Wax service at automatic carwash

[fuzzmitten]

Hey guys!



I am a car enthusiast and have prowled the forums for several months. Some great people, and great information on here! I was hoping to get some input from the community about my business idea.



My only experience in the auto detailing business detailing my own car and a few side jobs from family and friends. Everyone asks how my car always looks so "shiny and clean". So I have had a few jobs like these. But nothing really serious, where I would be detailing peoples cars who I do not know.



So to the idea....



I have a close relationship with the owner of 3 automatic touchless car washes in central Ohio, all in middle-upper class communities. I have the chance to set up tents at these locations (Id start at one), and offer detailing services to the people leaving the wash.



Since I am moving for college in the fall, this is going to be a summer only deal, and I need to remain flexible. When I first started contemplating this idea, I had these thoughts of a full detail service, interior included. But the more i though about it, the more a simple, wax only, small operation made sense. I could move through cars faster, keep my overhead way lower, and become efficient and the few services offered.



I wouldn`t be surprised to hear some enthusiasts suggest a wax only booth is not doing things the proper way. I can appreciate this. But for the average soccer mom driving her beamer through the automatic, a nice wax job is more then she would want. Mention clay bar to most people and the give you a bert stare :confused:.



A few questions:



1. Is there such a thing as a one wax fit all? Can i choose a couple of products and be set with them? Any reccomendations?



2. Is using a buffer the most efficent way to wax cars?



3. Would 30 minutes per car be a good estimate for wax time?



I am sure I will be back soon with many more questions.



Thanks for any input you make!





:thx:thx:thx:thx:thx

[AeroCleanse]

There are lots of answers. First, you should offer a spray on type wax, a paste type wax and a paint sealant.



For a spray type wax, Optimum Spray Wax and System 51 Spray Wax (which you can get in up to 55 gallon drums) would be a good choice. Both are real easy to work with and take minimal time.



For a paste type wax, I would suggest Dodo Juice Rainforest Rub. While there are a lot of great paste waxes out there, you can up sell Dodo Juice because its a specialty wax.



For paint sealants, I would use HD Car Care`s HD Poxy Pro and Ultima Paint Guard Plus. HD Poxy is applied more like a paste wax, where you apply it then wait, then remove. UPGP is an apply and walk away sealant. So with UPGP you spritz the applicator twice to prime it, then wipe it on a panel at a time, using an extra spritz on the applicator per panel.



I would suggest you think about offering both a quick (spray type) and a more slow process. People at automatic car washes aren`t the kind of people that want to wait any longer than they have to.

[bwalker25]

i wont touch on how good or bad of an idea this is...but..I will answer the questions you asked.



1. Opti-seal



2. Yes a buffer is faster at waxing a car than your hands. It also doesn`t get tired of moving around, its like superman as long as there is power!



3. You can do this in under 15 minutes, if you`re quick about it....



You will need a wax or sealant that doesn`t require a cure time, for obvious time restraints.



If I were going to try this I`d use the following products:



Meguiars APC+

Alot of WW Drying towels

Opti-seal

a Tire Dressing.



Hit the wheels/tires/wells with APC+ before the automatic wash starts, aggitate a little and let the wash with high pressure do the rest. Run to the other side and wait on the car to leave the wash. When it comes out, dry if necessary (hopefully the wash has a dryer :) ) Then take Opti-seal and seal the car, and hit the tires/wheels/wells as necessary. Dress the tires.



Done

[Dutch_guy]

1. You`ll need a wax without curing time.

2. I think a dual action polisher is better for applying & removing wax.

3. I cannot wax a car in 30 minutes alone. If you are with 1 guy it`s possible.



"if you wax a turd it`s still a turd"

[wfedwar]

Interesting idea. Sort of like "detailing for the masses" or something? There may be comments about how you could be doing more on these cars, but the real bottom line is you need to make your customers happy and if a simple wax is all they want, then what`s the harm? Anyway, my biggest concern would be entertaining the customers while they wait an extra half hour for you to get done waxing their car. Most people I know who use car washes like this just want to get in and out fast. You may be much more successful if you have a couple of helpers and reduce the time down to 10 minutes. I`m thinking about the more successful automatic car washes I`ve seen. After the car comes out of the tunnel, about half a dozen guys converge on it and dry, vacuum, dress tires in about 5 minutes. That gets the customers back on the road faster and keeps the line shorter.





To answer your questions:



1. If I were going to do this, I`d use Collinite 845 exclusively (easy, looks good, awesome beading most people like, probably more durable than anything else they`ve seen).



2. I wouldn`t use a machine just because you`re going to have to switch pads every ten minutes or so. You`ll either have to buy a hundred or so pads or stop to clean them. Either option doesn`t sound good for this case. I`d go by hand with disposable applicators.



3. Thirty minutes seems like a long time for someone to wait on you to get done, after they`ve already waited for their car to get through the tunnel and any interior work. Get a helper and try to get time down to 10 minutes. One can apply and the other can follow around buffing.



