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From: Lance (Auto Detailing News for Mobile Automotive Detailing and Detail Shops)
Remote Name: 66.82.48.1
Date: 29 Jan 2004
Time: 03:59:29
Below is the question of the day which came in from an expanding Detailer named Taj. Dry Wash and Pressure Washing for Mobile Car Wash or Detailing? Which Works Better? We have posted this common question for those in the industry to think about the differences in methods used by the World Class Detailers in the Country on the Auto Detailing News for Mobile Automotive Detailing Forum. ------------------- Hi Lance, Just finished reading some literature on auto detailing from a Car Wash guys website discussion forum. Currently, I have an existing parking lot business and also in the process of starting a seperate profit center, Mobile Carwashes, for this business. I am also considering a CarWashGuy franchise but had a few questions as I go through the process: 1. I'm curious to know the pros and cons of using waterless/drywash technology as opposed to pressure washing? 2. Do you recommend wet or dry and what results would one expect from the two? 3. Also, what is the industry standard and the preferred model for mobile car washes? 4. And most importantly, what do the customers prefer? Your input on these topics would be extremely helpful. Thanks in advance. TD ---------------------------- Dear Taj (TD), Normally we do not allow those already in the industry to join our company. Most detailers we have met have already established a way they like to do things, such habits die-hard and it is rare we can train natural learned techniques and experiences out of a auto detailer technician. This is not good or bad, it may well be good for the actual detailers, who has a preferred method, which have been working well for them. It is not that we do not like such folks who are already in our Industry because we do actually and often find a common spirit. After all, most all auto detailers share quite a bit in common as we are all in it for the love of detailing, the customer, the freedom and of course the money too. Regarding your questions: 1. and 2.) We generally only use dry wash on Aircraft at customer's request or in certain instances on race cars, antique cars in show room and customers whose cars are kept in near dust free garages and only driven rarely, why bother to pull the cars or aircraft out of the show room, garage or hanger, just to wash it, and pull it back in? Dry Wash is difficult and time consuming to use on regular driver cars in out door areas and parking lots compared with pressure washing when such folks drive through mud and debris in the winter months in most climates. You cannot compare the results because the time it takes to use dry wash negates a profitable practice on regular and normal customers cars. For instance it is most easy to wash a car in 5 minutes exterior with a pressure washer using as little as 2.4 to 4.0 gallons, this includes wash, soap, rinse and dry. Then a coat of bottle spray wax takes about 8-15 minutes. This would be most comparable. In that case the results are nearly identical the difference being water usage in that the Dry Wash you are looking a so little it is not calculable. Regarding asserting that Dry Wash is technology based is really something of a multi-level cult type hype thought. It is technology as it, uses a chemical process, which is very well known and is able to coat the dust as it moves across the surface preventing scratches, depending on the amount of dirt and product used. You cannot compare the two, since Dry Wash also waxes as it washes and therefore you get a two for one double whammy, for instance two steps in one and no water used, which is of significant benefit in a drought ridden area. One problem we have found is that some customers are fearful that you might scratch their cars, this is unfounded in most cases if the product is used correctly however, perception is reality and therefore the customer buying behavior is an issue. Now then with that said a person could explain the differences as I am doing here and tell the customer that you will not scratch their car, however the whole time they are looking at you like you are lying to them. Thus it takes someone who can sell it and sales take time, if it takes five minutes or more to convince them then I could have already washed the car and collected the money, you see? now then if it is a regular customer the proof was in the results last time and therefore they are believers later for next time, you see? No I do not recommend dry wash under all circumstances, however we did design a dry wash product at one point about 8 years ago, which worked very well for about $ 1.85 per 8 ounce bottle. We were pleased with the results, but not on really dirty cars and the rags when we were done were truly disgusting and we could not use a house washing machine because it literally destroyed them and turned the towels gray after words, since then micro fiber towels have taken away much of that issue. So here is the thing, I can wash a car in 5 minutes with a pressure washer, 15 minutes with dry wash, yes dry wash also kind of leaves a wax shine on it and added protection, but for 15 minutes I must make $15.00 for a wash, this leaves out the single mom with the Honda car who does not wish to pay that much, but is fine for the once convinced third time BMW executive type does this make sense? For us the issue is purely economics. Cost to wash and money made. By cleaning the Honda cars we add customers, influence and referrals, where as many detailers would not even want the Honda customers, we do. Doubtful a single mom with a Honda car would pay $15.00 for a wash every week if she was an hourly worker at minimum wage or slightly higher. But she will pay five dollars and with a pressure washer, you can afford to give this service, a detailer would not, but a mobile car washer could and would not be out any dollars, just one more car washed, during the long day and on the long list of cars. We say live with the classes and sell to the masses. If you are a detailer then I think over half of the circumstances that dry wash would be acceptable due to the results provided the car is not too dirty with grit. But let's say we push the half to 2/3 even so what about the other 1/3? Price is not an issue because you are charging $100 to $150 on cars and $135-$220 on SUVs and spending upwards of three man-hours on the vehicle anyway, but for washing and speed on various levels of dirty cars, you are going to want to use a pressure washers on over half of those. And once you have a pressure washer, why not use it on everything? Since you can clean the rims faster, the plastic between the hood and windshield, by blasting, etc. Some day and perhaps as the world becomes more understanding of water supplies we will see more dry wash use and it may enter mainstream yet those who use towels will be washing those towels and the cycle rinses use 40 gallons to wash the towels and send it to a sewer treatment plant. 