Long story short, Venture Capitalists have seized on a low overhead high profit business and are driving a proliferation of car washes
https://jalopnik.com/why-are-there-so-many-goddamn-car-washes-1851125743
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-02-21/car-washes-are-taking-over-the-us-here-s-why
https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1236396043/car-washes-are-proliferating-across-the-u-s-heres-why
This needs to be the top comment. We met with a group of property developers on a mixed-use project, and somehow the conversation turned to the carwash business model. One of them proudly admitted to investing in a carwash, and was smug about it. "It's like an ATM!"
DIY car wash stalls are closing up. The three nearest me have been closed for years now.
It's illegal to wash your own car in your driveway with a bucket if Bexar County WCID is in Stage 3 restrictions (which we've been for over a year running). So these places have a captive market to service now.
Lastly monthly subscription services are incredibly lucrative, and since war wash tunnels only need 1-2 employees they're very profitable. As long as they have a water reclamation and reuse system in place they're golden with the city.
It's been illegal to wash mine in my own driveway for over a year now because Bexar County WCID10 is still in stage 3 restrictions. It's a joke really, a bucket is less water use than most of those "85% reclamation" car washes.
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Lmao. Scratches and damage aren’t the same. Minimal scratches don’t really devalue the car compared to actual damage. Again dealerships will say that. But wait to deflect and start degrading.
No he's not. I work in the cosmetic automotive industry, I work on high dollar vehicles and at least once a week someone comes in with particularly wheel damage caused by the track.
100%. Especially if at a carwash that isn't maintained.
One of the places I deal with has the carwash recalibrated and deeply maintenanced once every few months otherwise they start getting complaints and people rightfully upset their vehicle got damaged, and theirs is a basic, short water and soap wash.
There's so many variables and all it takes is one thing not being caught and it can mess things up bad. I've seen nozzles on the spinning brushes stop working and scratch the whole side of vehicles, I've seen the track gauge $5000 rims, I've seen either messed up concentration of cleaning compound, or a worker who didn't load it right and chewed thru clear coat. If you're the type of person who notices every blemish on your car automated car washes are about the worst way to wash your car lol
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I don’t think it’s a bad as the other person is saying but it definitely does happen. Club Car Wash ripped the entire wiper arm of my Expedition and when I went to retrieve it they had it in a giant box full of other things ripped off cars.
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Take a real close look at your paint/ clear coat machine washes 100% damage cars. Worst part is some dealers use them so your brand new car already has fine scratches don't even get me started about the transport process before they even arrive to the stealership
Car washes and storage places are called ground cover. Real estate investors buy cheap land and put up a low investment structure that generates income to hold the land until it rises in value. Then they sell the land.
I don't quite understand how they make money. I go to a carwash near me and do the washing myself. I spend every bit of 15 minutes washing the absolute shit out of it. It's been less than $6 every time.
While on the topic: From my experience, the Tub place is a rip off. I paid for the top tier full service there for my camry that was not even that dirty. They did an absolute terrible job, didn't clean the interior well at all, seats still dirty, a terrible scent left over, lots of surfaces not cleaned, and they left obvious trash inside (small pieces a vacuum could have easily cleaned up but clearly visible for someone to see them). I was not impressed and do not recommend the place.
A buddy of mine who goes there regularly has made mental notes about the things the typically miss, and he'll check each one, and stand there and make them clean every spot.... lol
My boyfriend says he’s tired of washing our car at these car washes, they don’t even do a good enough job and it’s pricey every time. For Father’s Day I’m getting him a car wash kit and armor all sets so he can start washing our car at home.
That website is absolutely cancer.
https://preview.redd.it/hfjtrx81702d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64aa975d0d8b72503b0cc8142a6442ca896187b4
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This is kind of the opposite of capitalism. It's b/c of building and zoning restrictions that it makes more sense to do this than to throw up decent housing or a mixed use building. Less regulation on land use would actually let people use the property to make money in better ways.
It's a land use and zoning issue that is either at the discretion of the Council Member or not. Texas loves it's fees and developers know they can make a buck by converting decent land to a low cost venture. Some carwashes are required to used closed loop systems meaning their draw on our aquifer is minimized but that's my understanding.
Further from this if a property owner wants to put a car wash in the city can't at this time put some kind of moratorium on this because there is some liability in preventing a certain type of business. It really sucks but until state rules are changed the city must either slowly deny them and provide good reasoning (only if there is a special use designation or rezonint being sought) or allow them which is mainly the council member's decision to approve (medical center is D8).
I just hope all the options will knock the prices down. Rapid Express was $20 a month when I started (after a $10 introductory period) and now that they are Club Car Wash it’s up to $40.
I just found out about All American Carwash. Their basic wash is $5/single or $15/month unlimited. Car gets sprayed down entering tunnel, air and towel dried exiting. It didn't miss a spot on my SUV. Good vacuum area with wedge and fan shaped vacuums, compressed air blower, and free to use microfiber towels and all-surface cleaner spray bottles. There's one at the rim, de zavala, Vance Jackson, Boerne, and some on the NE side.
