger wraps and a couple of mitters still in use that I think were installed in 1985 or so. Still look good.

 

[robert roman]

“The appraiser and the credit guys at the bank will be interested in the prospective re-sale/collateral value: What percentage of the original value would you expect if the equipment were removed and loaded onto a truck trailer to be re-installed at another car wash site?”

Is this appraiser lazy, stupid or what? Carwash equipment market is still in the dumps.

Bargain hunters today are offering no more than 10 to 15 percent on the dollar, replacement cost new, for excellent condition, major OEM.

So, for something obscure like Autobase, I would value it at between 5 and 10 percent due to the cost for removal, transport and installation.

Why the concern over equipment value? When purchasing an existing wash, the equipment is incidental in arriving at an indication of market value for 100 percent of business.

 

[Alan Bussey]

Robert -

No appraiser has been assigned, so at this time we cannot characterize his work ethic or intelligence level.

There is a strategy here. Given the loan underwriting guidelines followed by the regulators and banks, when requesting formal loan approval it is best to reasonably assign as much value to the tangible assets as possible; rather than to the intangible assets such as 'Goodwill', 'Business Value', or 'Blue Sky'.

I had been thinking that in this case 10% of the original cost is a fair number not likely to be questioned by the people at the bank.

Alan.