Hamilton and Dencar Paystations pros and cons

[Rapidoil]

Hey everyone,

I'm in the process of planning a new car wash, double petit IBA, and am trying to decide on a pay station system. I've narrowed it down to two main contenders: Hamilton HTK and Dencar. I'm hoping to get some real-world feedback from those of you who have experience with either or both.

Here's what I'm looking for in a system:

• Membership Sales: This is a big one for me. I definitely want to offer unlimited wash memberships and need the pay station to handle this seamlessly.
• License Plate Recognition (LPR) Technology: I'm keen on integrating LPR for memberships and a smooth customer experience, potentially eliminating the need for RFID tags or physical cards.
• Mobile App Integration: I'm open to having a mobile app that can trigger washes and manage accounts.
• Cashless vs. Cash Acceptance: I'm still on the fence about going completely cashless. I see the benefits (reduced vandalism, faster processing, potential increase in memberships), but I'm also aware that some customers still prefer cash. What are your thoughts on this, and what have your experiences been with cashless-only sites?

I've been doing my research and have seen some discussions on Facebook groups regarding problems with Dencar, although I understand that every system will have its quirks. I'm not naive enough to think any pay station is perfectly problem-free!

Specifically, for those using Hamilton HTK, could you share:

• What has your overall experience been with the HTK pay stations?
• How well does it handle membership sales and LPR integration?
• If you use the Hamilton app, what are your thoughts on its functionality and customer adoption? I've seen some older posts about app bugs and issues with monthly plans – have these been resolved?
• What are the pros and cons you've encountered?

And for those using Dencar:

• What are your general impressions of Dencar pay stations?
• Can you speak to their reliability, especially regarding the issues sometimes reported (e.g., money jams, touchscreen problems, membership setup difficulties)?
• How effective are their LPR and app integrations for membership management and wash triggering?
• What do you like and dislike about the system?

Any insights, anecdotes, or advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated! I'm trying to make the most informed decision possible for my new venture.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Zal]

Hamilton is a good ole horse but Dencar will make YOU more money. It takes a bit more tech knowledge to install but you will make more money both gross and net. 4+ years on mine and would not do anything else Dont get scared by the few operators that have problems. It is a minor % of all machines and is being addressed by Dencar very professionally. You really need to visit a location running Dencar to appreciate it.

 

[BenW@JCCW]

No experience with Hamilton. Have four Dencar kiosks. Two EP-13's (cashless) and two Eco 10's (cash). From the customer perspective, I think it is hard to beat Dencar. I installed myself and had a few issues initially but most of the issues were on me. For the Eco-10's, I am having an issue with the acceptors going offline every 7 to 10 days. It has been escalated and expect a solution will be found. A power cycle typically resolves it but it is annoying.

The LPR works well and I like the Via Guard process since we are unattended.

They have a weekly call with new installs to ask questions and solve issues. Highly recommend new owners take the opportunity to join.

Vacuum integration was easy!

Downside is the enrollment process requires the consumer to download the app. Some older customers do not like using an app. They can use a code in those cases and I handle completing them manually since I'm close to being old too!

Also, Dencar does not have a loyalty program for customers that do not want a monthly. I hope this will be a 4Q25 delivery.

Last thing I would add as a "don't like" is documentation on new models like I have is lacking.

I'm very pleased with Dencar and would be hard pressed to go a different direction.

 

[Southwest MI Carwash]

Agree on the upside of Dencar. We have had countless issues with our touchscreen, think we are on screen #3 or 4 and still dealing with it today. Is really press on that issue and how it will be addressed. Fingers crossed we get ours handled soon. It’s been a real bear.

 

[OurTown]

Agree on the upside of Dencar. We have had countless issues with our touchscreen, think we are on screen #3 or 4 and still dealing with it today. Is really press on that issue and how it will be addressed. Fingers crossed we get ours handled soon. It’s been a real bear.

Do you have the one that has the separate display and touch pad?