Need to be talked down...Newbie growing pains...LW4000

[MDrost1]

I hope to be one of the good ones someday. Working on it.

 

[Ghetto Wash]

In-bay unit sales predominately touch-less because gas sites are unattended and self-serve mostly absentee owners.

I agree gas sites classified as unattended, but I believe you are way off base assuming most in-bays at self serve washes have absentee owners.

 

[PEI]

I should be an equipment sales person because I disagree with PEI.

When average time to wash is five minutes, two to five extra cars an hour is a 17 percent to 42 percent increase in hourly capacity.

In sports, this would be considered huge. Of course, this isn’t NASCAR its income producing property.

So, what is likely to make more money, a new G-5 or an old 4000?

I agree Robert, you should be an equipment sales person. You are suggesting that MDrost1 spend between $100,000 and $120,000 to replace his LW 4000 with a newer Laserwash 360 in order to gain 2 extra cars an hour, assuming he has a free standing dryer. Yet he could spend $8,500 on a 3X Color Foam Retrofit kit and a Productivity Rinse Retrofit kit and get the same 2 cars an hour. He could spend an additional $5,500 and give his LW 4000 LED signage that looks just like the 360's. PDQ even offers a version of its new OverGlow Applicator as a retrofit kit for the LW 4000.

My point, however, was that very few in-bay sites actually need additional through put. They need to clean well, offer their customers an inviting bay, and provide a good show with the chemicals. Those are the big three things that will increase car counts and average sales prices. Then with lower debt service requirements from having purchased the retrofit kits instead of a new 360 more money will end up on the bottom line.

 

[rph9168]

If you take something to the dry cleaners do you ask him how they are going to do it? Sometimes we forget that what a car wash customer is buying is a clean, dry car and he does not really think much about the equipment used. PEI makes a very valid point. Unless your equipment is outdated and can no longer produce a quality wash and a good show, there are better places to spend money on improvements.

 

[robert roman]

“Spend $8,500…Retrofit kit….and get the same 2 cars an hour….spend….$5,500…LED signage….OverGlow Applicator….(how much for that)….”

Regardless if it cost $25,000 to refresh wash bay with goodies, it’s still a 20-year old machine out of production.

“My point, however, was that very few in-bay sites actually need additional through put.”

I’m in the game to help carwash operators make more money not stand your ground or hang on.

Big three things that increase car counts and average sales is offering the most convenience, best image and greatest value of any wash in the trade area.

If an obsolete machine can be retro-fit to achieve this objective more power to you.

However, it’s hard to dispute that modern machines have a lot more going for them than just glow foam and led lights.

Besides, people want a cleaner car for their money today and you can’t get that result by splashing some carnauba impregnated solution over top of grime.