In order to begin running a car wash, one of the first major considerations you’ll have as an owner is which car wash equipment you’ll invest in to get things going. That being said, not all car wash equipment has the same quality, and investing in some is a long term business decision.
You should focus on both, long term and short term aspects of your car wash business. Treating equipment like a short term investment is a long term mistake, so you will have to use some discretion when making your choice.
With that in mind, here are four questions that you should ask car wash manufacturers before you invest in any equipment.
1. “How well does the car wash equipment clean?”
This question is number one on our list for a reason. Your car wash’s brand and ability to retain customers will ultimately be defined by how clean people’s cars look after your equipment has scrubbed them. As such, you should ask car wash manufacturers about their equipment’s cleaning capabilities before you proceed any further.
Try to get specific details. Naturally, car wash manufacturers will say their product is great.
2. “How efficient is the car wash equipment?”
The additional costs created by inefficient car wash equipment will add up fast. When using inefficient car wash equipment, your water bill alone can quickly spike to cost you thousands of dollars per year; likewise, you will find yourself purchasing car wash chemicals more often than you need to.
Car Wash Business 101’s Scott Glover, for example, discussed in a recent article how he still ended up with “$2k plus water/sewage bills each month” after investing in a $55,000 water recycling system.
Those are just the logistical costs. Inefficient car wash equipment will also slow your car washing speed down. This minimizes your ability to serve customers on busy days and reduces the likelihood that people in a hurry will bother stopping by.
3. “How good is the car wash equipment at performing auxiliary functions?”
In addition to being able to wash a car thoroughly and quickly, customers might expect additional services like waxing or Rain-X application. If possible, your equipment should be able to perform these functions, but there is no guarantee that it will. Rain-X, for example, requires a low pressure application; many types of car wash equipment do not possess this feature.
4. “How long will the car wash equipment last?”
As we mentioned at the very beginning, car wash equipment is a long term investment. If your car wash equipment isn’t durable enough to be around for the long haul, then purchasing it would be a waste of money.
Ready to start a car wash business?
If you’re considering starting a car wash business, your first big step will be getting the right car wash equipment. The profitability of your business will largely depend on the efficiency of your equipment. At MacNeil Car Wash Systems, our equipment is engineered to meet the demands of a busy, growing car wash business. These rugged systems are purposefully designed to give you years and years of constant uptime.
Contact us to receive a no-obligation quote or for further information about our quality MacNeil car wash equipment .