Successes In Car Washing

Vector®

Proluxe Auto Wash

Vector® Reloads Denver Operator’s Bay – And Recharges His Business

The old wash did less business than a self-serve bay

The site's new Vector® washes five times more cars

DENVER, CO – As Jim Dennis of Proluxe Auto Wash will tell you, spotting a good investment isn’t a matter of recognizing worth – it’s about seeing potential. “We purchased this site based on its location and site layout,” he says. “It’s situated on a high-traffic corner in Denver with a daily count of 40,000 cars.” He adds “We also knew the site’s five self-serve bays and one automatic were a good mix for the area.”

Dennis says he knew the existing automatic would need to be replaced, from the moment he purchased the site. “The machine was over 30 years old and putting out a poor-quality wash,” he observes. “Not only was it worn out, it was built to market standards from 30 years ago.” Dennis notes “Today’s customers have higher expectations. It was clear we needed a modern in-bay to win their business.”

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According to Dennis, the old unit was a ‘wet wash’ with no dryers, a floor treadle and just one extra service option – clear coat protectant. “It’s difficult to upsell when you have no extras to offer,” he remarks. “It’s even more difficult to sell a basic wash when the machine doesn’t wash well.” He notes that the wash’s short bay made finding a replacement challenging.

“We considered many in-bay systems, but our 26-foot bay limited our choice to three machines,” Dennis remarks. “We chose Belanger’s Vector for many reasons, including its treadle-free design and overhead travel rails that keep the motors and gears up and off the floor.” He adds “We also trust Greg McCadden and Will Klumb, who both recommended the Vector. They do all the maintenance at our other three sites.”

“We have a great relationship with the guys from Proluxe,” says McCadden of Advance Car Wash Solutions, a local Belanger distributor. “We knew the Vector would fit their bay and their business.” He continues “Its open-bay format makes the most of the short wash bay. And its treadle-free design means it can wash more types of vehicles, even dually trucks.”

Dennis agrees. “The Vector increased our in-bay volume 500% – and doubled our ticket average! Customers love the fast wash and extras like undercarriage blaster, clear coat sealant and spot free rinse.” Dennis observes “Half of our in-bay customers buy our top wash package – which is a $2 upsell.” He notes “Building volume is one thing. Building margin on top of volume takes it to the next level.”

Dennis says the Vector® was central to maximizing the site’s return. “We knew that replacing our old in-bay with the right machine was the key,” he says. “When you look at it now, it doesn’t even look like the same bay.” He adds “And when we look at our P&L, it doesn’t look like the same business, either.” Dennis concludes “It’s always gratifying to be proven right. In this case, it’s also been extremely rewarding.”

© 2010 Belanger, Inc. — For more info, call Al Huntington at: (920)-496-6004 — www.Belangerinc.com