Commercial Car Wash Replacement Parts to Keep on Hand
Which car wash replacement parts should you keep on hand? NS Corporation can help you determine which spare commercial car wash parts you should stock at all times. We offer a wide range of parts, and we’ve been in the business for decades, so we have plenty of know-how regarding the most important equipment you need to keep available.
The Big Picture View
Just about any part can give out, and most parts eventually will. However, it isn’t feasible to keep a spare of everything. Even if you had the money and the storage space to stock all those parts, you don’t want to tie up too much capital in spare parts that you may not need for years to come. This money would largely be better spent on growing your business, paying down debts, or otherwise improving your financial position.
Look at the Opportunity Costs
When thinking about which commercial car wash parts to stock, you have to look at the opportunity costs of stocking parts:
| Scenario A | Scenario B |
| If a given component fails, and you can still meet most or all customer demand while you await repair service or delivery of the proper car wash replacement parts, then in most cases you don’t need to keep replacements on hand.
The main exception is for parts that you know you are going to have to replace fairly often. These items should be treated like consumables, and unless they are prohibitively expensive, it makes sense for you to keep spares in inventory. The longer you’re in business, the better you’ll become at being able to make these kinds of estimates. |
On the other hand, if a given component fails, and this would negatively impact your ability to run the car wash while you await new parts or repair, then it might make sense to stock a replacement.
To decide, you should compare the anticipated amount of lost revenue that the downtime will cost you in the future with the amount of money it will cost you right now to proactively buy a spare of that component to keep on hand. Buying a car wash replacement part now is a much smaller cost, but it carries an opportunity cost with it that is potentially larger: Could that money be better spent on other priorities? |
There is no single correct answer. The best way forward depends on your particular circumstances. However, here are some general guidelines for which commercial car wash parts to keep on hand:
Rules of Thumb for Stocking Spare Parts
- Most of the time, it makes good sense to have spares of cheap, small hardware components like gaskets, bearings, rivets, and the like which only cost a few dollars apiece. Keep them well-labeled and well-sorted.
- For value-added car wash services, like tire glossing, that aren’t essential to the core operation of the wash, you generally don’t need to stock the corresponding car wash replacement parts. If you can use that money more profitably for your business elsewhere, that is probably a better investment.
- Your car wash’s brushes and curtains are the only components that come into direct contact with your customers’ vehicles. Brushes especially experience a high amount of wear, and will lose their effectiveness over time. You should keep spares of all your different brushes and curtains if you are able.
- Components that feature many moving parts, high heat (such as blower systems), or complex engineering, or which will take a lot of wear and tear in normal use, may be worth keeping spares on a case-by-case basis.
Order Car Wash Replacement Parts Online
NS Corporation offers a complete online parts store for retail / commercial car wash parts. Whenever you need parts, we’re here for you, and we offer durable parts and equipment to keep your wash systems running smoothly long-term.
Contact us if you have any questions or need purchasing assistance.
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