Are they building standalone car washes like crazy in your area too?

[Brian Elfert]

They are going crazy building standalone car washes in my area. I know of at least three currently under construction nearby, and a few others that recently opened. Car washes are going up all over the Minneapolis metro area. There will easily be three times as many standalone car washes once they are all open. Heck, there is a car wash that had long been open and a competitor built a new car wash a block or two down the road. Previously, most car washes were part of gas stations. I would guess at least 50% of gas stations have a car wash. Fleet Farm stores have a gas station and a four lane car wash at most locations.

Are they building a bunch of standalone car washes in your area too? I usually use the car wash at Fleet Farm because they have four lanes. The only issue is typically at least one lane is closed, and I have seen three of the four lanes closed. This is after they had the car wash equipment totally replaced about two years ago. It broke down all the time before replacement, and it breaks down after replacement. They have two touchless lanes and two lanes with foam brushes. I only use the touchless lanes and sometimes only one touchless lane is open with a long line and no line for the brush lanes.

[Ron Selzer]

Moo-Moo Car Wash came on heavy ten years? ago in Central Ohio. Car washes at gas stations were never plenty and now I can't think of one that is open.
Ron

[Bruce Page]

There were very few car wash/gas stations around here. As far as I know they all closed down years ago. They have been building semi do it yourself “ride through the tunnel” washes left & right.

[Bill Dufour]

Lots here. But, we have water restrictions so washing a car at home is more restricted as to what days and times are allowed.
BilL D

[Brian Elfert]

There were very few car wash/gas stations around here. As far as I know they all closed down years ago. They have been building semi do it yourself “ride through the tunnel” washes left & right.

The tunnel type car washes are what they are building all over here. I find it hard to believe that the demand for car washes has doubled in recent years with car washes being built all over. The salt in the winter is the reason at least 50% of gas stations have a car wash.

I probably don't get my car washed as often as I should in the winter to get rid of the salt. Any time the temperatures are warm enough so car doors won't freeze shut there are huge lines at every car wash. My tolerance for lines is pretty limited. I won't wait in line for 30 to 60 minutes for a car wash.

[Ralph Okonieski]

There have been a number of new car washes built in my area in the last year or so. Seems to be the thing to do around here.

[William Lessenberry]

Remember Breaking Bad? Walter needs a way to launder the drug money and buys a car wash. Hmmm:confused:
Car washes and self-storage units are all the rage here in central Arkansas. Six acres that abuts the west side of my property sold for $859,000 and storage units are going to be built on it. This area was unimproved woodlands, now it's a flattened out, barren plain of dirt, getting ready for concrete. :mad: We may have to move after 45 years.
BillL

[Jim Koepke]

Remember Breaking Bad? Walter needs a way to launder the drug money and buys a car wash. Hmmm:confused:

Money laundering was my first thought. We had a self serve car wash that closed here a few years ago. Not sure if the one across town is still in business.

When it rains as much as it does around here, a car wash seems pointless.

jtk

[Ole Anderson]

And the newer car washes seem to have an over abundance of self serve vacuum stations. Our newest one has something like 15. Never seen more than two being used at the same time.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, they are being built in increasing numbers and they are also selling monthly subscriptions. Because they recycle water, they are sometimes the only option in some areas that have water restrictions.

[Brian Elfert]

Here in Minnesota I have never seen a restriction against washing cars at home. We have enough water for that, so far. The issue with recycling water in car washes in the winter is the water turns into salt water. A big reason to wash your car in the winter is to remove the salt. It doesn't do much good to remove salt with salt water.

[Rich Engelhardt]

There have been a number of new car washes built in my area in the last year or so. Seems to be the thing to do around here.
There's a Facebook group called "Talk of The Town" that's for residents of Cuyahoga Falls. It's become a running joke that every time they break ground for something that it's going to be another car wash.
We have a full blown carwash, right next to a Sheets and a BP gas station which both have a car wash. When you drive down the road two miles, you pass three more and finally get to another.

It's crazy! Within a mile radius there's something like 5 car washes & and a couple/three individuals that do car detailing as well as a car detailing company.

[Patty Hann]

I'm wondering if it's not more the case of "Supply and Demand".
Guessing most people don't want to be bothered with another routine chore and are willing to pay for the "luxury" of someone else washing their car.
No more washing supplies needed at home, dragging out the hose etc, whatever.
Kind of like fast food ("eating out").
At some point (I don't recall the year) families began eating out at an unprecedented higher rate.
Again, they probably balanced cost against convenience.
(I do know my Dad never became part of that demographic. :rolleyes:)

[Jim Koepke]

I do know my Dad never became part of that demographic.

My dad may have made up for yours. I think he made a sandwich once or twice. He wasn't much to do any cooking as I recall. I know my mom made sure most of my brothers and I knew how to cook. I now wonder if it was because she new my dad wasn't good at it.

jtk

[Jerry Thompson]

They are as thick as Fleas here in Clay Co. Fl. There is now a ban on any more car wash construction.
I see three huge car wash facilities on a daily basis and only one or two cars parked at the facility.

