Car Wash Forum
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Used Friction machine
- Thread starter wash4me
- Start date
Well good luck Wash4me, you'll need it. I think that many if not most of the operators who visit here, would be very cautious about buying a machine they knew little about. This is not like buying a used power drill at a garage sale. Even if you got a free machine, it would most likely cost you $25,000 to transport, install, and run all the utilities, not including the money acceptor. So you do this from someone you don't know, and hope they are not only legitimate, but also competent. Yes, we all want to get a good deal, but you need to keep a strong grip on your checkbook before you but something from a stranger in a business you are new to. Feel free to send me a PM if you want to hire someone to assist you with this. And welcome to our industry.
Someone asked me once: Why would you buy someone else's problems?
Okay, you CAN get a good deal on a second hand machine (foreclosure, etc) but you could also get a handful of trouble. Just image a fine day and the #$%^ machine is playing up and you will be called out to the machine 10 times a day...You have to do your homework.
Okay, you CAN get a good deal on a second hand machine (foreclosure, etc) but you could also get a handful of trouble. Just image a fine day and the #$%^ machine is playing up and you will be called out to the machine 10 times a day...You have to do your homework.
Jimmy Buffett
Active member
I wouldn't be a bit afraid to buy a used softgloss since I have a tech that is qualified to install it. That is exactly what I should do if I had the time to devote to my wash that it should get. I would guess that most cw failures are not due to faulty equipment but poor locations and poor managerial skills, not to mention way too much competition. Plus there are areas where friction just doesn't fly. Mine stays pretty busy if it's not raining.
Ah Mike, that's the rub as they say. Having a knowledgable tech. In many parts of the country they are in short supply. I think the problem arises because there are basically no real, written standars for our "industry. Shoot, anybody can sell the stuff, and you don't even need a fishing license to work on them.
