Tell me about your local car wash

[JongDoe]

Everyone thinks they can scam the IRS or the department of taxation on car washes. All they do is put a buck in the spray nozzle, squirt into a 5 gallon bucket, then subpoena the water records.

Notice that quarter is worth more than a quarter??

Well everyone has seen Breaking Bad, so

and this is the same thing they do with pizza shops, see how much cheese and supplies they buy.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Funny I started this thread with the intention of taking my know-how to the town I live in now. Did tons of market research, found some good lots, etc, etc. Missing piece: An investor.

Someone is building a 2 acre car wash and detail center 500yds from where I live right now. I'm sure the place will print money. Bastards.

[dookeyXXX]

Someone is building a 2 acre car wash and detail center 500yds from where I live right now. I'm sure the place will print money. Bastards.

A car wash and counterfeit operation rolled into one sounds like an interesting business model...

[Ted Striker]

I'm actually addicted to the smell.

I like Poorboy's. Almost every product smells great (except the metal remover, which smells awful)

[XXX-er]

IME if I never wash my car I will never use the wrong soap

[skaredshtles]

Car washing sounds like a PITA.

[Jax]

Oddly enough, the most boring cars I ever did as a detailer, but also had the most consistent and avid group of customers, were Outbacks. Granted it's a high-end shop, entry pricing for a 4-door sedan is $295 for a full detail int/ext. Most clients had Porsches, classic FJs, new Tacos or F150/250s, other big lifted trucks, newer Rubis and Gladiators, Rovers, Teslas, Mercs/AMGs, and classic cars requiring paint restoration or touch-ups. I did minor scratch removal but most people balked at the price per inch, labor intensive for sure. Lots of PPF (clearbra) and ceramic coating installations. Occasional headlight restorations.

Never had to worry about beaters or creeper minivans, that was for the car wash down the street. Though we would get the occasional kid or dog hair infested SUV that would slip through the cracks because one of us booked it prior to looking at it. lol. It was a really cool and interesting job, good honest work and I got to get my hands all over lots of cool cars.

[Mazderati]

Lots of PPF (clearbra) and ceramic coating installations.

Which brand do you guys use? I have an appointment next week so recently shopped Suntek/Llumar and Xpel. No 3M installer locally.

[Jax]

3M almost exclusively, but sometimes Stek Dynoshield

[Ted Striker]

I've had Xpel on a car, and no complaints. Didn't yellow, and the edges stayed as invisible as they were on day one (somewhat, but not completely)

Jax can correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like the installer matters more than the product.

[Jax]

Pretty much, though I've peeled off shitty film from time to time that had faded or yellowed. PITA!

Depends on the quality of film, quality of laser cutter for the patterns, and the patience and experience of the installer. Takes 2 people for a basic hood PPF in terms of how the product is handled in the moments right before it gets placed on the car without fouling the film. Trimming, smoothing and squeegeeing techniques are all on the installer. Also, knowing when to start over if it's just not working or if placement is just not quite right. I've seen a few shitty installs coming out of the same Audi dealership in Denver that we had to fix.

Just make sure to let it cure for a probably longer than they recommend, and don't ever hold a pressure washer or hose directly over the edge or at an angle towards the edge of the film when washing, always go around or come at it from behind if you must. Don't even wash it the first week.

[BmillsSkier]

Mad props, Jax!

Much like the satisfaction of mowing and detailing your lawn/yard, I still enjoy detailing the family cars. My neighbors think I'm insane.

[TBS]

^^^Tell us more Spambot!

[Marshall Tucker]

ooooohhhhhh WRG now as competition!
Kick his ass WRG!

But to the subject, learned a hood tennis buddy and 12 of his fraternity bros had bought a pretty simple, 8-9 bay pressure washer kinda place in 1999, near the 'hood. And have been trying to unload it since with zero takers.