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Self Serve RV/Boat Wash Question

C

CheetahExpress

Active member
My experience has always been with IBA's -- currently have a site with a WW Profile and Razor. Am considering building a tall single bay self-serve on our site specifically for RV's/Trucks/Boats, with steps/ledges on both sides. Is a block structure better than a metal one? What dimensions are preferable? What are the best companies for the type of equipment needed and the steps, etc.? Any advice or imput from any operators who have done this would be greatly appreciated. No doors would be needed, since we are in South TX.
 
Wow. That's definitely something to think about! There's an RV Park right next to our car wash site and another RV/Campground about 5 miles away. I was under the impression those places would have the facilities for the dumping.
 
CheetahExpress said:
I was under the impression those places would have the facilities for the dumping.
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They usually charge for it, so they go someplace where it's free when they can. That's why a lot of them have the RV to begin with, it's cheaper than traveling in a car and staying at hotels.
 
For context, we are a carwash in rural Australia, town about 2,000, district about 5,000. We have a large bay for commercial vehicles, caravans, boats etc. We have never had any issues with black water dumping etc. We get lots of mud, but all our bays get lots of mud. For us, it has been a good part of the business. Truck Bay.jpgTruck Bay 2.png
 
Yours looks like a great set up. You have been fortunate not to have the same type of customers we have alot of here in the States. Folks who don't read instruction signs, and are negligent.
 
Large vehicle bays need to be 14' tall. I believe legally the tallest vehicles on the road are 13' 6". I have a location with 5 - 14' clearance bays, automatic, and touchless large vehicle wash. I put clearance bars on 3 of the 5 bays and limited them to 8' due to the amount of mud and grease those large vehicles deposit. If a large vehicle washes for 40 minutes then expect to spend 40 minutes cleaning up after it. Its not worth dealing with it.

If I was only adding 1 bay to my location I would size it to 10' which is suitable for everyday vehicles and sprinter vans. Thats the majority of vehicles on the road. Don't try to serve the minority who will destroy the bay, create work for you, and ruin it for the rest of your customers.
 
The issue with not having bay clearance enough for the tallest vehicles is that they will try to enter no matter what. It is just a matter of time before building damage occurs.
 
Knew a guy in rural Ok, who had a truck bay. He said he got so sick of cleaning up the grease, from their 18 wheeler hookup point, he lowered his roof!!!
 
I'm seeing more negatives than positives on this idea. I was actually aiming more towards RV's, but evidently that could be a whole different set of problems.
 
I wish there was a self serve wash big enough to wash my fifth wheel camper around here. There's nothing for at least an hour drive.
 
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