Mark VII Softwash XT

[soonermajic]

Anybody have any thoughts on this wash or experience w/ Mark Vll SoftWash. XT?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I've had one for 1½ years and have had virtually no problems.

 

[soonermajic]

How well does it clean entire car? IE: bugs on grill, windshield & backs of mirrors + back end of cars (license plate area , glass & recessed area)?

 

[soonermajic]

Supposed to be the biggest carwash co in the world!! Figure thete'd be a LOT of guys who have this machine....?

 

[bigairscott]

Anybody have any thoughts on this wash or experience w/ Mark Vll SoftWash. XT?

I have 2 of these machines. Here are the pros and cons:
Pros: Simple design and not over engineered
Maintenance is easy
Cleanability is good and consistent but not perfect.
The wheel scrubbers work great
Software for remote resets and data capture are ok but I think it is behind in terms of technology and whats out there now
Overall a solid work horse which has proven itself to be more reliable than other Automatic brands I have purchased
Cons: Vehicles tend to drive up on to the guide rails causing the unit to fault and have to be reset. This happens more often than any machine Ive ever had and can be annoying. Customers don't like guide rails
The virtual Tredel (which is an option I have) works great but if someone rides over the guide rails the unit will still turn on and bump a car and require a reset.
The top Brush tends to drop into the bed of pick-up trucks more than I like. This is bad as it will pick up anything in there and cause trouble.
The software for resets works on your smartphone but requires a lot of passwords and hoops to get through to quickly reset compared to other makes
Typical areas such as the front bumper and just under the top rear hangover on SUVs where the brushes can't get too can be a problem
There is no tech support directly from the factory. You must call your distributor and hope they get back to you

 

[OurTown]

Cons: Vehicles tend to drive up on to the guide rails causing the unit to fault and have to be reset. This happens more often than any machine Ive ever had and can be annoying. Customers don't like guide rails

I think you need these on a gantry machine riding on floor rails to reduce the chance of cars hitting the machine. Maybe they are just too short and have a steep angle of entry. Has anyone tried one of those correlators that some conveyorized washes have? I'm sure it would be better to install it when the wash is being built and might be a big project to retrofit. Also what is the maintenance on one of these and would they be okay for unattended washes?


https://www.sonnysdirect.com/sonnysdirect/en/Tunnel-Equipment/Conveyors/Correlators/p/CORRELATORS

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I have no problem at all with them jumping the rails.

 

[bigairscott]

I have no problem at all with them jumping the rails.View attachment 630

I have no problem at all with them jumping the rails.View attachment 630

I have a lot of pick-up trucks and larger SUV type vehicles in my town. Even though it super simple to just drive straight in between the guide rails I still have them drive up onto the rails and hit the tire brush. Happens all the time. MarkVII is aware of the problem and their new machines apparently retract the tire brush further against the machine so people that do drive up on the guide rails will not hit the tire scrubber and cause the machine to fault. I probably average 1-2 resets a week due to this. I average about 14,000 cars per in-bay a year.
I did have a PDQ tandem for many years which never had that particular problem since the gantry was overhead. Another great machine but a lot more maintenance.
As for MarkVII soft wash Maintenance. Just grease the drive bearings(8total) once a month. Of course the daily check of debris in the bay and brushes and soap check. I also clean the machines and walls every 2 months to keep it looking new. The one pictured in the photo looks kept very nice. Good Work

 

[I.B. Washincars]

The one pictured in the photo looks kept very nice. Good Work

It should, since it is doing initial test washes on my car. The bay was out of commission for four months, so we had time to get it looking nice.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

This is my complaint with the machine, the reset procedure. The fact that you made a sign with all those instructions should tell you it's too complicated. Don't even attempt to try to tell an attendant how to do it over the phone.

 

[OurTown]

This is my complaint with the machine, the reset procedure. The fact that you made a sign with all those instructions should tell you it's too complicated. Don't even attempt to try to tell an attendant how to do it over the phone.
View attachment 631

That is ridiculous.

 

[Greg Pack]

lol, a 14 step reset procedure. My water wizard has one: "push the reset button".

One things that turned me off MARK VII over the years is they tend to make stuff way more complicated than it had to be. Its like a car wash manufacturer owned by engineers with no field experience. Having said that, I know IB has been very pleased with the reliability of his machine.

 

[OurTown]

Can you guys reset your machines remotely or does it have to be done on site?