Faster, better, cheaper. Few industries escape the constant pressure to advance and car washing is no exception. Every day, in every trade, a new business opens to provide customers with what they believe will be a better value than other competitors. Some succeed and some fail, but each new product raises customer’s expectations for cost, quality, and speed of service. What’s interesting is how the Express-Exterior / Free Vacuum car wash model seems to be doing just that across many segments of the car wash industry, especially in smaller markets.

For years, the growing popularity and availability of In-Bay automatic car washes had a distinct impact on the industry. They delivered convenience, speed, and when tied with a gas purchase, affordability. They still do, but the erosion of gas profit margins has eaten into the ability to discount heavily with a fill-up. Consequently, price points for rollover car washes have risen along with chemical and utility costs. The days of a free wash with a fill-up are nearly extinct. Equipment manufacturers have responded with new machines that clean better and are much faster. This addresses the fact that customers demonstrate little tolerance for a wet and dirty car when they are paying a fair price for the service. In many markets, things seem to be moving along at status quo. Self-Serve washes, C-Stores, and Gas Stations continue to favor adding Rollovers. More recently however, a new trend seems to be gaining traction in regard to Express tunnels and In-Bay Automatics.

The last couple of years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of Express-Exterior washes. These automated tunnels normally exceed 120 feet and concentrate on pushing huge volumes of cars quickly through the wash. The high volume has allowed them to reduce cost per vehicle and offer a low base price, often a fraction of competing In-Bay automatics. Minimal staff requirements have also contributed to increased hours of operation when a Full-Serve would normally be closed. Although not the 24 hour availability of a Rollover, they have definitely encroached into their hallmark of “always open”.

Traditionally, Express-Exterior locations focus on larger markets on streets with car counts well above 35,000 per day. The logic is simple enough, you need huge volumes to succeed and that means areas with concentrated population. Against recommendation, some operators found tremendous success in smaller markets with large Express-Exterior locations, but it has been the exception to the rule. That seems to be changing.

In recent months, SONNY’S has begun receiving orders for a growing number of shorter tunnel systems, often less than 60 feet that are being used in “mini” stand-alone Express-Exterior locations. Most of these washes are located in smaller markets and are running at a slower chain speed to deliver a quality wash. We have also seen similar installations occurring more frequently at Self-Serve washes as well as some C-Stores, Gas Stations, and Automotive Dealerships. What stands out is the fact that most of these projects would normally have gone through our BayWash Rollover Division. It’s still too early to gauge, but I predict it’s more than just a fluke.

Paul Fazio is the president of SONNY’S The Car Wash Factory. His career represents 26 years of conveyorized operating expertise. Prior to taking the helm at SONNY’S, Paul was an owner / operator of (2) self-serve, (1) exterior, and (11) full-serve wash locations, in addition to (6) gas stations with convenience stores as well as several detail shops and lube centers. He can be reached at 800-327-8723 or via email at PFazio@SonnysDirect.com

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