Which new IBA?

[Indiana Wash]

I own a wash and am helping a buddy convert a SS bay into an auto. If you had your choice, which IBA would you use? His SS bays are large. It will be a busy location attached to a gas station with only on IBA. If you are a retailer, feel free to pm costs.

 

[rph9168]

For friction I would go with Ryko or Istobal. For touchless PDQ, WashWorld or possibly Belanger. Just my opinion from being in the field and observing cleaning ability. A lot would depend on the quality of the local distributor support and if competitive, the price. Some of the operators here might also give you some information on maintenance cost. One thing is for sure - all of them will break down at some time or another. The difference is how reliable your local distributor is and the cost of repair. Machines with a lot of proprietary parts tend to cost more to maintain and repair. Important considerations when buying any car wash equipment.

 

[Waxman]

I would say to look at equipment in Nashville at the car wash expo may 9-11.

look for machines that are easy to work on, diagnose and program yourself.

if i were buying new i'd look at companies that have been around the longest and with a good reputation. all automatics can break down, but if you are good and regular with preventive maintenance and can diagnose and repair yourself, it's much more cost-effective. A friend of mine recently installed 2 Washworld Razors and they seem very nice. I like the PDQ inverted L style machine, too.

 

[WikiWash]

For Touchfree Cleaning:
1) WW Razor (Recommended)
2) PDQ Lazerwash (If for some reason you don't like the WW Distributor)

For Friction Cleaning:
1) WW Profile (Recommended)
2) Belanger Freestyler (Recommended)

I agree with RPH as far as

" A lot would depend on the quality of the local distributor support and if competitive, the price. Some of the operators here might also give you some information on maintenance cost. One thing is for sure - all of them will break down at some time or another. The difference is how reliable your local distributor is and the cost of repair. Machines with a lot of proprietary parts tend to cost more to maintain and repair. Important considerations when buying any car wash equipment. "

PDQ is well-known for their proprietary parts and make you pay a fortune for them. They also strongly push that their distributors do the work and not you.

 

[robert roman]

When selecting equipment, it’s usually a good idea to match development cost with market potential.

“It will be a busy location attached to a gas station with only on IBA.”

Does this mean your buddy’s wash (wands plus converted bay) is located next to a gas station that has its own in-bay or the gas station has no wash?
What is average daily traffic count on principal road?
What is average monthly throughput in gallons of gasoline sold?
Will your buddy have access to pay-at-the-pump?
What is current size of electric service (total amps, volts and phase)?
What is current size of water main?
Will reclaim be required?
How big is wand bay (length, width, height)?
Does your buddy want customer loyalty program or surveillance cameras?
Is water softener or spot-free available? If so, what are current capacities?
Does your buddy want lava, hot wax or tire shiner?
Do you need automated doors?
Is bay heat available?
What is size of mechanical room?
Does your buddy want a maintenance service contract?

With this information, equipment can be specified to provide a meaningful recommendation and quotation.