40 gallons washing 25 hand towels in a load which cleaned 20 cars, is 2 gallons per car anyway you see? If you use micro-fiber and throw them away, then you fill up your local dump? Which is not good or bad the dump gets paid by the load. But the price of water is also an interesting factor in that, water costs 743 gallons (1 unit of water) is generally about $1.83 to $2.88 depending on where in the country (US) you are, you see. So with 743 gallons you can clean between 185 to 309 relatively clean cars or 74 to 150 very dirty cars. (A note water is much more expensive in other parts of the world and a much more precious commodity, we often take our water for granted, which is foolish). You cost per car for water is pretty insignificant considering the cost, soap for instance being less than $.15 per car. I think my biggest reason for pressure washer use really is efficiency and time, not cost, although I can argue cost too for washing. For a wash and quick wax the difference and efficiency could be a toss up on the less than average dirty car or weekly regular customer's car. ----- 3.) The industry standard for mobile washing is completing the car and removing the dirt so it is clean as promised to the customer. I would not say there is a standard. The environmental standards are simple in that no used wash water is allowed to enter a storm drain. Which is fairly simple and straight-forward. ---- 4.) Customers prefer a clean car. If you did not tell them how you were washing the customers would be more impressed with the results from dry wash, but the dry washed car would more resemble a wash and quick wax. So putting up a dry wash car next to a car washed with a pressure washer is not a fair contest in that the customer would prefer the dry washed car. But if you put up a dray wash car to a car which was washed with a pressure washer and then glazed or quick waxed with a spray bottle wax, the customer would not have a preference as long as you used a good brand of quick wax. Now then if you had a customer standing next to you while you washed the car. The average customer not knowing about dry wash would prefer the hand pressure wash. The informed customer would not care either way, provided you had educated them in advance to the dry wash methods and why it works, how it works and what they get extra out of it. A detailed car using dry wash and pressure washing to the customer would be very similar and the average customer would be happy either way. The informed critical eye, might be upset to see that hood vents and other things were not completely cleaned. I do understand that Dry Wash n Guard now has a plastic cleaner to correct this situation. I have seen people go ballistic when they see some one is washing their car with dry wash and they thought they were using water, this operator obviously did not explain the dry wash benefits very well and therefore caused a situation where the consumer felt mislead, I cannot imagine the dry washer ever returning to that location. It may have been a simple misunderstanding but the consumer was very upset and the detailer-dry washers lost the account. The gentleman who was enraged even called security and the property manager o have him thrown off the property, needless to say it meant no detailers, water or other wise were allowed on the property, eventually I think our franchisee got back onto the property after jumping thru some serious hoops and long explanation and best attire in a long meeting which included him buying lunch at the golf club for the property owner and manager? What the heck I could go for a steak lunch myself and hopefully the mad cow thing will be over soon. But if do not want to see a mad bull customer, and you use dry wash an upfront complete explanation is important, with pressure washing we never get those types of situations. As a matter of fact we are often asked; “You don’t use dry wash do you?” We have never answered yes, so I do not know what the result would be if we had said yes, I just think back to that parking lot situation with the mislead consumer or miss-understood dry wash professional. What do I personally think of dry wash? Well I use the same method with a quick wax, so I am not hostile towards it. I know our customers love us and most of the competition hates us, of those competitors some are using dry wash but most use pressure washers and generally it is really giving them credit to call either the dry washers or the pressure washer trailer crowd competition at all? I clean my show truck, semi, http://www.carwashguys.com/blitz.html with quick wax bottle of spray and towel often, but I never let it get too, dirty, the rest of the time I use the pressure washer. So as an informed person my personal preference is that I like both. But for speed and economics we have chosen to stick with the pressure washers. Dry Wash'ers might argue that, the pressure washer is a cost too you know? Yes, this is true and for someone who does not have the money to buy a water tank, and home depot pressure washer, a relevant point, but you can buy an Ex-Cell Honda, a good one, Home Depot Pressure Washer for $600.00 . Any questions or comments on this issue of "Dry Wash and Pressure Washing for Mobile Car Wash or Detailing? Which Works Better?" on the Auto Detailing News for Mobile Automotive Detailing and Detail Shops Forum, give shoot me an email: Lance@carwashguys.com
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