Car Wash Vehicle Dryer In VACUUM Area? Not Apples to Apples You Think?

[Carl]

So I am sold on dryers inside the SS bays as an option but if you can't do that, what do you guys think about having them as combination vacuum/car dryers in the vacuuming area maybe on 4 out of 8 vacuums? Since the drying hose doesn't have a boom and you obviously don't want to "drape" the dryer hose on top of your car to get to the other side I'm guessing it's not as convenient to use or would you still recommend this because "IT'S BETTER TO HAVE THIS OPTION ON SITE THAN TO NOT?

Just curious your thoughts on whether this would be a good investment to make in an addition to the vacuuming area or would you recommend against it or maybe pair on some different option w/ that combination vacuum other than a "vehicle dryer". Looks like the drying hose on such a combo unit is 30' long versus the 15' long standard vacuuming hose length.

Pros & Cons to this idea? (I realize customers are much more apt to use it when it's on the meterbox inside the self-service wash bay so big question is...WILL THEY DRIVE TO THE VACUUMING AREA AND USE SUCH AN OPTION THAT THEY'LL NEED TO PAY FOR SEPARATELY or does that inconvenience right there make this option not a comparison of "apples to apples" w/ having same option inside the self-service bay? (enough to nix the idea because it's way less revenue-producing?)

Thanks!

~ Carl

 

[Wash4Life]

I don't believe dryers in the vacuum area would be worth the investment What sticks out to me is that you would have to drape the hose over your car, and as you suspect, I do not believe it would go over well with the customer base. For instance, I can just tell our towel drying customers would not want a hose on their vehicle during drying, especially one that is going to be left on the ground. Customers have their terrible propensity to leave vacuum, fragrance and shampoo hoses on the ground.

To me, it's one of those things where if you cannot do it right, you don't do it.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I did it...total flop. My vacuum area was even under roof. On a good week, they may have taken in $5. The new owner just took them out.

 

[Carl]

I really appreciate both of your replies! It's obvious this is a "bust" idea, and I'm so glad you've forewarned me that there are so many better investments than to try this. What a great line, "If you can't do it right, don't do it at all!"

Thanks,

Carl

 

[Roz]

Actually a car wash I visited just outside the St Louis area (when visiting D&S) had a stand alone dryer (3 elephant trunks) with its own playstation (I think $1 or $2 for a minute to drive thru). I think owner purchased the dryer unit from KR, upside down U shaped, located toward the exit with a simple coin acceptor. Said he recouped investment within a year. Can be done if you have the space on the property.

 

[sparkey]

Actually a car wash I visited just outside the St Louis area (when visiting D&S) had a stand alone dryer (3 elephant trunks) with its own playstation (I think $1 or $2 for a minute to drive thru). I think owner purchased the dryer unit from KR, upside down U shaped, located toward the exit with a simple coin acceptor. Said he recouped investment within a year. Can be done if you have the space on the property.

I have an automatic wash at one of my washes that currently doesn't have a dryer. I was thinking of adding a drive thru dryer in the parking lot to service both the automatic and the selfserve bays if they wanted to. Like you said, just have a paystation for just the dryer.