One thing to keep in mind is that most people (especially women) appreciate a clean interior much more than a shiny exterior. If your touchless place doesn`t offer interior services, you may be better off going that route.

[rdorman]

IMO, automated touchless does not get the car clean enough to go straight to wax.

[imported_Larry A]

You Have To Use A Cleaner Wax Like Megs 151.

[wn1998]

The question is what could your price point be at a gas station no touch car wash? Also, will people have the time to wait 20-30 minutes for you to wax their cars? Are they going to stand next to their car, sit inside or what?

[focus2069]

I would say a cleaner (all in one) type wax like Megs 151 as well and you can buy that in bulk.

[15951]

If I were in your shoes, I`d buy the cheapest bulk stuff you can find that will wipe on and off with as little effort as possible. Don`t worry about durability, it just needs to fill swirls as much as possible and make the car shiny, with a heavy dose of chemical cleaners to help pick up what the crappy car wash left behind. If your customer is using automatic car washes, they`re going to strip the stuff off quickly anyway. Also, an automatic car wash customer isn`t going to pay much for this, so buy a big jug of CG or similar quick wax/sealant and call it a day.



I wouldn`t go the Dodo Juice or similar routes for upcharging, as someone that just paid $6 for an automatic wash isn`t likely to hand you $50 for a boutique hand wax. Fast and cheap is going to be the name of the game with this one. I bet you`re looking at an average of $20/car for this, tops.

[bwalker25]

i personally think the potential is there for alot of customers....If you hit the wheels/tires/wells with APC+ before the car enters and agitate, then after the car enters the tires/wheels/wells should be reasonably clean. You aren`t going for perfection, most people that want a car cleaned do not know what a swirl is, so it is a mute point to show it to them because then they will blame you for it.



Dont show them the swirls, explain that you are a detailer and adding value to an existing service they are purchasing, but you are not detailing there car. You are adding a wax and making sure wheels/tires/wells are cleaned and dressed.



I think IW845 or Opti-seal would be your best bets at this point. and for a dressing I`d use something that I could purchase in 5 gal bulk or larger. We have a place in Raleigh NC that sells in large bulk (chemicals, etc).



You should be able to hit 4 tires/wheels/wells and agitate it, and after wash have it sealed (paint and glass) in under 15 minutes not counting the wash cycle.



The car will not be cleaned perfectly, lets face it, however most customers that would spring for this type job will not care about a swirl, they see "shiny paint, clean wheels, and shiny tires" and think "not bad"



The average person is lazy and that is where you can capitalize in a large way.



I would price this out at $15 per car not counting the wash...

[fuzzmitten]

There are lots of answers. First, you should offer a spray on type wax, a paste type wax and a paint sealant.



For a spray type wax, Optimum Spray Wax and System 51 Spray Wax (which you can get in up to 55 gallon drums) would be a good choice. Both are real easy to work with and take minimal time.



For a paste type wax, I would suggest Dodo Juice Rainforest Rub. While there are a lot of great paste waxes out there, you can up sell Dodo Juice because its a specialty wax.



For paint sealants, I would use HD Car Care`s HD Poxy Pro and Ultima Paint Guard Plus. HD Poxy is applied more like a paste wax, where you apply it then wait, then remove. UPGP is an apply and walk away sealant. So with UPGP you spritz the applicator twice to prime it, then wipe it on a panel at a time, using an extra spritz on the applicator per panel.



I would suggest you think about offering both a quick (spray type) and a more slow process. People at automatic car washes aren`t the kind of people that want to wait any longer than they have to.



Thanks for naming brands and all. Very helpful!


i wont touch on how good or bad of an idea this is...but..I will answer the questions you asked.



1. Opti-seal



2. Yes a buffer is faster at waxing a car than your hands. It also doesn`t get tired of moving around, its like superman as long as there is power!



3. You can do this in under 15 minutes, if you`re quick about it....



You will need a wax or sealant that doesn`t require a cure time, for obvious time restraints.



If I were going to try this I`d use the following products:



Meguiars APC+

Alot of WW Drying towels

Opti-seal

a Tire Dressing.



Hit the wheels/tires/wells with APC+ before the automatic wash starts, aggitate a little and let the wash with high pressure do the rest. Run to the other side and wait on the car to leave the wash. When it comes out, dry if necessary (hopefully the wash has a dryer :) ) Then take Opti-seal and seal the car, and hit the tires/wheels/wells as necessary. Dress the tires.



Done



What`s dressing?



Wash has dryer that pretty much removes all water.




Interesting idea. Sort of like "detailing for the masses" or something? There may be comments about how you could be doing more on these cars, but the real bottom line is you need to make your customers happy and if a simple wax is all they want, then what`s the harm? Anyway, my biggest concern would be entertaining the customers while they wait an extra half hour for you to get done waxing their car. Most people I know who use car washes like this just want to get in and out fast. You may be much more successful if you have a couple of helpers and reduce the time down to 10 minutes. I`m thinking about the more successful automatic car washes I`ve seen. After the car comes out of the tunnel, about half a dozen guys converge on it and dry, vacuum, dress tires in about 5 minutes. That gets the customers back on the road faster and keeps the line shorter.





