What's difference in EE & tunnel?

[soonermajic]

I don't really know what an EE is, or how it compares to a regular tunnel.
I found a wonderful site w/ 10k traffic on front & 5k on the side, right in front of WalMart. I wanted to do a dbl friction IBA, but now am wondering if I should thi k tunnel or, mini-tunnel or EE.
But I don't really understand EE concepts vs. Regular tunnel. I see 4/5 employees @ regular tunnels, & i do NOT want a bunch of employees.
Could somebody describe EE? How many employees at a site that avg 150ish cpd? How long would u suggest (i have a rectangular acre, which seems perfect). What type equipment, & what to NOT buy? Approximate cost of the equipment & bldg (not an outrageous building).?

Any pertinent info I left off?

 

[Axxlrod]

I can help you, but as distributor such as Big Man could help you more. First off DO NOT tell anyone where this location is until you have it under contract; especially a distributor. Otherwise it can easily be swiped from underneath you.

A rectangular lot in front of a wal mart is usually as good as it can get. Although those traffic counts seem a little low for a Wal mart site. Ideally you want 30k+ for a EE site.

What are the rough site dimensions? And I can tell you roughly what you can fit on the site.

EE vs. tunnel

The EE model usually means exterior only service while using pay stations and free vacs. This model can function with as little as two employees (loader and pay station greeter), but you will need more to handle a busy site and keep everybody sane and the site clean.

Ballpark costs for a basic EE site are $1M for building and $1M for equip (tunnel/paystations/vacs/support equip/install). Either can easily go higher as the build gets more elaborate/fancy.

150 cars per day? If that's all the site can garner, then just put in two or three IBAs and call it a day. A properly equipped tunnel can do 150 cars in a hour.

What type of equipment to put in is like asking what car to buy. Many opinions, and you will need to educate yourself.

As a start, I recommend spending time on Sonny's website where the have many articles and videos that are geared toward informing the new investor about the EE model. Not saying you have to go with Sonny's equipment, but since they are the biggest equip company, they have many learning resources.

 

[soonermajic]

Axxlrod,
I think your 1st sentence may be the best advice you've given me.!
I do think 150---180 is about the best it can avg. Maybe a high of 350 some days.
Also, you may be correct: probably just buold a sharp looking double friction IBA, install some free arched boom covered vacs, & call it a day. Maybe my biggest dilemma now is, Tire Shine. SO MANY differing opinions on that...

 

[MC3033]

Based on that traffic some nice dual IBA would do the trick. Far less risk and in this case similar upside compared to an express.

 

[Earl Weiss]

150 CPD. A decent Tunnel can handle 150 CPH.

 

[CheetahExpress]

Axxlrod,
I think your 1st sentence may be the best advice you've given me.!
I do think 150---180 is about the best it can avg. Maybe a high of 350 some days.
Also, you may be correct: probably just buold a sharp looking double friction IBA, install some free arched boom covered vacs, & call it a day. Maybe my biggest dilemma now is, Tire Shine. SO MANY differing opinions on that...

Coach, when we first started planning our IBA, I mentioned a tire shine option to my distributor rep (PDQ) at the time, and he said although he would love to set us up with a tire shine, if we were going to be handling alot of duallys through the site, that the tire shine mechanisms don't work well with duallys. You might need to check this out.

 

[Axxlrod]

Tire shine machines don't work well period.

 

[MC3033]

Tire shine machines don't work well period.

I’ve ran well over 250k cars (cars that actually had tire shine) on a Sonnys tire shine and I’ve only had to 2 items wear out, a hydraulic motor (which only had a slow leak) and an air cylinder. I also had to replace the drip tube manifold on one when a customer drove off the conveyor and over the tire shiner.

Also had a macniel tire shiner and it was the biggest turd I’ve ever seen! Brand matters!

 

[soonermajic]

I’ve ran well over 250k cars (cars that actually had tire shine) on a Sonnys tire shine and I’ve only had to 2 items wear out, a hydraulic motor (which only had a slow leak) and an air cylinder. I also had to replace the drip tube manifold on one when a customer drove off the conveyor and over the tire shiner.

Also had a macniel tire shiner and it was the biggest turd I’ve ever seen! Brand matters!

Dangit, i have heard MacNeil & Belanger had the 2 best Tire Shine units.
Now a big vote for Sonny's.

 

[mac]

I like the idea of twp IBAs. Especially with the relatively low traffic count. Two IBA can do 10 cars per hour easily, and you won't need full time employee and you can stay open 24/7. Another consideration is that, because Jesus didn't build the machines, something will break. With a conveyor system, when that happens you are closed.

 

[STXCW]

If those traffic counts are accurate then 2 friction IBA's would be the way to go. We had PDQ frictions doing 122 cars on 2 brush unit and 3 brush units doing 139 this past weekend. Not the 350 CPD you might get on some days but close enough at a cheaper price point. I'm sure other friction units can do the same or better.

 

[Axxlrod]

You sure those traffic counts are correct?

I've never heard of low cpd numbers in front of a wal mart.

 

[Rfreeman]

You sure those traffic counts are correct?

I've never heard of low cpd numbers in front of a wal mart.

I have been speaking with Sooner on his plan and proposed location and yes those counts are fairly accurate I would have to confirm the year those counts were taken but I am certain within the last 2 years.....so maybe add 10-20% more traffic. The site does seem to be pretty solid.

 

[soonermajic]

Yes , those are accurate #'s, as it's a small town in NE, Okla

 

[soonermajic]

What's a decent estimate on a 90' tunnel + 10 vacs, & 2 PayStations + a split faced block building & concrete, on 3/4 of an acre.
Do NOT include land price.

 

[Greg Pack]

What's a decent estimate on a 90' tunnel + 10 vacs, & 2 PayStations + a split faced block building & concrete, on 3/4 of an acre.
Do NOT include land price.

2 million plus land

You want more than 10 vac spots if possible, closer to 20 preferred

 

[Earl Weiss]

I have 4 Viper shine tire shin units- about as trouble free a piece of car wash equipment as any out there. Plusses - Low initial cost and low maintenance. Negatives - higher per car application cost.

 

[soonermajic]

Is general rule of thumb, need 75 cars/$1 million invested?