[Larry Edgerton]

Money laundering was my first thought. We had a self serve car wash that closed here a few years ago. Not sure if the one across town is still in business.


jtk

This makes sense. Cash business. Years ago they built a huge low budget hotel here in the most out of the loop place. Never saw any cars there to speak of. It was owned by a group from Jersey. "Ya, we were filled to capacity every night!"

[Rob Luter]

We have a wealth of car washes in my neck of the woods. They do a brisk business washing off road salt in the winter and bug DNA in the summer. One major chain has built or upgraded several locations in the last few years.

[Ron Selzer]

I keep the two nicest vehicles on monthly plan at Moo Moo car wash primarily for the underbody, secondary for the looks. The vacuums at the one in Lancaster are always in use, just not a lot of people use them. Went thru one in Columbus in yuppieville area, somewhat close to OSU, and Downtown. Lot of older buildings torn down and replace by 3-6 story apartments, etc. last 5 years. The vacuums were over 65% in use not so the car wash. Vacuums are free to use.
Ron

[Dan Friedrichs]

A great Freakonomics podcast covered this, recently: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/car-washes/

Summary: business model changes (monthly subscriptions), increased demand, better tech, and institutional investors.

[Brian Elfert]

I doubt that many people are paying cash for a tunnel type car wash these days. The total self service places with a wash bay and per minute cost to use the sprayer would likely still attract a lot of cash.

[Walter Plummer]

In my area we had several dedicated car wash places. A chain called Flagship came in and built a couple more and bought up almost all the rest of them. WE also have the small gas station ones and a couple of coin operated DIY ones. The main Flagship location is all inside. Basic wash is $14.00. You pay at a kiosk then drive into the wash tunnel then they have an area with vacuums and clean rags if you want to finish it yourself. If you want to spend $36.00 after the wash you drive onto a conveyor and a team washes the mats, vacuums the inside , cleans the windows inside and out etc. They do a really nice job. When they are busy there are three conveyors to handle all the cars passing through.

[Andrew Joiner]

A friend owns two of the Three car washes in my area. No new ones in the last 25 years.
However two years ago he added new equipment to an outdated tunnel wash. He said it cost close to a half million for 1 tunnel wash. It's half the amount of equipment that was there before the remodel. I asked him why so expensive for so little equipment? He said technology and more efficient.
Since then the new more efficient highly technical equipment breaks down often monthly probably. He said its been a nightmare as it's a special tech that must come to repair it. And he loses money for the days and weeks that it takes to get the repair done!
A sad situation for him.
It reminds me of all the electronics in new cars that's very expensive to repair.

[Jim Becker]

I'm wondering if it's not more the case of "Supply and Demand".
Guessing most people don't want to be bothered with another routine chore and are willing to pay for the "luxury" of someone else washing their car.
No more washing supplies needed at home, dragging out the hose etc, whatever.
Kind of like fast food ("eating out").
At some point (I don't recall the year) families began eating out at an unprecedented higher rate.
Again, they probably balanced cost against convenience.
(I do know my Dad never became part of that demographic. :rolleyes:)
For me, it’s not about being bothered; rather, it’s about not spending time on things I don’t enjoy, especially when for eight bucks I can ride through the tunnel in five minutes while I’m doing errands to stores like Lowe’s and Tar-Zhey next door to the car wash. And that’s only about once a month. At home I then have the time to be in my shop or take care of things for family members instead of doing car care. As always, these are just personal choices and there is no right or wrong thing about any of them…including never washing the car.

My dad paid for hand washes by local folks to support their business as he was in sales and always wanted his car shiny…it was a sign of success for his generation.

[Jim Becker]

This makes sense. Cash business. Years ago they built a huge low budget hotel here in the most out of the loop place. Never saw any cars there to speak of. It was owned by a group from Jersey. "Ya, we were filled to capacity every night!"
None of the car washes I use accept cash except one and the cash slot on the menu system is often broken. No humans are involved with collecting payments.

[Warren Lake]

some buy the land to park money and the land goes up and its sold seen this in TO past,. They want it to make money but more so they want the land that most often goes up. Ive learned detail from two good people so its best for me to do my own car. One friend who is a top detailer is doing it five or six days and he is strong to an unusual level. The guy in LA that I learned from was hard as rock because its not easy work to do a car. It was part of his fitness routine as well as spin classes and marathon bike rides.

Real estate guy here told me his father also an agent said the people that bought the most homes were the ones that came in an old car with good tires. Those were the ones that didnt have a 600.00 a month car payment.

[roger wiegand]

I'm aware of only three car washes within a 10 mile radius of my house and none being built. Not aware of any associated with gas stations, and none of the self-serve pressure wash places that seem common elsewhere. If my car gets washed (a rare occurrence) it's usually done by the high school swim team, marching band, or whatever. Higher end detailers set up shop in every parking garage in the city it seems.

