Wax/Sealant for LW 4000

[soonermajic]

I've been using Dri-Brite, for my clearcoat/sealant in my IBA (LW 4000). I go through it pretty quickly. I was wondering if any of you guys use "Just Peachy" from K-R? I se it's on a helluva a sale + it's an ultra concentrate & mixes to 15 gallons.

thoughts...

 

[loewem]

I've not used the KR products in my LW4000. On my third chemical distributor in two years and happy with the cost and the product. The products are from Platinum Professional Car Wash Systems. Platinumcw.com. The clearcoat we use is PCW13 ($117/5 gallons). It is concentrated and lasts well. We also use a total vehicle protectant product which is PCW88 ($165/5 gallons). Don't go through this very fast. All of the products are highly concentrated. When we switched from blue coral to these products we had to go to smaller tips for every product per the titration. We were going through the previous products at a sickening pace. Product costs less, using less and it does a great job.

 

[soonermajic]

what product were you using before? $117/5 gallons is HIGH.
Just Peachy makes 15 gallons & is on sale for $55! That should last me 4 months!

 

[Kevin James]

We tried the "Just Peachy" once and will never use it again, the stuff jelled up on us. We use the "Simoniz Cherry Glo" now. Works great, never had any problems with it.

 

[loewem]

Previously used blue coral and amor all products. Rainex was one of the products. It all worked well, but was expensive and went through it fast.

 

[robert roman]

“….makes 15 gallons & is on sale for $55! That should last me 4 months!”

Based on 3 oz per application, 15 gallons at $55 and 15 gallons at $117 and four months, substituting the lower cost per unit chemical for the higher cost one would save you a grand total of $1.25 per day.

One more carwash a day or an increase in average per car revenue of $0.25 would produce a higher gain than this.

How can “….go through it pretty quickly.” when you are not washing a lot of cars?

I don’t get it.

I would probably opt for some higher cost product that would help me generate more sales rather than just save $1.25.

 

[soonermajic]

Robert, his was $117 for ONLY FIVE gallons, NOT 15 gallons. If what I'm reading is correct....

 

[pgrzes]

I just switched to Blendco's Supershield. I was using Durashield. Supershield is basically the same product at a different dilution. Durashield was to strong. I use Kleen Rite's Deep Blue in my HP rinse cycles. I like it a lot, good fragrance and beads up nicely.

 

[robert roman]

“Robert, his was $117 for ONLY FIVE gallons, NOT 15 gallons. If what I'm reading is correct...”

It also doesn’t read that $117 doesn’t make 15 gallons either.

So, I assumed each concentrate makes 15 gallons to make fair comparison of cost per unit.

If $117 only made 5 gallons, then $55/5gal/15gal would save maybe $3.00 a day.

The point I was trying to make is when a wash is hardly doing any volume why look to save nickels in cost.

I don’t get it.

Is it just to chatter or accomplish some goal or objective?

“I go through it pretty quickly.”

This could also be a good problem to have.

However, it won’t be created by save on cost.

 

[rph9168]

I agree with Robert as far as chemical costs go. Low volume operations should concentrate much more on the performance of the products than the cost if it is within reason. Even higher volume washes get caught up trying to save a penny or two while sacrificing quality of the wash. I have found that some operators deceive themselves when they say they are getting the same or better wash results with chemicals that cost less. Car wash customers really don't care that much about what chemicals you are using. Sometimes we tend to forget that what you are selling them is a clean, dry vehicle. How that is accomplished is up to the operator.

 

[soonermajic]

Good advice guys. Sometimes, well often times, I get caught up in trying to save money. I'm the only Automatic in town, & w/in 30 miles. However, that should not be what guides me...

 

[mrfixit]

Don't we all need to find the balance. A small town makes it tough. We have 3000 ppl in our town with an older superwash automatic in town and supposedly Ryko is also putting a softgloss in the bp 2 miles down the road.

Since we wouldn't buy a new machine to replace our 12yr old touchless machine, they found someone else that would. They expect a 10yr turn around, kinda hard to make money buying a new machine every 10yrs in a small town

 

[rph9168]

Even though they will have a new machine you still have an edge. You can almost assume many of your customers will try the new wash. You need to be proactive and make sure your wash is performing at its peak and looks its best. Hopefully you can keep you prices attractive enough to have them return. I have seen cases when this happened that the existing owner made it so tough on the new guy that they have ended up owning both washes when the new one went bankrupt or the owner decided to turn it over or sell it to the existing guy. Hang in there. I think you can turn this into an advantage.

 

[soonermajic]

I know this is supposed to be about CC/Wax/sealant, but rph gives some very good advice. make it super tough on those new guys. Will teach them & Ryko a lesson!