Dryer Only Option?

[Shane]

Has anyone set up a ?Dryer Only? option on their Automatic? I honestly would like to set up this option just for me so after I use one of my self serve bays I can zip through my automatic to dry the car off. I have four wash options on my Hamilton Goldline and I am currently only using three of them so I would set up the fourth as dryer only. After I thought about it a while I figured I could probably put up some decent signage in the self serve bays and promote it for the self serve customers (why not share the fun and make some money on it too?). I would probably price it at $2 or so.

Has anyone tried something like this? I figured it?s another option vs. an air chamee or Blasto or something.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

While it is not a bad idea, I would bet everyone would get confused and wonder why they didn't get their $2 wash, Just the blower came on. I had thought about that once, but figured it wouldn't work out.
john

 

[MEP001]

Whether or not you can do it depends on your automatic. I can't do it on our Vector - don't know why, it just won't work. Same with spot-free/dry, the spot-free comes on but the machine never moves. I had a few customers ask for that because they'd wax and wanted to quickly rinse/dry the car after to get the dust off and "set" the wax.

 

[whitebirch]

I have Ryko looking into it right now. I hope that they can come up with something. A much cheaper option than installing the SS dryers in every bay

 

[I.B. Washincars]

A much cheaper option than installing the SS dryers in every bay

It will most likely be a much less used option too. I installed the hand held dryers in a covered vac area. One use a day is a good day. I later installed some in bays at a different wash. The difference was drastic. I think after they pull out of the bay the likelyhood of them driving through the auto to dry will be pretty small. I think educating them will also be an uphill battle. I wouldn't waste a lot of time or money on it, I think you will be disappointed with the results. JMO

Pitzer will probably chime in on this. I think he tried it some years back. I don't think he set the world on fire with it, but did it himself and didn't spend much on it.

 

[madscientist]

i actually have my 4th wash option set up for just the dryer, but it can only be turned on from the equipment room. one reason i haven't gone any further with it is that i can't get my dryers to dry a vehicle completely. i don't want people complaining about this, especially if they don't use wax in the ss bay. another reason is that the line for the automatic is already very long on busy days, and i don't want to add to it or make a dryer only customer wait 45 minutes to dry a car that just dried by itself (with some overspray on it from being in line).

 

[rph9168]

The hand held bay dryers do a lot of business with motorcycles. It wouldn't surprise me that some idiot on a bike might try it. I also agree that I don't think I would want to add to the automatic line with people waiting for the dryer.

 

[Shane]

Good feedback, thanks. I had not considered the wax from the self serve. I have a Mark VII GTO-300 which can not do a true "dryer only" option. It has to make at least one pass down and back with the gantry, then the dryer can operate. This will take care of the folks who may have to wait behind a car or two in the automatic line. I could probably set it up to do one pass down with rinse and the return trip with wax maybe. I will probably go ahead and set this option up for me anyhow because I would use it after I use one of my self serve bays. I would have to play around with it to see if others would use it from a self serve customer perspective. I agree that it would probably not be a highly used option.

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take to dry off a car with the in bay air dryers? 2-3 minutes? Also what revenue would that be $2-$3?

Thanks,
Shane

 

[pitzerwm]

I did it and it worked fine, it was the #4 on the ACW. I gave it away for awhile, when I was there put up signs, didn't get rich, but I was the only one that had it.

 

[Waxman]

Superior has a freestanding, outdoor dryer arch you can put virtually anywhere on the lot.

Maybe worth looking into.

 

[MEP001]

Superior has a freestanding, outdoor dryer arch you can put virtually anywhere on the lot.

Which do you think might get used more, a freestanding drive-under dryer or a freestanding hand dryer?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Which do you think might get used more, a freestanding drive-under dryer or a freestanding hand dryer?

I don't think anything could be used less than my freestanding hand dryers

 

[MEP001]

I don't think anything could be used less than my freestanding hand dryers

Maybe they'd do better if you moved them to the bays. I'm convinced that in-bay dryers are worthwhile enough to be my next project.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Maybe they'd do better if you moved them to the bays. I'm convinced that in-bay dryers are worthwhile enough to be my next project.

No argument here. I installed them in the bays at a different wash and they get used much more. The others will get moved eventually, just haven't gotten to it yet.