Looking for an automatic....and info

[Bubbles Galore]

I have 8 ss bays. I don't need that many by any stretch. I want to put an automatic in asap. The gas station right by me with crap equipment, rolls them in and out of there 24-7. What I want to hear from other operators are three things.

1. In hindsight, would you have bought the automatic knowing what you know now.
1.a. If your answer is no, is it related to your distributor or is it the automatic?

2. Would it make sense to offer something like the G5 AND the tandem (just as an example). I have the space, and if something like this would pencil out, then I think I should go for it.

3. I want to know what autos you have and why I should buy the same brand you have. Call it a practice in salesmanship

Don't be shy, I want to hear from as broad a spectrum as possible.

Thanks!

 

[bigleo48]

Hey Bubbles...here's my 2 cents
1- I Build my SS bays, then 2 years later put in an M5 IBA. Very good move as many do not want to do it themselves and willing to pay for the automation. Since I set it up and maintain it myself (with some help from my excellent distributor), I do a much better job than the gas bars.

2- Perhaps...but if I had to do it again and had the space, I would have put two in, but perhaps two touchless as people around here hate the friction machines.

3-The Laser M5 is good (4000 nuts and G5 brains). I picked that one because of the distributors' experience. Would also consider a Vector.

Hope this helps...BigLeo

 

[Waxman]

Yes, I'd get another Side Trac 700, except the company stopped making them!

I like this machine alot and it washes the heck out of cars with little problems so far (3 years).

I think it depends largely on your market, but I would say an IBA is a super addition to an SS location.

I was impressed with Washworld, so check them out. I like the looks of the new Magic Wand touchless, too.

 

[MEP001]

We run a Vector, and it's been a mostly trouble-free workhorse. It's fairly simple to work on in general, and there's almost no routine maintenance. Downsides: to give a clean car, you have to use a long dwell, or a presoak strong enough that you risk damage to cars. I set up with long dwell, which means at best we can get 12 cars an hour through at the basic wash, 7 with the top level. There's a double pump version which speeds up the wash process, but it takes away its biggest cleaning advantage over the slower process, which is coming in closer during the high-pressure passes to do a better cleaning. It also doesn't do all that well on the hoods of cars and tends to leave the mirrors and back windows of pickups spotted.

Someone told me about a machine (I forget the make, but I'll find out and report back) that can do a much better job in half the time. It costs three times as much as the basic Vector, but if you have the traffic it seems like it would be a good investment.

 

[bigleo48]

Mep,
Wow...7 cars/hr! Like anything else, touchless washing is a compromise between chems, time and clean cars. I'm always adjusting my washes to get the best wash at the fastest time. Not sure where you are but up north, I can really speed up my washes in the winter to about 14/hr and slow down to an avg of 11 cars in the summer where dwell and strong presoaks with bug passes are a must.

The other machine you were thinking about is likely an Oasis.

Cheers..BigLeo

 

[rph9168]

Mep,
The other machine you were thinking about is likely an Oasis.
Cheers..BigLeo

That was probably the Oasis Typhoon. They advertise it as the fastest touchless on the market.

I would probably first check out the best distributors in the area (like has been suggested many times in the Forum) and look at those machines. Regardless of what you chose one thing you can count on is the need for quality service.

As far as whether it will work or not I think depends on how well you are currently doing in your bays. If they are doing well the automatic should be a good move. I have seen operators whose wash was not doing well thinking an automatic would cure the problem. Rarely is that the case.

 

[Red Baron]

I have 2 D&S 5000s and recommend them highly, but as noted already, make sure you have a dist to work on them. Wait, that may have been contradictory. I don't think anyone makes a model that never breaks, that's why it's best to have a dist who know the model. there, that was better.

FWIW, if I found a new location tomorrow, it would have a D&S 5000 or the new i5000 model. I like the Q and the Odyssey but don't want the added headaches of doors.

 

[termn8tr]

We operate a MIB facility with a Autec soft touch & a Oasis XP. The Autec has been trouble free going on 3 yrs and is the workhorse or as i call it the rolls royce. Our Oasis XP had its issues at the beginning, however thanks to a great distributor and a few adjustments, it too has been a trouble free workhorse for over 1 year now. These units clean exceptionally well. Chemicals do play a big part.
Our Autec avg. 16 cph and the XP about 18 cph We average a little over 35,000 cpy.
Keep in mind, you usually get what you pay for!

 

[washnvac]

If you are attended, go with friction. It is a better cleaning job. I have five Nu*Star soft touch machines. They use the closed cell foam (like Neoglide). No scratching, very minimal damage (mirror here and there, wiper blade, too). I say attended because brushes need to be checked daily along with general check of other moving parts--everyday. Place a Nu*Star next to a touchless and watch the friction beat the touchless at least 2 to 1. Yep, no BS. You rub your hands together when you wash them, right? Same with a vehicle. Friction is back- with the new foam materials it is a safe, great wash job. Other note-cameras are a must with friction. I recommend 2 at the entrance, 2 in the bay, and 1 at the exit. This will eliminate any false claims. OK, there is my 2 cents. Good Luck!

