When Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company in 1903, he had one goal in mind – to create a motor vehicle that was affordable to the general public. From this desire, the Model T was born in 1908. The Model T became the first automobile to be mass produced and marketed to the middle class, and as more and more people began owning automobiles, a need grew to keep these newly prized possessions clean and presentable. This led to the uprising of the car wash industry.

The first ever car wash opened in Detroit, MI in 1914. Called Automated Laundry, the car wash was not actually automated. Automated Laundry  involved a traditional “pail-and-sponge” method that was similar to the common fundraising activity which can be found in parking lots across the country today. The cars were manually pushed through a tunnel in which three men provided a service of soaping, rinsing, and drying the vehicle.

Years later, the first automatic conveyor car wash opened in Hollywood, CA in 1940. This car wash system involved a winch system that automatically pulled the vehicle through a tunnel, but the washing of the vehicle was still provided through manual labor. Like Automated Laundry, this involved men soaping, rinsing, and drying the vehicle as it moved down the line.

Six years later, a gentleman by the name of Thomas Simpson invented the first semiautomatic car wash system in 1946. A majority of the manual labor was removed through Simpson’s invention, but not entirely. This car wash system involved hooking a conveyor belt to the bumper of the vehicle which pulled it through a tunnel. An overhead water sprinkler was then used to wet the vehicle down, which was followed by three sets of manually operated brushes for cleaning, and an air blower for drying.

In 1951, the first fully automatic car wash system came to fruition in Seattle, WA. Opened by three brothers – Archie, Dean, and Eldon Anderson – this revolutionized the way people washed their vehicles and led to incredible investment opportunities for many businessmen. The automated car wash system involved pulling the vehicle through the tunnel, soap being sprayed on the vehicle by large machinery, automated brushes scrubbing down the vehicle, nozzles being used to rinse the vehicle off, and large air blowers to dry the vehicle.

From here, many car wash owners began installing fully automated car wash equipment at their businesses. Automatic car washes have continued to evolve ever since, and the industry remains incredibly successful today. From stand-alone car washes, to car washes at dealerships, gas stations, and elsewhere, automatic car wash systems are prominent around the globe.

Are you considering investing in a Car Wash Franchise, but do not want to pay a franchise fee? Look no further than AUTEC! The In Bay Express business model is an incredible investment opportunity for the astute investor who wants a proven franchise model without the fees. An AUTEC In Bay Automatic is operated entirely by the customer, which means NO EMPLOYEES ARE NEEDED. This allows the car wash and franchise to operate 24/7 without labor and minimal overhead.

So, what is the cost? This will vary depending on several factors, all of which will be covered. AUTEC assists in all areas of development, including, but not limited to: site selection, demographic studies, competitive studies, site layouts, stamped building drawings, complete MEP car wash drawings, and financing resources. AUTEC also offers complete service after the sale, including on-going maintenance and chemicals. All the operator needs to do is handle the money, again, without any franchise fees.

Let’s break it down-

LAND – The In Bay Express business model will fit on as little as one third to a half acre depending on size of structure needed, set-backs and curb cuts. AUTEC has a saying, “You never build a church for Easter Sunday”. Our in-depth studies give us an idea of potential car wash volume, and our packages are tailored to each location. Ancillary services such as vacuums may require more space.

TYPE OF CAR WASH – There are three main styles of In Bay Automatics being offered/sold today: Soft-touch, touch free, and the ever popular Combination car wash, which offers the customer all soft touch, all touch free, or an awesome combination of both, all from the same machine. It is currently our best-selling model, and due to being two machines in one, is perceived, and is, an exceptional value.

COST – The variable costs not controlled by AUTEC are: land, site work, permitting, electrical, and plumbing. All other costs are predetermined once the business model is chosen. Equipment type, building size, and car wash options are all determined by the investor, with assistance from AUTEC.

Buildings – With attached equipment rooms, buildings are typically 50’ to 75’ in length and range from $125,000 to $225,000 delivered and installed on your concrete slab. Installation is typically less than 1 week. Options like LED lights, automatic doors, heat and graphics can add up to $30,000 to this number.

Equipment – The AUTEC car wash packages with pre-soak arches, rinse arches, blowers, instructional signage, marketing lights, etc,, range from $150,000 to $350,000 depending on several factors/items like wash type chosen, whether wash water reclaim and spot free rinse systems are needed, and revenue enhanced options chosen. Typical revenue enhancers are underbody wash, triple foam or wall of foam, bug buster, safe tag, rear super clean, and more. A tire shiner is also a popular item if building length permits.

Entry/Pay Station – This cost varies in range from $25,000 to $50,000 for the typical unattended In Bay Express location. They typically accept cash, credit, codes, coupons, Apple pay, Google pay, and have the ability to accept and monitor pre-paid monthly wash programs.

Marketing – While a good location with adequate traffic is a key to car wash success, marketing also plays a major part in your long-term success. Will you be doing the marketing? Will you have an outside agency or employee to assist in your short term and long-term marketing campaign? Again, AUTEC will assist you in all these areas, without the franchise fee. AUTEC creates custom marketing materials in house that are provided with every sale, with no added or on-going fees. We also assist with and provide promotional flyers, custom mailings and car wash menus, to name a few. AUTEC also assists in creating newspaper, TV, and radio ads, if desired.

