How much would you pay for a good hand car wash

How much would you pay for a good hand car wash

Author
Discussion

turk1

Original Poster:

219 posts

159 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
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i am thinking of opening a good quality hand car wash for people who care about there cars and spend a lot more time on doing a good job unlike many of these £5 places popping up all over the place, but the cost would have to be much higher to make it pay, just would like to know how much you guys would be willing to pay for this sort of service.

rix

2,781 posts

190 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
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trouble is, you aint got us lot as your customer base on your doorstop... would proabably pay £20 for in/out if done to 'my' standard, trouble is, how do you know you're any different to the £5 jobbies?

Without any brand its difficult to come into a market as the premium alternative...

turk1

Original Poster:

219 posts

159 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
quotequote all
rix said:
trouble is, you aint got us lot as your customer base on your doorstop... would proabably pay £20 for in/out if done to 'my' standard, trouble is, how do you know you're any different to the £5 jobbies?

Without any brand its difficult to come into a market as the premium alternative...
The difference with me would be

1, snow foamed first
2, 2 bucket method, with clean water after every car not the same water they use over and over
3, no acid all over the wheels and bottom of car
4, would have more respect for peoples pride and joy

That's got to be worth paying more for ?

chimp427

8,951 posts

233 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
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A wash near me charges £5 for a car and you get a free air freshener!
To be honest they do quite a good job and are a vast improvement on some ive seen.

H.....

483 posts

147 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
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I think the problem you'll have is that most people who want snow foam, two buckets etc are perfectly happy doing it themselves.

Squiggs

1,520 posts

155 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
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Mr average Joe Bloggs doesn't appreciate the difference between what you want to offer and what the £5 guys already do - so Mr JB ain't going to pay more.

Those that can appreciate the difference already pay more to get a slightly more specialist mobile guy to come to their doorstep.

On that basis I really can't see a static site, either on par with the specialist mobile guy or falling between the two, ever becoming commercially viable.

glasgowrob

3,245 posts

121 months

Wednesday 7th October 2015
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Different market but

Taxi specials for me. £3 wash £10 mini valet

Adamski69

175 posts

110 months

Wednesday 7th October 2015
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As above.

Something many miss about the £5 drive through's that pop up everywhere is that they also offer full valets with more 'specialised' services. The closest one to me goes up to £85 for a 'full lux valet', people don't stop for it first time round but over the years their customer base has grown for these services and all sorts of supercars visit on a regular basis and also local traders use them for prepping cars. Doesn't necessarily mean they use top products and 2BM and snow foam but they are always flat out and I will bet that as many £6 washes that they do will be matched by the £15 - £25ers.

The £5 headline ad gets people in the door and then over time they up sell the services. Not getting away from the fact that 5 or 6 guys on pennies per hr will work 12 hrs plus a day in all weathers will help the volume cause. Many hands make short work and make more money for the boss...

turk1

Original Poster:

219 posts

159 months

Saturday 10th October 2015
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Thanks for your comments, I thought it would be an option for people with top end cars who don't like the £5 car washes but like many of you i don't think i would be able to survive aiming at that end of the market .

CarsOrBikes

1,135 posts

184 months

Friday 16th October 2015
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I'd wash cars on my drive, off a main road, happily for a fiver a car, by hand, no snow foam, and no pressure washer, yet wax additive, and wheel cleaner are available.

Many fiver bays only 'start' there, and I wouldn't be interested in charging more than a tenner particularly anyway. It's not a valet, but a tidy up. I'll also clean motorbikes. Just not in 20 minutes haha.

Heswall area if interested haha. Will also advise on mechanicals if I see something, top up washers, and check oil if you want, gratis, and visual look over, but you pay for oil obviously, or screen wash additive, water is free. I manage an Indy BMW/Mini workshop for others so check them over anyway, so when I leave, I'll have time to do stuff for much less, my tyre changer is designed for rft's so better than their run of the mill one too. I can remove and clean your wheels, and rebalance them while off.

I've been in the trade over thirty three years, and don't need to evaluate whether cleaning cars is going to be a viable business, but would just ask you allow time for cleaning, I'm not automated you know. When my compressor is brought here, and with some moving around, I will be doing new tyres from here too, cheaper than the big two, in addition to being a Pristine wheel agent previously, but that was from elsewhere.

There are so many wash centres appearing, and as the op says, same water, old sponge, but not all, a lot are great for the money, I just like doing it, and could easily all day long. One thing leads to another, and other maintenance from here is quite possible, and would save people money. It just isn't a shop front site, but still I have space. I don't think I'd go mobile to do it though, but would consider it if work was consistent later on. I used to years ago, and collect cars to do at home, or run people back too.

soad

32,894 posts

176 months

Saturday 17th October 2015
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A fiver at the most and not a damn penny more.

Cheers,
Soad