Has anyone else noticed how poorly the self serves are doing now, while the full serves are cranking out cars? In Florida we are going into our slow season and most ss washes I see are doing good if half the bays are being used. Most operators I talk to are saying the down economy is keeping customers away, but the places averaging $20 per car have them lined up. The full serve washes that were poorly ran are still that way, and barely keeping the doors open. But the good places, nice lobby, clean lot, friendly people with uniforms, etc, are still doing good. Maybe not as good as two years ago, but their business plan is still working. It's like saying people can't afford a six pack, but the bottles of single malt scotch are selling well.
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Disparity between full serve and self serve
- Thread starter mac
- Start date
rph9168
Carwashguy
In our area the Exterior Express washes have had a great effect especially on the IBA's. With pricing for a basic wash at $3-$4 they are hard to beat. Although both seem to have lost revenue, the IBA's have been hit the hardest. I believe we have seen the best days for IBA's in larger metropolitan areas where an Express Exterior can get enough volume to support the investment. I look for some conveyor washes to be developed that can fit into an IBA bay to be better competition for them. They will be able to handle more volume and get a cleaner vehicle more consistently.
The SS market is absolute misery here. I know just one full serve guy in the area. It's a well-run operation and they are complaining business is down. Expresses (not old school exterior )has brought a whole new group of operators/investors into our market. The result has been detrimental to most operators. IMO, The market is now overbuilt. There are a few successful expresses, many new expresses not doing the numbers they hoped (but probably cash flowing) , and a ton of floundering IBA/SSs, many of them on their death bed. In the past month I have talked to two local SS/IBA operators who have openly suggested they may be "giving" their washes back to the bank. I don't look for it to get better anytime soon. Just when I thought the banks were gonna quit doing idiotic loans we now have a site in town where three expresses are being built within 200 yds of each other. The guy who had the little 3/1 in a market area of about 50K now soon has to compete with four expresses which are starting a price war. I see little future for SSs in metro areas.
hammering away washing cars!Earl Weiss
Well-known member
Not in the Midwest. I have Bays and Tunnels . Business stinks all around. Jan. - April. %th wettest since records were kept. Lost a solid week in April.
robert roman
Bob Roman
Once the last of the snowbirds and tourists leave and the love bug season ends, that will be the end for the $20 full-service till November.
As for SS in Florida, I'd say what is occurring in many areas is to be expected. The economy has made it more difficult to pull retail business from areas that have an average household income of $33,000 and a sizeable population of penny-pinching seniors. Moreover, you can throw in the fact that about half the washes in Florida are about 25 years behind the times.
Yes, there are a lot nice SS's in Florida doing a good business. However, Florida also has more than its fair share of dumps.
Put yourself in the customer's shoes.
Consider a well-worn SS facility with no attendants, few amenities or extra service products, no bill or credit card acceptors in the wand-bays and an old technology IBA with no dryer or loyalty program as opposed to a nice modern express exterior with friendly attendants where you can get a high quality wash for $4 to $5 in 3-minutes plus free vacuums and, in some case, free bug juice, wiping towels and window cleaner solution. Which business would you be more likely to patronize?
As for SS in Florida, I'd say what is occurring in many areas is to be expected. The economy has made it more difficult to pull retail business from areas that have an average household income of $33,000 and a sizeable population of penny-pinching seniors. Moreover, you can throw in the fact that about half the washes in Florida are about 25 years behind the times.
Yes, there are a lot nice SS's in Florida doing a good business. However, Florida also has more than its fair share of dumps.
Put yourself in the customer's shoes.
Consider a well-worn SS facility with no attendants, few amenities or extra service products, no bill or credit card acceptors in the wand-bays and an old technology IBA with no dryer or loyalty program as opposed to a nice modern express exterior with friendly attendants where you can get a high quality wash for $4 to $5 in 3-minutes plus free vacuums and, in some case, free bug juice, wiping towels and window cleaner solution. Which business would you be more likely to patronize?
