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Owning and operating an automatic car wash

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If you’re thinking of getting into the automatic car wash market, be warned: automatic car washes are not an easy enterprise; they require extensive planning and continual attention.

First of all, remember that an automatic car wash is a financial risk; you can make a significant amount of money, but you can also lose money. Automatic car washes usually cost between $100,000 and $200,000, and your per car revenue is generally very low. In addition, your business is often inconsistent, fluctuating based on the weather or on the performance of surrounding businesses. One 1999 survey reported that the average self-service bay made approximately $1,103/month. While automatic car washes make significantly more than self-service bays, it will take you at least several years to pay back your initial expenses.

In a related vein, think carefully about your business plans. Will you build in conjunction with a gas station or convenience store? Business from one often benefits the other. Will you build near a shopping center or a residential district? Most car wash revenue comes from people who live, work, or spend leisure time in the immediate vicinity.

Wherever you put your car wash, make sure you have plenty of space so that cars can wait in line if needed—otherwise they won’t pull into your lot. How high and long should the car wash be in order to accommodate all of your clients? Do you want a conveyor belt or an in-bay automatic wash? Will you need to purchase small floor heaters to melt ice during the winter?

Finally, a growing concern for automatic car wash owners is water protection and conservation. Some automatic car washes actually provide a dry wash to customers. Even if you can’t provide a dry wash, however, you at least need to follow local ordinances regarding water usage and disposal. In addition, make sure you recycle as much water as reasonably possible. A good reclaim system allows you to save eighty percent of your water and use it in future washes (though not in the final rinse). Automatic car washes go through millions of gallons of water, so this reclaim system will provide substantial benefits for the environment.

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