I just read today about how the bloom is going off self storage, just as it did the quick oil change places a decade ago. I suspect this is the "next hot thing" in this particular investing sector.

[Warren Lake]

always change my own oil. Bought a wallywagon in SC. Way home got an oil change in Ohio as it was overdue. got home oil on the driveway next day, checked and the dumb ass kid had cross threaded the oil plug. Lost a lot of oil way home all down the underside of the car. Called them and they said bring it back and they would give me a free oil change.

[Stan Calow]

More car washes than there used to be. It seems to me that they are being squeezed in on infill and oddly shaped lots that otherwise aren't useful for much else. My guess is that they're good generators of cash with low building costs and equipment that's easily re-sold.

It's not against the rules here, but I rarely see people washing cars at home anymore. Yeah, I think people are more than happy to trade money for time.

[Ron Citerone]

There is one being built here. Not like crazy though.

[Bill Dufour]

Easy to launder money through a car wash. Just add it to the daily take and claim that many extra washes went through. No extra cost to run a fake wash or two. No extra soap or wax cost etc need be shown to the irs. Marijuana is legal in California by state law but no banks or credit cards will touch the money. They are worried the feds will jump in some day and take it all back with federal time to be served.
Bill D

[Tom M King]

Nearest car wash 15 minutes away one way. 10 minutes here and it’s done. Push button on pressure washer for quick blast off. Foam gun. Long handled brush. Rinse. Hit windows. Done. Good enough.

[Brian Elfert]

Nearest car wash 15 minutes away one way. 10 minutes here and it’s done. Push button on pressure washer for quick blast off. Foam gun. Long handled brush. Rinse. Hit windows. Done. Good enough.

You live in area of the country that probably doesn't use any road salt, and rarely gets below freezing. Here in Minnesota in the winter it is pretty hard to wash your car yourself, unless you find a rare sunny day when it gets up to 40 degrees. I will run my car through the touchless car wash once or twice a month during the winter months.

[Tom M King]

Correct. They brine the roads maybe once a year every third year. Nothing we own goes on the roads then until after a good rain has passed.

[Brian Elfert]

Correct. They brine the roads maybe once a year every third year. Nothing we own goes on the roads then until after a good rain has passed.

You just stay home after they put salt brine on the roads? Couldn't that mean you are at home for days or weeks until there is a good rain? You must be retired.

[Tom M King]

Usually just a couple of days. Plenty to do here on the Ponderosa. Not possible to run out of work without leaving home. Self-employed since 1974.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I think I remember hearing the CarTalk guys say that there was no point in washing your car during the winter other than to make it look nice, because the undercarriage would be covered with salt again before you had gone a mile from the car wash, but that it was good to wash them in the spring after the salt was gone.

[Warren Lake]

I heavy rust proof then leave it till spring. The manual says power wash below after each winter. Im not set up to that and once did hire they didnt care much about doing it well but can go to one of those car washes that does below and do a rust proof after the winter after it. Just not done that have many layers or rust proof built up thick with road dirt. Black factory paint below it all.

[julian abram]

Yes, a company called Club Car Wash has been building like crazy the past 2 years in NW Arkansas. They have built in 7-8 locations. We have a $22/month subscription for one car. Can use any location with unlimited washes but we probably only average 1-2 washes/month.

[Jim Becker]

The one with the most building action around here is called "Pete's Car Wash". I suspect that this kind of business lends itself to owners adding locations by putting profits from existing locations into building new locations. My understanding from having looked at a local proposal for a car wash location is that there are just a few companies that provide the "hardware" and are involved with owners and potential owners for the planning an execution of each new location which makes it almost "cookie cutter" to bring more online.

[Brian Elfert]

The one car wash under construction I drive by multiple times a week used what looked like a prefabricated structure. I assume they use the same basic building for all of their car washes.

[Cameron Wood]

Maybe more car washes are being built in response to the moronic fad of black cars, which along with their other shortcomings, require 3 or 4x the amount of cleaning to look OK.

[Pat Germain]

Oh yeah, lots of car washes built in the Colorado Springs area over the past ten years.

A new car wash went up near my house several months ago. They have a monthly payment plan which gives you unlimited washes. I don't like monthly payments. I asked if I could get a plan for a year. They said I could and I would get a discount. Took a while to sign me up, but now Mrs. Pat can whip her Subaru into the car wash any time she likes. I asked if it was really unlimited. They assured me it was and shared that some people run their cars through multiple times in the same day and that's fine. The car wash has a scanner which matches the license plate to the make of the car so you can't swap plates for all six of your vehicles.

I recently heard a story on NPR about all the new car washes going up everywhere. They interviewed an automotive expert who said most people used to wash their cars at home, but this is no longer the case. Now 80% of car owners get them washed at an automatic car wash.

Someone mentioned watering restrictions earlier in the thread. That's a big deal in Colorado. We are typically on watering restrictions every summer. It's a real pain to comply with watering restrictions when you're trying to wash your car. It's much easier to whip into the automatic car wash. And the new automatic washes clean and recycle the water, so it saves water to boot.