Blendco Home Run

[wisheewashee]

This forum is wide open for discussion is it not? I know this is not really the venue to pitch a specific product or manufacturer. But I have found through this forum that opinions do matter. Especially opinions from people that are not related in any way to the manufacturer or product.

6 years ago when I bought a 3 bay/2 touch free auto wash that had the Blendco system I thought it did a good job. Customers even commented how well it did. Then as time goes on you think you have better ideas. I thought I could save money by switching to a different product that would work 95% as well. I switched probably 4 times in 4 years using the top chemicals on the market. Finally last month I admitted to the mistake I made and called the Blendco guys back. After installing the Supersat tank and getting me back running, I realized what a fool I was by changing in the first place. The product (as far as touch free goes) is far superior than any of the major brands I used. This may sound ridiculous but even the bay floors and walls are cleaner because of the switch.

Trust me when I say I am getting no kick back of any kind. No discount on product (which is expensive by comparison but as far as price per car is not). If you own a touch free you know they won't clean like a friction, but with the Blendco system will come as close as you can get and that is no BS.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I see nothing wrong with your post. I plug Arimitsu pumps and Wyndstar doors every time someone asks what to buy. Both products are top notch, but more importantly the people associated with them are top notch as well. Nothing wrong with believing in something and also nothing wrong with eating a little crow and admitting you made a mistake by straying.

 

[lighthousecarwash]

I just changed my pre-soak and tire cleaner to Blendco on my self serve bays. I cannot even explain the difference it made. I used the pre-soak on my truck and didn't even need to use the foam brush to get the eye brow off the windshield and the road film off the paint. The tire cleaner got the tires and wheels as clean as if I'd scrubbed on them with a brush. I have never pushed the pre-soak and tire cleaner much because I myself didn't believe it worked. All week I've been giving customers free wash time if they try them now. I have made kudos with customers and I will probably see them using more time because they will actually use the functions now.

I also use Blendco on my IBA and my chemical rep found major problems with the setup. I was somewhat unhappy with my IBA, but since we have corrected the strength and setup, it also shows vast improvements.


Just thought I would throw some fuel to the fire.

Thanks,
Lighthouse

 

[Greg Pack]

Just curious- what are you guys are spending per car on pre soak?

 

[Earl Weiss]

... Then as time goes on you think you have better ideas. I thought I could save money........

You have simply stated one of the best approaches out there. Be willing to try new things knowing they will not always be better. I have had a Jillion great ideas that didn't work.

It's those who always do the same thing and expect different results who have a bad approach.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I think the blendco on my vector is just under .50 for everything. Yesterday my wife came home with a perfectly clean car i had to ask her where she washed as i felt more cheated on than if she had a guy with her. The car was so dirty in the morning when she left. Our streets are nasty with all the trucks hauling sand and clay for the remnants of our flood. She had gone thru my wash, but normally makes me take it to the wash and clean it. Their new powder is pretty amazing. Her car was cleaner than the ones coming thru a cloth tunnel i watched last week in Des moines on the HCA carwash tour.(They had two guys prepping, and 15 dryers but had a poor drying agent, cars were slightly dirty and fairly wet. I stood next to my blendco rep there and i don't think anyone was impressed with the cleaning. I won't say anything too bad - But the soap was a Polish city.

 

[Red Baron]

A guy I know recently switched his IBA to all Blendco chemicals. I tried it with a dirty truck and it seemed to clean ok -- it did leave an eyebrow and the tri-foam seemed less exciting and vibrant that the Warsaw Jazz I use. Did he have his tri-foam weak, or is it just less vibrant than Jazz?

 

[bigleo48]

Its great that you guys post this, but to be convinced, I'd rather have some numbers, like water softness and temp, pH at the tip, titration, oz/per car, booster, etc. Because as you may know or understand, you can make a decent soap look good and a good soap look bad by playing with the settings. Like Lighthouse said, he had major problems with his setup, that could be 90% of his problems right there.

Big

 

[Greg Pack]

Its great that you guys post this, but to be convinced, I'd rather have some numbers, like water softness and temp, pH at the tip, titration, oz/per car, booster, etc.
Big

I'd be interested in titration drops using their titration kit if anyone is willing to share. Blendco was not the silver bullet for me but was IMO a good product.

 

[rph9168]

Blendco is a quality line of which there are several others. Any good chemical rep can make just about any product line work. The difference is how much it might cost to do it.

 

[Jim L.]

I’ve got to go with rph on this one. If Blendco is that much better than its competitors, wouldn’t the other soap companies have been run out of the car washing business by now?

A while back I had a Blendco salesman catch me at my wash. He looked at my setup, gave me some propaganda and said he could do a better job for a cheaper price. That was the last time I heard from him…not even a phone call. I’m guessing that he shot his mouth off with promises that he couldn’t keep and was too embarrassed to show his face again.

 

[LibertyCarWash]

I switched from Lustra to Blendco and have noticed a huge improvement. Cars are coming out cleaner and dryer. I don't know if it's cheaper, we are paying more now, but business is up almost 40%. Either way, customers are happy and so am I.

 

[Kool Wash]

self serve titration

pre-soak-25
soap-18
tire cleaner-46
foam brush-4

I switched about a month ago and see a HUGE difference in cleaning. Another thing is the stuff smells amazing.

 

[Greg Pack]

Hey Liberty, I just bought a wash and have tweaked the chemicals a bit. Cars are much cleaner and drier. How long did it take to see market improvement and do you attribute this to changes to wash chemistry?

 

[Cupcake]

red baron comment

Hey just wanted to clarify a few things on the wash you visited. The brow was still on the car.The product for the lo ph was not Supersat it was warsaw. The tri color was Turtle Wax and was being applied at 6 mills per car. To be fair you need to know the whole story and that involves a water quality problem due to softner being out of commission when all products were installed. We now have switched the lo ph and the softner is on line. I would love the chance to hook one of your washes up in Idalou for a side to side comparison. If I cant beat your current cost per car and your quality of wash you can throw me to the wolves.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I’ve got to go with rph on this one. If Blendco is that much better than its competitors, wouldn’t the other soap companies have been run out of the car washing business by now?

A while back I had a Blendco salesman catch me at my wash. He looked at my setup, gave me some propaganda and said he could do a better job for a cheaper price. That was the last time I heard from him…not even a phone call. I’m guessing that he shot his mouth off with promises that he couldn’t keep and was too embarrassed to show his face again.

I have met many operators who are in a comfort zone and don't try new things. So, I think tha answer to the question is no. Aside from the foregoing some may value a level of service from one company they don't feel they get from another irrespective of product quality.



Funny you say that. Walking by a booth at the ICA show (maybe Blendco, Maybe not) the guy asks what type of wash I have and I tell him EE. He says he can cut my solution cost in half or more. I said really, since he had no idea what my current cost was. I ask what he projects my cost would be and he says something like 40 cents a car. Since I was at about 10 cents a car, I didn't stick around long.


In the last few years I have had reps from 3 compannies tell me they could meet or beat my current costs (maybe one was Blendco, maybe not). I invited them to try. None did and one barely escaped alive. At least one rep was up front and said that many customers need his level of customer service, (They are not hands on or fairly green) and are willing to pay for it.

So as RPH says most reps can make their stuff work and work well. It then comes down to value which may be more than just the cost per car of the product.