8 Factors in Finding the Best Car Wash Location

One of the most important factors when beginning a business is finding the right location. This is especially true when it comes to the car wash industry. The location you choose can oftentimes make or break the success of your wash.  

It’s important to note that not all locations are equal to all types of businesses. What may be an apt location for a high-class restaurant may not be the best choice for a car wash. 

To establish not only a car wash but a car wash that turns into a profitable business, an ideal site is a necessity. 

We’ve broken down how to pick a site for your car wash with 8 simple factors to consider when choosing a location.

1. Your Surrounding Community

Probably the first step to take when considering a location is to have a strong grasp of the community that surrounds it. 

It’s typically best practice to gauge a 3 to 5 mile radius around the location you’re considering when determining the demographics of your potential customers. Most customers won’t travel far from their homebase to get a car wash. 

This includes understanding the people who are more likely to traffic the area, population size, demographics and surrounding retail of the area. 

Demographics

Understanding the demographics of your potential customers and ideal clientele is key when determining a location. Are they in single-family homes? Do they have space for self-washing their cars? Does the average household income support additional expenses like car washing? Do most people within the community drive? How dense is the population? 

These answers can give you a better understanding of the sheer need for a car wash within the community.

For instance, car washes around apartment complexes tend to see a more consistent customer base as it’s a densely populated area without a lot of space for self-washing cars. 

Retail Stores

If the area you’re scoping out has a prominent retail store presence, that’s great news! A car wash that’s located closely near other retail businesses offers an additional draw to potential customers.

Locations best for car washes are often the sites that are surrounded by stores that are quick stops and short visits. Since most car wash customers are in only for a quick clean, locating your wash where short-stop, big box establishments are can heighten your chances for significant customer flow.

2. Traffic Volume, Speed and Density

Obviously choosing a highly trafficked area is best practice when it comes to locating your car wash. Research shows that car wash locations that see an average of 15,000 to 25,000 cars a day are best. To find the best spot, you should consider not only the number of vehicles that pass the wash, but also the density and speed at which these vehicles are traveling.

Speed 

So cars can see your facility and signage roughly 40 seconds before passing your wash, consider an area that has a speed of 45 mph or less. Since most car wash decisions are on impulse, this is standard practice for car washes so that potential customers have enough time to decide whether they want to get their car washed.

Density 

While having a lot of vehicular traffic by your car wash is a wonderful opportunity for new customers, you will want to consider the traffic density near your location. 

For instance, you don’t want your car wash to be by a road with three lanes and cars packed too tightly to switch over or a concrete median that makes it difficult for drivers to enter your wash.

3. Location Access

Similar to considering the traffic density, you want to make sure your location is easily accessible from the highly trafficked street. Ensure you will have enough space for both an entrance way and an exit. Think of cars lining up for your wash. You don’t want a location that doesn’t provide enough space on your busy days. 

It’s recommended to have your location near a turning lane or a traffic light if possible. Consider the journey of a vehicle in accessing your wash.

4. The Visibility of Your Car Wash

Going hand-in-hand with choosing a location based on accessibility, you will want to make sure your facility and any associated signage can be seen from the street well ahead of time. Again, if potential customers only have about 40 seconds to see your wash and make an impulse decision, you will want to capitalize on its visibility. 

The more visible your wash, the more time customers will have to decide they want to go to your car wash.

5. Your Fellow Competition

As with any business, you will want to take a look at the area to ensure you don’t have competing car washes within a three-mile radius. If you do and the location is too good to pass up, then assess what the competition is doing. 

See if you can find ways to better your own car wash in comparison. You’ll want to ensure that you offer the same (if not more) services than any car wash in your general vicinity.

6. Local & State Zoning Law & Regulations

One of the more critical steps when choosing a location for your car wash business is to check on the zoning laws and regulations in your area. 

You will need to know if your lot is zoned for commercial/business use or residential use. Some zoning laws and regulations may have operating restrictions that could apply to your business. 

As one of the first steps, you’ll want to look at properties and locations that are specifically zoned for commercial or business use. Otherwise, you may pick a property that is residentially zoned and it may be very difficult (or impossible) to get it rezoned. 

While tedious, considering zonal laws can keep you abiding by both local and state regulations. Each area and state varies so be sure you’re doing the proper research.

7. The Price of Your Property

Obviously with any major purchase for your business, you will need to consider whether or not the price of the property is worth it to you. Will you get a return on your investment? 

Thankfully with a car wash business, the ROI is more likely to be positive than other entrepreneurial start-ups. 

Ensure that you consider if your use of the property will be the best use. Considering all the other components associated with choosing a location for a car wash, you will want to make sure the value of the purchase supports your car wash goals. 

Whether for purchase or for lease, consider the total cost as a part of your overall investment. If the site is the right fit for you and you’ve selected it based on the above considerations, it’s likely your location will be successful for a car wash.

8. Growth Potential

Being a small business owner, especially in the car wash industry, you’ll want to have a site that has strong potential to support growth. 

Now, growth can happen in a number of ways. Whether it’s having a property large enough to support additional services you provide as a car wash or an entrance that allows for numerous vehicles to line up without having to sit in traffic, ensure your site is spacious enough for your business goals. 

Research says that the ideal size for a car wash is approximately one acre.

Selecting The Best Car Wash Site & Ensuring Clean Pits

Once you find the right location for your car wash business, strap in and get ready for a wild ride. Car wash businesses are great ventures to begin for a number of reasons you can read more about here!

When your car wash business is up and running, it’s important to be able to properly dispose of the wastes produced within your wash. At Pit Crew, our well-trained technicians have the skills necessary to safely remove and dispose of your car wash’s waste. Looking to tidy up your new car wash? Contact us today!