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What are you guys charging?

Main Street Carwash

Main Street Carwash

Member
Hi everyone. I was wondering, most specifically in Texas or a cost of living market similar to Houston, what your cost to start, cost per minute, vac start and time, and vending product prices. Also, any thoughts on the subject are welcome. Thanks.
 
S/s cash or credit. $3 first 4 min. Cards count up
Vac $2 first 6 min
Cincinnati Ohio

I haven’t seen any other $2 for 6 min on vacs in may area....but it works for me.

There’s a $1 min s/s about 10 Miles form me, with a $2 start. Never seems busy. (His vac is $1 for 4 min)
 
My wash I just opened is 1.50/4min and vacs are $1/4min. The other one is priced low at $1.25 for 4:40 and vacs are $1/4min just raised from .75 last year. I want to raise prices but it does really well now so I don't want to mess around too much. I once had an accountant tell me though, about a different business entirely that I was lamenting about high volume and trouble finding enough qualified help, that maybe I should charge twice as much. I said "but then I will lose business". He said "exactly, but most likely not half" I still think it is a sound principle. Probably run off some of the less desirable customers too.
 
There is a guy that bought three washes close by me about 2 years ago. He only got one running. It was a bank owned property and I was thinking about buying it. The other 2, I was actively trying to buy but I guess he made a better offer than me. (mine wasn't really very good) The one he opened though is a 50 cent wash. I think he briefly opened one of the others at 50 cents as well. I never checked the time given for 50 cents but I have to wonder how anyone makes any money like that. I assume he bought them to write off losses in his other business.
 
In North Carolina:

SS Bays are $3 to start for 5 minutes. That is 1:40 per minute. Going to drop it to 1:30 per minute soon. $5 minimum if using credit card.
Vacs are $1/3 minutes. Going to try $2/6 minutes. Air is $1 for 3 minutes.
 
Colorado:

$2.50 to start for 3:30. .21sec for every quarter
$1 4min on vacs
Same prices for CC. Count up with $14.75 ceiling.
 
2 washes I am buying are stuck in the 70s
$1 start up for 4 (yes FOUR) minutes) & each .25 = ONE FULL MINUTE!

I think I will drop the time to 3 minutes & the .25 to 40 seconds
 
I am at $2.50 for 4:00mins in bays and $1.50 for 3:20sec on vacuums. I am located in Hillsborough/central North Carolina seems like everyone east of mebane is at least $2.00 or better in the state then you go to Burlington west everyone is from $1.00,.75 cents or $1.50 for 4mins west of the entire state and Greensboro/Burlington especially until you get to the mountains. I was talking to a guy the other day and it's like everyone west in our state wants to give it away for free like there scared to raise the price from the early 2000s. I don't understand it and these city's are very well populated & lots of new growth. Some of the sites I am talking about are not to bad looking they just need to raise the price and get with the program makes the rest of us look bad.
$2.00 for 4mins has been the industry standard for years now and $1.25 for 4:00 on vacs.
 
I'd think it would have to be an older wash, that's already paid for, to be able to do .75/4 minutes. That's gotta be borderline break even, if you're paying a mortgage!
 
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