How long have you been in the car wash business?

[under pressure]

I have had my wash now for about a year and I dont know if i will keep it. Have you guys been in the business for a long time? What do you "hate" most about owning a car wash? What makes it worth while for you? What do you enjoy most, what keeps you going. How long do most people keep a wash?

 

[pitzerwm]

I'm probably a poor sample, but in my case, I couldn't get a real job, so the carwash was one of my jobs. I always thought that if you didn't have to deal with the customers and count the money, it would have been perfect. I like working with my hands can fix about anything, and the carwash made money. I don't know what you expected when you bought yours, or what other "jobs" that you have had. Over 30 years I've owned 25 businesses, most made money, none were a slam dunk. My thought is that you give the customer what they want and charge for it, you will do okay.

I'm into Texas Hold'om now and that is definitely not the way to get rich.

 

[MEP001]

I've been "in the business" for 25 years now in one form or another. I started as a summer attendant at a wash when I was 16. I've managed washes, both supervised and unsupervised, was a technician for 10 years and have operated a wash for the last 5. The one thing I hate most? Idiot car wash customers saying to me stuff like "You guys must make a mint here."

 

[Fatboy769]

21 years for me. Spending a couple hours at the car wash messing around is a great stress relief for me. You do run across some idiot customers, but on the flip side, I've also met some very nice people at the wash to. I also enjoy all the different challenges you run into. The thing I hate the most, is the few "slobs" who think your wash is the city dump!

 

[Eric H]

I've been in for almost 10 years. The first 3-4 were the hardest for me. I think it took that long to figure out hoe to really run the place properly and efficiently.
After my children were born I really relaxed about the place and REALLY started to enjoy working the washes. All of the little things that customers do didn't bother me anymore.

 

[Kevin Reilly]

I've been in it for 43 years starting in 1965. Managed full serve for 3 years. Bought defunct full serve in '68, bought SS w/"follow Charlie" exterior drive thru with gasoline sales in '70. Sold full serve in '78. In the next 10 years, built 7-bay SS and bought 6 other locations. In '81 opened a regional supply and manufacturing business. Sold the Supply business in 2002; sold 3 washes (2 exterior tunnels w/SS bays and 1 4-bay in 2005 to one of my sons.

Have 5 SS locations left which we still operate.

It's been a great ride!

When you think you've seen it all you're in for a surprise! (That's my motto!)

 

[Danny]

I grew up around car washes and detailing, making me second generation and have been working in this industry for well over a decade. It is very much a love it or hate it relationship. This business chews up most within their first 3yrs. What I have seen as the hardest part is gaining the experience, it is the only way to truely be good at this business. Even with seminars, education programs, books, and consultants that are available they are good at it because they gained the experience and most likely will not be there forever to help.

The biggest headaches come in 3 areas. 1st are customers. You are handling their 1st or 2nd most expensive purchase it takes a certain learned finesse to handle each one with their situation, which may or may not be valid but requires the experience and finesse to handle properly.

2nd are the employees (depending on kind and size). Good ones are always hard to find and keep at wages that make the wash competitive. Not only do you hire them but you hire their whole family, meaning any personal problems that arise are now your problem.

3rd is the equipment. Repairs and general maintenance are not usually easily found for this industry. If you are mechanically inclined that can help but is not always enough. If it is not enough then you enter the realm of a repair service and what their capabilities are with your situation.

So what is good about it? If you are self driven and always wanting something more or different then this is a good business. There is always something new. New equipment, chemicals, products, standards, competition, innovations, repairs, customer situations and some unforseen disaster that needs a creative solution. The people that work in this industry are of every sort imaginable, from all over the globe, wealthy, broke, traditionalist, innovators, tuff, mellow, brilliant, and not so brilliant. It is not discriminitory againsts anyone it loves and hates all equally.

 

[BayWatch]

We all sound the same.

I have been involved with car washes for 13 years. Started as a high school kid working for full service tunnel, moved to detail, and even lube. I have managed full, flex and EE. I have also done some consulting and technician work for a local distributor. I currently own a small 6 bay SS and am a construction/maintenance manager for a small chain of EE car washes.

I have always liked the fact that this industry continues to change and the day to day is never the same. I have always told people I have trained that if they ever think they have this game figured out, they have already been left behind. Most might say they dislike the customers or dealing with upset/mad customers, but I love it.

 

[Waxman]

I've been cleaning cars for money for 23 years. I've owned my detail shop for 14 and carwash for 3.

I love this business. There are difficulties in learning the business; employees, repairs, customers. But I've got a great location, capable staff and a positive attitude (most days). That has worked for me so far! Plus, I truly enjoy creating that clean car experience for as many people as possible.

 

[Washmee]

I've been working at the wash since Feb 1978, 30 years. Started as an attendant working for SOHIO, then a manager and then a field supervisor running 10-20 exteroir only conveyors. Figured out that there was money to be made washing cars, just not with SOHIO. Met a few independant operators and bought my own wash in 1986. Been alot of ups and downs in those years, never regreted any of it.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I'm a second generation car washer and have been washing down bays for 38 of my 50 years. Back in '69 my dad convinced his Shell jobber to build one of those "new" car wash deals behind the station he managed at the time. In '73 he and a partner built another location on the other side of town. I purchased that partner's half in '85. That wash has since been closed, but I have four others in three different towns. I really enjoy this business and plan to do nothing else for the rest of my days. Hell, I don't know much else so I had better keep this deal going.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Born and raised in the car wash business.
Started as a chain on / chain off kid when I was around 9-10 yrs. old. Moved up to the steam jenny gun at 12 moved up to driving cars off the line at 13.
Now at 51 I'm still in it. Some days good and some days bad but over the years I wouldn't have changed much.
Looking back with working with my Dad all those years, getting into the business with him and now my oldest son working with me is something special.
It's been a nice ride.

