Best friction automatic:
- Thread starter PROWASH12
- Start date
traveler17
Well-known member
Whoever the closest tech is to you
I agree with traveler as a frication machine is only as good as the installer and service guy. The thing to do is find all the friction washes in your area and see who has installed and service each of them. Hopefully there are a few wash owners among them not all oil / c-store locations.
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
traveler17
Well-known member
2nd site I purchased had 2 markvii’s. Softwash and a combo. They do a great job!! I like the idea of the profile only because of no tracks and open floor space.
washnshine
Well-known member
More good choices than ever. Most of the companies that used to make touch free only now make a friction machine and vice versa. Many options. While no machines are simple, I might also consider complexity of the machine and make sure it is not over engineered. I am a tunnel owner, and I factor this in my decisions regarding tunnel components. There are some where the engineering is just excessive IMHO and I can get the same results with much less complexity.
washnshine
Well-known member
Don’t forget the Freestyler. 5 brush production and no floor tracks.
traveler17
Well-known member
Are any of you running a touch-free along side a friction and if so which one washes the most cars? I'm sure this has been discussed before. I have noticed some oil companies are installing one of each when they build new sites. If we ran multiples in our self serves would we be a better competitor to the express tunnels?
washnvac
Well-known member
I previously had a place that had a 5 brush Nu*Star friction next to a WW1.0. The friction out did the touchfree 3:1. And that WW1.0 did one of the best jobs I have seen in touchfree. The issue with it was all the moving parts, and floor tracks.
If I was building a new wash today, I would install 3 or 4 friction machines and 1 touchfree. (No self-serve; those folks are a pia and just make a mess for little revenue)
If I was building a new wash today, I would install 3 or 4 friction machines and 1 touchfree. (No self-serve; those folks are a pia and just make a mess for little revenue)
Roz
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Depends on location, demographics, and your willingness to work.
We have WW Razors and a Profile. Razor maintenance is much quicker and easier than the Profile. Razor 19 grease points vs Profile 51 (and many hard to find/reach).
Profile takes about 90 seconds longer to run the same wash package than on the Razor. Razor allows us to compete against tunnels as our customer do not want anything touching their car. Profile cleans better when car has baked on dirt.
At another location we have them side by side. 55/45 split in favor of the Razor. but I know other owners where the split is reversed.
Visited a wash in PA that replaced their TF with a friction IBA after running TF and Soft cloth side by side. Speaks to local perceptions. TF requires good chemicals and to have machines dialed in to clean effectively.
bottom line is that you should do some local research before making a decision on a TF vs. a soft cloth. Ryko makes a simple 5 arm soft cloth too. But comments about who is nearby to help you when something goes down is very valid.
We have WW Razors and a Profile. Razor maintenance is much quicker and easier than the Profile. Razor 19 grease points vs Profile 51 (and many hard to find/reach).
Profile takes about 90 seconds longer to run the same wash package than on the Razor. Razor allows us to compete against tunnels as our customer do not want anything touching their car. Profile cleans better when car has baked on dirt.
At another location we have them side by side. 55/45 split in favor of the Razor. but I know other owners where the split is reversed.
Visited a wash in PA that replaced their TF with a friction IBA after running TF and Soft cloth side by side. Speaks to local perceptions. TF requires good chemicals and to have machines dialed in to clean effectively.
bottom line is that you should do some local research before making a decision on a TF vs. a soft cloth. Ryko makes a simple 5 arm soft cloth too. But comments about who is nearby to help you when something goes down is very valid.
Great information, appreciate the input. We have ran touch free autos for years with success. An express wash with free vacs was built next door to our site that has one touch free auto with self serve bays. We are considering adding another automatic and offer the unlimited club however still have not determined if the numbers make sense. How many more cars at less per car do you have to wash? 30% increase just to net the same?
soonermajic
Well-known member
IMHO
1. Oasis i5
2. Ryko SoftGloss
3. Mark Vll
4. Istobal
5. WW Profile
1. Oasis i5
2. Ryko SoftGloss
3. Mark Vll
4. Istobal
5. WW Profile
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Prowash12 as far as friction/touchfree ratios you hear 60/40 or 65/35 quite a bit but with the proliferation of tunnels the friction lead is dropping at many sites. The touchfree has it's niche of customers that refused to use friction, even if it means getting a "less clean" car. I'm probably 50/50 now because touch frees are hard to find in my metro area and a tunnel just opened a block away. It will take a while to assess the damage to the site but I'm assuming touch free is about to take a strong lead.
