Spot free rinse or air dryer

[Jason Studer]

I have a 4 Bay self serve wash. I have some extra money to spend this year. An 8 bay self serve less then a mile away closed its door about two years ago and I have slowly been getting busier and busier.

What would you install? Yes both would be ideal. I have done no research at all on cost, so I thought I would let your great minds do some work.

Thanks Jason

 

[mrfixit]

Spot free rinse is absolutely essential imo. Cost will be close, maybe slightly more for spot free system.

Customers love no spots. Hard or soft always leaves spots unless fully dried.. Easier to just spot free and not worry about hard or salt spots

 

[Jason Studer]

Not that it makes much of a difference, but I am in Minnesota.

 

[Randy]

Every situation is different. How is your water quality? How long has your wash been open without a Spot free rinse system? We have really good water here, it’s around 3 grains hardness from the tap, I don’t know of any car washes in the area that have a Spot free rinse system, we've only been open 35 years without a Spot free rinse system. I would personally go with the Air Dryer if I was going to be in the car wash business much longer.

 

[mrfixit]

Good point, definately depends on water quality and hardness. I live with 25 grains of hardness so I forget some are spoiled with easy water.

Do you know your water hardness Jason.

 

[pgrzes]

If you dont have credit cards with count up get the spot free. then credit cards count up timers then hand blowers. My opinion only.

 

[chaz]

...and if still have extra money to spend this year...feel free to send it my way!

 

[MEP001]

I'd do spot-free rinse, but just about every car wash around here has it. Almost no one has air dryers, and the few that do see minimal use of it.

 

[DiamondWash]

I visited a lot of washes through Iowa and tested a lot of hand held dryers, the washes that looked to have neglectful wash owners had the poorest performance no wonder they weren't getting used and the washes that had owners who took pride in their washes had hand held dryers that worked so well I still had time on the meter and didn't need it.

 

[Earl Weiss]

IMO if you don't have CC with count up, do that. You will have more $ to get both the dryers and spot free.

 

[Jason Studer]

Credit cards were installed about a year ago. Love them.

The car wash has been open since 1986. Never has had spot free rinse. No one has hand dryers, and very few have spot free rinse. The closest car wash about 3-4 miles has spot free rinse.

There has been 7-8 self serve car washes in Minneapolis and the suburbs that have closed in the last few years. two of with were close.

I have never done a water grain test straight from the city water, but after the softener it is 1-2 grain

 

[slash007]

I don't have spot free rinse yet (adding it soon) but I did add air dryers about 3 years ago and they paid for themselves after less than one year. People love them and they get use a ton. I have the air shammees. I've even seem people use them in the rain lol.