Digital Marketing for Your Car Wash Franchise – We live in an age of constantly changing and evolving technology. The internet is a necessity in today’s living environment and AUTEC has embraced this technology, not only in their car wash systems, but also in communicating to and selling to our target car wash audience.

AUTEC will ensure you have a web presence and assist you in developing a website with search engine optimization, search engine marketing, social media advertising, content marketing, email marketing, and more…again, with no franchise fee!

Summary of In Bay Express Car Wash Business Model with Best ROI and NO FRANCHISE FEE

While the investment in an automatic car wash can differ depending on many variables, understanding the factors discussed should give the astute investor adequate information to determine if this business model fits their investment goals. AUTEC is happy to assist in helping you realize your car wash dreams, doing what any sound business franchise does, all without the franchise fee.

We welcome any interested party to visit us here in Statesville, NC, to see for themselves. AUTEC sits on 10 acres with 2.5 acres under roof, and has all three car wash models washing cars on the property. Our In Bay Express with our EV-1 Combination Machine operates retail 24/7 out front in a 65’ glass and aluminum structure. It is currently over 9 years old and has washed 450,000 vehicles – totally unattended. Come see it for yourself!

ROSEWOOD EXPRESS CAR WASH is one of AUTEC’s latest installations. The Rosewood car wash site will have a prime location across the street from the University of South Carolina at 1354 Rosewood Drive in Columbia.

The wash will be utilizing AUTEC’s EXPRESS concept of 24/7 operation without the need for employees or attendants.

The glass building is being erected the week of August 5th with delivery of AUTEC’s EV-1 Evolution Combination system expected on August 12th. Owner and operator George Renard is planning a Grand Opening for September 1st.

AUTEC, Inc. congratulates Brad and Gail Mattivi, owners of Majestic Soft Touch Express Car Wash, for this prestigious award! This type of award solidifies AUTEC’s durability and long term wash quality, as well as the Mattivis’ commitment to superior service for their customers.

After over a decade of satisfied, repeat customers, AUTEC is still the best wash in town, proving an unattended, low maintenance wash is the preferred business model.

Investors bought Spray N Shine Car Wash in Dallas, Oregon in January of 2018.  At that time, it had an AUTEC AES-425 Soft Touch Car Wash alongside five self-service bays.  The original machine which was installed in 2012 has washed 135,000 vehicles and has a captive and loyal customer base.

Many customers would wait in line, but many would bail out of the car wash line or see the line from the street and keep on moving.  Customers suggested that the new owners add a second automatic to one of the self-service bays.  Spray N Shine took that request to heart and put a second AUTEC Soft Touch System right beside the first one.  Customers seem to be comfortable with either machine and take the shortest line like being in the drive through at McDonalds, commented one of the co-owners.

Due to the success and customer satisfaction of the original, Spray N Shine thought that a second one would make a great addition to meet the needs of the growing customer base.  With both machines operating, Spray N Shine can wash a car every two and a half minutes, keeping customer waiting to a minimum.  Even though the older AUTEC is seven years old, it still runs in top-performing fashion.

Check out this dirty Chevrolet HD2500, crew cab, with long wheel base.  The customer was AMAZED at the wash quality the AUTEC provided.  That’s a return customer for sure.

To ensure that the back of vehicles are properly cleaned, the rear jog functions simulates a little do-si-do action with each arm taking a turn at the center of vehicle.

This beastly Toyota Tundra with big tires and a lift kit fills up the wash, but the AUTEC performs flawlessly on big trucks and little smart cars as well.  The brushes wrap around the profile of each vehicle individually.

Owners report that prior to the addition of the new wash, the typical number of vehicles washed at their location was in the 130’s to 140’s.  Since the new wash, new numbers are in the 220’s to 240’s.  The conclusion is that they were losing about 100 vehicles per day in good weather.

Congrats Spray N Shine!

If you’re feeling a little deja vu about this post, it’s no wonder!  Brad and Gail Mattivi of Majestic Car Wash, Pittsburg, Kansas are celebrating their fourth year in a row as the winners of Best of the Best – Pittsburg, in the car wash category.  So you HAVE seen a blog like this before.

AUTEC congratulates them on the consistent cleaning performance of their AES-425 car wash system which obviously keeps their customers happy.

Stephen and Jana Dalby take car wash operators “to school” with their unique-theme car wash in Coalville, Utah.

“We built the first architecturally-designed car wash in the USA, patterned after an 1800’s schoolhouse,” advised Mr. Dalby. The name of the wash is Old Rock Car Wash because in 1868, Brigham Young dedicated an old schoolhouse on that very lot and called it, ‘The Old Rock Schoolhouse’.

The bell from the belfry is located on the lot and is a historic landmark in the state of Utah.

We are pleased to become part of the rich history of Coalville, Utah and to build the first schoolhouse car wash in the country! The Old Rock Car Wash is designed to promote the rich historical value of the original school,” he continued.

He concluded “our experience with AUTEC has been just about perfect. They are just as committed on the support side as they are on the sales side and we couldn’t be happier. I would fully recommend them to anyone!”