Oasis I5 feedback anyone?

[Greg Pack]

I think I've narrowed my soft cloth purchases down to Istobal, WW profile, or possibly an Oasis I5.

I want to watch a washworld operate somewhere, but throughput is important to me, so I may need a five brush unit.

Istobal Flex 5 is nice but concerns me a little as I'm a bit of a tweaker and I get the impression they are not excited about straying from their way of doing things.

So, I'm wondering if the I5 is a good option. Does anyone have feedback? Does is clean the back of vehicles well with a single brush pass? reliability, etc?



Thanks

 

[washnshine]

I don’t have an i5, but went through one a few years back and did talk to the owner. It has a design very close to the Ryko Softgloss. I don’t think you can add a wheel scrub to them - just a wheel blast. The rear wash arms are on flexible couplings and that may help sweep across the backs a bit rather than being rigid. Also seemed like they were designed for a two step chemical application hi and lo pH detergents. Not sure about the programability of the machine in terms of having a more traditional chemical application. Does seem like it can perform a wash more quickly than some 3 brush competitors. That was all I got out of a quick visit to one.

 

[carwashireland]

A friend of mine has sold some in Australia and he really likes it. Here is a youtube link

 

[Greg Pack]

I don’t have an i5, but went through one a few years back and did talk to the owner. It has a design very close to the Ryko Softgloss. I don’t think you can add a wheel scrub to them - just a wheel blast. The rear wash arms are on flexible couplings and that may help sweep across the backs a bit rather than being rigid. Also seemed like they were designed for a two step chemical application hi and lo pH detergents. Not sure about the programability of the machine in terms of having a more traditional chemical application. Does seem like it can perform a wash more quickly than some 3 brush competitors. That was all I got out of a quick visit to one.

After talking to reps from several manufacturers I am leaning away from wheel scrubbers and towards turbo blasters. I have heard they are very flexible in programming.

I do like the concept of presoak and rinse before brush application to get the surface grit off the car.



CarwashIreland, so that video is essentially a 6:00 wash with three brush passes (including drive in and blowers)? A lot of machines are eight minutes or more for that. One could add a pass of carnuba-type product before the third pass and do a "buff and shine" process. Local IBAs are getting 15-16$ for that.

Also, the rep told me they could use my Cat pumping plant off my Fusion X if I wanted and save some money. If nothing else that tells me they are flexible and willing to think outside the box a little.

Does anyone do a single pass brush wash with this machine and get an acceptably clean car? Any skunk striping?

 

[carwashireland]

I think that with either 1 step or 2 step presoak going on before the brushes, you would get a single pass with brushes and get a clean. No need for dwell time imo. pass 1 low ph, pass 2 high ph, pass 3 brushes with tri foam and rocker blast for wheels, pass 4 lava wax, 5 high pressure rinse and 6 spot free with dryer on exit.
You could speed it up even more by swapping 4 for high pressure then 5 rain x and 6 spot free!

 

[Davidson]

I have an i5 and really like it. I purchased the wash 4 yrs ago and it had the Sonny's i5. Just replaced it 6 months ago with Oasis i5 refurb unit. The old unit was 10 yrs old and 140k washes. Very durable and easy to work on. Built like a tank. I considered a WW Profile also and almost went that route, but cost was a factor and the proximity of Oasis to me was big. (2 hrs away). I did have the skunk stripe problem initially but made some adjustments and did add another brush pass to solve it. Top wash is under 6 minutes. I went to oasis and the owner took me to several of his washes to see the machines in action and also toured the plant. If you are close to NE Oklahoma I'll be glad to show you my machine.

 

[Greg Pack]

Thanks for your input Davidson. Whats your wash times like?

 

[Greg Pack]

My wife and I drove over to Georgia last night and visited a C store site with a two year old unit. Basic wash was two brush passes, high pressure rinse, CCP, SFR, and drive through blower. Total wash time from entry to blowers turned off was 4:30 in my wife's crossover. The top wash had a lava bath, as well as a premium (Rain X type) CCP product and was 6:10. In my mind that's an honest 10cph capability. Those packages were significantly faster than the istobals I have been through. Combine the faster time with the higher prices on the top package of $15 or so and the unit could bump up my income significantly on my lot. I brought my wife to get the perspective of a female customer and she liked the unit. Her car wasn't very dirty but the bugs splats on the windshield were gone and there was no evidence of skunk striping. I'm going to look a little harder into this unit.

 

[Greg Pack]

I don’t think you can add a wheel scrub to them - just a wheel blast.

After owning a unit with wheel scrubs and talking to several sales reps at the show I'm OK with that. I think out of five sales reps at the show, four preferred no wheel scrubs. Between tire clean application, the cloth and turbo nozzles I think it will probably do a reasonable job on wheels of the regular customer. Many years ago I wanted to clean everything that came through but I'm no longer worried about the customer that only washes their car every few months. I think 90% of my customers wash at least twice a month.

 

[carwashireland]

I don't suppose the Oasis I5 had a Typhoon or XP next to it also. I would be interested to know what you think of the Oasis touchless also Greg.

 

[washnshine]

After owning a unit with wheel scrubs and talking to several sales reps at the show I'm OK with that. I think out of five sales reps at the show, four preferred no wheel scrubs. Between tire clean application, the cloth and turbo nozzles I think it will probably do a reasonable job on wheels of the regular customer. Many years ago I wanted to clean everything that came through but I'm no longer worried about the customer that only washes their car every few months. I think 90% of my customers wash at least twice a month.

I think you are right with that. Wheel brushes in tunnels do the trick for the most part, but on an IBA where the car is stationary and the tire does not roll, a high pressure wheel blast with a good chemical will probably out clean most spinning brush units. Especially with a more detailed wheel design and/or larger tires and wheels.

 

[Greg Pack]

I don't suppose the Oasis I5 had a Typhoon or XP next to it also. I would be interested to know what you think of the Oasis touchless also Greg.

Sorry, no Touch frees on site, soft cloth only.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Greg, I’ve owned three IBAs with wheel scrubbers. They just scrub the wheel, not the tire. So rolling or not doesn’t really make a difference. If I had it to do over, I wouldn’t have them. I took them off of one of my machines two years ago. Only one person has missed them.

 

[Davidson]

Greg, the wash time on my top wash is very similar to what you mentioned above. About 6.5 minutes with dryers. Top wash has 2 brush passes, lava wax, rain shield, triple foam, etc. Customers love the i5 and get a lot of compliments. One of the reasons I went back with same machine. I'd be glad to share any info with you just send me a message.

 

[soonermajic]

Who makes the i5,& where? What town you in, Davidson? 100% i know the mascot, as I coached for yrs in NE, Okla!
Shoot me a text about your wash(ie: new price/refurb price, etc...) 409)200-4667

Greg, did you get the i5? If so, thoughts...?

 

[Greg Pack]

Who makes the i5,& where? What town you in, Davidson? 100% i know the mascot, as I coached for yrs in NE, Okla!
Shoot me a text about your wash(ie: new price/refurb price, etc...) 409)200-4667

Greg, did you get the i5? If so, thoughts...?

I went with the Istobal Flex 5, but I think the I5 did a good job cleaning and is certainly worth looking at if you have local support.

 

[washnshine]

Thanks for keeping us updated on your research. Good luck with the new machine and show us some pics when it is up and running.