Proactive Carwash Maintenance Will Prevent Costly Downtime - Professional Carwashing & Detailing

Proactive Carwash Maintenance Will Prevent Costly Downtime

If you don’t currently have an equipment maintenance plan in place, you’re planning to fail.

Unlike most of my colleagues here at Sonny’s, I didn’t come from a carwash background. This made me somewhat intimidated at first, and although I endured some good natured ribbing, everyone was eager to lend a hand in getting me up to speed.

I started off in the customer service department, taking parts orders and doing returns. From there, I moved into the catalog division, breaking down equipment components so that the parts needed to repair equipment were easier for customers to find. It was during this time that I developed a passion for helping people keep their washes operational. Soon, I became obsessed with learning how the equipment operated, going to washes with the techs to see how they were repairing equipment and what could have been done to prevent the failure in the first place. It was on these field trips that I learned that almost all equipment failures are preventable with a proper maintenance program in place, yet, at several of the sites I visited, there was no maintenance being done at all. Their strategy seemed to be to run it till it breaks, then deal with the consequences.

This bothered me. How can washes, whose very existence relies on their equipment to survive, neglect the very thing that supports their livelihood? Determined to do what I could to learn more, I studied harder, went on more field trips, asked a million questions and, over time, found myself working in the tech support department helping customers over the phone.

A few years ago, I was approached by the CarWash College to see if I would be interested in becoming an instructor. Although I would still be working in Tech Support, it meant a transfer to a different division and reporting to a different department head. I’ll admit to having some doubts — change is always difficult — but looking back on it now, it was the best move I could have made.

The point of all this is really threefold:

  1. You’re never too old to learn; if you’re new to the industry, ask questions.
  2. Don’t be afraid of change; if you’re not growing and changing, you’re falling behind.
  3. If you don’t currently have an equipment maintenance plan in place, you’re planning to fail. As mentioned earlier, most catastrophic failures can be prevented with proper procedures in place.

Find your manufacturer’s owners manuals (Sonny’s are available online). Most list the proper daily, weekly and monthly maintenance in them. Build your plan from them and then follow up to make sure all maintenance is being done on time and properly.

A wise man once said, “If you don’t schedule your maintenance, your equipment will do it for you.”

Be the boss of your equipment — be proactive rather than reactive, and get years of clean, dry, shiny cars.


Richard Ovalles has 13 years of industry experience. He is the lead tech support and an instructor in the CarWash College. Richard can be reached at [email protected]. For more information about CarWash College™ certification programs, visit www.SonnysDirect.com or call the registrar’s office at (800) 327-8723.

This content is sponsored by CarWash College. Sponsored content is authorized by the client and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Professional Carwashing & Detailing editorial team. 

You May Also Like

Expressing gratitude for express

The VP of Sonny’s CarWash College takes a look at how carwashing has changed 20 years after adopting the express format.

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the birth of the express carwash format in the U.S.

If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out the video on our YouTube channel which is aptly named, “Twenty Years of Express Washing.”

Express washing as we know it today was really born in the south, which historically had been a strong full-service market. The early pioneers of the express format made a bold move to buck the norm of an already successful format, primarily in an effort to reduce labor costs. The effect was having to retrain customers about everything they knew about professional carwashing.

Bang for your buck!

Tips on making the most of your team’s time at The Car Wash Show™.

Mad world

Bob Fox of Sonny’s The CarWash Factory gives his perspective on the success of the carwash industry despite negative external factors.

New and improved

Learn how CarWash College by Sonny’s The CarWash Factory is enhancing its Equipment Repair course.

The relevance of relevancy

Bob Fox of Sonny’s The CarWash Factory discusses the importance of rewarding hard work.

Other Posts

5 critical considerations for carwash parking lot upkeep

Neglected customer loading, exiting, vacuum and waiting areas can throw away business potential.

What’s the right type of flooring for your carwash?

Consider everything from water-resistance to comfort.

carwash, flooring, drain, soap
Wash Talk Ep. 138: Executive Series — Trusscore

Trusscore offers wall and ceiling board that lets customers keep wash facilities free of mold and mildew.

It’s the carwash pits

Preventing contaminated water from stinking up your carwash.