Blimey, there must be good money in car washing!

[JimmyConwayNW]

aspirated said:

It's mostly dealers etc who are very territorial, especially around the north west

Place I know has 6 staff paid 25-35 cash in hand per day, and revenue on a good summers day would be around 550-600, dropping to around 400 through winter. Costs per day no more than 250, including cash wages, materials, rent, water and electricity.

Make more than that on a winter day - I used to make more than that with 4 staff + me.

Winter is grit on road - wet / frosty cars get cleaned more frequently. Your car is dirty every 2 -3 days in summer when its dry may take a couple of weeks for it to look visibly dirty again.

[WillB]

Yep, they're great little businesses in the right location.

I own the land that these guys use on the main road into Uxbridge:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.554091,-0.488982...

They've been here 5 years and have just signed a new 10-year lease back in August

Always seem very busy whenever I drive past.

It use to be my old run down office building. Demolishing that and renting the land was the best thing I ever did.

If anyone else has a site and is thinking of selling it, let me know

[Nickyboy]

Our local one at Tesco makes a fortune, he owns at least 2. They're busy, at least 100 cars a day, proper production line going on. £20-30 is the norm for about 20 mins, they do a bloody good job too. I wanted them to shampoo seats etc once but she wanted the car for 5-6 hours which was too long as i had stuff to do but i know plenty who have had the proper full service which is around £80. They're all Romanian, he owns a house a few doors down from me that he houses them all in.

[aspirated]

drainbrain said:

aspirated said:

It's mostly dealers etc who are very territorial, especially around the north west

...revenue on a good summers day would be around 550-600, dropping to around 400 through winter….

Actually car washes are busier in winter (unless it's snowing)

JimmyConwayNW said:

aspirated said:

It's mostly dealers etc who are very territorial, especially around the north west

Place I know has 6 staff paid 25-35 cash in hand per day, and revenue on a good summers day would be around 550-600, dropping to around 400 through winter. Costs per day no more than 250, including cash wages, materials, rent, water and electricity.

Make more than that on a winter day - I used to make more than that with 4 staff + me.

Winter is grit on road - wet / frosty cars get cleaned more frequently. Your car is dirty every 2 -3 days in summer when its dry may take a couple of weeks for it to look visibly dirty again.

Not this one

[Frimley111R]

Nickyboy said:

Our local one at Tesco makes a fortune, he owns at least 2. They're busy, at least 100 cars a day, ....

Don't forget when it rains, that soon knocks the average down. From what I saw a good one does about 800 p/m on average. Based on an average of £7 a wash that's only £67,000 a year in revenue which doesn't seem much.

[48k]

Depends how much income tax / NI / corporation tax you're paying

[Frimley111R]

Even if you're paying very low wages its a lot of work for not much ££ bearing in mind you're there 365 days a year nearly and out in all weathers.

[johnwilliams77]

Frimley111R said:

Even if you're paying very low wages its a lot of work for not much ££ bearing in mind you're there 365 days a year nearly and out in all weathers.

Not so bad for the indoor drive through hand wash one I use. At least they don't need to work out in the rain etc

[p1stonhead]

PAULJ5555 said:

CaptainSlow said:

dartissimus said:

Is it washing cars or washing money ??

Washing money I think. I once saw a documentary about a couple that bought a car wash to launder the money they made by manufacturing crystal meth.

How did it end?

[walm]

drainbrain said:

C Lee Farquar said:

drainbrain said:

drainbrain said:

I own one of these. THIS one, to be exact.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/722+Maryhill+R...

Absolute prime site busy 24/7/365 major inner city artery. Offered £50kpa by Starbucks for it some years ago. Told them no. Rented to an Albanian guy who has many many car washes. Nice guys. Never had a bad wash in it. Does tyres as well and valeting in the other shed.

Love it, and probably just about to sell it. (will know this week). Yours for £250k. (solicitors details on request).

That would seem a very good investment if a 20% p.a. return could be achieved from a tenant like Starbucks?

Well I'm a lot happier with less than half that from my Albanian. Much much much much less hassle.

Still a good investment, tho. And there was no way it was going to be turned into a drive-thru coffee shop. Cars'll still be getting washed there long after Starbucks is but a dim and distant memory.

As ever your comments make absolutely no sense.
You think an Albanian running a car wash (staffed by EU migrants) is going to be "less hassle" and last longer than Starbucks, a company founded before I was born and worth nearly $100bn.
Not just slightly different but the lower hassle from the Albanian is worth 2x as much.

Something doesn't add up. No one hates coffee that much.