How Much on Tunnel Upgrades

So, we have full service car wash. We do about 50K wash an year. With that much volume, how much $$$ should I expect to put back in for tunnel upgrades?

I haven't really done much for past year due to shrinking revenue. But past few months have been okay to a point where I can stretch some $$$ to invest back into the tunnel. So, just recently, I spent about $3K to change some wraps and upgrade to cannon nozzles.

How much does typical car wash of our calibre would expect to spend for upgrades?(8years old)

-tom

Tom,

I think you will find that this will vary by owner. Some will add upgrades yearly, some will upgrade as the useful life of a piece of equipment runs out (this will vary based on maintenance schedules and maintenance diligence), many will do nothing.

I would tell you to differentiate between regular maintenance and repair and equipment upgrades. I would consider changing wrap cloth a repair and maintenance item, whereas adding cannon nozzles is an upgrade. You should do a yearly budget and allocate a percentage to each line item as you budget allows.

Good equipment is essential for operational efficiency but it does not do very much to bring customers and owners together.

Unless the equipment is functionally obsolete, I would also consider investing the money in things that would help attract more customers or generate more revenue per car.

To name a few, this could include things like a new yard sign insert, fresh coat of paint, building accent lights, new landscaping, automatic tire shiner, total body protection arch, promotional campaign, website, etc.