Best uses of car washes... BESIDES a car wash?

[cityview]

I bought a car wash about 8 years ago...

Ironically its before the car wash I own now... I converted it into a warehouse.

Then I bought my second car wash building, added a new front room, and turned it into a services business storefront.

Its kind of interesting, because we were growing, so I was looking for other car washes to convert to this same services business, when I came across the car wash I bought now.

The car wash I bought however, had something unique I didn't want to give up... profit.

So I realized the car wash generated more cash than my other businesses, so I decided to keep it running until it died....

But it just got me thinking... Whats the best uses other people have for old car wash buildings?

 

[APW]

Interesting. I have the chance to buy a 4bay ss in a terrible location but in the same town as I own a profitable car wash. I thought about buying it and turning it into storage units.

 

[soapy]

One thing I see here is that many people are building commercial units that can be used as store fronts for various businesses that require a small store front but not a lot of space. Electricians, furnaces, painters, detail shop etc. They usually need these to meet zoning laws from not working out of their house. It would be easy to convert a wash bay to one of these and rent each bay out individually. If the lot is big enough you could convert the extra space for trailer/ vehicle storage.
Banks always hesitate when loaning money for a car wash because they say it is only good for one thing, which is not true but we do have limited applications. Old big box stores nationally are being converted over to consumer storage as Uhaul moves into them as well as other companies. I think commercial storage or business fronts would be the most profitable.

 

[MEP001]

I used to work for a couple guys that had 15 washes between them. Whenever they bought one that had a broken-down automatic or an empty auto bay, we would convert it into a vehicle inspection station. It rarely made any money but it paid for an employee on premises 50 hours a week, which alone would hugely benefit the car wash.

 

[Car_Wash_Guy]

I used to work for a couple guys that had 15 washes between them. Whenever they bought one that had a broken-down automatic or an empty auto bay, we would convert it into a vehicle inspection station. It rarely made any money but it paid for an employee on premises 50 hours a week, which alone would hugely benefit the car wash.

What are these "vehicle inspections" you speak of?

 

[Main Street Carwash]

Not sure how it works where ever you are located but in Texas, we have to have our cars inspected yearly by an independent inspection station for safety and emissions in order to renew the vehicle registration.

 

[friesmaniac99]

We had a SuperWash location in my town. Eventually, they put it up for sale. Took out the IBA and sealed the walls and converted it into a Car Dealership. Still open to this day.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I’ve seen several old washes converted to the “sled lot” types of car dealers.

 

[OurTown]

I’ve seen several old washes converted to the “sled lot” types of car dealers.

What is a "sled lot"? cheap junky cars?

 

[MEP001]

What is a "sled lot"? cheap junky cars?

Trade-ins either stored for auction or for sale.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

What is a "sled lot"? cheap junky cars?

Pretty much, lots that have cars that you have to push away. I got the term from a salesman.