Over the past few years, the car wash industry has evolved and changed. Today’s car wash offers more services and options to suite a wide range of customers. Self-serve car washes are open 24 hours, used throughout the year and are popular across the country. Customers see value in a self-serve car wash, which keeps them coming back for more and in turn, keeps operators in business.
The following information is courtesy of Professional Carwashing & Detailing’s 2007 Self-Serve Carwashing Benchmarking Survey and may be helpful as a new investor to the business.

 

Self-Serve Pricing Most Common price/time combinations Combination % of respondents $1.50/4 minutes 13.8% $2.00/4 minutes 14.9% $1.00/4 minutes 5.3% $1.00/2 minutes 5.3% $0.25/<2 minutes 5.3% $1.00/3.5 minutes 4.3%	How many vending machines does this carwash have? Units % of respondents None 6.4% One 13.8% Two 17.0% Three 11.7% Four 19.1% More then Five 31.9%	Year carwash was constructed Years % of respondents 1975 or before 19.1% 1976-1980 7.4% 1981-1985 11.7% 1986-1990 10.6% 1991-1995 10.6% 1996-2000 12.8% 2001-2006 27.7%
Locations Owned Number of Locations % of respondents One 61.7% Two 21.3% Three 7.4% Four 2.1% Five or More 7.4%	Vending Revenue Average monthly gross revenue From: Amount All vending machines: $453.81 Upper quartile: $600.00 Lower quartile: $100.00	Vacuum Revenue Average monthly revenue From: Amount Per vacuum $207.18 Upper quartile $294.50 Lower quartile $100.00
Vacuum Pricing Most Common price/time combinations Combination % of respondents $1.00/4 minutes 25.5% $0.75/3 minutes 10.6% $0.50/2 minutes 8.5% $0.75/4 minutes 7.4% $1.00/5 minutes 5.3%	Distance to nearest self-serve competitor Distance % of respondents Less than .5 mile 8.5% .5 to 1 mile 18.1% 1.1 to 2 miles 31.9% 2.1 to 5 miles 25.5% 5.1 to 10 miles 7.4% More than 10 miles 8.5%	What do you consider your biggest competitor? Type % of respondents Another self-serve 46.7% An in bay automatic carwash 23.9% An express exterior conveyor 13.0% A Full-serve conveyor 7.6% Other 8.7%