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Favorite SS In-bay upgrades

D

Dick Nitro

Member
Please put the following upgrades in order from your favorite (1) to your least favorite (6). Please add any reasoning for or against based on ROI, installation, reliability, e.t.c if there’s one you like a lot that I don’t have listed, please add. If you feel lazy, at least give me your top 3. Thanks!

-Triple Foam
-Air Dryers
-Tokens
-Undercarriage Sprayer
-Wheel Brush
-Vacuum CC Readers
 
IMHO some of these matter on the quality of them and the area you are in. These will be based on our experience.

1. Air dryers. The three phase Air Shammee II has very little operational cost and a lot of people use them.
2. Vacuum CC readers. A lot of people don't carry cash.
3. Triple foam. If you use an actual protectant you might need a blow down/antifreeze system. If using a conditioner move this further down the list.
4. Tokens. This position is kind of a guess. Based on our experience with non-customers getting quarters from our changer we are going with tokens when we reopen from our massive remodel. Been closed for five months so far!
5. Undercarriage sprayer. The only one I have used was stuck on all the time and the boom was not mounted high enough to clear my ladder rack but had potential. We may consider it at some point but they are complex in the pump room.
6. Wheel brush. Never used one but it may need another boom and for us, I'm not sure if we would have room for another boom.
 
OurTown said:
IMHO some of these matter on the quality of them and the area you are in. These will be based on our experience.

1. Air dryers. The three phase Air Shammee II has very little operational cost and a lot of people use them.
2. Vacuum CC readers. A lot of people don't carry cash.
3. Triple foam. If you use an actual protectant you might need a blow down/antifreeze system. If using a conditioner move this further down the list.
4. Tokens. This position is kind of a guess. Based on our experience with non-customers getting quarters from our changer we are going with tokens when we reopen from our massive remodel. Been closed for five months so far!
5. Undercarriage sprayer. The only one I have used was stuck on all the time and the boom was not mounted high enough to clear my ladder rack but had potential. We may consider it at some point but they are complex in the pump room.
6. Wheel brush. Never used one but it may need another boom and for us, I'm not sure if we would have room for another boom.
Click to expand...
I would say 1-3 give you a solid ROI.

5 gives a solid ROI if added to an IBA. Hard to do an undercarriage in a SS. Nice in theory and many would use but Equipment would not last long and is expensive to replace.
 
1)Triple foam - went to hot wax and now its Silk ceramic

2) air dryers - tons of use

3)vac cc - its a nice option to offer but doesnt really move the profit needle
But with crypto pay it was easy to add the vac’s

I despise tokens - we use $1 coins
 
ShinePro said:
1)Triple foam - went to hot wax and now its Silk ceramic

2) air dryers - tons of use

3)vac cc - its a nice option to offer but doesnt really move the profit needle
But with crypto pay it was easy to add the vac’s

I despise tokens - we use $1 coins
Click to expand...
Yes, changing the changers to dollar coins instead of quarters moved the profit needle significantly. Also eliminated local laundromat customers and other businesses from emptying the quarters
 
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I would move wheel brush to number 4. Mine gets lots of use. Everybody likes clean wheels. Plus it takes time to do the wheels and rinse. No extra tank or hydrominder needed, just pump out of the tire cleaner tank,
 
Roz said:
5 gives a solid ROI if added to an IBA. Hard to do an undercarriage in a SS. Nice in theory and many would use but Equipment would not last long and is expensive to replace.
Click to expand...

Have you tried one? Expensive yes, but the one I used looked like it would last a while. The gun was broken (stuck on) but looked like a standard weep gun. The ROI might not be there because around here it would only get used 3 or 4 months per year.
 
These are all location dependent

-Tokens
I make a fairly healthy profit off tokens, and it also keeps cash out of the bays, though I accept quarters. I go through about 10,000 every year to year and a half. I pay around $0.30 per token and sell them for a dollar. No credit card reader on my token machine because I have credit card readers on everything else, and I tell customers that we give bonus tokens for cash through the token machine to offset credit card fees on everything else.

