Owning and operating self serve and self serve automatic carwashes, can be profitable and enjoyable as well as a good investment. However, there are several factors that need to be considered to maximize your return as well as operate your wash efficiently. The following are major considerations when you are planning to invest in the car wash business.
What Location should I chose?
Like real-estate and retail, location is critical for maximizing profits. Having a carwash out in the middle of nowhere obviously will result in low traffic. You want to be located in high traffic residential areas near retail centers. The ideal location is a corner lot where the carwash is easily accessible from east-west traffic and north-south traffic. The streets should have 30-35 mile per hour speed limits. Often times, a location can be cut off from traffic on the opposite side of the street. A potential customer who has to drive a block past your place and make a u-turn to get to your carwash may opt to find a different wash.
You also need to investigate all known future changes in the location. Are there any changes to traffic flows, is a major retail store leaving (or coming), and are there any potential changes in local zoning laws or ordinances. Are there any potential road construction projects that could affect traffic?