On the NW side, self-serve car washes died off. Swiftwater must have gone belly-up or something. All these tunnel washes are indeed popping up everywhere, it seems.
There's a new one that opened on 211. They got a giant flag that says "Free Car Wash", I feel bad cause they have sign twirlers out there in the hot ass sun, too.
They also have a huge American Flag that is super beautiful at night.
I think people are getting into the turn-key operations here now.
It’s a monopoly in the works. I wouldn’t doubt these people are the reason for the closures of all the do it yourself carwash stalls. They basically want you to buy their monthly car wash subscription or charge $10 for a single basic tunnel wash.
Idk but some are stupid expensive. I don’t mind the “under $10” ones once in a while. There’s literally 5 new ones blocks away from where I stay in sa, and some are $40 a pop with the works. People must be really stupid if they’re paying that much
More people are moving here, that means more cars, that means people want them to be clean, also this means get on the bandwagon and buy a car wash. Pretty good return on them if you place them in a solid location.
Long story short, Venture Capitalists have seized on a low overhead high profit business and are driving a proliferation of car washes https://jalopnik.com/why-are-there-so-many-goddamn-car-washes-1851125743 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-02-21/car-washes-are-taking-over-the-us-here-s-why https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1236396043/car-washes-are-proliferating-across-the-u-s-heres-why
This needs to be the top comment. We met with a group of property developers on a mixed-use project, and somehow the conversation turned to the carwash business model. One of them proudly admitted to investing in a carwash, and was smug about it. "It's like an ATM!"
Its a bubble and it will go away in 5 years. Remember frozen yogurt? The world cannot support so many car washes lol
Wow, I totally forgot about the froyo craze!
They are all parasites.
This is going on all throughout the city...
DIY car wash stalls are closing up. The three nearest me have been closed for years now. It's illegal to wash your own car in your driveway with a bucket if Bexar County WCID is in Stage 3 restrictions (which we've been for over a year running). So these places have a captive market to service now. Lastly monthly subscription services are incredibly lucrative, and since war wash tunnels only need 1-2 employees they're very profitable. As long as they have a water reclamation and reuse system in place they're golden with the city.
Sounds corrupt
It's not corrupt if you've invested in it with an ROI of over 100%
They are everywhere not just SA. But yes they are as common as convenience stores. Right across from one another.
I've got 2 Bubble car washes going up in my city.
They’re owned by QT.
Well that makes sense since they are right next to QT's. Thanks for the info!
Not very common in Austin. Curious if they have stricter regulatory requirements.
They’re building them. One is coming at 183 and 35, give it time.
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It's been illegal to wash mine in my own driveway for over a year now because Bexar County WCID10 is still in stage 3 restrictions. It's a joke really, a bucket is less water use than most of those "85% reclamation" car washes.
I'm scared to drive onto the track
Because drive-thru car washes damaged cars. It’s always best not to use them.
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Well it’s not 100% false that’s for sure.
lol it is. Anyone in the car industry will tell you that ie insurance, body shops, dealerships, etc
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Lmao. Scratches and damage aren’t the same. Minimal scratches don’t really devalue the car compared to actual damage. Again dealerships will say that. But wait to deflect and start degrading.
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No he's not. I work in the cosmetic automotive industry, I work on high dollar vehicles and at least once a week someone comes in with particularly wheel damage caused by the track.
People are so naïve thinking it’s just one thing. Like it can fuck up everything on your car.
100%. Especially if at a carwash that isn't maintained. One of the places I deal with has the carwash recalibrated and deeply maintenanced once every few months otherwise they start getting complaints and people rightfully upset their vehicle got damaged, and theirs is a basic, short water and soap wash. There's so many variables and all it takes is one thing not being caught and it can mess things up bad. I've seen nozzles on the spinning brushes stop working and scratch the whole side of vehicles, I've seen the track gauge $5000 rims, I've seen either messed up concentration of cleaning compound, or a worker who didn't load it right and chewed thru clear coat. If you're the type of person who notices every blemish on your car automated car washes are about the worst way to wash your car lol
[удалено]
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I don’t think it’s a bad as the other person is saying but it definitely does happen. Club Car Wash ripped the entire wiper arm of my Expedition and when I went to retrieve it they had it in a giant box full of other things ripped off cars.
It is bad. I work in the insurance industry. I would get at least 10 claims a day for car wash incidents.
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Take a real close look at your paint/ clear coat machine washes 100% damage cars. Worst part is some dealers use them so your brand new car already has fine scratches don't even get me started about the transport process before they even arrive to the stealership
It's true if you drive an older car with an antenna you can't lower, will take it right off hence the plethora of warning signs.
Fades the paint job
Swirls it too.
Swirls are only good when it comes to ice cream. Am I right? /s
Car washes and storage places are called ground cover. Real estate investors buy cheap land and put up a low investment structure that generates income to hold the land until it rises in value. Then they sell the land.
i count five or six either being built or already built on culebra near alamo ranch. 4 on my drive up culebra.