To answer your questions:



1. If I were going to do this, I`d use Collinite 845 exclusively (easy, looks good, awesome beading most people like, probably more durable than anything else they`ve seen).



2. I wouldn`t use a machine just because you`re going to have to switch pads every ten minutes or so. You`ll either have to buy a hundred or so pads or stop to clean them. Either option doesn`t sound good for this case. I`d go by hand with disposable applicators.



3. Thirty minutes seems like a long time for someone to wait on you to get done, after they`ve already waited for their car to get through the tunnel and any interior work. Get a helper and try to get time down to 10 minutes. One can apply and the other can follow around buffing.



One thing to keep in mind is that most people (especially women) appreciate a clean interior much more than a shiny exterior. If your touchless place doesn`t offer interior services, you may be better off going that route.



I was thinking 2-3 good workers would do it. We`ll see how that works...




The question is what could your price point be at a gas station no touch car wash? Also, will people have the time to wait 20-30 minutes for you to wax their cars? Are they going to stand next to their car, sit inside or what?



Are you saying price would be lower? The reason the carwash ideal for the detailer is it`s clean.



I geuss what they do is up to them. If they sat in the car it would be kind of funny. Maybe a bit akward lol.




If I were in your shoes, I`d buy the cheapest bulk stuff you can find that will wipe on and off with as little effort as possible. Don`t worry about durability, it just needs to fill swirls as much as possible and make the car shiny, with a heavy dose of chemical cleaners to help pick up what the crappy car wash left behind. If your customer is using automatic car washes, they`re going to strip the stuff off quickly anyway. Also, an automatic car wash customer isn`t going to pay much for this, so buy a big jug of CG or similar quick wax/sealant and call it a day.



I wouldn`t go the Dodo Juice or similar routes for upcharging, as someone that just paid $6 for an automatic wash isn`t likely to hand you $50 for a boutique hand wax. Fast and cheap is going to be the name of the game with this one. I bet you`re looking at an average of $20/car for this, tops.



Thanks for the ideas!




i personally think the potential is there for alot of customers....If you hit the wheels/tires/wells with APC+ before the car enters and agitate, then after the car enters the tires/wheels/wells should be reasonably clean. You aren`t going for perfection, most people that want a car cleaned do not know what a swirl is, so it is a mute point to show it to them because then they will blame you for it.



Dont show them the swirls, explain that you are a detailer and adding value to an existing service they are purchasing, but you are not detailing there car. You are adding a wax and making sure wheels/tires/wells are cleaned and dressed.



I think IW845 or Opti-seal would be your best bets at this point. and for a dressing I`d use something that I could purchase in 5 gal bulk or larger. We have a place in Raleigh NC that sells in large bulk (chemicals, etc).



You should be able to hit 4 tires/wheels/wells and agitate it, and after wash have it sealed (paint and glass) in under 15 minutes not counting the wash cycle.



The car will not be cleaned perfectly, lets face it, however most customers that would spring for this type job will not care about a swirl, they see "shiny paint, clean wheels, and shiny tires" and think "not bad"



The average person is lazy and that is where you can capitalize in a large way.



I would price this out at $15 per car not counting the wash...



Really good thought here. I`m thinking it will work out very well.



Everyone else thank you for the input.



A few things:



Okay I realize an automatic can do nothing nothing near a hand wash job. BUT all 3 washes are state of the art, less than 5 years old, gangbusters carwash. Only the heaviest road grime can hold on through a wash, and it could be hand cleaned in a few minutes if need be (is the plan atleast). They really do clean amazingly well. Top wash is $13.00 and believe me, people pay it.



1. It seems a few people have differing opinions on buffing or applying by hand. Any more insight on this? I have no experience with maching buffing a car and have read it takes time to master.



I`m just imagining hand waxing every car and I can see myself saying forget this real fast.

[wfedwar]

...and always keep in mind the option of up-selling a full detail. Keep some business cards handy.

[bwalker25]

...and always keep in mind the option of up-selling a full detail. Keep some business cards handy.



yup no doubt, I would look into vistaprint and get some business cards from them. I got some t-shirts, business cards, ink pens (with logo and company info) and some other stuff, great place.



If you google vistaprint coupon, there is most of the time a coupon for like a huge amount off and free stuff all the time...

[nyyankees22]

If your going to have to be working in the sun, Go with the Poorboys line..I can wax a car in the baking summer sun with zero problems. All their paint products are a breeze to use and would make it easier for you if you are going to be a one man business....As for waxing a car in 30 minutes, I believe it is very possible if you are using a PC and the wax has a short cure time. By hand, only if you can really fly...But thats no way to have to work