How do you see the future of self serve wash business?

[Eric H]

But, you are on the high end of the entire US. I would say you might have the highest prices in the US.!

Not even close to the highest, closer to average for anyone north of the 40th parallel. But remember, You don't have many of the costs associated with running a wash with below freezing temperatures for months at a time. "It's not what you make, it's what you keep"

 

[OurTown]

Not even close to the highest, closer to average for anyone north of the 40th parallel.

I'm so glad we are 11.5 miles south of that to keep our costs down.

 

[Eric H]

I'm so glad we are 11.5 miles south of that to keep our costs down.

I'm sorry...I meant to write 39th parallel!!

 

[cmawash]

soonermajic, are you sure your in the right business, you must have a low ball car wash or washes, 600,000 is very do able with the right locations, sometimes you pay for location, location, location

 

[Randy]

I think the self-serve car wash industry is in a slow decline due to increasing land valves and the high cost of construction. The last 4 or 5 self-serve car washes that has been sold in this area are gone and the land has repurposed for another use. The high price of land has made it unfeasible for a self-serve car wash in most situations. In our last 2 car wash projects the municipalities have thrown every roadblock possible to make building a car wash unprofitable, 24 hour live onsite manager/attendant, 6’ concrete block wall on 3 sides, 6’ iron fence in front with a gate and set our operating hours from 7am to 8pm. They made it pretty clear that they don’t want any self-serve car washes. Look at how much the ICA has done for the self-serve car wash industry, just about nothing. Look at how many self-serve equipment exhibitors there are at the ICA convention, it’s just about none. Look at the trade magazines, it’s all about Tunnel and conveyor car washes, kind of tells me that the ICA has figured out that the self-serve industry is a slowly dying industry. Sure there are going to be self-serve car washes around but they are going to slowly disappearing.

 

[soonermajic]

soonermajic, are you sure your in the right business, you must have a low ball car wash or washes, 600,000 is very do able with the right locations, sometimes you pay for location, location, location

What are you talkin about? $600k is NOT very doable w/ a SS location. Id sirmise there's not 1 in the US that does that.

 

[OurTown]

What are you talkin about? $600k is NOT very doable w/ a SS location. Id sirmise there's not 1 in the US that does that.

$600K was for three washes combined. Very doable with good locations and automatics at each location. I know of many around here that pull in over $200K/year.

 

[OurTown]

Also I believe that College Park Car Wash's (Maryland) original location pulls in over $600K/year. I think it is well above that. Of course they are an anomaly.

 

[soonermajic]

I was factoring in 1 SS wash, of about 5/6 SS bays. W/ multi IBAs that becomes a game changer.

 

[Greg Pack]

People sell for a variety of reasons even if the wash is very profitable. Higher grossing washes demand a higher multiple in my area.