When would you consider replacing your machine?

[washnshine]

My question is do you think brushed IBA are becoming a thing of the past as more and more tunnel washes spring up? It seems to me that there is still a niche market for touch free. I see my touch free IBA's growing rev but my brush IBA does worse. Still not sure if it's worth the upgrade/switch?

I think that may be the case on the customer side of things - if they have several friction tunnels as options that are conveniently located and offer money saving monthly wash plans, there may be less of a draw to a friction IBA, and the use of any IBA may be solely to achieve a touchless wash - something different from the ee’s.

On the operator side of things, the friction IBA offers them a lower cost to build, lower maintenance, lower employee option that cleans better than a touchfree in a lower volume market.

It all depends on the competition that your wash faces and the volume you are projecting for your location. But with ee’s popping up so quickly and in such large quantities - it is smart to “build for the future.”

 

[Greg Pack]

Just replaced an older cloth unit, which gives you great justification for going up substantially in price. The new auto will easily pay for itself over seven years due to the increased revenue.

 

[wyatt]

Has anyone made the switch from a brush IBA to Touch Free? How did the public react and did your revenue change?

 

[soonermajic]

Has anyone made the switch from a brush IBA to Touch Free? How did the public react and did your revenue change?

Great question

 

[Greg Pack]

Has anyone made the switch from a brush IBA to Touch Free? How did the public react and did your revenue change?

That's a tough question. Touch free has a niche. But cloth cleans better/more consistently. I would consider what is offered in your area (in both C stores and competing washes) and try to be the different one.

 

[washnshine]

For those of you who have been around for a while you will remember that at one point ryko only made friction machines PDQ only made touchless, mark 7 only made touchless, nu star only made friction Belanger only made cloth tunnels and so on. Every manufacturer does it all now which shows on some level, there is still a market for every type of wash. I’m sure not every manufacturer is killing it on sales for every machine, but they see the opportunity to compete in the various markets.

 

[copperglobe]

I am one of those that has a hard time putting a pencil to buying new equipment for an ACW. 100k, 120k, 150K+ for these automatics with all in (installation, plumbers, electricians, freight) I can't see where even with a price increase you're going to be able to cover that expense. Have equipment manufacturers priced themselves out of the market?

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

What would you guys think would be the min cpd that would justify and could support a new machine at these prices?

 

[Rfreeman]

I. Jist bought new SoftGloss, & the 5 yr writeoff for new equipment is NICE bonus.

Ask the cpa about sec 179 deduction...i wrote off the entire purchase price of mine the 1st year which was great for my overall tax situation.

 

[Rfreeman]

I am one of those that has a hard time putting a pencil to buying new equipment for an ACW. 100k, 120k, 150K+ for these automatics with all in (installation, plumbers, electricians, freight) I can't see where even with a price increase you're going to be able to cover that expense. Have equipment manufacturers priced themselves out of the market?

I'm kind of the same mindset....i think I would just buy new skins on my softgloss which is still like $15K vs. $130K to $150K for a new machine. Unless I need the write off

 

[soonermajic]

Unless Im missing something, just see what your mo payment is gonna be, divide that by 30 & you know how much money you gotta make daily.
Let's say it's around $100/day ($3k/mo), then you gotta wash @ least 12 cpd @ $10/car. That covers payment + expenses.

 

[DiamondWash]

I might have to start looking at another reload just got wind tonight I have 3 new tunnels being built within 3 miles of me they are Mister Car Wash, Tommy's Car Wash, and Kwik Star Express Wash. What's even better is that 2 of the 3 are building across the street from each other????

 

[soonermajic]

I might have to start looking at another reload just got wind tonight I have 3 new tunnels being built within 3 miles of me they are Mister Car Wash, Tommy's Car Wash, and Kwik Star Express Wash. What's even better is that 2 of the 3 are building across the street from each other????

WTH?!!

 

[washnshine]

I might have to start looking at another reload just got wind tonight I have 3 new tunnels being built within 3 miles of me they are Mister Car Wash, Tommy's Car Wash, and Kwik Star Express Wash. What's even better is that 2 of the 3 are building across the street from each other????

Sorry to hear that Diamond.

 

[copperglobe]

I might have to start looking at another reload just got wind tonight I have 3 new tunnels being built within 3 miles of me they are Mister Car Wash, Tommy's Car Wash, and Kwik Star Express Wash. What's even better is that 2 of the 3 are building across the street from each other????

Sorry to hear that. I do not understand these express washes and building on top of each other.

 

[WashSingh]

I recently replaced a 23 year old Ryko. I was debating going touchless, but the projected cost increase of additional water & chemical (~2.5x) had me stick with friction. Replaced my Ryko with a Istobal Flex 5. Water bill cut in half, and it cleans exceptionally well. Glad I made the decision to upgrade and stay with friction.

 

[slash007]

I recently replaced a 23 year old Ryko. I was debating going touchless, but the projected cost increase of additional water & chemical (~2.5x) had me stick with friction. Replaced my Ryko with a Istobal Flex 5. Water bill cut in half, and it cleans exceptionally well. Glad I made the decision to upgrade and stay with friction.

What made your water bill be cut in half if you went from friction to friction?

 

[WashSingh]

What made your water bill be cut in half if you went from friction to friction?

I pondered the same exact question after I replaced the machine. To me it can either be one of two things. My old machine was leaking water internally within the machine and I wasn't aware.....or I personally think the Flex5 just does more with less water. It probably is much more efficient with water consumption. I will also add that I added high pressure wheel blasters to my Flex5, which I did not have with the Ryko. My bay is on a separate electrical service, and the electrical bill stayed just about the same even though I have the added high pressure pump.

 

[DiamondWash]

Tonight I went through the Tommy's Express Wash that used to be a Mark 7 SoftWash XT IBA in a nearby town the new conversion to the Tommy Wash had me in and out 1:35 with a 60ft tunnel length. $16 for the top wash and man were they processing vehicles totally unattended as well.

 

[OurTown]

Tonight I went through the Tommy's Express Wash that used to be a Mark 7 SoftWash XT IBA in a nearby town the new conversion to the Tommy Wash had me in and out 1:35 with a 60ft tunnel length. $16 for the top wash and man were they processing vehicles totally unattended as well.

Did it actually clean your vehicle?