Success converting to mini express model

[ExpressingIt]

We are wanting to convert our IBA site into a mini express site. We would like to hear from those who have converted their IBA self-serve site to mini express site with or without free vacs. Were you successful? Percentage of increase in volume of car washes? Wash package ranges? Did you offer free vacs? What was your marketing strategy? What were your demographics to support the change? How much did you spend to convert to a mini express site.

We would also like to hear from those who were not as successful as they had anticipated.

Thanks,
B Ryder

 

[mac]

I've been watching this posting hoping there would be some real numbers to see. it's a little surprising that the supposedly hot trend in the industry, that is converting to an express mini, hasn't had ANY comments. What's up with that?

 

[pgrzes]

I am looking to convert the other way!!! I am tired of dealing with the help!! The decline in the business. I have a 45' express tunnel, I have 4 competing washes within 2.5 miles similiar format. I have only 1 wash approx 3 miles away that is auto. He is the busiest wash around. My SS bays have remained pretty consistent thru the troubling time. I can do the same number of cars or more with a 24 hour automatic, as apposed to a 8-9 hour per day attended tunnel.

 

[bigleo48]

I briefly thought about it and I think for the same money I would prefer adding a touchless.

My issues with a mini tunnel as as follows;

1- staff requirements
2- damage to cars (had zero in 5 years on my current machine)
3- elderly community that are absolutely petrified of conveyors and brushes
4- Many in this area perceives friction washes damage paint.
5- Can't be open 24hrs (I do about 20% of my business between 8pm and 8am).
6- Would not have the diversity of two machines.

So I feel my net would be less with a mini vs. 2 IBAs

Big

 

[Waxman]

What do you mean by #6? If 1 is down you still have the other?

 

[bigleo48]

What do you mean by #6? If 1 is down you still have the other?

If I only have one conveyor and its down, I'm down. With two Touchless IBAs, if one is down, I have the other and I can control and test everything, take them in and out of service remotely from my smartphone or PC.

 

[Washmee]

If I only have one conveyor and its down, I'm down. With two Touchless IBAs, if one is down, I have the other and I can control and test everything, take them in and out of service remotely from my smartphone or PC.

Good operators don't let their conveyors "go down". In 26 years I"ve never lost a days business to some type of equipment failure.

 

[bigleo48]

Good operators don't let their conveyors "go down". In 26 years I"ve never lost a days business to some type of equipment failure.

I come from the telecom industry where our systems were used for emergency services, so I'm very familiar with what produces high availability...including equipment mirroring, redundancy, site and space diversity, sparing, along with good operations/engineering procedures and rules. Still, you can't control everything.

But when you are down...even if it's for 5 minutes, the stress level goes up as the equipment needs attention immediately or you lose $ and more importantly customers.

Redundant machines that can be managed remotely removes the urgency and stress.

Big

 

[robert roman]

“It's a little surprising that the supposedly hot trend in the industry, that is converting to an express mini, hasn't had ANY comments. What's up with that?”

My guess is there haven’t been that many in-bay automatic to mini-tunnel conversions and those having done so don’t frequent this venue.

An in-bay/mini example is given on Sonny’s website but this is a gasoline property that has no carwash competition within 16 miles.

Tim Jones has shown success with in-bay/mini conversion but admittedly this was a complete overhaul of his lowest volume wash.

“I am looking to convert the other way!!!” “I have a 45’ express tunnel, I have 4 competing washes within 2.5 miles similiar format. I have only 1 wash approx 3 miles away that is auto. He is the busiest wash around.”

Typically, the busiest wash around is the one with the best site location and service. After all, the machine isn’t what makes a market, people do.

“I can do the same number of cars or more with a 24 hour automatic, as apposed to a 8-9 hour per day attended tunnel.”

Although this is possible, you would be subjecting your customers to the most stressful aspect of shopping – waiting in line – which can significantly affect a customer’s overall perception of the quality of service provided.

For example, consider your statement about an 8 – 9 (car) hour per day or the arrival rate of customers.

If the in-bay has a service rate of 10 cars an hour (6-minute average), an arrival rate of 9 customers an hour would translate, on average, to a waiting line of more than four cars and it would take over a half hour for the last person in line to get a wash.

Of course, these are the very things that you sought to avoid by upgrading from in-bay to mini-tunnel.

