Touchless washing pricing

[Ultra Shine]

I travel Ohio and Pennsylvania regularly. Since buying a car wash I am constantly looking at other washes and looking at prices. Today I was within 30 miles of Philadelphia and drove by two tunnels they were offering a five dollar and a four dollar wash. The gentleman I was riding with said that he is use this for dollar wash religiously and says it does a great job
How can they afford to do this. My cheapest was at 2 locations is 8 dollars. I have a DS5000i and pdq 4000 (soon to be M5) at 2 different locations

Is it the fact they use less water and soap on a car?
I have toyed with lowering my bottom wash but am in fear that everyone will use it and simple add more wear and tear on the equipment and put little profit in my pocket.

Just wondering your thoughts on these cheap washes .... not to mention these monthly plans that seem to be killing the smaller guys

 

[MEP001]

I assume these tunnels are friction? Those can easily do a better job with a tiny fraction of the soap and water of a touchless, and they often use reclaim which eliminates sewage costs, which for me is five times water cost. They can also wash hundreds of cars a day.

 

[Ultra Shine]

Yes they were friction tunnels, I agree, less soap and water to do the job , yet there is still a cost to run that car thru.