New guy

[carwashfng]

Greetings all. Thanks for having me on the forum. I am new to it all and wanted to introduce myself. Just secured a deal on a 4 bay SS in Northern CA. I am going to have lots of questions and need some help along the way. The first items I will be looking into are upgrading security/cameras, adding CC machines from a coin only operation, and signage. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I am excited about the new enterprise and looking forward to be a part of it. As I move forward I will reach out with questions. Thank you everyone. Lets make some money.

 

[Greg Pack]

Welcome to the forum carwashfng! Upload some pictures when you're ready. We love to help other people spend their money!

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Welcome to the forum carwashfng! Upload some pictures when you're ready. We love to help other people spend their money!

Pictures are the biggest help so we understand what the starting point is......and I'm always willing to take someone's money.

 

[carwashfng]

A few pictures of the existing machinery. I am leaning toward a $1 token coupled with a QR/App based payment option. Currently quarter only. History of theft and vandalism I am trying to avoid.
I don't know if the current setup is compatible with a token retrofit and an app based setup. I am going into this blind with really no experience at all. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thank you and I look forward to hearing back.

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Any pictures from inside the equipment room?

Using tokens is just a matter of having the right coin acceptor and possibly modifying the bill changer to accept them. The bigger thing you should consider first is to make sure every single thing is fully operational. Then make sure everything is clean, shiny, and appealing. You could have just bought a building and dirt that need tens of thousands in repair and/or replacement of equipment.

 

[carwashfng]

Thank you Dan. Message received. All equipment is in working order. Dated and older, but functional. The wash can be fully operational as is. I do not have pics of the equipment room on me. I will make sure to take some in the near future. Thank you for the insight on accepting token.

 

[JLanman]

Welcome carwashfng.

 

[Scott.Downey]

If you use token I would value them more than a $1 the cost of tokens are nearly $1. We value them at $2

 

[carwashfng]

Scott, What happens when a $5 bill is inserted in the changer? Customer required to add another single dollar?

 

[Scott.Downey]

Turn off 5 dollar bills run changer to take $10 or $20 . Dont know what your start price is but could value them at 2.50 and that would put $5 back in play. I know when i ordered tokens with shipping they were pushing 90 cents . People loose a lot. I figured next time i order them they will probably be over $1

 

[Randy]

I have a Bill changer customer who values his Tokens at $2.50. He had me set up Bill changer so it dispenses 2 tokens on a $5 bill and so on. It been that way for a number of years.

 

[Randy]

A few pictures of the existing machinery. I am leaning toward a $1 token coupled with a QR/App based payment option. Currently quarter only. History of theft and vandalism I am trying to avoid.
I don't know if the current setup is compatible with a token retrofit and an app based setup. I am going into this blind with really no experience at all. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thank you and I look forward to hearing back.

The existing equipment doesn't look to bad. Looks to me like everything could start with a good cleaning, get all the equipment up and running and go from there.

 

[Greg Pack]

Turn off 5 dollar bills run changer to take $10 or $20 . Dont know what your start price is but could value them at 2.50 and that would put $5 back in play. I know when i ordered tokens with shipping they were pushing 90 cents . People loose a lot. I figured next time i order them they will probably be over $1

You know, for years operators used to brag about profit from tokens "walking off". Now tokens are so expensive that in many cases the profit margin is greater if the customer actually uses them. My variable cost on a wash/vacuum is probably 30% or less. If I paid .30 for a dollar value token it's essentially the same profit margin as if the customer actually used the services.

 

[Greg Pack]

carwashfng a couple of initial thoughts:

1)Rip off all the bay signs and order about 15-20 gallons of Arcadian Nu wall or Quest Aluminate to get those walls cleaned up.
2)If the cans are in good shape those vacs can be completely rehabbed to look and perform like brand new. You can clean them up with the same thing you clean the walls with. Make custom decals for them, the fragramatics factory design is very dated looking. . If you don't have a local sign shop you use try https://stacarwash.com/ for sign and decal needs.
3)That changer looks like it probably has Hamilton validators in there. I'd get randy here on the forum to get you set up with new bill acceptors.

 

[carwashfng]

Randy & Greg thank you for the insight. Yes, I will be doing a field day wash down on everything. Possibly painting the CMU block white, but a wash down is definitely in order. Great link for decals/stickers. I will be ordering vac stickers and wall decals. I came across a dollar general today and they were stocked full of the toilet bowl cleaner another member recommended for wall washing. I purchased enough to make the solution and get started.
Can anyone speak to using the stock non high security tokens? What is the downside of the more affordable stock tokens? Do they interchange with other washes that use a stock token? I am asking because my wash is the only one for a long while. About 60 miles both ways. If nobody else is using a token in the area is a more affordable token an option?

 

[Rudy]

Ditto on using Nu-Wall. Be careful. The original version has HF.....works great, but is dangerous stuff.

Don't get in a hurry to paint the walls. Painted walls in a car wash usually ends in disaster.

 

[8th Street Car Wash]

Randy & Greg thank you for the insight. Yes, I will be doing a field day wash down on everything. Possibly painting the CMU block white, but a wash down is definitely in order. Great link for decals/stickers. I will be ordering vac stickers and wall decals. I came across a dollar general today and they were stocked full of the toilet bowl cleaner another member recommended for wall washing. I purchased enough to make the solution and get started.
Can anyone speak to using the stock non high security tokens? What is the downside of the more affordable stock tokens? Do they interchange with other washes that use a stock token? I am asking because my wash is the only one for a long while. About 60 miles both ways. If nobody else is using a token in the area is a more affordable token an option?

We use stock tokens as we believe the difference in price makes up for any other tokens that people may have gotten elsewhere. This is completely location dependent though, because if somebody near you sells them for significantly cheaper than you could be taken to the cleaners. We used to have a few other tokens come through that were a different pattern (like 5 per week), but once we installed Microcoin QL coin acceptors we haven't gotten any more of them since.

 

[Roz]

You know, for years operators used to brag about profit from tokens "walking off". Now tokens are so expensive that in many cases the profit margin is greater if the customer actually uses them. My variable cost on a wash/vacuum is probably 30% or less. If I paid .30 for a dollar value token it's essentially the same profit margin as if the customer actually used the services.

I do not recall tokens being that expensive. I think closer to .20. Regardless even if .30 and you get $1 that is easy money that I would do all day long. No equipment wear, no chemicals to replace, easy. Plus they are good marketing and keep customers loyal to you.

I think if you make them worth more than $1 you are inviting confusion. Not worth the calls and confusion.

 

[Roz]

I would add CryptoPay immediately as that should goose your revenue overnight. Tap Plus version.

 

[Greg Pack]

Just bought some vacuum tokens a few months ago. "Cheap" red brass .900 tokens with no security were .20. Larger tokens with security features go up from there. Sure, I'd like to sell a product with that margin all day long but that profit without service also reflects a potentially negative customer experience or thought.

Tokens obviously work for many but in my mind with today's credit card options they're best suited for washes in low income areas with lower credit card usage and crime concerns.