-Vacuum CC Readers
We're about 50/50 cash to card for my vacuums

-Air Dryers
People love to use up their time in the bay with the driers (even when its raining), and they only cost you power, not power AND chemical AND water.

-Triple Foam
Used less but those who love it really love it. Gives the wash something that's eye catching, and people love to take pics of their car in the bay covered in triple foam for their pictures online.

-Wheel Brush
People tend to just use our foamy brush on their wheels anyway (despite the signage) so I don't think profits have changed.

-Undercarriage Sprayer
No Experience for self serve, but in my automatic, during the winter, people come through just to rinse the salt off the bottom of their car. For the self serves people just use the flexi wand to get under their vehicle.
 
Dick Nitro said:
Please put the following upgrades in order from your favorite (1) to your least favorite (6). Please add any reasoning for or against based on ROI, installation, reliability, e.t.c if there’s one you like a lot that I don’t have listed, please add. If you feel lazy, at least give me your top 3. Thanks!

-Triple Foam
-Air Dryers
-Tokens
-Undercarriage Sprayer
-Wheel Brush
-Vacuum CC Readers
Click to expand...
Depends on what youre trying to accomplish.

For me i would do the following.
1. Tokens...turns the changer into an immediate profit center while removing cash from the site by the only qtrs being customer supplied if you elect to continue accepting those.
2. Vac cc readers. Assuming you already have them in the bays
3 air dryers
4 triple foam
 
Triple foam - my customers wear it out and they need to rinse it. I got rid of the triple foam system and just run one color of good quality foam polish. Less headache.
Tire Brush - my customers wear it out and they need to rinse it.
Dryer - only have in one of four bays and customers wait for the bay with the dryer. About 1/2 the customers use it.
Tokens - can dispense with cash or credit. Don’t really need card readers on vacs if customers can get tokens for credit.
Card readers on vacs - tried on one busy vac about five years ago. Disappointed with results. Basically convenient for the customer.
Under carriage - don’t have them, but have tried these at two different washes. Not impressed with them. Found them difficult to use and wonder if they would end up being a mud cleaner for contractors and four wheelers.
 
Many times the lipstick is the most inexpensive and effective upgrades. Consumers want pretty.

When was the last time you changed the decals on your vacs and meterboxes
What does the building look like? How about the lot?
Are you still using incandescent, fluorescent, or metal halide lighting or have you upgraded to bright LED?
If you have lighted plastic domes on your vacs are the domes faded and do the lights actually work?
Does every current function work consistently?
Are you putting the chemicals on thick?

Purely anecdotal but there is a 3/1 about 2 miles down the road from my house. I used it all the time because I knew the functionality of the site was top notch and it was rarely busy. My wife refused to because it looked "rough". The site changed hands and the new owner painted the outside of the building, had the parking lot fixed, updated signage, and improved lighting. One day my wife(the consummate consumer) comes home and tells me how great the wash is under the new ownership. I told her that absolutely nothing changed, functionally, at the wash they just put some lipstick on the pig.
 
Dick Nitro said:
Please put the following upgrades in order from your favorite (1) to your least favorite (6). Please add any reasoning for or against based on ROI, installation, reliability, e.t.c if there’s one you like a lot that I don’t have listed, please add. If you feel lazy, at least give me your top 3. Thanks!

2-Triple Foam
3-Air Dryers
6-Tokens
5-Undercarriage Sprayer
4-Wheel Brush
1-Vacuum CC Readers
Click to expand...

My favorite add on has to be the wheel brush. I already had triple foam, dryers, and cc on vacs. The wheel brush has been super profitable as I put a trigger on it so it’s not constantly dumping chemical out. It’s been really well received and used a lot!
 
Dan kamsickas said:
Many times the lipstick is the most inexpensive and effective upgrades. Consumers want pretty.

