In Bay Automatic Conversion To Hand Wash

[ULTIMATE WASH]

I am looking into the concept of converting a gas station (in bay automatic) to a (hand wash). I have seen the concept in another county and it is doing very very well. I am very new to the industry, so please excuse my ignorance on the matter. It seems that these gas station set ups are usually equipped with the rollover Ryco systems or similar. They do not look like they are in high demand in our area. Quite a few are sitting in limbo and not operational. Seems like quite a waste of good commercial locations. Also any information on "Hand Wash" car wash business startup would be very helpful.

Looking for pros and cons on the concept.

 

[Waxman]

cons: lots of labor and its related expenses.

pros: people like a hand wash.

 

[ULTIMATE WASH]

Please help!

Guys quite a few views but not much in replies. I am strongly considering this venture and have a potential location on the scope. Would really like to hear some replies from all the experience that this site has to offer from it's members. Like I said in the original post i am very new in the industry and can use all the help I can get. Also if someone can recommend the right equipment supplier to help me properly set the place up.

Any help would greatly be appreciated!

 

[MikeV]

I have seen several of those come and go here in the Houston area. Most now have new autos in them. The ones that are still hand washing don't seem to be doing much. Don't you have to pay someone to be there the whole time they are there ...cars or no cars?

 

[smokun]

Good Concept... If Costs Kept In Line

The concept has proven very successful in many areas, if done properly.

It is not a "set-it-and-forget-it" enterprise. It MUST be supported with advertising and promotional initiatives. YES, consumers absolutely love hand-carwashing. But only if the washing process offers value. Quick service. Clean, Dry Shiny Cars. Courteous staff. Plenty of lathery soap. Exterior-only washing & drying.

ON-SITE detailing is a natural ally. Use the Flex-Serve format of offering a choice of exterior-only or optional hands-on vacuuming, window-cleaning, express detailing.

Avoid letting the tail wag the dog. When you create demand, accept the fact that you can only do... what you can properly do. Otherwise, you'll trip over quarters... to pick up nickels.

There's plenty of money to be made in hand-carwashing. Go for it, but do it with style! Lackluster performance is a killer.

 

[Waxman]

I think the problem with your question is that it's too vague. Have you put together a business plan? Worked washing cars yourself? Worked for another carwash to gain experience? Read any books by industry experts? Attended any trade shows? Created 3 years pro-formas for the business? Talked to bankers to feel them out as far as lending on a venture such as this? Looked at several 'for sale' washes with a realtor to compare/contrast with the prospective property?

My reply was a jumping off point for further discussion on this forum, sure. But it was mainly to get you to dig in yourself and crunch some numbers while doing the proper hard work involved in starting any business, from hot dog stand to carwash to internet business.

 

[robert roman]

If you want to convert an in-bay automatic bay to a hand-wash bay, I have to echo Waxman?s recommendation; start by developing a sound plan on how you will put the business model into place.

To my best knowledge, I?m not aware of anyone selling an instruction manual on how to convert a roll-over into a hand-wash.

Of course, I am assuming that you want to remove all of the bay equipment and operate as a true hand-wash. Or, do you intend to leave the roll-over in place and simply hand-wash the vehicle and let the machine do the pre-soak, rinse and drying cycles? If you intend on doing the latter, I?m not sure why you would want to bother going through with this. Aside from scrubbing the vehicle by hand, where is the value proposition because it is still basically an in-bay automatic?

I believe that you would have a better business model by yanking the automated equipment, except for a free-standing dryer, and setting up the wash-bay as a true hand-wash process; virtually no equipment to worry about breaking down; opportunity to offer the customer a true hand-wash experience at a much higher price point; etc.

 

[ULTIMATE WASH]

A huge thanks to your replies thus far!

To answer Waxman, yes I am in the process of doing a lot of research and putting together possible models. I have been a business man my whole working life. I have had good ventures and also bad ones. I have learned to put the proper amount of time into a potential venture, because it is very essential to your success. What I can say is that when I do proceed with something, I do it all the way. As Steve Okun replied " do it with style".
In reference to what my exact plan is. I do plan to gut the small tunnel of its present set up, and replace whatever mechanicals with new up to date equipment. The amount of euipment will not be a lot, as I do want offer a true "hand wash". But I will invest in what ever equipment will help me be productive and more importantly very efficient. End result of the wash that I will offer will have to be of a very high standard. Because it is a niche that I am after. One that is not presently available in the area. I do also plan to offer a detail area. That will offer everything from an express detail to a full detail.
The building is not very big (16 by 34'). My plan is to expand it useing canoby expansions kind of like "Istabul systems" or something similar. I am still sorting thru how to expand the building without getting into major construction. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
I am goin to try and set up like a possible flexserve but based on a true "hand wash" concept.
It's a niche that I am after. But being able to be very productive without giving up high quality is what I am truely looking for.
Price point will be to try and stay very competitive with the fullservice automated tunnel type setups, but provide the high quality of a true hand wash.
Again thanks for all the replies.
I hope this paints a clearer picture of what I plan to do. Please continue to post replies, as all of you do have way more expereince that I have in the industry. All help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[Waxman]

