Business Model

[Kimberly Berg]

Kim I'll bet you'd be singing a different tune if you had a EE tunnel open a half a mile away from you.

Sunrise Express car wash is located within 1 mile to the East. Maybe if the EE tunnel wash's monthly memberships were less expensive, washed customers vehicles better, with less damage and accommodated more vehicles, then maybe I'd be singing a different tune. There are many variables and I think I'm in a good place.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

Sunrise Express car wash is located within 1 mile to the East. Maybe if the EE tunnel wash's monthly memberships were less expensive, washed customers vehicles better, with less damage and accommodated more vehicles, then maybe I'd be singing a different tune. There are many variables and I think I'm in a good place.

Ms Kim isnt your Traffic count a ungodly amount like 100k of cars a day traffic count from what I remember.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Ms Kim isnt your Traffic count a ungodly amount like 100k of cars a day traffic count from what I remember.

Yes, traffic counts done from 2012-2019 were 102,300 CPD (cars per day). I'm located on a prominent corner with 2 driveways. Posted speed is 45. Another variable to consider in this complex EE puzzle.

 

[TheCluelessWasher]

Here is a little reading material for you:

https://www.carwashforum.com/thread...ors-are-out-of-their-ever-loving-minds.21672/

Very helpful thank you. I feel the push for all these EE tunnels is the real estate investor demand and that is gonna go away soon with high interest rates and as these 1031 buyers figure out that some of these PE wash companies aren't going to make it and the ones that do are gonna not renew their leases when they come up.

 

[traveler17]

Yes, traffic counts done from 2012-2019 were 102,300 CPD (cars per day). I'm located on a prominent corner with 2 driveways. Posted speed is 45. Another variable to consider in this complex EE puzzle.

Fabulous!! 100k cpd!! And you are strictly SS? I’m sure have but can you imagine revenue if you put in an IBA!!

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Fabulous!! 100k cpd!! And you are strictly SS? I’m sure have but can you imagine revenue if you put in an IBA!!

Yes, strictly 5 SS bays. No room for an IBA. My bays are only 28' deep & I'm located on a very shallow lot. Honestly, I love the simplicity of my SS equipment. There is a SS car wash 1/2 mile up the road, but it's poorly maintained. The Valero and Shell gas stations on the other 2 corners have a wash tunnel, but they're not maintained either. No viable competition. My SS wash stays very busy. On the weekends, cars are stacked 3-4 deep. Crazy!!

 

[traveler17]

Absolutely incredible

Yes, strictly 5 SS bays. No room for an IBA. My bays are only 28' deep & I'm located on a very shallow lot. Honestly, I love the simplicity of my SS equipment. There is a SS car wash 1/2 mile up the road, but it's poorly maintained. The Valero and Shell gas stations on the other 2 corners have a wash tunnel, but they're not maintained either. No viable competition. My SS wash stays very busy. On the weekends, cars are stacked 3-4 deep. Crazy!!

Ya found yourself a needle in a haystack. And you’re right about the simplicity of SS washes. Definition less headache as far as your equipment. Very Nice !!!

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Absolutely incredible

Ya found yourself a needle in a haystack. And you’re right about the simplicity of SS washes. Definition less headache as far as your equipment. Very Nice !!!

Thank you! We knew the location was unique which is why we paid almost $1M for it in 2003. And I just paid it off last year!!

 

[traveler17]

Thank you! We knew the location was unique which is why we paid almost $1M for it in 2003. And I just paid it off last year!!

Congrats!!

 

[Axxlrod]

I own tunnels and SS washes, and I can tell you that tunnel customers (DIFM) and SS customers (DIY) are different, and they rarely cross-over.

SS washes can exist and thrive in the same trade-area as EE washes, just like Kim has shown.

EE washes will decimate an IBA however, friction machines especially.

 

[traveler17]

I own tunnels and SS washes, and I can tell you that tunnel customers (DIFM) and SS customers (DIY) are different, and they rarely cross-over.

SS washes can exist and thrive in the same trade-area as EE washes, just like Kim has shown.

EE washes will decimate an IBA however, friction machines especially.

Decimate? lol , I beg to differ. 2 friction machines at one site , one being a combo wash. I guess it depends on the area or if operators take pride in their washes but I took a small bump until the newness wore off then i was rolling again.

