Hand Car Wash

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Rtrick87

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So I really want to open a car wash that is strictly a hand car wash. My goal is to be different then the other washes out there. I recently was on a trip to New York where I saw a hand car wash and it was packed and offered everything and basically was the same business I have been wanting to operate. Unfortunately the owner wasn’t there so I couldn’t ask the questions like why he decided this type, how he business does or how long he’s been in business.

My plan is to have a hand wash tunnel, detailing garage for customers who want a full detail (paint correcting, coating application) not the “car wash detail” and then a store where we can sell to enthusiasts products like interior/exterior chemicals, pressure washer attachments, foam cannons, waxes, sealants, tools and such.

What are your thoughts on a hand car wash, touchless car wash or automatic scratch o matic car wash?


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I have a son that lives in Georgia, and he uses a place that sounds just like you describe. Their car washes are done using a two bucket - type method, but with clean wash mitts for every new car. Drying is actually done with wall hung MetroVacs, and your choice of a wax or a sealant (a few to select from for each) is machine applied. They run 100s of cars through a day on the weekend, but can do it because 6 - 8 people are working on each car at a time. I think he said it's $20.00, which is about twice what a swirl-o-matic costs. If you want small extra services, like special attention to your wheels and tires, they have you pull off to the side and for a few extra bucks, they wash your wheels. They offer full detailing as well, but he does his own, so he's never used their service for that.

He believes the model should be very profitable, and from what he sees, it likely is. Based on my son's opinion (and he's a pretty bright guy), you've got a winning plan. I'd love to hear how it goes for you!
 
mk9750 said:
I have a son that lives in Georgia, and he uses a place that sounds just like you describe. Their car washes are done using a two bucket - type method, but with clean wash mitts for every new car. Drying is actually done with wall hung MetroVacs, and your choice of a wax or a sealant (a few to select from for each) is machine applied. They run 100s of cars through a day on the weekend, but can do it because 6 - 8 people are working on each car at a time. I think he said it's $20.00, which is about twice what a swirl-o-matic costs. If you want small extra services, like special attention to your wheels and tires, they have you pull off to the side and for a few extra bucks, they wash your wheels. They offer full detailing as well, but he does his own, so he's never used their service for that.

He believes the model should be very profitable, and from what he sees, it likely is. Based on my son's opinion (and he's a pretty bright guy), you've got a winning plan. I'd love to hear how it goes for you!
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Wow, for $20 I'd stop washing my car and take it to a place like that. $20 around where I live gets you a tunnel wash with the swirls special treatment.
 
BSoares said:
Wow, for $20 I'd stop washing my car and take it to a place like that. $20 around where I live gets you a tunnel wash with the swirls special treatment.
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Inspect their work first!

A guy who's 2017 BMW M2 I did last year REALLY wanted to invest time and money into doing his car right. Especially after I did my work on it. His work hours hasn't allowed for it, so he has been taking it to some "hand wash" place with buckets and hoses. He swore they used a soft boars hair brush, etc.

I was a bit sad to see the car with swirls. Oh well. I got paid for the job I did.
 
mk9750 said:
I have a son that lives in Georgia, and he uses a place that sounds just like you describe. Their car washes are done using a two bucket - type method, but with clean wash mitts for every new car. Drying is actually done with wall hung MetroVacs, and your choice of a wax or a sealant (a few to select from for each) is machine applied. They run 100s of cars through a day on the weekend, but can do it because 6 - 8 people are working on each car at a time. I think he said it's $20.00, which is about twice what a swirl-o-matic costs. If you want small extra services, like special attention to your wheels and tires, they have you pull off to the side and for a few extra bucks, they wash your wheels. They offer full detailing as well, but he does his own, so he's never used their service for that.

He believes the model should be very profitable, and from what he sees, it likely is. Based on my son's opinion (and he's a pretty bright guy), you've got a winning plan. I'd love to hear how it goes for you!
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Thanks. My plan is cars are $20 ($25 for rims and $30 for rims and tires.) larger vehicles are $25 ($30 for rims and $35 for rims and tires.) I would have an area at the end where the customer would pull over and get the tires shined. For an additional $5 you get the interior vacuumed and surfaces dusted. Also, a $100 a month membership gets customers unlimited washes, one vacuum/dusting a week and window cleaning after each wash.

Basically you would pull up to the tunnel, 1 guy would take the payment then would pre rinse the vehicle with a pressure washer, foam it up and then 2 guys in the tunnel for washing, once the car gets inside, depending on the package selection, wheels get treated then the paint is washed. Then 1 other guy rinses the vehicle and we would have the drying blowers at the end of the tunnel to get most of the water off then person who does the rinse would follow up with a handheld blower and drying towel. Outside the tunnel, off to the side there would be an area for vacuuming and surface wipe down.

Overtime and as we grow, a conveyor belt would be installed in the tunnel, maybe a foaming arch. But I want to create jobs so not trying to buy too many machines. So I’m trying to determine a start up cost so if anyone can help add to a list that would be cool.

Not sure how much it would cost to build the tunnel which would need to be heated for the winter months so garage doors on either end are a must and then have fans for the summer. As for the mit cleaning process, we would have two large sinks on either side of the tunnel with custom grit guards. Each sink would have 4 dividers, 2 for clean soapy water and 2 for the rinse water. So when one gets too dirty it can be emptied and rinsed out while the other can be utilized. A large commercial washer and dryer for cleaning drying towels and detailing towels. Would probably 100 wash mits that would be used throughout the day and then washed in washer at the end of Day.

