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Is This Wash A Good Investment?

ULTIMATE WASH

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There is an exterior only car wash for sale. There are three other washes within a 2 mile radius, and all of them are in better shape. The equipment is peco just replaced 2 years ago. Tunnel is old and needs a face lift on the inside and outside. Has a couple of self serve Vacs on the property. Just inside a heavily traveled road but not right on it. Here are the numbers.

Ask price 399K
Volume 180K
Utilities and taxes 20K per year
Rent 40K per year
Payroll- place is now run by 2 very hands on brothers and employees are at a minimal as they usually run with one other employee.


From my very minimal experience. The wash needs to be turned around and put back back on the map!

Was thinking of offering 300k with 100k down and present owners holding 200K @ 6.5% for 10 years fixed.

Other facts:

Tunnel is 70 feet and there is a little room for expansion for a detail bay and some full serve features. Customers ride through in car.

The present price point per unit is $8-9 and they are doing about 20k cars per year. Wash has been there since the seventies.

My concerns to much competition in the area. Also place needs to be really cleaned up and needs a major face lift. Visibility is ok but not great. Does the place have any chance to be turned around, it seems to be a very big uphill battle! Present owners own property and said that other than the roof the rest is on me.

One other feature is the owners will sell the whole package for 1 million.

All replies very appreciated!!
 

Alan Bussey

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Ultimate -

Nothing in the information that you provided gave me any indication that this place has any real upside potential. I can't see giving them a down payment greater than, say, $20,000. You might just lease the place from them, with an option to buy everything, including the land, at a modest set price in the future, and where a portion of the lease payments (the part that would be considered principal) reduce that purchase price. You would have to get the cash flow up to point where it is finance-able, which seems not likely. Sounds like a tough situation.

Alan Bussey
 

Buzzie8

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I would need to see all the numbers (financials) to give you my opinion. I would also want to know who the competition was, what type of service they were providing and how modern their wash was. You should do a proforma with new equipment budgets, and get some numbers for the renovation. Once you compile all of this information and forecast additional sales after debt service and expenses see if it will cash flow to a level you are satisfied with and make your decision from there. Just not enough information to tell you one way or another.
 
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