car wash, ica, vacuum, Vending, and wash bay.
Noble Avenue Car Wash, Florida
This is from my trip back from the ICA meeting in April. This was down the street from this wash.
Bay setup
Vacuum setup
Hamilton changer and vending
Noble Avenue Car Wash, Florida
W Noble Avenue and NW 5th Street Florida Google street view link
This is from my trip back from the ICA meeting in April.
Front venting area: Dilling & Harris Max-Vend-Master with bill acceptor and an American AC2225 changer
Coleman vacuums
Bay setup
Water Wizard setup and American entry unit install
Kleen-Rite Corp Seminar and Expo
I got my packet for the Kleen-Rite Corp seminar and expo. If Pennsylvania was not so far away I would go. I really think that SECWA or other regional shows should watch out: the only thing this Kleen-Rite show doesn’t have is heavy equipment vendors (but the SECWA show just started having heavy equipment around 5 years ago). The next step would be the exhibitors colluding to form their own show and ditching all the regional meetings. But this seems like a great seminar / expo for self serve owners. The seminars that they are having sound better then what the ICA show had.
boxes, brushes, carwash, D/H, Dilling & Harris, erie, Fragramatics, fragrance, garbage, orlando, sign, timer, vacuum, and vacuums.
Hunter’s Creek Auto Wash / aka Car Wash
My GPS said “Gatorland Carwash” at 14513 Gatorland Drive, Orlando, FL. but the name does not really matter.
First picture is the front view and the second picture it from the entry road next to a Flex-Serve.
Front view: I like the glass block and the road sign.
Vending: I like the “Suggestions” box and it is interesting that they replaced the Dilling & Harris Vend-Master product door. They replaced the plastic with metal.
Back view: First picture show painted arrows on the ground which is a good idea. I just doubt it would help.
Bay: Some interesting notes are the crappy foam brushes and the garbage can in every bay. I love the large timer conversion.
Automatic: PDQ Laser 4000 had an interesting purge setup in the automatic. Not really sure what or why it was purging though.
Vacuums: They has some weird vandalism problems? I actually had someone steal my gun off my Fragramatics fragrance vacuum before. They unscrewed the gun and took it.
BioShine, Erie Brush, Review, and tire shine.
BioShine product review
I have been having some computer difficulties and I finally got the video made. It is really fancy… you should check it out. I would be interested to see how this product works in a Simoniz Tire Shine Applicator http://cwguy.com/?p=1695 . Maybe my Dad will try it out?
I used an Erie Wheel Wizard brush and the BioShine spray bottle. Sprayed on great and was not drippy. Really shined up the tires very impressed. Check out the video.
Some additional information from JoeNardis and BioShine that was sent with the sample was:
The product cost 5 Gal $49 and 55 Gal drum $469 plus shipping. No freight on 4 drums or more (US only). Also some prices on the “Shinemaster” machines, Coin-operated $2199, with Dixmore display $2399, and the express detail machine $1287. Give him a call for more information. Crown Car Wash Inc 412-367-1501
List of benefits for using Bioshine is: Environmentally safe product, great for reclaim, low cost, biodegradable, no silicon, no slippery floors or pavement, water based
Simply Solutions
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These are the chemicals I purchased from the Erie Brush people. His son sells chemicals and the company is Simply Solutions Corporation Crestwood, IL. I purchased the APPEAL Blue Berry Clearcoat and the BERRY NICE Foaming Detergent. I do not think he has a web site though. I hope it works well.
BioShine, Black Diamond, Blendco, crowcarwashinc.com, Joe DeNardis, silicon, and tire shine.
BioShine self serve vendor VS. Blendco Black Diamond
I wanted to check out a couple things at the ICA show and self serve tire shine units was one of them. I talked to Joe DeNardis at the crowncarwashinc.com booth and really liked their self serve vendor. They also sell a full service applicator (middle picture). I really like this design because all my vacuums are the same design. The gun has a trigger on it and a stationary bristle brush. It also holds 5 gallons of product.
But the bigest selling point is the BioShine tire shine product. I request a sample and will test it out on a car tomorrow, so I will let you know how it works. But the product is silicon free which is a must for self serve bays, (more on that later) and is environmentally safe product. Maybe that is why the vendor is green?
The Blendco Black Diamond vendor is like a stand alone Fragramatic fragrance machine. But they also sell a self serve bay setup. I liked the bay setup but they use a crappy Flojet pump (at least for a 5 bay unit I asked about) and is seems a little expensive (Maybe that is why the show special was half price?) for what you get. The gun looks exactly like a Fragramatic fragrance gun with a swivel on the end and a metal brace for a pad. The idea is to spray the tire down then scrub it in with the rotating pad thing. I did not really care for the gun setup and it just seems like the pad would not last very long (If I remember correctly, if you purchase their product they will send you free pads?). But the worse part was something I never even thought about. The silicon based Blendco tire shine will make your bays super slippery. If you have ever gone to a wash with a Simonize Tire Shiner (I guess any tire shiner?) you will know what I am talking about. Around the tire shiner and maybe 10 feet away will be an ice rink. But to be fair the Bendco sales people said that you just need to high pressure it off ever day. Not really sure how effective that would be?
But I did get my sample of BioShine that I requested from the ICA show so I will give it a try tomorrow and give you an update. It will be interesting how a non-silicon based product works.