The labor aspect of your idea still throws up a bid red flag for me. Perhaps because I've never seen it in action. Perhaps because I've washed thousands of cars myself by hand and I know what is involved. I know EXACTLY what is involved. And it is alot.

See, when I built my carwash, I was just so darn happy to no longer be washing all the cars solely by hand that I almost wet myself! Seriously, it was a HUGE IMPROVEMENT over hand washing. I still do hand wash in my SS bays for many detail preps, but some express jobs I run thru my IBA and hand dry and it is a money-making business model.

The rub here is your labor. You sound very gung-ho about the high quality of the wash, etc. along with a nice, high price point and absolutely you should 'wow' the customers. BUT, at the slightest glitch in your manpowered carwash (and I predict that glitches will be many and daily), you will receive complaints, and rightfully so. Bottom line here is; your customers will expect absolute perfection and I doubt your staff will consistently deliver. Just being realistic.

 

[ULTIMATE WASH]

I do understand your concerns.

Waxman, yes there will be a degree of glitches to contend with, but I am trying to provide what is not presently available in most car wash locations. The niche is what i am after. I have had mostly construction operations where workers are usually also in high numbers. I have been able to grab control of managing the high number of employees in the past. Is it easy, no, but if you are fair and respect your employees as you would want them to respect you, your amount of glitches goes down quite a bit. On the flip side I will be contending with less mechanical breakdowns. Which I am sure can also put a hurting on an operation.
Yes I would love to set up a very automated operation, and be very hands off.But the reality is, one it takes a considerable amount of more funds, and the other is I will have a lot more competition.
In speaking with some of the equipment suppliers in the last week. I have come to find out that there are two areas in the country where the true hand wash concept works very well. One is the state of California and the other is The New York, New Jersey area. So there has been a success rate in our area, with this concept.
The unfortunate part is that I will have to be present a lot more. But I can deal with that. I have myself and a son that will be very involved also. So we can split up the time as the business grows.
Also like I said in my original post, I have seen this exact concept in a neighboring county and it is doing very well.
If I do attempt this venture, I do not plan to cut corners. My plan is to be a first class operation.
Thanks always for the replies and please keep them coming.

 

[Waxman]

I think you may want to examine why this concept/model does not exist in your location. Many times, in my own experience, a seemingly innovative idea is the easy part of developing the business model that follows said idea. What I am saying is that there is surely a very good reason why the hand carwash is not the prevalent business model of carwashing.

What do your cash flow projections tell you about the idea?

Why not scrub the cars with brushes before they enter the IBA? That way you could still operate as an automatic carwash when labor is unavailable (nights, etc.)?

Throughout the history of the industrial age, there have been many excellent ideas that folks have tried to implement, only to fail miserably. I'm not trying to be a wet blanket; I'm just a guy running an IBA/SS carwash who used to do nothing but hand wash and I can tell you tons of reasons why the auto. carwash is better.

 

[Chiefs]

Are you installing a conveyor? If so, how long? Do you want to automate all of your low pressure applications (pre-soak, foam, pre-rinse. drying agent, final rinse)? Do you want spot free rinse? Air Dryer? Do you want wheel blasters? Tire Shiner? Prep Gun?

What's you budget?

Or, are you simply planning on taking out the in-bay and putting in low pressure applicator hoses, some mitt tanks and hoses to rinse?

Do you realize just how full time many employees you are going to need? Do you know that the hand wash will probably wash less cars per hour than the in-bay (if that's possible)?

The answers to these questions are just the tip of iceberg.

 

[Axxlrod]

I had this exact model at one of my washes. Key word is 'had". I remodeled and put in a conveyor friction mini-tunnel.

Not sure if the archives are still available from the older version of this site, but I detailed my operation many times there.

The main issue with this format is that hand-washing is done by humans. Humans are not perfect, so not every car will be 100% washed... some spots might be missed. Also you need staff to do this. ANd they have to be there every day, even on days with bad weather and you pay them to stand around all day.

It can be profitable, but it takes more work.

 

[ULTIMATE WASH]

Thank You All!!

Thanks for all the responses as they are all very helpful. I will post my progress. Also please keep the responses coming!