Small Town, no in bay automatic

[simgriff]

There is a small tourist town (800 population) average traffic count is 1,600. It's a major camping and hiking area with no automatic car wash. Is 1,600 too low to invest in an in bay automatic car wash?

 

[washnshine]

800 population and 1600 are low counts. Aside from car counts, you have to ask where that population is going. I’m not sure if people on their way to or from camping or hiking are interested in cleaning their car that close to the site. If it were me, I’d wash when I get home, you’re only going to pick up more grime on the rest of your trip back. Also, people in that scenario might be more inclined to use a self serve wash to clean off camping equipment, coolers, boots etc. and maybe get a layer of dirt off their car - maybe under wheel wells and in hard to reach areas etc. Not sure how dirty the cars get or your road condition. It is not a scenario that I would build any wash, but IMHO if you had to build something, I’d say a self serve would be more useful to the demographic and a smaller investment, but it is still a dreadfully low count to build anything.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Short answer, NO. I've seen it done near me several times. All with towns of around 1000. They failed miserably. I now live in a town of about 1000. A year or so ago, someone bought the only wash here, 2 SS, 1 IBA. They totally remodeled the building, repaved the lot, and installed a brand new Laserwash. The place is a ghost town. There is a reason you don't see washes in these small town...they won't support it.

 

[Axxlrod]

Not enough people/cars to support the investment.