friction or not to friction that is the question.
- Thread starter BobH
- Start date
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
I would look at other options in your market. In my area 90% of the C stores run Ryko friction units, making the touch free segment a nice little niche. But if everything else is equal I would be tempted to stick with a modern friction unit.
Not sure about loss of business but will cost you on the utility side. Water and Elect bills have gone down quite a bit due to smaller motors and less water used on a friction wash compared to a TF. And this is with higher wash volume to boot
What did you replace it with? Are you happy with it?
We have PDQ units, very happy with them.
I think it's funny that mep says you should hand prep the cars. That adds labor. With good chemicals there is no need to prep. Put the labor on top of higher water , elec, and chemicals, and your cost goes up.
Waxman
Super Moderator
I put a barrel with soapy water and a brush at the entrance of my IBA. I got the idea from the folks here. Self-prep is something some customers love to do and others never do. Some prep in my SS bays then run thru touch free.
soonermajic
Well-known member
I run a busy site w/ full-time preppers. We pay em a LOT, but they also fix nearly all breakdowns.
Site Im buying is also busy, w/ no preppers. Some customers do the same, & prep in our SS bays. Im tempted to put a 5 gal prep bucket, but wonder how much it'd cost me at fhe SS bays . Also worry some customers might prep for 10 minutes.
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
If it's working as is now I'd leave it alone. I do have a bug prep station that has a sprayer attached to a flojet in the pump room. I also have a 5 gallon bucket with wheel wizard brushes. I think on any future installs I'll just do the sprayer and not the bucket. That would reduce any prep time considerably
soonermajic
Well-known member
Why no bucket, & jist sprayer? Is your sprayer on a hose & wand, used free by customers? If so, spunds like abuse city...?
Something to consider is competition: where you rank among them and what they offer. If you're the number one guy in town, it makes no sense in my mind to switch from a friction model to a touch-free model unless you see things trending that way in your area.
Our three car washes are touch-free IBAs. Over the last few years, we've had a ton of competition pop up, mostly express friction tunnels except for a full-service tunnel. We have not been affected. We are the alternative in town. We don't outdo the express exteriors, but we make a healthy living. The full-service has been a dud even before COVID.
If you're a car wash is middling or at the bottom of the pack, switching to touch-free may provide the alternative boost
Our three car washes are touch-free IBAs. Over the last few years, we've had a ton of competition pop up, mostly express friction tunnels except for a full-service tunnel. We have not been affected. We are the alternative in town. We don't outdo the express exteriors, but we make a healthy living. The full-service has been a dud even before COVID.
If you're a car wash is middling or at the bottom of the pack, switching to touch-free may provide the alternative boost
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Just a sprayer would help with bugs (especially for a friction unit) and a person can only spend so much time spraying. I use a foam jet nozzle so the customer gets a thin sheet of foam out of the sprayer. It prevents a heavy liquid spray from being used to rinse mud out of wheelwells, etc. I have a sign that limits prep time to three minutes but you occasionally have to ask a customer to hurry up. Once there is a line customers usually get enough time while the car in front of them is washing.
It's been breaking down alot. Customers and myself are tired of dealing with it. So I'm sure I lost customers. Considering most of the competition is friction I think it may be a good move to have something a bit differant
