Is one HP rinse enough?

[Harper220]

I have a $5.00 Deluxe wash and it consists of: undercarriage & side-gunners, single pass pre-soak, two high pressure rinses and a spot free. I was looking to take away a high-pressure rinse. This is a laser 4000...

My cheap Basic $4.50 wash is the same thing minus one high pressure rinse and I was thinking about eliminating the undercarriage on this one to even things out and cut down on water and sewer.

What do you guys offer in this price range?

Is a second high pressure rinse a waste of time and money?

Also, what are your thoughts on top wash having 2 soap passes?

 

[bigleo48]

Harper,

Two is one too many. Just do one rinse, a bug pass if required to double up on the front and slow the machine down to do a better job. BTW...no drying agent & dryer?

My basic wash is hot presoak with bug pass, HP drying agent (also acts as a rinse) with a bug pass, LP spot free and dry.

 

[Harper220]

Harper,

Two is one too many. Just do one rinse, a bug pass if required to double up on the front and slow the machine down to do a better job. BTW...no drying agent & dryer?

My basic wash is hot presoak with bug pass, HP drying agent (also acts as a rinse) with a bug pass, LP spot free and dry.

Yes, I have the dryer on my top two washes and HP wax on just the top.
I might need to re-config all my washes huh??

$7.00 wash: uc & guns, 2 pre-soak passes, 2 HP rinses with one having wax, spot free and dryer. Do I need two pre-soaks and two rinses on this one?

$6.00 wash: uc & guns, 1 pre-soak, two hp rinses (no drying agent), spot free & dryer.

$5.00 wash: uc & guns, 1 pre-soak, two hp rinses, spot free.

$4.50 wash: uc & guns, 1 pre-soak, one hp rinse, spot free.

Any changes you would make? I want to do away with uc on $4.50 wash and do away with one hp rinse on $5.00 wash. how about my top two with the dryer?

 

[bigleo48]

How do the cars get dry without a drying agent?

Usually, the two pass presoak is an acid and an alkaline presoak. If their are the same soap, dump the second pass, put more out presoak out and increase your dwell time. It'll work just as well and save you time and money.

Not sure what your competiton and location is like, but I would do this;
$5 Wash Presoak, Rinse/Drying agent and blow dry
$6 Wash UC & guns, Presoak, Rinse/Drying agent, Spot free and blow dry
$7 Wash UC & guns, Presoak, Rinse, Surface Protectant (instead of dry-agent) if you can, Spot free and blow dry.

You should think about installing 3x foam polish.

Big Leo

 

[Harper220]

How do the cars get dry without a drying agent?

Usually, the two pass presoak is an acid and an alkaline presoak. If their are the same soap, dump the second pass, put more out presoak out and increase your dwell time. It'll work just as well and save you time and money.

Not sure what your competiton and location is like, but I would do this;
$5 Wash Presoak, Rinse/Drying agent and blow dry
$6 Wash UC & guns, Presoak, Rinse/Drying agent, Spot free and blow dry
$7 Wash UC & guns, Presoak, Rinse, Surface Protectant (instead of dry-agent) if you can, Spot free and blow dry.

You should think about installing 3x foam polish.

Big Leo

I have 4 wash options... always have.

I'm not sure I agree with including the dryer on the cheapest wash or the next one up... just top two.

$7.00 top wash has wax so that would be like a drying agent and I could easily do away with one of the pre-soak passes and increase dwell a little.

$6.00 wash has the dryer but no drying agent and has been this way forever and nobody has ever complained. I could probably do away with 2nd HP rinse.

$5.00 wash needs one hp rinse pass removed, if two is a waste.

$4.50 wash needs uc & guns removed.

Is this looking any better?

How long do you have your uc set for? Mine is 25 secs. And how about dryer time? I have mine at 60 secs.

My big question is... sometimes it looks like there is a little soap left over when only using one hp pass? what can a guy do about this? I have it set at the slowest speed too.

 

[tobaccofarmer]

why dont you leave it alone and raise each wash by a dollar? how can you afford 4.50, 5,6,7? dont mean to sound ignorant just can't believe it?

 

[Harper220]

why dont you leave it alone and raise each wash by a dollar? how can you afford 4.50, 5,6,7? dont mean to sound ignorant just can't believe it?

Believe me... I wish I could. My comp across the street is at $6.00 for their top wash with no dryer and they're busy. They've been a thorn in my side for years. Soooo, I have to find another way to cut my costs and if two hp rinses is too much, I'll cut one out. As far as afford it... my wash is paid for.

 

[AdamA]

Seems like to many choices and too little differentiation. I had the same deal with 4 washes. Went to 3 and made the differences clear through signage etc. Now $5, $7 and $10. Sped up decision process with new customers and raised my ave. ticket. All have UC & spot free. $5 doesn't dry. $7 has T-foam, 1 side blast pass. $10 adds another side blast pass and Simonize.

 

[Harper220]

Seems like to many choices and too little differentiation. I had the same deal with 4 washes. Went to 3 and made the differences clear through signage etc. Now $5, $7 and $10. Sped up decision process with new customers and raised my ave. ticket. All have UC & spot free. $5 doesn't dry. $7 has T-foam, 1 side blast pass. $10 adds another side blast pass and Simonize.

Interesting! Sounds like a possible good idea. If you don't mind me asking, what's the breakdown of options for each wash and what kind of IBA do you have? I could definitely go for a change!

 

[AdamA]

They are Magic Wand's, although I am putting a double pumping Vector in my new wash.

Here's the breakdown:

$5
UC on the way in
Low PH
High PH
HP Rinse
Spot Free

$7
UC on the way in
Low PH
High PH
T-foam going back, side blast going forward
HP Rinse
Spot Free
dryer (onboard)

$10
UC on the way in
Low PH
High PH
T-foam going back, side blast going forward
Side blast front and back
HP Rinse
Simonize
Spot Free
dryer (onboard)

BTW, wash names make a difference. My $10 wash is the Extreme Wash and lot's of people say things like "Oh, I always get the Extreme Wash!" Will be incorporated more in the future.

 

[Rudy]

FWIW....I named my cheapest wash "The Dustbuster". I noticed an immediate surge up to the next higher wash. Names matter.