 

[Red Baron]

1. Are there any IBA equipment manufacturers who don't call their model "the industry's workhorse?"
2. There are a certain percentage of people like me (before I got in the car wash business) who won't use any wash that has a brush touching their paint.

 

[termn8tr]

There is quite a difference between brushes, soft cloth and polyflex foam material. Our friction out washes the touch free 2 to 1 and the touch free cleans excellent. Now let me ask you does applying acid(low PH) on your paint cause any damage?

 

[Red Baron]

There is quite a difference between brushes, soft cloth and polyflex foam material. Our friction out washes the touch free 2 to 1 and the touch free cleans excellent. Now let me ask you does applying acid(low PH) on your paint cause any damage?

My F-250 has been through my D&S 5000 at least 200 times, and not 1 scratch, not 1 damaged wiper blade, and it glosses up like new with the top wash. I guess if acid is going to damage it, it's going to take a very long time to do it.

I don't buy the manufacturers' pitch that the new materials can't hold any dirt/sand/grit. That defies physics. Regardless of the material though, when I was deciding which IBA equip to use when I built my first one, I got on here and the searches turned up horror stories that scared the beejeebers out of me, like the brush pickin up a piece of barbed wire then grinding it over the hoods of the next 10 cars until you discover it. And in this farming community with the percentage of pickups I wash, and with the crud I see blowing from their beds, it isn't too hard to imagine all the nasty items a brush might wind up (rope).

I'm sure they're better than before, but the public's perception of them is an obstacle I don't want at this point.

Btw, didn't someone here say that if you buy a new BMW or Mercedes, they want you to use touchfree?

 

[washnvac]

Mercedes book says they prefer touchless; right after that is says do not use caustic chemicals. Would most touchless chem combinations be considered caustic? The Mercedes dealer in my area has an automatic wash that they run EVERY single car through when it is serviced, plus their new deliveries, etc. Oh yea........wait.......it is cloth. OOPS, I guess they did not read the owner's book. It has cloth side-to-side mitters, with foam side brushes. (maybe an Autec unit; not sure) I always love the spirited debate of friction vs touchless. The bottom line is each owner has to make the best choice for their circumstance, and consider their tolerance for maintaining the equipment, and tolerance for dealing with the mystery scrathes. My favorite line is: "I know that was not there when I pulled into the wash".

 

[Ric]

Bubbles,

As you know both our washes were built by the same company and have a similar footprint. Mine is 6 bays, yours 8. Three years ago I added a touchless iba and prepped the bay next to it for a second in the future.

I am very happy with the results. I installed a WashWorld High Velocity. They have been a pleasure to work with. My distributor, which would also be yours I believe, has also been great. I have no regrets with either company and highly recommend them both. Call John Racine @ Woltco for WashWorld info 1-877-992-7427. If you would like to visit my site or have questions drop me a line.

 

[CleanStreak]

I have an Oasis XP and am very happy with it. Did a LOT of homework and bought in to how they designed their system and it is indeed well thought out. I got it mainly for the speed, and it does a good job with the ability to offer lots of bells and whistles.

Heed the advice everyone says about finding a good distributor though, they are your first line of support and are very important. Can make your experience good, or bad.

 

[mac]

Allow me to put in a plug for a Magic Wand Vortec. I've sold and serviced them for many years and have one myself in a gas station. It's been there 2 years with a total of 2 service calls. Washes a dually wheel pickup with a crew cab and full bed. Will wash a full size van with a ladder rack and ladders on it. Easy to work on, parts easy to get, and with the money saved on the purchase you can take your wife or sweetheart on a nice cruise.

 

[ToFarGone20]

X-Stream Touchless Wash

We just finished our installation at the beginning of November. It was easy to install and fine tune. Anyone can put the track together with easy. Its light (alum) and the fastening system requires an allen wrench set. No other machine on the market does what it does...look around...you really won't find one. They also cost tens of thousands more.

If you want easy to install, easy to program, easy to maintain, off the shelf parts, and huge savings then this is the wash you want. We searched for 3 years before making the choice to go with this machine. I am very impressed and pleased we went this way.

We are a family business, I am second generation car wash nut, so the decisions we make need to be good for the long haul. I sleep well at night knowing I have this machine at my wash.

For what its worth...I will put another one in my other auto bay at the same wash. I have had them lined up 8 and 9 deep wanting to use the X-Stream...customer gets what the customer wants. I am in Iowa and if you are close message me and swing on by...I will even give you a free wash or two!

A.J.

Go to www.x-streamtouchlesswash.com

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Thanks for all the great input guys! As far as my self serve goes, I have never really had to rely heavily on my distributor for much. I do know that an automatic (not familiar with at all) would have me relying on my distributor much more.

 

[Waxman]

If you are handy and know carwashes and you buy a simple machine, the tech support you will need is mainly stuff on the telephone.

I knew very little when I started, know slightly more than zero now and I can have a conversation with my distributor then go do what he tells me to do and have 99% of things fixed right away.

 

[Jack]

I agree with Red Baron. I also have 2 D&S 5000's and seldom ever find a better wash as I visit around the country. Easy to work on, simple operation but mostly gets a car clean. We probably all like what we use but my 5000's do a great job. Good Luck