John Thomason owner now broker
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I checked out carwashbrokers.comat the ica show and noticed that my Dad’s express wash was for sale. Seems like a pretty good web site, if you want to purchase more car washes.
I was suprised that John is a broker now. I remember talking to him at the ICA Texas show after he sold his car wash. He used to be on the board of secwa also. john@carwashbrokers.com if you want to spam him.
iwash ICA booth
I really like the iwash and took a couple pictures of their pumping station and their residential version? It would work perfectly next to your mailbox at your house.
Have you ever wondered what the automatic kleen-rite was selling looked like? Well I did, it always seems to be the page I open to. It is a Hydrospray Cobra and the little thing in the last picture is a Rainmaker. Which seems like half a Cobra?
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I hope the Hydrospay Rainmaker is better then the movie.
I have a picture of an UFO drone / flying fish!
“Buff-It Car Wash” or “$5 Exterior Ride Thru Wash”
While at the ICA show I wanted to check out a couple car washes in the area. I decided to go to the Gatorland Carwash at 14513 Gatorland Drive, Orlando, FL. My first picture of the car wash/oil change next door had a UFO drone in it. The next picture I took did not have the UFO in it, which is proof it was an actual UFO!
Also, in the first picture, besides the UFO, is a sign “irrigated with reclaimed water, do not drink”. There must have been a problem with people drinking water in the median of the road?
Well, this location was a full service wash & detail, an oil change and an express exterior wash blow dry place.
ICA Meeting pictures
I finished the last of the ICA related photos: http://cwguy.com/?page_id=2537
I also have some non-related photos: http://cwguy.com/?page_id=2539
Erie brush vacuum hoses
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I purchased this 50 foot long vacuum hose from Erie Brush at the ICA show. I like the multi-colors and the inside wall is a lot smoother. It will be interesting to see how well it last.
By the way, do you want to see the worst web site in the car wash industry? Well check out Erie Brush’s site: http://www.eriebrush.com/ This web site makes me want to start web developing again and do pro bono work.
Recent Comments
I just built a system that fixes the problem of pressure you are referring to. The answer is 2 fold. 1.VFD+ Pressure 2.Monitoring Sensor. Set up where VFD runs at say "40%" putting out 150psi. Then have a sensor that is inline (before manifold) to when a second bay calls for product, and pressure drops, it senses this, and increases the VFD to say 50% to make up for the difference, and retain the 150psi. So on, and so forth depending on how many bays you have. It will take some tweaking, but once it is set, it is set. Also, you only can have a maximum of 5 ports open at once, even if you have 6 different functions, as each bay can only have one selection running at any given time. Email me, and I can give you more info, and / or if you want to buy one rather than build one. It is a very expensive "trial and error" job, as the VFD, pump, and sensor have to do the job right, and give the correct pressures. They will not share any of their tech, as they want us all to buy from ...
Did you know.... You can purchase the "quick disconnect" injectors from "Hydraflex™®? ©" (don't want to infringe on ™®? or © :P) , however you cannot purchase the quick disconnect adapters from them. Hmmmmm? Isn't that nice? Why not? Oh, that's right you can, if you purchase one of their "Aqualab™®? ©." TEN THOUSAND dollar units. Then, they will sell replacement parts for it, which include the quick disconnect fittings. Very frustrating to say the least. IN A STORY NOT RELATED -> If you want to never ever ever worry about check valves again, look into the icheck magnum series which you can buy from Kleen Rite (low ph, high ph, and high pressure) Also, if you are tired of replacing brittle, cracked, sun-drenched, winter haggard poly line, step up and buy the parker (or equiv.) "air brake" line (type B, reinforced). it will last for over 20 years in a carwash, and will outlast stainless steel when running corrosive product thru. I have been running HF thru it for over...
I love your sense of humor, but everything is in the details of any business what separates the strong from the weak is just a few minor details. But that few can be huge, for instance I love Arbys for their sandwiches, but many years ago their facilities were just run down and dirty, back then I would never go to the bathroom in one. Instead I went to Mcdonald's to go the rest room. Now in current time Arby's has gotten the idea that a very clean and modern facility with upgraded equipment will bring in customers. They even have open wifi in many, so that being said a business is the true salesperson it projects an image. Now one must ask yourself what image do you want to project to the public. You yoursef as a owner of a car wash or any business must be the salesman, because without a sale no one has a job. Mike...
I don't think you read the post. Maybe since your not a car wash owner you didn't get the joke? But your a sales person so... :) Maybe in Ohio the government is more restrictive I don't know? But when the government lets people start businesses that they want. Unforgettably to many people have built car washes because of sales people. Which makes them bad investments... so depending where someone is from you will get your desired remarks. Also you are selling a high priced item so only car washes with money would call you... another fact. So of course they would be making money. I also disagree with 90% of your statements except the place should be clean. You do not have to purchase top "knotch" equipment. You can run a super car wash with any equipment on the market. But again your a sales person. :) But I strangely want to purchase a boiler now.... JK LOL :)...
I have met many car wash owners that do make money in the car wash industry. Here is what I have found they are very organized, they buy top knotch equipment, they maintain it everyday, they check their water everyday, they ask for help when needed. Many are true salespeople they get out and meet the customers give them hugs and attend community events. And lets not forgot about having a very clean facility, customers love neatness. Mike Simmons, Vice-President...