Petit 360i long bay

[AnalyticWash]

CPC on a petit is going to be higher than a $1 if you have 4 packages. 400+ cpd is a pipe dream on one machine. 300+ is a stretch. 250+ is a possibility.

 

[Waxman]

I think you're being way too optimistic. Financial projections should involve some degree of pessimism. When I did mine I had a best case worst-case and hopeful average.

I can think of many ways that this project will fail miserably. That doesn't mean it will, that's just one guys idea.

Your competitor has a loyal following for a reason. It's foolish to think that you can easily change peoples habits and preferences just because you build something new. The line for a tunnel is constantly moving, more or less. The line for a rollover automatic is not like that.

when you're creating your projections for volume and revenue it's always much better to have a large margin for error, meaning that if you don't hit your average, You can still pay your bills and not go into arrears.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Side note I grew up in Michigan, go blue

Ha! I won’t hold it against you.

 

[GoBuckeyes]

Your competitor seems to have at least some internet presence:

HOME | Splash Car Wash

Touchless car wash located in Hamilton & Missoula, Montana. We offer a clean car guarantee and friendly service with every visit. Explore our different wash packages today and see what Splash Car Wash can offer!

splashwashweb.wixsite.com

A couple pluses for you is that they close at 6pm and they aren’t open at all on Sundays. Unless your entire town is shut down on Sundays I would consider that a bonus.

While the speed limit entering their wash makes it difficult, their visibility is very good.
The 25mph speed for your location is much better, however, your visibility is going to tough. Maybe it’s better in person, but from what I can tell it looks like you’re not on the main road where you took the traffic count but a dead end spur. Your wash will be hidden behind the Sherwin Williams building and grocery store. Hard to see!

Will the city allow you any signage on the main road? How do you plan on overcoming the invisibility of your property?

 

[Rapidoil]

@GoBuckeyes
Good questions. I am not on the main road, I'm 150' back from that. I would build my building so it was visible and obvious from both main road but more importantly the large grocery store that's my neighbor. I think it's better in person but it's not amazing. It is in the part of town that people go to, whereas the competitors wash is on the edge of town where people are often going 45/50 mph. Signage would be limited to the building and whatever I can come up with. There is a chance I would be able to get a spot on the monument sign that is in front of the Kmart. My location is a solid B location but definetly not an A. Also this is a smaller community. Everyone will know when it's being built and what it is because it's not a suburb of a major city. All that said it has its drawbacks, but I own the ground.

 

[KYwashywash]

Im curious your build cost if you go through with this. I’m selling a two bay auto two bay self serve for 1.5. Rev about 300k per year. Wondered how much a new one would cost.

 

[eckert16]

from your photo...May want to consider moving your building a bit southwest, to open up this blue area for traffic coming in.... and ask for a rezoning variance to put an entrance here to take advantage of the customers that will see your new building as they are driving thru the huge parking lot to your SouthEast, and while they are walking into that store. Make it easy for those potential customers that 'just went shopping' to spur of the moment drive right into your carwash cue. You are unlikely to capture these shoppers (especially the ones heading SouthEast after shopping) once they leave the huge parking lot and enter the main highway (which you are not on).

You are correct to question the bankers estimate of 45,000 cars per day...that is quite a stretch for the type of road you are on as you already know. That road has way less than that for traffic. Your challenge will be to increase visibility from the main road, while not really having visibility from the main road. Consider the type of road you are actually on, and what you can do Now to potentially increase your capture rate. A cut thru from the store parking lot SouthEast of you lot could help your numbers.

Not impossible... A single IBA Petit I know of is directly behind a WalMart, can't see it from the front of the WalMart, nor from the one side that also has a dead end road... There is nothing behind the WalMart, just weeds, the dead end road, and that single IBA... no thru traffic, yet it's wash quality has allowed this wash to prosper due to word of mouth alone with the owner looking at adding another Petit... in a Town of 6,000 with two other washes. The other two washes: 1 has 3 IBAs, the other 2 IBAs with 4 4 SS bays.

 

[Carwashclubber]

@GoBuckeyes thanks for your reply. Part of me hopes he does fix that problem for his wash. Maybe he's on here ? Who knows.

I don't understand the wiping down part, at least one my oil change clients have had their car scratched after they dropped the rag, picked it up and kept using it on his new car. I'm sure this is rare but something to consider.

Side note I grew up in Michigan, go blue

Nope, no sir. That's it - you are out of the circle of trust. I can abide Canadians, Texans, even the occasional brit... but a follower of That Team Up North - too much. no. I'll be sending a request to Tom/James and Phil/Ron to permanently embargo the entire state of ichigan. Or, you can admit publicly that Jim Harbaugh pees sittn down; maze is just corn-color yellow ; and THE Ohio State University is the all-around superior institution.

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Nope, no sir. That's it - you are out of the circle of trust. I can abide Canadians, Texans, even the occasional brit... but a follower of That Team Up North - too much. no. I'll be sending a request to Tom/James and Phil/Ron to permanently embargo the entire state of ichigan. Or, you can admit publicly that Jim Harbaugh pees sittn down; maze is just corn-color yellow ; and THE Ohio State University is the all-around superior institution.

What's funnier than 42-27? 45-23. At this rate Ryan Day has fallen asleep on third base and needs two more years to hang that 100 on Michigan he promised...................................................................................sorry...............got distracted.................................Michigan just scored another 75 yard touchdown.