Hand Car Wash Success Story

[David Fermani]

This is so far from Autopian, but it might give someone some encouragement:`


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http://youtu.be/kGLJsjkHxWI

[imported_Automania]

Wow! that is very good!

[David Fermani]

Agreed. Goes to show you that no matter what kind of clientele or level of quality you go after, success is determined by how well you profitably take care of your customers.`

[EBPcivicsi]

Glad he is doing well...


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I always wonder how anyone makes money washing cars.` I mean, even if you just rely on acid and degreaser to clean the wheels and wheel wells, quickly wash and chamois the exterior, shine the tires, wipe jams, vacuum, wipe interior quickly, and clean the int/ext glass.` No blowing the cracks, emblems, no bucket needed for the wheels, etc....It would still take 2 guys about 30 min. or 1 hr of labor.` At $15 for car and allowing for materials, labor, insurance, workers comp,` and (some sort) of overhead, where is the $?


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I assume that he takes mostly cash, so take away the 3% or so in merchant account fees, and we have to assume that all of the cash makes it to the bank...I just don`t see it.


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We charge $45, $55, and $65 to wash cars, small SUVs, and full sized vehicles.` This is basically a break even/customer retention exercise for us.


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Anyone else make $ just washing cars?

[bunkeroo26]

Eb, you can make VERY good money doing cars.


That is the business that I am in, just washing.


I cater to dealerships and businesses.


If you can make money washing cars,

you can step your game up to Rv work.


Both take efficiency and an open mind.

And remember that you can`t clean or fix everything,

at least not for the lowest price.


I have a huge dealership that I am converting to

Autopian methods. I also plan on coverting a car

wash into a programs hand wash.


These aren`t my businesses, I am just consulting

and will be earning for my knowledge, and my ability

to train others and make businesses more money.

[bunkeroo26]

I can make money charging 7 dollars to wash a car.

You can`t get hung up on cost.

You need to focus on time.


A 3 man crew can wash a car in 5 minutes, easy.

Each employee makes 2 bucks a car.


The question is, can you stay busy enough to

actually earn your people good money?

For me, dealerships and Rv work had guaranteed that.


Volume work goes against many people`s view of

what Autopia is. The truth is that you can do high

quality work at any level, whether a wash or a full

detail. Anyone snubbing their nose at volume work,

is being a diva for no reason.

[EBPcivicsi]

I can make money charging 7 dollars to wash a car.

You can`t get hung up on cost.

You need to focus on time.


A 3 man crew can wash a car in 5 minutes, easy.

Each employee makes 2 bucks a car.


The question is, can you stay busy enough to

actually earn your people good money?

For me, dealerships and Rv work had guaranteed that.


Volume work goes against many people`s view of

what Autopia is. The truth is that you can do high

quality work at any level, whether a wash or a full

detail. Anyone snubbing their nose at volume work,

is being a diva for no reason.

So each employee makes $2 per car?` So you as the owner make $1 per car?


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I am assuming that wash is ONR, exterior only, not touching the wheel wells, cleaning only the faces of the wheels, no glass cleaning post washing, and the car has been previously "detailed" at least to the point that it has some form of protection on it.??? And that it is all mobile, no "rent" to speak of...


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In my shops I wouldn`t dress the tires for $7...I have two shops..we do some volume, but mostly correction/coating.` I think it is possible to do quality AND volume as filler, but I am having a hard time undertsnading how someone can make money just washing cars...unless you remove some of the variables that I mentioned above...workers comp, rent, garage keepers, out sourcing for your payroll, W2`s, tax collection, utilities. internet, etc.


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I am always willing to learn, would love to hear your thoughts.


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Another thing 300 cars in a day?` With how many employees?` I hope he is talking about over all three of his locations--even then, that`s *a lot* of cars...I only saw four or so employees in the video.` I guess if you were there from dusk till dawn.

[bunkeroo26]

Rent is a non factor if you do volume work

on site at a dealership.


These guys are contracted, and can work whenever

they want to, as a team. They generally end up making

twenty an hour, and I make ten an hour from each three

man team.


If I work on one three man team and have two others going,

I am making fifty an hour. This works on a volume scale.


We never move the cars, so garage keepers is not needed.

Sure, a regular detailer would have that, but not me.


See, you are looking at volume work from a shops perspective.

This is completely different, and unfeasible in a shop setting.


We don`t even touch the wheels for 7 bucks.

This is paint only service, just ONR with wax.


For three bucks more (ten total), we do

ONRww, Opti Seal, Opti car wax.

Again, this is paint only.


We are less of a wash, and more surface specialists.

We don`t get vehicles that have been drove to hell and back.

These have say on a lot for a month, and driven a few times.

[bunkeroo26]

300 isn`t that much.

One of my three man crews can do ten an hour.

Five crews that is six hours of work.


Let`s assume I am working on one of the crews,

That`s 70 an hour for 6 hours for 420 dollars.


My guys all make around 20 an hour for

6 hours making 120 bucks.


My 420 can easily supply ONR, a buckets and mf.



And that is with 6 minute cars. 6 is about what my

slowest crew averages. 3 is realistic for a crew

that is motivated and works well together.

If you stick with the method, it is possible.

[bunkeroo26]

300 cars.

I figure about 8 cars per gallon ONR GDWM.

That`s 50 gallons ONR, which is half a gallon

of concentrate (128/2=64gallons) for 25 dollars.


The ONR is the only thing not reusable.

Since these aren`t daily drivers, my microfibers don`t

get too dirty. This minimizes my need to buy more.

[EBPcivicsi]

Got it.` So you are doing lot maintenance volume with ONR..


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I bet those guys go home and sleep like a ROCK!

[bunkeroo26]

It`s not just lot maintenance,

as I also do inventory and defect cataloging.


It doesn`t take much to take pic of each car

and license plate for the dealership.

I then pay an Internet worker to translate the pics

into a spreadsheet and pdf.


Add in which cars need windshield work, which

have scratches or swirls, or need body work.


For them to get this info, it would cost them alot,

which makes it valuable to them. I am still working

on a better pricing scheme for inventory and defect

cataloging.


I also can tell you that I am proud of our product.

We don`t give a crap wash, and I can guarantee that

we do a better product than the Op video. Just look

at the way they handle towels. I would also wager

that the blue chemical is windex or windshield fluid.


Ebp, the question is if you can create a crew of guys

that wash away from your shop. There are many

dealerships that needed better service.

[bunkeroo26]

Oh, and if I paid my guys minimum wage, I would bank. I just don`t think that they would get done as fast, or give as good quality.


I have thought about contests or bonuses to motivate, but I believe that wage motivates better than any.

[Bunky]

Looks like a cash business...