Automatic Car Wash - good business venture or not?

[Ireland32]

I wanted to start a spray and wash, do it urself, with the wand power sprayer , up in Isaan, I saw one near Soi Kopai in Patts , never kept at it.

[WishWashMan]

Terrible idea

They're old hat

Hand car washes are now the thing

Get a load of immigrants down in their luck & desperate & get them washing cars

Problem is - you'll need to be there every minute otherwise you'll be robbed blind

So, all in all a terrible idea

Think again & post your next money losing scheme

We here to provide honest feedback

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Any business idea that pops up here, by default is a COLOSSAL bad idea! no 1, absolutely no 1 with legit business is gonna ask here........................lol.

[WishWashMan]

What about a topless car wash ? No expensive outlay and you wouldn't arf be busy !

The kind of girls that would work topless are equivalent to what you see in National Geographic photos of the beautys of inner Nigeria.

I dont think any man, thai or white wants to pay for this..............lol.

[LukKrueng]

There isn't even 1 in Thailand?

Then who's gonna install one for you?

By the way, about 15 years ago some Makro service centers had them, but not anymore , so there might be a reason for it.

There are still few around, BUT - the outside automatic was is followed by manual drying by workers.

Also, most people like the inside of the cars done as well, and the automatic machine doesn't do it.

All in all - personally I'd prefer to wait (or just leave my car at the washing shop) and get a manual wash than a machine wash.

Currently I am using a place (in a small rural town way up north). When I get there I ask the owner what's the waiting time is, I decide to wait or just come back another day.

Don't think enough Thai people will go for this service, especially when due to the high duty fees and the cost of the machine itself will never be able to compete with what's on offer right now.

[D3030]

I prefer the DIY type car wash..

The ones with a high power water hose, that shoots out everything to clean your vehicle..

And the brush that shoots out foam of course..

And it works for whatever you can drive in the stall..

And no one to pay..

Just end up getting things broke and money stolen late at night..

[D3030]

More bad ideas:

*Laundromat.

*All you can eat for 99 baht.

*Bar.

*Anything you think, that will make a profit..

The farang down the road is raising pigs to sell..

And I'm almost sure his dumb ass didn't account for the smell..

[rasg]

One automatic car wash near me that is very cheap (£5.00) plus at least six manned car washes run by Poles at about £10. I wouldn't use an auto wash on my car. Others might not be so fussy. The Poles have to work very, very hard and I would doubt you would find that many Thais who would do the job properly if you went that route.

[Foexie]

I pay 180 Baht here in Nongprue for manual in- and outside cleaning.. so take 50% for outside, 100 Baht. Profit maybe 50% after electricity, water, staff, taxes.. so first profit after 100'000 cars.. 50 cars a day.. roughly 5.5 years to pay back the investment... and still need staff for inside cleaning..

Nice idea, but staff is to inexpensive in Thailand and makes it difficult to get decent ROI for automation projects

You are right. even i doubt there will be 50 cars a day going in it in a country as Thailand.

There are some good working carwashes near my home in Belgium.

One have 2 washing streets. When i go there it takes about 2-3 min to do the round from the first drop until the drying.

They are open 10h a day so in the best case of 2 min it's 600 cars a day they can clean on the outside.

But this is in a country where we practicly not have a hand cleaning service. Not at least for the same price of €10.

A few years ago, after our trip in Thailand, my (ex) gf went to pick up her car with me and told me they clean her car completly for 200 bht (in Bkk).

She brought her car there ones a month. Easy and fast because it was on her way to/back from work.

I wonder if 100bht is enough for every cost and make a profit. And pay off the thing in 5.5y

And then the issue of the many pick-up's they have in Thailand ?! Can't believe there will be one kind of automatic carwash what can clean the trunk and take out all the dirt and dust.

So who wanna drive around with a half cleaned car?

So my opinion: just forget your idea or, at least, think about setting up a handcarwash with staff instead. Maybe with an extra paying service like oil change, tire change,... Any kind of stuff what can be done in the short time needed to clean the car or in the time the customer can miss the car.