 

[HeyVern]

Yes, strictly 5 SS bays. No room for an IBA. My bays are only 28' deep & I'm located on a very shallow lot. Honestly, I love the simplicity of my SS equipment. There is a SS car wash 1/2 mile up the road, but it's poorly maintained. The Valero and Shell gas stations on the other 2 corners have a wash tunnel, but they're not maintained either. No viable competition. My SS wash stays very busy. On the weekends, cars are stacked 3-4 deep. Crazy!!

Is there room to squeeze one more bay on the end maybe?

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Sunrise Express car wash is located within 1 mile to the East. Maybe if the EE tunnel wash's monthly memberships were less expensive, washed customers vehicles better, with less damage and accommodated more vehicles, then maybe I'd be singing a different tune. There are many variables and I think I'm in a good place.

This is a common refrain I'm hearing from "civilian" friends of mine about the tunnels pushing the membership model. I know a lot of my personal associates who have canceled their memberships. Their cars were not getting clean and it was annoying to have to constantly go back around for a rewash.

 

[soapy]

I remember when I first started 30 years ago the Wonder Wash chain was growing pretty strong sticking to the small markets. I don't hear much about it anymore. SS washes take more time than most people think. They have to be checked several times per day 365 days per year. Some might have a attendant but that can be a huge expense for one location. <My plan was to get enough washes in one local area that I could take care of them myself or have one person visit them all several times per day. I had 4 at one time but found that was a bit of a stretch for one person even if they are in the same area. Spent too much driving. I have 3 now and feel that is good for me.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Is there room to squeeze one more bay on the end maybe?

Unfortunately not enough room for more bays. On the East side (Auburn Blvd) we have a vacuum and vending machines. We lost some footage when they widened Auburn Blvd 10 years ago. On busy days I wish I had MORE bays!! We are open 24 hours and see a steady business overnight (Lyft & Uber drivers, graveyard workers).

 

[Axxlrod]

Unfortunately not enough room for more bays. On the East side (Auburn Blvd) we have a vacuum and vending machines. We lost some footage when they widened Auburn Blvd 10 years ago. On busy days I wish I had MORE bays!! We are open 24 hours and see a steady business overnight (Lyft & Uber drivers, graveyard workers).

I looked up your wash. Great website. Street View on Google Maps shows the gas station next door to you being all boarded up. Have you considered buying it?

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Yes, over the years I have considered buying it, but never had a good reason to. It's been for sale off/on the past 20 years. Originally, it was owned by the Neal family who built the car wash and gas station in 1982. The elevation is about 4' different and the 2nd owners put in a large retaining wall, separating our properties. The land and building is for sale at $800,000. The ground is contaminated from the gas tanks, the building is falling apart, and homeless are living in their cars. I live simply and don't need a headache. I've been in touch with the sellers, and it's supposedly in escrow with Dunkin Doughnuts to develop it as a drive-through. YAY!! I can always use a good cup of coffee and breakfast sandwich. I know my customers will appreciate it too!! Coffee and car wash - sounds like a great marketing opportunity!!

 

[Jibbotson]

This gives me hope. Hopefully going to acquire a rather beat up 4 bay SS and 1 IBA with the thought of ripping out the IBA and converting it into a laundromat but keeping the bays. The location is prime for a laundromat but I think the double whammy would be a great fit.

 

[HeyVern]

Yes, over the years I have considered buying it, but never had a good reason to. It's been for sale off/on the past 20 years. Originally, it was owned by the Neal family who built the car wash and gas station in 1982. The elevation is about 4' different and the 2nd owners put in a large retaining wall, separating our properties. The land and building is for sale at $800,000. The ground is contaminated from the gas tanks, the building is falling apart, and homeless are living in their cars. I live simply and don't need a headache. I've been in touch with the sellers, and it's supposedly in escrow with Dunkin Doughnuts to develop it as a drive-through. YAY!! I can always use a good cup of coffee and breakfast sandwich. I know my customers will appreciate it too!! Coffee and car wash - sounds like a great marketing opportunity!!

Don't let the gas station contamination automatically put you off. My wash was built on an old gas station site and the remediation was no big deal. Though, I imagine California regulations are probably quite different than here.

 

[soonermajic]

Kim I'll bet you'd be singing a different tune if you had a EE tunnel open a half a mile away from you.

yep, or let somebody put in a dbl Petit IBA & do memberships. There goes your niche...