automatic wash

[daymus]

We currently own an 8 bay self serve wash and are thinking of adding a stand alone touchless automatic wash. Does anyone else have this combination and how well does it work? Also what are the costs per wash? How much are we looking to invest? Any relevent info would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Check my thread in the In-Bay Automatic forum. There are a lot of good opinions in there.

 

[Dean Taylor]

Feedback I've heard is that one IBA will pull about the same revenue as 5 SS bays. This is just a rule of thumb and I don't have any factual data to back my statement.

 

[Waxman]

I think it depends. However, 5 SS bays to 1 IBA seems high, revenue-wise to me. My ss gets alot of play. And remember, there's a ramp-up period to get customers into the goove of IBA washing.

 

[MikeV]

I have a 5/1 and my auto does considerably more than the 5 ss bays combined, and they are busy most of the time. I would recommend that you add the auto.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Up here in Michigan, I have been told by several distributors that the average ratio is 3:1. I definitely have the space at my wash, just not enough capital

 

[MEP001]

The ratio can vary a great deal. The first two years had our auto bringing in almost as much as all 6 self serve bays. Now, five years later, there is a bright new touchless auto at a huge grocery supercenter nearby, plus we've added credit card acceptors to the self-serve bays. The auto has dropped about 20%, and it does a little more than the busiest two self-serve bays.