[WishWashMan]

More bad ideas:

*Laundromat.

*All you can eat for 99 baht.

*Bar.

*Anything you think, that will make a profit..

The farang down the road is raising pigs to sell..

And I'm almost sure his dumb ass didn't account for the smell..

Ever notice how many dont want to make lots of profits....................what am i missing.

[wprime]

Why automate something in a country where labour is so cheap?

[ozyjon]

In Australia the cheapest machine car wash is approximately

$10, in Thailand i used to get my Fortuna hand washed inside

and out, detailed and perfumed for $3, you will become a poor

falang, good idea with your business though.

[kwak250]

In Australia the cheapest machine car wash is approximately

$10, in Thailand i used to get my Fortuna hand washed inside

and out, detailed and perfumed for $3, you will become a poor

falang, good idea with your business though.

Really you sure you got all that for $3 aus /80 baht?

I understand you want to put your point across but detailed and perfume is pushing it a bit even a hand wash in and out for 80 baht is neatly impossible.

Try to keep it believable if you want to bullshit

[chipstack]

I have seen one automated car wash in BKK on rachada between LatPhrao MRT and elephant building on opposing side of the street.

[williet98248]

Lots of interesting comments and also the usual dross. My comment is that several years ago an auto carwash opened on the main road to Rawai on Phuket and was closed within a few months. Either too costly to run or not enough business or... ? Who knows? But it didn't last long.

Bicycling is getting more and more popular. A growth industry. Maybe a high end bicycle sales and service shop?

[ignis]

My local auto car wash in UK........ 1x expensive machine + 1x person to direct you, 2 x persons to spray and brush the sides and wheels and bumpers before going into the auto wash, 2 x person that cleaned and vac the inside...... so there was always 5 or more staff for the automatic car wash.. For sure there were very few places that you went into a petrol station, bought a token from the cashier and drove into the automatic car wash, it came out a bit cleaner, if you wanted to vac then also a machine which you had to feed money in like no tomorrow

here my local hand wash place the owner employs 2 guys, she also works on every car herself.. the outlay far far less than a automatic car wash machine.. wages also far far less.. Pickup pressure wash and hand washed, underside pressure washed, dried, vacuumed and cleaned inside all for 120 baht........ full body waxed for an extra 100 baht..

Can't see a automatic car wash would ever pay here

[shirtless]

These are now big in Australia, you need to be near a major highway or on one.

[Ireland32]

In Australia the cheapest machine car wash is approximately

$10, in Thailand i used to get my Fortuna hand washed inside

and out, detailed and perfumed for $3, you will become a poor

falang, good idea with your business though.

Really you sure you got all that for $3 aus /80 baht?

I understand you want to put your point across but detailed and perfume is pushing it a bit even a hand wash in and out for 80 baht is neatly impossible.

Try to keep it believable if you want to bullshit

. I usually pay 170b in Isaan and No Wax Edited June 12, 2016 by Ireland32

[MyFriend You]

There isn't even 1 in Thailand?

Then who's gonna install one for you?

By the way, about 15 years ago some Makro service centers had them, but not anymore , so there might be a reason for it.

Took the words right out of my mouth 2000 there were several car washes in Bangkok, wonder what happened to them........I assume the chemicals used in them may have been banned for import, killing the businesses??.

[MyFriend You]

More bad ideas:

*Laundromat.

*All you can eat for 99 baht.

*Bar.

*Anything you think, that will make a profit..

The farang down the road is raising pigs to sell..

And I'm almost sure his dumb ass didn't account for the smell..

But they BBQ up so good!!

[Estrada]

There isn't even 1 in Thailand?

Then who's gonna install one for you?

By the way, about 15 years ago some Makro service centers had them, but not anymore , so there might be a reason for it.

Took the words right out of my mouth 2000 there were several car washes in Bangkok, wonder what happened to them........I assume the chemicals used in them may have been banned for import, killing the businesses??.

