recession

[djswash]

This question is to all the express owners has the economy really hurt the express operaters in the last year or so. It seams as if the operaters in my area if they have been effected its not that severe. I am a new investor and am looking to start my project in the next few months. I have been working on this project for the last year and am getting closer day by day any input is greatly appreciated

 

[MEP001]

It seams as if the operaters in my area if they have been effected its not that severe.

On what do you base that assumption?

 

[djswash]

mainly from what i have been told ,word of mouth, and driveing by there locations on what should be busy day and veiwing there stack-up. i dont want to take them at complete face value. that why im asking people outside my area. any percentages anyone could share this is only for my own analysis.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

They probably have been affected by the economy. also affected by the weather unless you are in an area where the weather has been great for the last year. After 19 yrs in the business I was hoping for deeper pockets for christmas.

 

[Earl Weiss]

AFAIAC 2008 Was hurt by the economy, mainly $4.00 gas and bad weather. It was down 20% from 2007. Thought it couldn't get worse. It did. 2009 down another 20% . Most if not all from weather. Not my imagination as to weather. Record rainfall from Jan - June. Oct was one of the wettest on record, and 12 days in dec. weatherman said we had one hour of sunshine.

If Sun is out we still seem to have nice volume. Unfortunately it has been infrequent. Hoping 2010 is better. in 2010 Even with excessive cold, High of 20 degrees, with the sun out and streets dry volume has been good for that temp.

 

[washtubman]

What is your "area"? "Central US" is quite vague. I often wonder why people don't put down their city and state, or at least the state?

 

[Waxman]

If you think that the state of the economy has not hurt business (most businesses not just carwash) then you are turning a blind eye to the obvious.

You can't form an opinion about a business by driving by a few times. You need to see the p&l. Businesses live and die by the numbers.

Many things have come together recently that have been troubling for operators. All you need to do is poke around here and you will have your proof.

Sounds to me like you should look into paying a pro. consultant to conduct a feasibility study at the very least before you stick your neck out too far on this.

 

[djswash]

Thank you everyone for the posts I am in Oklahoma city. working on trying to change that central us. About 9 months ago i had a consultant come in and look at my location and gave it a thumbs up with good projections. I would have to say that in oklahoma we havent been hit as hard as other areas. What we have seen was defently later than other areas.I am involved in serveral different buisness and if i had to put a number to the percentage that we are down in those other buisnesses would be about 20-30%. I guess my origanal underlying question was if you had to put a number to it what would it be. I know this is a rather difficult question based on the year of weather we have had. Short and skinny of it is even with the glowing report from the consultant i tend to be a very cautious investor. Thank you again for all your responces

 

[pitzerwm]

Just remember that even if you found a good consultant, his thoughts are just an educated guess. There are a lot of variables and being able to align all of the planets at the right time, is still a crap shoot. To guarantee success, don't use borrowed money to do it.

 

[djswash]

Thanks for the advise. If i were to get a second opinion from a different consultant is there someone that anyone would suggest and why would you suggest them thanks again.................

 

[aca carwash 2]

Build a laundromat instead. You will never survive in this economy,especially if you are green to the business.