In-bay automatic formats are popular for many startup carwashes because of their tendency to be relatively inexpensive to purchase and run.

“By the very fact that an in-bay automatic is unattended, the hours of operation are not limited so the revenue stream is available 24/7, not to mention employee savings by not having on-site attendants during the hours of operation,” shares Karen Ott, product marketing manager for Washworld.

While each customer will choose the format that best meets their needs, customers who choose in-bay automatics to clean their vehicles may do so for convenience.

According to Ott, self-serve customers need to plan on getting dirty and/or wet and plan on spending enough time at the wash to get their cars cleaned. However, self-serve customers enjoy personal detailing their own vehicles. Some customers may also find conveyor washes intimidating.

Carwash operators often have a variety of formats on their properties to be able to meet various customers’ needs. Potential investors in in-bay automatics should consider the costs of permits to hook up to necessary utilities.

Read more about in-bay automatic carwashes.