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Friction in bay wash
- Thread starter Ric
- Start date
robert roman
Bob Roman
If you were putting in a new friction in bay automatic today what one would you choose? Why?
First, I would consider choosing a brand that is going to be around for a while.
Why? Equipment spending is still below equilibrium levels and material growth of installed base of equipment is expected in c-store and petroleum retailing and new car dealerships. Without significant growth, there will be more loss of in-bay suppliers through attrition and consolidation.
Because of equipment spending levels, it is expensive to maintain service network and more firms are selling direct and contracting services.
The trend in friction today is to cope with rising expenses for energy and water and unreliable labor. Average per unit variable cost is slightly higher for hybrid washing but it is thought to produce best quality, and it does.
I would also select based on looking forward five years.
The reason is new technology. People are demanding mobile payment. Mashable technology and phone apps make this possible with smart-phone. So, expect big changes in point-of-sale machines.
Robotics has entered the carwash industry. Such a wash has three times the capacity in the same amount of space as a typical in-bay and uses 25 percent less water and energy.
Historically, innovation that raises the bar so is quickly integrated by industry manufacturers. So, expect big changes in machine design and a shift back towards touch-less cleaning.
First, I would consider choosing a brand that is going to be around for a while.
Why? Equipment spending is still below equilibrium levels and material growth of installed base of equipment is expected in c-store and petroleum retailing and new car dealerships. Without significant growth, there will be more loss of in-bay suppliers through attrition and consolidation.
Because of equipment spending levels, it is expensive to maintain service network and more firms are selling direct and contracting services.
The trend in friction today is to cope with rising expenses for energy and water and unreliable labor. Average per unit variable cost is slightly higher for hybrid washing but it is thought to produce best quality, and it does.
I would also select based on looking forward five years.
The reason is new technology. People are demanding mobile payment. Mashable technology and phone apps make this possible with smart-phone. So, expect big changes in point-of-sale machines.
Robotics has entered the carwash industry. Such a wash has three times the capacity in the same amount of space as a typical in-bay and uses 25 percent less water and energy.
Historically, innovation that raises the bar so is quickly integrated by industry manufacturers. So, expect big changes in machine design and a shift back towards touch-less cleaning.
Ric,
I chose the PDQ Tandem last April and I have been very satisfied with the machine. We've had very few issues in the first year of operation (only two warranty claims.) The customers have overwhelmingly adopted the soft touch wash concept and it consistently washes more cars on a daily basis than my two L360's sitting next to it. I'm not sure how it performs against other soft touch machines out there for speed, but frankly I didnt buy it for that reason.
It produces a very clean car, only 2 damage claims all year and 1 was not our issue. The only downside is it's length limitation in our 40' bay makes it difficult to wash trucks with extended cabs, crew cabs, 8' boxes etc. unless we teach the customer how to pull too far forward when entering and have the machine back them up to get parked in the forward most position. Then the side brush will go around the back end versus doing a "U" wash.
I'm so pleased with the machine, I've ordered a 2nd one for another site where I'm replacing a worn out L4000.
I chose the PDQ Tandem last April and I have been very satisfied with the machine. We've had very few issues in the first year of operation (only two warranty claims.) The customers have overwhelmingly adopted the soft touch wash concept and it consistently washes more cars on a daily basis than my two L360's sitting next to it. I'm not sure how it performs against other soft touch machines out there for speed, but frankly I didnt buy it for that reason.
It produces a very clean car, only 2 damage claims all year and 1 was not our issue. The only downside is it's length limitation in our 40' bay makes it difficult to wash trucks with extended cabs, crew cabs, 8' boxes etc. unless we teach the customer how to pull too far forward when entering and have the machine back them up to get parked in the forward most position. Then the side brush will go around the back end versus doing a "U" wash.
I'm so pleased with the machine, I've ordered a 2nd one for another site where I'm replacing a worn out L4000.
Hoser,
Actually PDQ introduced the Pro Touch Icon at last years ICA show in Vegas, which was 3 months after I had ordered my Tandem. That being said, I prefer the Tandem over the Icon due to the open bay feeling versus the closed in feeling of the Icon as it rolls over the car. Those type of track style roll overs are not real popular in the Northeast. Or at least not in my area of Upstate NY.
Scott V
Actually PDQ introduced the Pro Touch Icon at last years ICA show in Vegas, which was 3 months after I had ordered my Tandem. That being said, I prefer the Tandem over the Icon due to the open bay feeling versus the closed in feeling of the Icon as it rolls over the car. Those type of track style roll overs are not real popular in the Northeast. Or at least not in my area of Upstate NY.
Scott V
This is exactly how I feel. PDQ seem to have a winner with their Tandem. But no, they have to copy the mistakes of others with their Icon. It's like: "Millions of lemmings can't be wrong!".
The Tandem looks like a really nice machine. I have seen it in action. However, I don't understand why they only have one side brush. I believe this is a time waster. And have you noticed that many of the customers are visually "pushed" away from the brush towards the empty bay wall - so they are not parked in the center of the bay? This can create issues with the wheel washers not able to get to the wheels.
JustClean,
From my observations the customers arent visually "pushed" away from the side brush any more than they are when they pull into the L360 bay and steer away from the arch. I think they watch the entrance / service sign in the left front of the bay and "drive towards it" more than avoiding the side brush. We install the yellow highway markers on the floor in our bays which help to make sure they pull in straight. It's not foolproof by any means.
From my observations the customers arent visually "pushed" away from the side brush any more than they are when they pull into the L360 bay and steer away from the arch. I think they watch the entrance / service sign in the left front of the bay and "drive towards it" more than avoiding the side brush. We install the yellow highway markers on the floor in our bays which help to make sure they pull in straight. It's not foolproof by any means.
I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
I agree with Scott. I have Mark VII gantry style machines. They are uniform on both sides, but when someone is off-center it is almost always to the left.
I would think that customers tend to line up to the left of center because that is where the pay station puts them. They pull up close to the pay station, so as not to have to stretch to reach it. Then they simply pull in relatively straight and end up off center. I originally heard this from a Wash World rep. as an explanation for why they don't measure the driver's side location for their equipment. They believe the driver side location is usually determined by the pay station.
whitescout
Banned
