I have about 5 car lots I do and was wondering if anyone has any ideas to help water spots. Also would love to branch out from car lots and need advice on where to begin.
Thanks so much
also so should I am using my house water.
As far as I’m aware, the only way to do car lots efficiently and without water spots is by using RO/DI water. Join Fleet Wash Academy on Facebook and there is tons of info on this subject and a lot of guys willing to tell you everything they know. It is definitely an investment, but worth it for the spot free rinse.
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I’ve heard of some guys adding like a dishwashing rinse aid like Finish or something like that to their tank.
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For what car lots want to pay it’s laughable…not worth the RO/DI route imo. Unless your charging premium rates. Just curious, how much per car are you getting? How many cars?
You could find a soap that has water softening properties in it. My local chem supplier sells a fleet wash soap that has water softening properties in it and has good feedback.
You can also buy “ water softening” powder in most laundry aisles…add it to current soap. Won’t get you to spotless but it will help reduce.
I know! i’d like to branch out from car dealerships but am just not sure how to yet. But it depends, If the lot is a bigger one and has about 200-300 cars i’ll offer $1.50 a car - $1.75 a car and for smaller lots my base price is $100 if they have less than 55 cars otherwise its $1.85 a car. Bigger lots around here don’t pay as much per car so thats why I have the rates different between the 2.
Reclaim can’t be worth it for a few hundred bucks.
I turned down a large car dealership last week ( was buying my wife a new car and the manager saw my truck) First thing I saw was about 20 drains in the parking lot. No thanks…$$ not worth the reclaim effort.
Whether people will admit it or not we all have been uncompliant with the clean water act…but at a car dealership would be the last place you’d want to be seen washing cars with soaps and letting the run off go in the drain.
What type of pressure washing work do you usually do? I’ve been wanting to branch out from car lots just not sure how to approach it
That’s a lot dealerships are at .65 cents a car around hear. You can add white vinegar to your water don’t remember how much though. If I remember rite it balances the ph of the water kinda a half ass way of doing spot free though. But it does work to an extent
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Yeah closer to the downtown area it’s about 95 cents a car so I go 30 miles out of downtown where they pay more.
Maybe I’m wrong, but that seems like a lot of work for very little return.
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The guys that are doing dealerships on a large scale and making a profit aren’t using soap at all. It’s RO/DI water only. Two man crew, one spraying, one wiping down anything the rinse didn’t get. A lot of guys I talked to said their crews are at 30 seconds to a minute per car. No reclaim to worry about because it’s water only. If you get all the dealerships on a strip that’s easy money. They are also charging anywhere from $1-$3 per car. This is just what I have seen on Fleet Wash Academy on Facebook.
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Yeah I definitely don’t use soap. Just like you said spraying then having someone come dry. Was just hoping I could get something to make less water spots so I could do things a bit faster and easier.How much is a ro/di system
I’m doing the math, and even at a generous $3/car, and 40 seconds per car, I think that only comes out to about $135 pmh (with 2 techs). Housewashing is way, way easier money than all that work…
Makes me wonder why anyone would be doing it for <$1/car…
I just had a guy come detail a car im selling to get a truck. He had a 2.2gpm 2000psi PW air compressor and steam cleaner. He did a GREAT job on the car inside and out. He brought his enclosed trailer to my house and it took him over 8 hours none stop work. He charged me $200 dollars very good attention to detail and quality work disnt try to hide anything.Even took my tag off and cleaned behind it. I just cant see much profit in that. Washing cars seems like alot of work for little gain. Id refer him to anyone though. http://www.scottsdetailing.net really great guy i enjoyed tslking
I guess I need to get into the house cleaning side of pressure washing then. I average about $300 a day right now. I bought this business from the previous owner so was just used to doing car dealerships but it is very tedious after awhile. My set up now doesn’t have a soap dispensor which i’d assume houses would need. Ive personally never seen anyone getting their house pressure washed but I see a lot of businesses on here doing it. What would I need to do to get into that market?
Ouch!
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Read up on downstreaming.
You will quadruple your daily income (and cut the tediousness by 75%) by switching to house washing.
Ya i know. I even asked how he does his marketing door to door, fliers,etc. He said he doesnt need to his website does all his marketing . he could barely fit me in his schedule