- Tunnel with garage doors, heaters and fans
- Water Reclaim system
- Water recycle system
- 4 Electric Commercial pressure washers
- Large drying blower
- 3 hand held blowers
- commercial air compressor system
- commercial vacuums
- Washer and Dryer


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So we would have the hand wash tunnel, the store selling the products and tools and mobile detailing. And hopefully on weekends or once a week during the nice weather, could host car shows or car meets.


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That is an interesting concept. I would consider that production detailing. It has the right products and tools to do a proper job, but it has the ability to do multiple cars at the same time in a shorter amount of time. The retail store can also be attractive as long as it sells professional grade tools and products. You will probably never compete with auto parts stores or Walmart if you sell over the counter Meguiars, Turtle Wax or Armor All.
I would take the 1-1/2 drive to Rockport to check it out. Let me know when it opens.
 
I think this a very good concept if you had enough customers.

I would LOVE to have a place like that anywhere near me. Out here, it's Swirl-o-matic, or do it yourself.

They ripped out the touchless wash bays we had here in town to build a Cheese & Wine cafe. Gotta love tourism........... :(
 
UncleDavy said:
That is an interesting concept. I would consider that production detailing. It has the right products and tools to do a proper job, but it has the ability to do multiple cars at the same time in a shorter amount of time. The retail store can also be attractive as long as it sells professional grade tools and products. You will probably never compete with auto parts stores or Walmart if you sell over the counter Meguiars, Turtle Wax or Armor All.
I would take the 1-1/2 drive to Rockport to check it out. Let me know when it opens.
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I wouldn’t do it in Rockport. Not enough customers. I was thinking Peabody, Danvers, Revere or Everett. But it would be all professional grade stuff. Carpro, meguiars, chemical guys. The good stuff.

The touchless washes I’ve been to do a car in about 4-6 minutes. But when I come out I have water dripping everywhere, spots missed and because it’s touchless I’m not touching the paint with a drying towel because I know not all the dirt is off the paint.


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PaulMys said:
I think this a very good concept if you had enough customers.

I would LOVE to have a place like that anywhere near me. Out here, it's Swirl-o-matic, or do it yourself.

They ripped out the touchless wash bays we had here in town to build a Cheese & Wine cafe. Gotta love tourism........... :(
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Bummer on the cheese and wine thing. The area I would consider building off a highway where the daily traffic is over 40,000 on a busy street where the daily traffic is over 20,000 a day with another highway a mile away with the same amount of daily traffic of 40,000.


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Well, if you go ahead with this concept, I'd wish you all the success in the world.

Like I said, I would be in heaven if a place like this was anywhere near me.

Great idea.
 
Personally, I think it sounds like a money pit and a bad idea. You're trying to do it right, with high end product and techniques, but at $20 per plus the associated $5 or $10, you're still washing cars for $30. Me and my son did 8 production style washes today with an average ticket of around $70 including tip and I still feel like we got ripped off. I can't imagine trying to cover that nut at $30 a pop. I like the idea, somewhat, but I hate your pricing.

Give us an idea of what you think it would cost to run that operation per month. I have an idea already in my mind.
 
I've considered the conveyor belt thing as well. The further I dove into it, the more discouraged I got. After expenses (on paper, not real world), I figured my price for a simple hand wash and dry would be so high people wouldn't even consider it.


If you do move forward with the plan, please keep us updated. I wish you the best of luck, it would be nice to see someone go for it and succeed.
 
Hey OP - shoot me a PM and I will send you my email address. I'm a CPA and have a Master's Degrees in accounting/business finance. I can take a look at your business model and initial CAPEX, Pro Forma P&L, etc. for no charge.

I imagine you can make this profitable, but I think you will really need to scale the size appropriately and have sufficient capital reserves to start.

There is a select market for specialty detail/wash shops. While we true enthusiasts don't want to admit it - probably 90% of the market you are trying to capture has never heard of swirl marks nor do they care. So you have to factor in your true market and look at demographics in your location area, drive times from areas you want to capitalize on, and city taxes, regulations, approval processes, etc.

The vast percentage of small businesses fail quickly. This isn't to scare you, just to encourage you to plan appropriately. Most fail for one of two basic reasons - they either didn't plan appropriately and with enough detail before proceeding or they didn't have enough capital reserves to overcome initial ROI's. Rule of thumb for a start up small biz would be to have at least 5x in liquid assets as compared to annual EBIT. So if expected earnings for year one before interest and taxes is $40,000, then you would want at least $200,000 in the bank in cash.
 
Rtrick87 said:
YouTube

Something like that. Except we would actually wash the roof. But maybe skip the conveyor. One less thing to worry about breaking down.


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This is certainly better than a standard machine wash with filthy brushes but it bothered me that they didn't change wash mitts during the process. They also used the same mitt and motion to wash the front then lower side panels and came up top again in one motion and the same mitt. Do they change mitts after each vehicle?
The Australian car wash seemed like a better process. They claim to rinse the lambs wool wash mitts and they offer higher end services.
 
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