Hand car washes. How do they make money.
Discussion
Not all of them are laundering at all.
I know plenty of owners. A lot (at least in the south) all know eachother/are related.
The managers generally get 400 a week. They can pull in £200-300 a day profit after everything for the owners.
Most own more than one or two.
Most of them are complete a
holes and I have had a little pushing match with one once.
I work with a company that supply 95% of the car washes with chemicals in the south and probably more than that in Ireland.
I know plenty of owners. A lot (at least in the south) all know eachother/are related.
The managers generally get 400 a week. They can pull in £200-300 a day profit after everything for the owners.
Most own more than one or two.
Most of them are complete a
holes and I have had a little pushing match with one once. I work with a company that supply 95% of the car washes with chemicals in the south and probably more than that in Ireland.
Sheepshanks said:
Apparently the water companies hate these guys for their use of water and discharge of untreated waste water into surface drains. Policing them must be horrendous.
Yes, at the end of the day they blow all the rubbish from the car wash onto the road with their pressure washers. The drain is constantly blocked.swisstoni said:
i just can't imagine taking any vehicle to one of these lovely establishments.
If petrol stations didn't charge stupid money for a car wash, this lot would have to shine shoes of something.
Alternatively they could just be very hard workers. I know a couple of Polish and Slav guys and they think nothing of starting work at 7am and slogging through the day on nothing more than a can of coke and a bag of crisps. These businesses thrive because few Brits can be arsed to do it.If petrol stations didn't charge stupid money for a car wash, this lot would have to shine shoes of something.
A.J.M said:
Cheap labour.
Local one to me has a steady turn over of staff to the point some haven't even mastered basic English like "hello" or the price of the wash.
Does help it's in a busy location but it's well known the place and the taxi service next door is run by drug dealers.
Look up 'modern slavery'. It's right under our noses.Local one to me has a steady turn over of staff to the point some haven't even mastered basic English like "hello" or the price of the wash.
Does help it's in a busy location but it's well known the place and the taxi service next door is run by drug dealers.
I would be interested to know how many of these places actually have the right insurance.
It reminds me of this article where a woman left her Bentley GTC with one of these car washes, only for it to be crashed by a carwash employee who fled the scene. Obviously the owner denied all liability and therefore has opened up a whole world of bother for the car owner.
To answer the OP's question. They simply cut corners in every possible way. Cheap 'cash in hand' labour, no/wrong insurance, improper waste management, basic/no facilities (Portacabin only?), cheap chemicals, false/undeclared financials etc etc...
I personally don't use these types of car washes as ultimately you get what you pay for. You risk your car in many different ways and would rather pay that few quid extra to get it done properly.
It reminds me of this article where a woman left her Bentley GTC with one of these car washes, only for it to be crashed by a carwash employee who fled the scene. Obviously the owner denied all liability and therefore has opened up a whole world of bother for the car owner.
To answer the OP's question. They simply cut corners in every possible way. Cheap 'cash in hand' labour, no/wrong insurance, improper waste management, basic/no facilities (Portacabin only?), cheap chemicals, false/undeclared financials etc etc...
I personally don't use these types of car washes as ultimately you get what you pay for. You risk your car in many different ways and would rather pay that few quid extra to get it done properly.
Vocht said:
To answer the OP's question. They simply cut corners in every possible way. Cheap 'cash in hand' labour, no/wrong insurance, improper waste management, basic/no facilities (Portacabin only?), cheap chemicals, false/undeclared financials etc etc...
This also. The owner removed toilets as the workers would spend 10 minutes taking a crap. They put a caravan at the back and one of the workers sleeps in all night and keeps an eye on the premises. This was triggered by a series of break ins where all they took were his drugs and none of the expensive pressure washer equipment 
When I didn't care about washing my car he used to take our cars and wash them for free when it was quiet on the forecourt. Would leave them there and then all of a sudden a surge of people would come
Sump said:
Sheepshanks said:
Apparently the water companies hate these guys for their use of water and discharge of untreated waste water into surface drains. Policing them must be horrendous.
