Reply With QuoteDoes seem dear.
Just been to my local hand car wash as I don't have room to wash the car on my drive and the price has now gone up to 14 it's gone up by 2 three times in the last year and a half does this seem expensive ?.
Seems like everyone is joining the price rise bandwagon me and the wife like most people have had pay rises that barely pays for an extra loaf of bread a week.
Does seem dear.
Originally Posted by Michael 38
Modern slavery has got more expensive in recent times and that's reflected in what you pay.
And they'll do a pretty average job too!
4 for the exterior car wash I had near work a couple of weeks ago which I thought was pretty reasonable!
I use the 1 for 2 minutes ( used to be 1 for 3 minutes where i used to live ) pressure washers.
You go around the car like your on speed and its amazing what you can do in a few minutes.
Thanks I thought I was being robbed I worked out It was costing me over 30 an hour cash in hand, somebody from work has done some building work for the polish bloke that owns it and he said all the staff sleep on mattresses in a big run down house he owns and he pays them 40 a week but they probably all operate like that.
I wish they would bring back the diy jet washes you used to have I got a method were I could do the car for 3.50 before the time ran out
Bucket and sponge, job done.
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I dont know were you live we used to have loads of the jet washes in our town but they all disappeared Within the space of a year and a half about 20 years ago and then the hand car washes started popping up but they were cheap back then.
30 here in Kingston. Exterior wash and interior clean. Bloody rip off
20-40 depending on which service , Arkley hand car wash. They are excellent.
Wouldn't use one below 15 for that reason.
I read a report about slavery and car washes - it said that any car wash charging under 7/8 had to be using slave labour as it was costed out and a legitmate business could not offer this service under this price. I think this was at least a year ago so i'm sure that minimum price could have a bit added to it now.
What is this car washing of which you speak?
I mentioned on another thread here that I was unhappy with the ethics of some hand car washes. Just another version of a modern day sweat shop. I do have a wry smile on my face when people effectively complain that a hand car wash is more expensive than an automated wash bay
Thats an absolutely mind blowing price for a car wash!
I actually reported a business attached to a national supermarket for paying eastern european staff below the minimum wage - they now charge 15 upwards but I haven’t yet established whether the staff are now being paid correctly by the same employer. Must get my Raffe hat on…
When I was a teenager I earned my money by washing cars, however I have never considered myself wealthy enough to pay someone to wash my car.
Used to be alright for a fiver (10 inside and out). Double that now though.
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When's bob a job week?
I hope you reported that. Shocking if true.
+1
I think since HMRC started paying them a few visits their overheads have gone up!
RIAC
Our local car wash, operated by a local father and son with a couple of local employees, charges 6 (car) and 7 (4x4etc) for a proper hand wash, followed by an ionised water rinse. Certainly no slave labour involved and the space is a modern, dedicated facility rented off a modern supermarket/filling station, so commercial rental overheads etc. All decent industrial equipment and the business has been operating for at least 20 years, so well established. There’s every indication that they are making a decent living. This is fairly typical in Northern Ireland.
Our Tesco supermarket/Petrol station ( as opposed to the Tesco Express), has the DIY Jet Wash facility.
You may wish to check your local Tescos.
Thanks but our Tesco's one went years ago
Bloody right.
Done every six months whether it needs it or not.
Cheers,
Neil.
Just been outside and cleaned mine, exterior only 2 cars ,wheels and glass Four hours, 14 seems a bargain
One around the corner from us installed this fancy automated tech a couple of years ago and put prices up drastically after initially lowering them. Now costing 40 inside and out for a 4x4 which of course is a joke.
Usually now pay around 20-25 elsewhere.
Ever since I changed job working for the Fire Service I took note of how the crews cleaned the appliances. I bought a long handled soft brush, connect it to the hose and give the car a quick brush down weekly; best done in the rain so no need to leather off, but otherwise a quick wipe over with a microfibre drying towel. All in about 10 minutes max and an almost always clean car. Plenty clean enough for me, if needs be some Muck Off bike cleaner for stubborn birds poop, maybe a spray wheel cleaner too, occasionally a bit of tyre slik. But never an arduous chore. Plenty enough for my daily driver.
Im somewhat conflicted about the price hike in hand car washes around my area . On the one hand my cheapskateness is annoyed, but on the other hand I feel sorry for the poor chaps doing the work for a what I imagine is a pittance.
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Yep. The gangmaster always gets his full money, whether it be from the cutomer, the labourer,or both.
Nilfisk power washer doesnt be long paying for itself. I do our two vehicles once a fortnight, doesnt take long and its at least as good a job as the 10 car wash down the road
Sadly, that is no guarantee that the staff are being paid appropriately or free of exploitation.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
All things considered, I find it cheaper to do myself (surprise surprise)
Extra time in town for car wash is not worth my time. There are often queues that are many cars deep. They use the cheapest shampoos etc which will cut through my hard work of applying wax just like that. I don't agree with the cash in hand nature of the trade. Not in 2022 where it's very easy to bank transfer or pay via card via PayPal or similar.
If you can give the car one good wash and prep once a year, clay bar (or mitt), de-tar and de-iron, polish then a few coats of a spray on hybrid wax (so easy to use and pretty cheap) and you are then good for a few months. Top up the wax every few months without the prep work. I use meguiars hybrid ceramic wax and then top up with the same branded spray wax as its much quicker for the top ups.
In the winter I just snow foam the car then power wash it after and that is it, with a decent hybrid wax the dirt comes off very easily so no need for a sponge or actually washing. Its not perfect but does the job. Once it gets warmer I will then add in a proper wash.
After I bought my car last September, I gave it a good wax with Autoglym. During the winter, I washed it once a month to get off road salt.
Now I wash it twice a month and rewax once a month.
Use a microfibre cloth to wash and chamois to dry off.. car looks great😁 water just beads and blows off 🌧️
The local hand wash is 6, do a decent job and are always courtious.
Hard work waxing a car every month though
Spot On
Easter time at Halfords is normally good time to stock up as they run a Buy One Get One Free promotion.
Nothing at the moment, but keep 'em peeled.
Amazon had half price AG stuff last weekSpot On
Easter time at Halfords is normally good time to stock up as they run a Buy One Get One Free promotion.
Nothing at the moment, but keep 'em peeled.
Where is that one Tom?
On a side note there used to be one just north of Belfast that offered a happy ending in the portacabin on site. Allegedly.
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