When was the last time you changed the decals on your vacs and meterboxes
What does the building look like? How about the lot?
Are you still using incandescent, fluorescent, or metal halide lighting or have you upgraded to bright LED?
If you have lighted plastic domes on your vacs are the domes faded and do the lights actually work?
Does every current function work consistently?
Are you putting the chemicals on thick?

Purely anecdotal but there is a 3/1 about 2 miles down the road from my house. I used it all the time because I knew the functionality of the site was top notch and it was rarely busy. My wife refused to because it looked "rough". The site changed hands and the new owner painted the outside of the building, had the parking lot fixed, updated signage, and improved lighting. One day my wife(the consummate consumer) comes home and tells me how great the wash is under the new ownership. I told her that absolutely nothing changed, functionally, at the wash they just put some lipstick on the pig.
Click to expand...

No doubt! Aesthetics are usually the most important factor in perceived value from your customers. In my experience with other businesses and life in general, your anecdote about new looks and conveying a comfortable atmosphere is indeed #1. I cannot overstate this and I appreciate that input.

My goal for this thread, however, is just a gauge of other people’s measurable experiences with these common upgrades.

That being said… maybe those sweet GinSan push button meter box plates should be on the list??
 
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I could definitely concur with Dan on this as asthetics do play a major role. I took over a similar functional 10/1 Iba site last april in which everything was 100% functional but looked like a dump. The 1st thing i did was order New Meter Boxes to get CC in the bays & Vacs. I began the order process in May, Signed off on everything by end of June and Installed by end of August. The Revenue increase paid for all the meter box upgrades by the end of February. While waiting for the new Meter boxes, i just began putting lipstick on the pig in various places. I still have a long ways to go to get the site up to where i want it to be, but i am just cash flowing everything on this site. Now with the extra revenue from the CC i can cashflow more upgrades or more lipstick faster. Im constantly in my local sign shop having New Signs created, although they do not read them they do notice something new. Customers enjoy seeing constant upgrades, mine constantly make remarks about "I see you did___________ or __________" . They feel like they are spending their money with someone that is constantly reinvesting back into the facility. They are now asking me what i'm going to do next.
 
Dick Nitro said:
No doubt! Aesthetics are usually the most important factor in perceived value from your customers. In my experience with other businesses and life in general, your anecdote about new looks and conveying a comfortable atmosphere is indeed #1. I cannot overstate this and I appreciate that input.

My goal for this thread, however, is just a gauge of other people’s measurable experiences with these common upgrades.

That being said… maybe those sweet GinSan push button meter box plates should be on the list??
Click to expand...

I have several people on this board alone that will testify to the fact I am never opposed to taking someone's money. I'm a proud filthy capitalist pig.
 
cbchevy4x4 said:
I could definitely concur with Dan on this as asthetics do play a major role. I took over a similar functional 10/1 Iba site last april in which everything was 100% functional but looked like a dump. The 1st thing i did was order New Meter Boxes to get CC in the bays & Vacs. I began the order process in May, Signed off on everything by end of June and Installed by end of August. The Revenue increase paid for all the meter box upgrades by the end of February. While waiting for the new Meter boxes, i just began putting lipstick on the pig in various places. I still have a long ways to go to get the site up to where i want it to be, but i am just cash flowing everything on this site. Now with the extra revenue from the CC i can cashflow more upgrades or more lipstick faster. Im constantly in my local sign shop having New Signs created, although they do not read them they do notice something new. Customers enjoy seeing constant upgrades, mine constantly make remarks about "I see you did___________ or __________" . They feel like they are spending their money with someone that is constantly reinvesting back into the facility. They are now asking me what i'm going to do next.
Click to expand...
I love this. This is actually probably worth its own thread. I’ll start another to highlight people’s experiences flipping car washes and applying “pig lipstick”.

Thank you all very much for these excellent replies!
 
CarWashCommander said:
My favorite add on has to be the wheel brush. I already had triple foam, dryers, and cc on vacs. The wheel brush has been super profitable as I put a trigger on it so it’s not constantly dumping chemical out. It’s been really well received and used a lot!
Click to expand...


Are you using a regular HP gun for this?
 
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