Yes, at the end of the day they blow all the rubbish from the car wash onto the road with their pressure washers. The drain is constantly blocked.Durzel said:
swisstoni said:
i just can't imagine taking any vehicle to one of these lovely establishments.
If petrol stations didn't charge stupid money for a car wash, this lot would have to shine shoes of something.
Alternatively they could just be very hard workers. I know a couple of Polish and Slav guys and they think nothing of starting work at 7am and slogging through the day on nothing more than a can of coke and a bag of crisps. These businesses thrive because few Brits can be arsed to do it.If petrol stations didn't charge stupid money for a car wash, this lot would have to shine shoes of something.
See also delivery drivers ...
sutts said:
Look up 'modern slavery'. It's right under our noses.
This. Bonded labour. At best the guys washing your car will get a few quid allowance a week with the rest going to repay the 'costs' of getting them here and the charge for their accommodation and transport to work. These costs are so high that they effectively never get repaid. If you use them you're most likely to be supporting the more acceptable side of human trafficking (i.e. not children or hookers) despite the warm smile and 'hello boss' that makes you feel that they're chipper chaps just trying to earn a crust. The other comments about it being a cash business and a good way to run revenue through the books are also true. See also taxis, tanning salons, laundrettes etc. Basically anything where you would never have a corresponding invoice of goods bought vs. goods sold. There's some opportunity in take away restaurants and small shops but not as much as the others.
Plus, they f
king ruin your car so why would you bother?! swisstoni said:
Durzel said:
swisstoni said:
i just can't imagine taking any vehicle to one of these lovely establishments.
If petrol stations didn't charge stupid money for a car wash, this lot would have to shine shoes of something.
Alternatively they could just be very hard workers. I know a couple of Polish and Slav guys and they think nothing of starting work at 7am and slogging through the day on nothing more than a can of coke and a bag of crisps. These businesses thrive because few Brits can be arsed to do it.If petrol stations didn't charge stupid money for a car wash, this lot would have to shine shoes of something.
See also delivery drivers ...
Two examples near me.
One in the car park of a boarded up and vandalised old pub.Water pipe and electric cable over the fence,not sure if it's paid for etc? if a health and safety guy saw it he would have a fit?
Home made lean to,4 - 6 guys,if I walk past I may get sprayed,water running over the path,all that sort of stuff.
They have been there for a year or more,I haven't a clue if they have been checked for VAT,NI,business rates,liability insurance etc etc.I bet some of the guys "do not exist".
The other is based in an old petrol station.All official with the premises clean and tidy,forecourt for washing,heated workshop for full valet,plenty of parking bays.
Open 7 days a week,they even work under floodlights in the dark.The place is advertised so I'm quite sure its all properly run and they pay all the taxes.
One in the car park of a boarded up and vandalised old pub.Water pipe and electric cable over the fence,not sure if it's paid for etc? if a health and safety guy saw it he would have a fit?
Home made lean to,4 - 6 guys,if I walk past I may get sprayed,water running over the path,all that sort of stuff.
They have been there for a year or more,I haven't a clue if they have been checked for VAT,NI,business rates,liability insurance etc etc.I bet some of the guys "do not exist".
The other is based in an old petrol station.All official with the premises clean and tidy,forecourt for washing,heated workshop for full valet,plenty of parking bays.
Open 7 days a week,they even work under floodlights in the dark.The place is advertised so I'm quite sure its all properly run and they pay all the taxes.
Jasandjules said:
Where are the ones that charge £10?
It's 15 for the basic wash here and 20 for a good wash - but my word the car is gleaming when done.
£6 for an outside wash and door shutsIt's 15 for the basic wash here and 20 for a good wash - but my word the car is gleaming when done.
£12 for in and out.
Local car wash
If you zoom in you can see all their prices. Don't like going there though, would rather go to Mr Clean which one of the automated car washes than go there.
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