Combo Vacs

[Jon]

I know this was posted a couple times over the years but we haven't seen a recent one lately.
How's everyone current experience with combo vacs now that there are newer vacs systems? Do you find less people using them?
If so, what are your prices and timing?

I am thinking about investing in either regular vacs or combo vacs at the moment. Combo vacs are much more expensive and not sure if its worth the investment.
If there are minimal difference in usage , I would rather use that extra money on something else.

 

[OurTown]

They are a lot more maintenance and some of the parts can be really expensive. We have them more for customer convenience than profit. They do get used more but I don't think it's an amount that is the difference in their cost. We bought used ones for really cheap over the years and refurbished them to make them look and work like new. It was time consuming to do that though. We have four combos and two regular round two motor vacs. Do you already have tri-foam, presoak, tire cleaner, spot free rinse, Air Shammees and credit cards in your bays?

 

[Keno]

This is extremely market dependent, our shampoo vacs do well at all our locations, fragrance vac does well at 1 location but not the others. If I had to buy new vacs, I would probably get all regular vacs, maybe I would sprinkle in a few shampoo vacs, but it's hard to justify the extra cost. I agree with our town, the extra cost on purchase price doesn't reflect that much extra use in my experience.

Credit cards on vacs will probably get you more vac revenue than the extra features of combo vacs, IMO. With less maintenance to boot

 

[Earl Weiss]

Luv' my Coleman Combo Vacs. Both the Shampoo N Vac and Fragrance Vac. Very little maintenance. I used a hose coil wrap which made the hoses last indefinitely. I questioned whether spending more for Bill accepters and High security doors was worth it. If budget allows I would do it again. If you are ina freezing area make sure you put in Winter formula shampoo and since I used concentrated fragrance, instead of adding water to it I would add -35 Washer solvent. Credit Card acceptance would be a must as well.

 

[Greg Pack]

I see very little use of combo vacs anymore for the added functions. I'm guessing 95% vacuum/ 5% other function. I'm in middle income at one wash, upper income in another.They might do better in lower income.

 

[getnbusy]

very site specific. Best income producing vacs i ever had were round vacs with a countdown timer. coin only. $1.50 to start/4 mins. I do have some vac frag combos. expensive parts and chemicals. Greg is right on the usage