In Bay Automatic VS Tunnel Car Wash
What is the Difference Between a Tunnel Car Wash and In-Bay Automatic Car Wash?
Maximizing the site and investment
- Rural vs Metro
- Property size
- You
Are you looking to invest in the car wash industry?
If you have started looking to invest in a car wash, I’m sure you have come across all the different brands and types of investment opportunities there are! We separate the car wash industry into three major categories:
- Tunnel
- In-Bay
- Self Serve
Generally Tunnel car washes are stand alone facilities with free vacuums and In-Bay car washes are paired with Self Serve or what some call coin operated bays.
Our friends at Reliable Plus wrote a blog about the differences between Tunnels and In-Bays. https://www.reliableplus.com/in-bay-automatic-vs-tunnel-wash/
It does a good job of identifying the differences and some of the positives and challenges of each style. However we feel the true answer goes deeper. For us it comes down to maximizing your investment. Let’s explore some factors that might determine how to maximize your car wash!
Car Wash Investment Considerations
Rural vs Metro or Small Town
There are several reasons to look at both types of washes in this case. Populations between 10-12,000 with trade areas of 15,000+ can support a small tunnel car wash. With the belt conveyor system (https://avwequipment.com/equipment-category/conveyors/) you can have a very powerful, high volume car wash in a small footprint. Smaller communities or even communities very driven by agriculture where large pickups, trailers etc are the traffic. A well designed Self Serve site with a In Bay automatic car wash capable of washing a wider set of vehicles might be the answer.
Property Size
Maybe you have found the A+ site you have been looking for! It’s perfect for a car wash; great visibility, great access, the traffic is fantastic and there is no competition. All the stars have lined up! So what’s the best type of wash? The one that will maximize the types of vehicles in the area. If it is a large industrial area that has sprinter vans and delivery vans in the area, the Petit ( https://www.petitautowash.com/ ) could maximize the site by being able to wash those vehicles where a tunnel car wash would be limited. If it is a small property and the turning radius’s are just not there to support a tunnel for easy customer flow. Perhaps building several In Bay’s on the site will maximize it. You have the turn radius to get cars around, but only the length for a shorter tunnel. Why not build a dual 60’ Tunnel to maximize the cars on the road? There can be endless options, so understanding the market and types of vehicles will help maximize the site.
You
It might sound funny to consider you but think about it. What size ($) of investment and debt are you comfortable with? How many employees are you capable of or comfortable with managing? What style of tunnel car wash suits you best? For me, I am an exterior tunnel car wash guy. Generally speaking, I am not really interested in your dog’s name, what your kids are interested in or where you had dinner last night. I like to keep my circle of relationships pretty tight. I LOVE watching cars process and move the line. My personality does not lend itself to a full service type wash, I fit better with an exterior wash. If you are a perfectionist looking for the perfect car, a full service wash will suit you better. In a exterior model your personality would bottle neck the line and slow down through put without the revenue per car to justify it. Understanding who you are, what you like and how you manage can help maximize your investment!
These are just a few of the things you need to look at to get the most out of your investment. Here at Focused Car Wash we work with you and ask questions to understand what works best for your situation. It’s not always black and white, right or wrong. It’s about getting the most out of your investment!