 

[trentu]

Ima newbie

So lots of posts from guys that have been in it a while. I have only had a car wash for about 3 years now. I really enjoy working with my hands, learning new things, being the "jack-of-all-trades" guy. I mostly enjoy the people; the ones that appreciate how well you keep the wash up, not those others-we all know the ones. What I am not sure I will be able to handle is the 24x7x364 nature of owning a car wash. I have a younger family and really want to just go vacationing sometimes or be off on the weekend. That may be the deal breaker for me. Anyway, I go about it though, it has been a great experience and car wash people are some of the best people I have ever met. Hey Bill, I will help you with that holdem', how much money have you got?

 

[Bud]

We bought our first wash in 1981 while I still worked full time. In 2000, bought the second one, while still working full time. In 1997 we built storage units, while still working full time. Retired from my full time job in 2002. After all these years I still HATE the trash dumpers and thoses that think the changers are for the laundramats etc. Otherwise it's been a good thing. I enjoy MOST of the customers and have a place to go when if I want to just go. All in all its been a good buisness but I AM tiring of it.

 

[Sequoia]

Duration

I've owned my 3-bay SS for 3 years now. I bought it mostly as a hobby and a business to "play with." It's been a great toy.

I enjoy the car wash and I've met lots and lots of very nice people. I think I've met half the town now (pop 7,000 or so.)

What do I dislike the most? I dislike that you can hit a revenue ceiling based on location and demographics and then once you've done that it's virtually impossible to push revenues higher.

I'm used to running software/technology companies where you could keep expanding your market and revenues in virtually a limitless manner. And, if you wanted to, you could just invent a new software product and tackle a new market to fuel your growth and expansion.

But, on the positive side, the car wash drags in money with no employees. I grew tired of paying $150k per year for programmers and needing teams of them to stay competitive.

I call my car wash "the place where people pull over to give me money."

 

[Patrick H. Crowe]

Since the early to mid 60's. I was a high school math teacher and could not begin to get by on what I made. I tried many part time jobs and all paid less than teaching. I worked one summer as a painter and then founded THE PAINTING TEACHERS - - - HAVE YOUR HOUSE PAINTED BY PEOPLE WITH MASTERS DEGREES. I did weel but had kids in expensive private schools. Still struggling.

Self serves were invented and 2 other guys and I with a grand each built out first one; 22K total, on leased land. Then more and more. Totaled 8 (some say 9 since I bought one twice.

One ws fully operational, 2 I built from scratch, other 5 rehabs. Rehabs made the most money by far.

I continued to teach until '99 and had done books and many articles. Was active in the civil right movement, from swimming teachers to board chairman of a good sized corp.

Sould last wash in '05 and now do writing and publishing. Six books, 7th on the way. OPRAH for President was most recent; How to teach School and Make a Living at the Same Time was first.

Hated: stopped drains, cleaning pits, vandalism, very poor police protection.

Loved: OPRAH promotion, writing and speacking about the industry and how much better it paid than teaching.

Patrick H. Crowe

 

[soapy]

I started my first car wash in 1993 after being in the family tire business for years.The first couple of years are hard but it does get better. My washes never really take off until they have been open for at least 1 year. I was lucky that I found this site about the time I started washing cars. It has been a very valuable tool.

 

[Reds]

I was in the welding biz for 10 yrs and owned 5 Burger Kings for 27 years (started with one). I have been in the car wash biz (2 SS 2 IBA on one site) for 3 years and I love it. I went from 150 employees to none. I was working minimum of 70 hours per week with unbelievable bs to put up with. Now, I work about 3 hours a day at the wash, sometimes more depending on needs. No lawsuits. No employee issues. The aggravation factor is tiny in comparison. I enjoy working on the equipment. The only problem I have is dealing with other peoples trash. I am used to the whiners, complainers, and bottom fishers. I used to serve 1 million customers a year, and this is easy compared to that. It has its challenges like every other biz, but I love it. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

 

[rph9168]

I have been in the car wash business for over 30 years. I have been a detail-car wash distributor/chemical manufacturer, worked for several major car wash chemical manufacturers traveling around the country working with many operators and chains, run the car wash division for a chemical manufacturer, been a GM for four full service tunnels and work for a well established distributor. My first car wash experience was many years ago when I was only 14 in a tunnel my uncle owned. He had the old log chain drive. It was primitive but was a great experience.

I enjoy working in the industry, sharing knowledge with others and helping others succeed. I have found that no matter how much one thinks they know about this business there is always something else to learn or experience. I prefer working on the street as opposed to dealing with corporate bullsh*t. It's a great business where I have met many great people.

 

[dclark3344]

I have been in the business for 6 years now. Looked at the business 21 years ago and chickened out because of the substanial capital outlay. What I HATE most is waiting 15 years to get into the business. What I like most is the social aspects and often when I am out in town someone will say. Hey you are the Carwash guy. If you do not have the passion to work long days weekends and work the hardest when business is the slowest. Then look somewhere else. I gave my best years to Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co in a factory of 2600 miserable workers. It was like prison to me. We had Gaurds at the gates with electronic vehicle monitors, there motto was "there is no finish line". We were Non Union so they stripped the workers of their benefits after 25 years of operation and enforce the idea that there are 20,000 people that want your job. This was great training to make me appreciate a job where friends and family can come by and say hello and you can get rewarded for your individual efforts.