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05-11-2010, 05:54 PM | #1 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
Any carwash owners here?
Was thinking about buying some cheap land off a busy road here in Chicago and starting a carwash. I would love to hear experiences that people might have had or who are in the industry, also if you have sites or manufactures you recommend looking at, I would appreciate it.
It seems like a business that would be fairly easy to run. Have an electrician/plumber on call, make runs to a local auto wash supply company (Turtle Wax is local here in Chicago). Maintenance should be fairly minimal. Seal the concrete once a year, have seasonal cleaning of everything. Maybe replace a water pump every year or two. Rent and taxes would suck but otherwise, I would imagine it would be a fairly profitable venture. And if I am smart with where I buy land, hopefully property values will increase in the next 10 years and be able to sell the land at a profit. Although, I have no experience in this industry so I am just going off observations and what I have read online. School me ot!
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05-11-2010, 05:56 PM | #2 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 15934
Join Date: Mar 2002
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Yorkville, IL
Vehicle:2021 GTI Cornflower Blue |
This is a pipe dream of mine as well coonboi.
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05-11-2010, 06:00 PM | #3 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 31719
Join Date: Jan 2003
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Portland
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I would imagine that the traffic would be seasonal so take that into consideration. Probably not a huge deal in FL but most likely a factor in IL.
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05-11-2010, 06:00 PM | #4 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
From my research locally, there was one forsale for about 150k. I am about 2/3rd of the way there savings wise. Then location wasn't the best or I would have made a move on the place (a burb of Hammond Indiana).
I would agree and disagree about the seasonal traffic. A lot of people wash their cars in the winter up here in Chicago because of all the salt/grime that gets put on the roads from the local DOT. Yes, its not the same type of traffic as summer or what would be in Miami all year round. But its not a ghost town. |
05-11-2010, 06:02 PM | #5 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 68274
Join Date: Aug 2004
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: NJ
Vehicle:2013 FJ Cruiser cardomain.com/id/izzodesh |
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05-11-2010, 06:04 PM | #6 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 31719
Join Date: Jan 2003
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Portland
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Quote:
That being said, whats the competition like? Would you go touchless or bushed? Whats the car-wash market like there and can it support another entry? How would you distinguish yourself from the others? |
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05-11-2010, 06:05 PM | #7 | |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
Quote:
True. like heating the water and hacking down icicles. |
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05-11-2010, 06:05 PM | #8 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 22825
Join Date: Aug 2002
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Seattle, WA
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Coin Operated laundry places do well... All the korean owned ones in LA seem to have owners with nice cars, decent homes, and nice things...
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05-11-2010, 06:14 PM | #9 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 14091
Join Date: Jan 2002
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: crAkron Ohio
Vehicle:71 dime 15 mazda6 6mt |
My uncle used to own a car wash and failed miserably at it. More due to his ineptness and location than anything.
You know the drill with the location thing. (location, location, location) Self serve? full serve? detailing on the side? Don't know what the regulatory situation is in Chicago with water usage. In any case, water bills will be crazy expensive. Some newer places have water reclamation systems, but that's expensive too. the mechanicals need maintenance. |
05-11-2010, 06:14 PM | #10 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 245222
Join Date: Apr 2010
Chapter/Region:
SCIC
Location: Laguna Beach
Vehicle:2001 S2000 New Formula Red |
I suppose if you created an innovated system, trying something new that makes it more appealing otherwise. I swear there are so many god**** yogurt places that are all the same, but there must be a reason why there's not that many car washing places. I would suggest part machine wash and the other part self-wash.
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05-11-2010, 06:49 PM | #11 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 140529
Join Date: Feb 2007
Chapter/Region:
TXIC
Location: Dfw
Vehicle:01 Ferrari 360 spy |
Just be prepared for people bitching about how your car wash scratched their car. No thanks.
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05-11-2010, 07:02 PM | #12 |
Don't Thread on Me
Moderator Member#: 75141
Join Date: Nov 2004
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
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My buddy just signed to buy 1 of 3. He was breaking down the numbers to me ... but at $1.25 mil apiece....damn.
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05-11-2010, 07:03 PM | #13 |
*** Banned ***
Member#: 143082
Join Date: Mar 2007
Chapter/Region:
International
Vehicle:It's been laugh - Canada |
When i was 9 years old i used to knock on people's doors and ask to wash their car for $2.
Does that count? |
05-11-2010, 07:03 PM | #14 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
Buying from a broker?
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05-11-2010, 07:04 PM | #15 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
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05-11-2010, 07:06 PM | #16 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 34931
Join Date: Apr 2003
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Eagles are ****ing
Vehicle:. Super bowl LII Champions! |
you should watch the film...car wash...then make your decision on whether you should open one or not
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05-11-2010, 07:09 PM | #17 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
I liked the 90s version better
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05-11-2010, 07:10 PM | #18 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 34931
Join Date: Apr 2003
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Eagles are ****ing
Vehicle:. Super bowl LII Champions! |
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05-11-2010, 07:13 PM | #19 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7022
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Evanston
Vehicle:2001 Forester Arcadia green |
I was working for Turtle Wax when "the doc" came to us asking for money to be the "car wash" of the movie. They tried to say it was a remake of "the car wash". It most certainly wasn't
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