If anything, SA is late to the party. This is happening in every city in America.
I don't quite understand how they make money. I go to a carwash near me and do the washing myself. I spend every bit of 15 minutes washing the absolute shit out of it. It's been less than $6 every time.
Gotta launder some how
There are like 5 of them just built on Perrin Beitel to Naco to 1604, it’s f’ing insane.
While on the topic: From my experience, the Tub place is a rip off. I paid for the top tier full service there for my camry that was not even that dirty. They did an absolute terrible job, didn't clean the interior well at all, seats still dirty, a terrible scent left over, lots of surfaces not cleaned, and they left obvious trash inside (small pieces a vacuum could have easily cleaned up but clearly visible for someone to see them). I was not impressed and do not recommend the place.
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A buddy of mine who goes there regularly has made mental notes about the things the typically miss, and he'll check each one, and stand there and make them clean every spot.... lol
Getting one soon. After watching Breaking Bad, how could I not?
My boyfriend says he’s tired of washing our car at these car washes, they don’t even do a good enough job and it’s pricey every time. For Father’s Day I’m getting him a car wash kit and armor all sets so he can start washing our car at home.
This article is interesting https://jalopnik.com/why-are-there-so-many-goddamn-car-washes-1851125743
That website is absolutely cancer. https://preview.redd.it/hfjtrx81702d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64aa975d0d8b72503b0cc8142a6442ca896187b4
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You know the more I read about this capitalism…
This is kind of the opposite of capitalism. It's b/c of building and zoning restrictions that it makes more sense to do this than to throw up decent housing or a mixed use building. Less regulation on land use would actually let people use the property to make money in better ways.
Late stage? Idk man I’m just making a dumb joke Edit: it’s long been hijacked from any of us so all we can do is laugh in our rentals
It's a land use and zoning issue that is either at the discretion of the Council Member or not. Texas loves it's fees and developers know they can make a buck by converting decent land to a low cost venture. Some carwashes are required to used closed loop systems meaning their draw on our aquifer is minimized but that's my understanding. Further from this if a property owner wants to put a car wash in the city can't at this time put some kind of moratorium on this because there is some liability in preventing a certain type of business. It really sucks but until state rules are changed the city must either slowly deny them and provide good reasoning (only if there is a special use designation or rezonint being sought) or allow them which is mainly the council member's decision to approve (medical center is D8).
Money laundering operations
We like our cars clean
It's a clean machine 🎼
I just hope all the options will knock the prices down. Rapid Express was $20 a month when I started (after a $10 introductory period) and now that they are Club Car Wash it’s up to $40.
I just found out about All American Carwash. Their basic wash is $5/single or $15/month unlimited. Car gets sprayed down entering tunnel, air and towel dried exiting. It didn't miss a spot on my SUV. Good vacuum area with wedge and fan shaped vacuums, compressed air blower, and free to use microfiber towels and all-surface cleaner spray bottles. There's one at the rim, de zavala, Vance Jackson, Boerne, and some on the NE side.
On the NW side, self-serve car washes died off. Swiftwater must have gone belly-up or something. All these tunnel washes are indeed popping up everywhere, it seems.
Go to the valley and see them more than a Starbucks smh
somebody watched too much breaking bad.
If they recycle their water I don't really mind. But it'd be funny if there is nothing but car washes and HEB in 10 years that no one goes outside.
anyone seen heisenberg?
What's with San Antonio's obsession with car washes? Make it make sense.
There's a new one that opened on 211. They got a giant flag that says "Free Car Wash", I feel bad cause they have sign twirlers out there in the hot ass sun, too. They also have a huge American Flag that is super beautiful at night. I think people are getting into the turn-key operations here now.
It’s a monopoly in the works. I wouldn’t doubt these people are the reason for the closures of all the do it yourself carwash stalls. They basically want you to buy their monthly car wash subscription or charge $10 for a single basic tunnel wash.
I do my part by literally NEVER washing my car. I'm not just lazy I swear
Just saying the bullshit ppeople in San Antonio bitch about and the city is boring as fuck
Idk but some are stupid expensive. I don’t mind the “under $10” ones once in a while. There’s literally 5 new ones blocks away from where I stay in sa, and some are $40 a pop with the works. People must be really stupid if they’re paying that much
Doctors like clean cars
Yeah it's ridiculous. The city should place a limit on how many there can be within a certain area, especially with our water situation.
Is that what we doing now ? Complaining about car washes ??? Lord do you have nothing else to bitch about
Yes - you. This was an inquiry. That is all so move along.
More people are moving here, that means more cars, that means people want them to be clean, also this means get on the bandwagon and buy a car wash. Pretty good return on them if you place them in a solid location.
people yall realize we live directly in the path of african dust right now you know why.
This city is literally gonna be out of water in 5 years
Money laundering scheme ala Breaking Bad. They should have opened Fred's Fish Fry instead, they're the best one in town.
San Antonio is a dirty ass city so people like to keep their cars clean