Consequently, this leads me to suspect that your problem, sufficient sales, lies elsewhere like location characteristics, marketing, quality of service, etc.
Hopes this helps.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Good operators don't let their conveyors "go down". In 26 years I"ve never lost a days business to some type of equipment failure.

Just had an errant driver drive thru my water meter breaking it. Happened Tues. 9:00 am , and got open Friday at 6:00 pm. Does that count as an equipment failure?

 

[Washmee]

Just had an errant driver drive thru my water meter breaking it. Happened Tues. 9:00 am , and got open Friday at 6:00 pm. Does that count as an equipment failure?

No. Hopefully their insurance company or yours will be compensating you for the lost revenue during your down time.

 

[mattman]

I think the cost of converting a bay is offering operators many challenges. To take an existing bay and add a trench with proper drainage can cost some serious money not to mention if your existing electrical is not enough. Converting from an in-bay to a mini-tunnel better really pencil out for an owner to pay the construction cost, labor, and give up a 24 hour business. I think in many cases(not every location) 2 automatics, especially one touchless and one friction, is still a better scenario. Just my opinion.

 

[bigleo48]

I think the cost of converting a bay is offering operators many challenges. To take an existing bay and add a trench with proper drainage can cost some serious money not to mention if your existing electrical is not enough.

From what Sonny says...about $250k +/-

For me adding another touchless is about $250-$300K

Big

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Now lets talk annual car count numbers.
Average IBA- 8,000/12,000/15,000/18,000 per year?
Average mini tunnel- 12,000/15,000/ 18,000 or more per year?
My IBA's (2 different locations) used to do 12-15,000 on a good year.
Bad year more like 10,000. I have a lot of gasoline IBA's competition.
I know some of you do a lot more than that. I know of IBA operators doing more and many that are doing less (4-6,000).
So how far off am I?
The numbers I have heard with the mini tunnels has been in access of 18-26,000 the first year.
Obviously there are many cost variables on both washes to factor in.
I too am interested in hearing from mini tunnel operators to see if these numbers are high or low.
I would love to take out an IBA and switch if it made sense.

 

[briteauto]

I found this post interesting - here is a perspective that I believe many of my customers would have if I made a conversion.

Most of my competition for my friction IBA here in the northeast is exterior washes - not express exterior, not $3 express, not full serve, but just plain exterior washes. Yes - there is a chain that is flex serve, but my immediate competition is exterior tunnel washes.

These tunnels generally have two prep attendants and 9 times out of ten also towel dry. They are generally well-equipped tunnels with 2-3 mitters and/or top wheels a couple sets of wraps/high sides washers, rockers and usually some hp arches and also include all the typical extra services you see in a modern wash tri foram, super sealer, wheel brite etc. The typical basic wash is around $7.

If I were to take out my friction IBA and replace with something like the Sonny's Extreme Mini Tunnel, I am not sure my customers would latch on. I'm not knocking Sonny's at all just cited that because it would have to be something pretty small to fit in a 38' bay, and I think that package can.

Sure, I could increase throughput, but right now, my customers are getting a very thorough two passes of top and side washing in my IBA. They know the time in the bay equals a quality wash and they are willing to pay for it. I also offer all the extra services of any tunnel, with the exception of tire shine.

 

[briteauto]

Here is the rest - I got too wordy on the above post:


I could see if I went the route of a mini tunnel, I would have to get an attendant, and close the wash in the evening. Comparing this scenario to my competition, my customers would see my wash as an under-equipped conveyorized wash with no prep attendants or towel dry. Probably would kick a lot of my customers over to my competition. I think many of my customers would see only one set of side washers, one top wheel, and just think of my wash as a weak (fast) tunnel that does not prep or towel dry. I do not believe they would think "wow he can clean more cars per hour than in his IBA", but rather "wow -there isn't much equipment in this compared to the other conveyor washes around town - and there is no prep."

My customers know they can wash 24/7 in my IBA, and that although there is no prep, the wash packages are very thorough. Although there is no towel dry, there is sfr and the cars come out very clean.

I may be all wrong in this assumption, but in my opinion, adding the cost of an attendant and shortening the hours of operation, along with lessening the equipment contact with the cars would devalue the perception of my wash compared to what my competitors offer.

Just my thoughts.