automatic start up

First of all i would like to thank you all for all the great info that i have been reading and learning from. I am looking at buying a three stall self serve car wash in a town of 2500 people. I am wanting to turn one stall into an automatic and i need help on what i need for equipment to make this work from the he pay center all the way to the blowers. I am looking to buy used and run the auto for a few years then upgrade to anew unit. please help me with advice so i can get my dream up and running.....also any recs on equipment brand and type for me.
thanks. tom

Tom, if you are new to the business then customer support will be crucial. Especially if you will be relying on others to do your installation and service. What I consider the best auto doesn't matter if you can't fix it and it costs $300 in travel charges just to get a tech to show up on your property. Therefore,I would start by looking at your practical options for service people in your area and try to make a choice from the lines they distribute. Let us know what mfgs. they are and we could give further input. I would also talk to the mfg and make sure decent phone tech support to the end user is provided. Some mfgs have died (superior, for example) so their equipment is not a bargain at any price.

You can look for used auto equipment on the internet. I've seen some real deals on ebay, but you must be careful.

My vote for pay center is unitec wash select II. I saw a nice one on ebay for 4K last month.

Thanks Greg. Example: Oasis Car Wash Equip. has a used 2000 factory reconditioned was system up for sale with a six month warranty. Again I must be honest...I don't know much about this business but i am learning more everyday. I haven't called them yet cause i just ran across it on their website yesterday. Is that to old I ask myself???? Another equipment dealer is Specialty Equipment in Mn. that might have some used items also. Just doing the very beginning stages of our research.

Sorry. The wash system up for sale is a Typhoon. They actually have two of them for sale.

tons of stuff on carwashconsignment.com

If you're planning to buy used equipment, you might look for someone who has experience with installing and servicing it. Check out some of their customers. Try to use someone local if you can - as Greg mentioned, travel charge can get expensive. If you don't expect to do preventive maintenance and basic repairs yourself, expect to split your profits with them.

If you are buying a used in-bay automatic for a small-town market, I would start out with something very simple.

Most of the hardcore in-bay owners will scoff at this, but I would consider trying to find a used Broadway friction roll-over instead of touch-less.

This is one of the lowest priced machines on the market. It has a solid reputation in the new car dealership category. It is well made and has excellent up time. Most everything is on-board the gantry, can fit in the narrowest of bays. Very easy to work on. Probably the lowest per car operating expenses in category. 5-touch wash module produces conveyor-like quality in about 3 minutes, 20 cars an hour if you need it. Can be outfitted for tri-foam or total body protection. Short bay length, mount a dryer overhead on the outside wall of the building.

I don't sell equipment.