View Full Version : Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge
Well here goes.
In my competitive market there are three main stores and a few small ones that I will consider not a significant threat although I do consider them.
The #1 has the most biz and uses mostly dexter coin-op about 60+ washers I have estimated the gross at 100k monthly now I could be wrong but the store is very very packed 80% of the time so I am assuming that most of the people are O.K. with the Dexter brand.. The #2 store has been open 4 months and has new wascomat w/Huebsch dryers doing about 7-8 turns it seems to be the same type of clientele, this owner also owns the #3 store that is a mixed up mess of a store but is doing 10 turns all are based on water useage. so it appears that a new store strategically located should do fine.
Dexter seems to have the shortest warranty at 2yrs but I do like the looks and the new V-series saves on electric & water as do they all now. are these machines more or less of a parts eater after warranty. than
Wascomat or Ipso. wascomat seems to be nice looking as well but I hear that they have problems with the door and the dryers are too new to judge so I would lean toward Huebsch dryers. or IPSO washers and cissel dryers. all with card system. some of the newer machines have alot of plastic and maybe this is a good thing. for fear of answering my own question maybe it doesn't matter and boils down to the representation you get after your check has cleared.
Howard
08-03-2004, 03:03 PM
I think if you asked customers, most of them would have no idea of the brand name of the washers. Thus, I would pick the one that you think is best for your unique needs. That encompasses many things.
The wascomat emerald would be a great machine if you were installing it for a clientèle that all had masters degrees, but many find it too complicated to use and avoid mats that have them.
Maytags I believe have 5 year warranty - but generally (not always) companies with inferior products offer longer warranties to be able to sell a lesser product. Look at Hyundai (sp?) cars as an example with a 10 year warranty. Wascomats don't have a long warranty but are work horse machines and the aftermarket parts are cheaper than many other brands. The parts costs for my 4 year old Gen5 Wasco machines are almost nothing. So, I am no worse off than had I bought a longer warranty brand and will probably fair better down the road.
One final item, you might be better off to buy a brand that does not exist at the main competitors as you could then try to advertise that you are so much better because of those features.
Bottom line scenario is brand does not matter much to customers, you need to find the one that on a full life cycle basis will be the most cost effective to own. This includes but is not limited to initial cost, energy consumption, repair cost, and the aggravation factor of which ever dealer you work with.
I guess that however many different ways the question is asked the answer is the same. Simplicity and dealer representation and ones comfort level are key.
Thanks Howard.
gmat
azkid
08-03-2004, 05:27 PM
I agree with what's been said. You just need to be comfortable with what you get and with the company rep you buy it from. FWIW, I have Dexter coin ops and have been happy with them and don't have any problems after the first two years (it's a 2/5 yr warranty by the way - 5 years on the bearing and frames, etc).
By the way, I would be amazed if that store #1 is doing $100K monthly. I would never forecast financials based on the turns you're thinking about.
Duane
08-03-2004, 06:41 PM
For the most part I agree with Howard, customers really don't care what the brand name is, as long as it is easy to use and is not out of order.
The first exception I have is that several of my customers have commented to me about the Maytag product. Maytag is a quality household name and people do recognize the brand name. Not that it makes a difference, but it can't hurt.
The second exception is inferior products giving a longer warranty. My wife does own a Hyundai and it so far has been the best car we have ever purchased. It is 4 years old, has over 100k miles and runs like it did the day we bought it. Other than oil changes and filters (new tires this fall), we have not put dime one into the car. Now compare it to my Dodge that is 4 years old and only 60k mile, it has been in the shop several times for different problems, third brake job is now needed, second set of tires, and is starting to burn some oil. And my Dodge was twice the price of the Hyundai!
I'll take an inferior product with a longer warranty any time.
I am now looking for a new truck. If Hyundai had a truck I would purchase it without any reserve.
Howard
08-03-2004, 07:51 PM
Duane, I'll agree with you on the Maytag name - it is a household name so people recognize it. If Wascomat used the parent name (Electrolux) people would recognize it.
As far as the Hyundai I have to stand pat on what I said. While you may be lucky with yours, overall they are poorly made. Take a look at the blue book values of used ones, they drop like a stone after a year or two because of the poor quality. I test drove one not long ago as I was thinking about buying a disposable car rather than leasing a quality vehicle. I looked at their top of the line (350 something) and it had a mushy ride and once you looked at the cost it was not much less than a Honda Accord.
That is not to say there is not a market for them, just not with me. (I'll let you know by private conversation what I ended up with if you care).
Sears tools are another case of a lesser product that sells because of the warrantee. SK or Snap-on are much better tools, but they are very expensive. Sears offers a lifetime warranty - I buy Sears tools, as their total cost of ownership is less than the premium tools. If they did not have the warranty I would probably buy the premium tools as the lifetime cost of ownership would be less.
Back to laundry land, I was definitely not trying to say that Maytag makes a bad machine. Actually I don't think they make their front loaders themselves anyway. I was just suggesting that there usually is a reason for offering a long warrantee. Higher end products usually don't carry a long warrantee because they don't need to.
That said, I have a Maytag topload machine at home that I bought new in 1982 that refuses to die.
Duane
08-04-2004, 01:38 AM
My wife's Hyundai has a blue book value of only $1,500 less than my Dodge and they are the same year, but mine was $9,000 more.
Her Hyundai also has a safer rating than my Dodge.
The TCO for her car is less than half of my car, so far.
I know the Hyundai, Kia and etc. are less expensive cars, but for daily driving from point A to point B you really can't beat the cost of ownership.
The real question would be how they would honor the warranty if the car had problems.
If I were a mechanic I would buy the Snap on or SK since my income depended on them day in and day out. I too buy Craftsman for the warranty and have used it several times.
Maytag - I have had several temp customers come in to try out the Neptune. I stopped in to the local stores that sell appliances and informed them that I have the Neptune in my mat and if a customer wanted to try one before buying one they can do so at my store. The temp customers come in and try out the Neptunes. This doesn't give me a lot of weekly customers, but several still come in every now and then to use the big machine for their comforters. And it helps get my mats name out a little.
Duane.
petefritz
08-04-2004, 01:47 AM
100k a month? that would be the highest grossing mat in the USA. Let's get to the nuts and bolts. Where are you located, city, state?
There are stores that NEED 7 TPD just to make a little money, others can squeak by on less than 2.
As for equipment, you have no choice but to use a brand nobody else on your corner has, so you can try and price it.
Santa Maria, California.
The 100k is only estimated as per water useage using the available formulas last month's water bill $7300 bucks at $4.24per hcf
Wow! That's a big water bill. I guess I'm up north of you, and we're billed every other month. Any chance that $7300 is for two months?
Where we are, water records are not available to the public. I'm jealous. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
as far as I can gather it is 1 month.
Harv where are you
I'm closer to the San Francisco area.