The automatic roll over car washes only use anionic, non-ionic and cationic detergents which are basically the same as you find in washing up liquid, shampoos and hair conditioners. They would not be banned. However brushless chemical washes sometimes use high strength chemical detergents which may eventually ruin the paint surface of you vehicle. One detergent that was popular in brushless washes was based on Hydrofluoric acid, which if spilt on your skin will attack your bones. The business has never taken off, not because of chemicals and detergents, but because labour is cheap.

[ALFREDO]

These links might help:

http://www.stcarwashmachine.com/tunnel-car-wash-system/luxury-tunnel-washing-in-thailand/

http://carwashtouchless.com/client/thailand-dallee-clean/

There isn't even 1 in Thailand?

Then who's gonna install one for you?

By the way, about 15 years ago some Makro service centers had them, but not anymore , so there might be a reason for it.

It would be an engineer from the manufacturer who installs the kit.

I think with provided links you can follow and have a discussion with their offerings.

Saw a machine long ago 10 years+? in Phuket working, but I nor think was profitable at that time on that place.

I believe, it could be profitable on the right location - most important,

with lots of richer Thais and Expats nearby or passing by and possibly with some Snack Bar enclosed with enough space for sitting meeting and chatting.

I would use it frequently.

And a place for clean your motorbike-big bike too .

Edited June 12, 2016 by ALFREDO

[thaiguzzi]

1. You are correct. Mad as a box of frogs.

2. Bad idea.

3. Hand wash car places are everywhere here and in your home country, they are cheap and always do a better job than an auto wash.

3. Good idea, it would take off, and it will be copied - wet white t shirt sexy young wimmin' in bikini pants and lots of suds. Charge double the going rate and watch the punters queue up....

[cracker1]

There is one here on Samui at Susco in Bantai. I drive past it a couple of times per day and have never seen it in use in

the six months it has been there.

They want 200 baht to clean the car and I feel that is about 100 baht to much.

Sooner pay 280 baht and have inside and out done, tyres polished etc.

[NickJ]

Thais with halfway decent cars often have maids that wash them as well. I paid 200b to wash my Fortuner....inside and out. The Engine and undercarrage....An extra 100 they wax it as well. I give them the wax.

[kwak250]

I pay 100 baht wash 180baht for inside and wash 280 baht with stream clean and to be honest it looks great for about 1 day but i can get a few beers for that price ...

[kwak250]

Why pay nearly 500 baht to give your car a soapy when you can get the same yourself

[Pib]

Bad idea IMO. I would much rather pay around Bt120-140 for a manual car wash where I have at least several people hand washing and drying the car while I watch them in the shade and can point out places they need to redo versus going through some automatic car wash that can not thoroughly wash "all locations" on my car....hands and fingers can get to dirty places that no automatic car wash will able be able to do unless maybe upping the spray pressure to the point it would also blast paint off your card. Labor is till too cheap in Thailand for many forms of automation to be cost effective "or even accepted."

[NanLaew]

Priceless.

The OP got his answer and signed off in post #12 on the FIRST PAGE and here we have the 'discourse' continuing unabated just as he feared.

[fletchsmile]

Just to share a few thoughts. Several already mentioned:

- You've a realtively high set up cost compared to cheap manual labour. Possibly more predictable and reliable for turning up each day though

- You're right to thoroughly consider repairs and maintenance

- Would be easy to copy if successful. You'll also likely be renting the land it's on so have a risk of losing the location which is more important for physical business activities.

Personally wouldn't use one much. When getting a car wash we usually:

- Also get the inside done at the same time

- Use it to get a parking space etc when mall car parks are different or leave it to get done while we do something else. Not really an activity in itself

The main advantage seems to be quick and easy and bit of a novelty

[Aussie69]

Priceless.

The OP got his answer and signed off in post #12 on the FIRST PAGE and here we have the 'discourse' continuing unabated just as he feared.

Not unusual, this could go for years ( like that 'I can't open my wallet' thread )