Q: Who are your clients?
A: Several clients are listed on our testimonials page. We serve all size companies in all stages of operations.
- New investors who need help getting started out on the right foot.
- Experienced operators who need help making more money. We have assisted nationally franchised chains all the way to single store operators. Some of our clients have other profit centers on site (like convenience stores) while others are stand alone car washes or fast lubes.
Q: Site Selection – what should I look for?
A: While each situation is unique there is one thing that is always true, you only get to choose your location once and it is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION YOU WILL MAKE AND CANNOT BE FIXED ONCE YOU BUILD.
Q: My car wash equipment distributor says that I have a good site, is he right?
A: If you can avoid it, if there is an alternative DO NOT take advice from people who will profit off of your business. Seek out third party confirmation from an unbiased, party who has no financial gain if you build or not.
Q: Should I brand my lube with a specific oil brand, buy a franchise, or be independent?
A: Definitely a location specific question. We have clients who are independent and doing very well. That said there are instances that a franchised name is helpful and even necessary to make an appropriate splash in certain markets.
Q: How much does it cost to build a fast lube?
A: The construction cost of the building will run between $150,000 and $200,000 per bay, depending on what part of the country you are building. I have seen some that were less expensive and one or two that were more expensive but that is a good range. Keep in mind you need to add in land costs, equipment, computers, inventory, etc.
Q: How much does it cost to build a car wash?
A: The construction cost of a car wash will vary greatly depending on the type of car wash you have chosen to build, the size of the building, the equipment required for your style wash etc. Each type of car wash has its place.
Q: What is the biggest threat that currently exists in the fast lube industry?
A: The biggest threat to fast lubes is a competitor that has been around for a very long time but has just recently figured out their mistake. New and used car dealers are by far the biggest nemesis the independent fast lube will ever will see. Dealers use to see oil changes as a money losing service. They actively sent oil changes to fast lubes so they didn’t have to deal with the hassle of changing oil. If they didn’t say this directly to customers they certainly said it indirectly by forcing people to make appointments and drop their cars off for service.
The reason these dealers are and will continue to be such a problem is that they are well funded and they are in the game for the long haul. Some dealers have been actively pursuing the oil change business for several years but the majority has just within the past year gotten the message that they are losing an amazing amount of not only service work, but new car sales as well. The more often they get customers on their lots whether for major mechanical work on their cars or just an oil change or tire rotation, the more cars they will sell.
Q: What is the biggest threat that currently exists in the car wash industry?
A: The outlook for the car wash industry is a very good one. Assuming the operators continue to be good stewards of the environment there should be little to hinder the quality operator. Sloppy operators who choose to cut corners and not re-use/reclaim a portion of their water will at some point in the future be forced to upgrade to water recycling in some form which is normally cheaper to build at the time of construction rather than retrofitting.
Q: Has the fast lube industry matured yet?
A: To a large degree yes. But this is mostly in the urban/ suburban areas. As the exodus from the cities continues, I see many opportunities in what were formerly considered towns too small to support a fast lube. There are still opportunities to be discovered around the country. Major opportunities exist for car wash owners who want to produce more income from their current location by adding a fast lube. Adding a fast lube to a current car wash location is considerably less expensive, less risky and faster than building on a new unproven site.
Q: Has the car wash industry matured yet?
A: Only in geographical pockets. There are areas that are simply built to capacity and until the population builds the need for more car washes will be limited. There are still opportunities to be discovered around the country. Major opportunities exist for full service car wash owners who want to produce more income from their current location by adding exterior lanes.