Owning a Car Wash?

[Chaos81]

Probably a very unlikely scenario, but does anyone own, or know someone that owns a car wash?


Came across a chance to buy into one today, and looking over the papers, it seems like a very easy way to make money. Just wondering if anyone has any experience in the field.

From talking to the current owner who'd I'd be buying 50% from, it'd basically consist of me going down there two times a day on Saturday and Sunday's, once a day 3 days a week, and nothing the other two.


Obviously I haven't looked over things that deep, but a car wash seems pretty simple to run, and I'm just wondering if there is anything obvious someone that's never been in the field before might miss.

[Scott]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

Are you talking about a coin operated one? or hand wash?

[Chaos81]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

Coin, sorry.

[Brandon 2006]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

My uncle runs a coin-op car wash. What would you like to know?

[SPTO]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

Are you going to keep exotic guns in wash buckets Marvin Harrison styles?

[Chaos81]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

My uncle runs a coin-op car wash. What would you like to know?

Just kind of trying to get an idea of what all is involved in it, and if it really is as simple as going down there, making sure everything is full, the trash is taken out, the lot is clean, everything works, collecting the money, and so on.

Obviously it's not really that simple, but that's basically what the guy told me I'd be doing on a day to day basis. I have no idea to what running a car wash involves, so I'm just trying to get a decent idea.

I haven't even started looking online for info yet, so that should tell you how much I still have to do. A friend had called me today to tell me about it, and I talked to the owner for a bit on the phone, and he faxed me a bunch of info about it. But other than that, I haven't looked into it at all.

[Brandon 2006]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

Just kind of trying to get an idea of what all is involved in it, and if it really is as simple as going down there, making sure everything is full, the trash is taken out, the lot is clean, everything works, collecting the money, and so on.

Obviously it's not really that simple, but that's basically what the guy told me I'd be doing on a day to day basis. I have no idea to what running a car wash involves, so I'm just trying to get a decent idea.

I haven't even started looking online for info yet, so that should tell you how much I still have to do. A friend had called me today to tell me about it, and I talked to the owner for a bit on the phone, and he faxed me a bunch of info about it. But other than that, I haven't looked into it at all.

It really is that simple. The biggest problem my uncle has is with teenagers using the carwash to smoke weed in and drink and keeping it clean (We are out in the country so we get a lot of trucks that have gone 'mudding'.)

[Spear]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

The small town that I'm from has one, and there is always a guy directing traffic because its always busy on a warm day. But the place has been there for years and run by the same guy, definitely doesn't look difficult to maintain, and must make a boatload of money. I do know there are security cameras on the property because like the above poster mentioned about teenagers using it as a place to hang out.

[Chaos81]

Re: Owning a Car Wash?

Are you going to keep exotic guns in wash buckets Marvin Harrison styles?

It really is that simple. The biggest problem my uncle has is with teenagers using the carwash to smoke weed in and drink and keeping it clean (We are out in the country so we get a lot of trucks that have gone 'mudding'.)

Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling it really was that simple, but I started to over think it and got to telling myself, "If it was really that simple, why doesn't everyone do it?".

I know the car wash will probably be the same way with having to keep it clean. It's kind of on the edge of KC, and although the area is getting built up, it's still out in the country a bit, so there are a ton of trucks.

I do know there are security cameras on the property because like the above poster mentioned about teenagers using it as a place to hang out.

Yeah, he said he's got cameras already installed, and he uses his home internet to monitor it when he's not there.