Auto Laundry News: Results from the Auto Laundry News 2025 In-Bay Automatic Survey PDF Free Download
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CarWashMag.com
The Voice Of The Car Care Industry
2025
IN-BAY AUTOMATIC
SURVEY
Results from the Auto Laundry News
OCTOBER
2025 www.carwashmag.com 31
Results From The Auto Laundry News
he 2025 Auto Laundry News In-Bay Automatic Survey
was conducted by randomly mailing/e-mailing
questionnaires to subscribers who own and/or
operate in-bay automatic car wash equipment. The
information in this survey results from an analysis of data
provided by respondents throughout the United States.
Participating locations with self-serve wand bays
accounted for 64 percent of the total response. Last year, 80
percent of participants reported operating self-serve bays.
STATE OF THE SEGMENT
While most of this report is based on hard numbers, we
asked operators a couple of open-ended questions on the
current and future state of the segment. When asked to
provide one word that best describes the current in-bay
automatic environment, responses were overwhelmingly
positive, albeit less so than last year.
Last year, 90 percent of those surveyed provided a positive
take on the state of the segment, while 71 percent did so this
year. This year, steady, good, and okay were the most
popular positive responses, while struggling, challenging,
and crowded topped the list of most common negative
comments.
When asked for a single word to describe their thoughts on
the future of the in-bay market, survey takers had a rosier
outlook, with 77 percent providing positive responses —
growing, hopeful, and good. On the negative side, survey
takers pointed to a scary, awful, and decreasing future.
WASH VOLUME
Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed report an increase in
wash volume over the previous year. This represents a bump
over the 27 percent who reported the same last year. Thirty-
one percent of operators reported a decrease in volume,
down from last year's seven-year high of 40 percent. The
graphic on page 32 provides a full seven-year perspective.
REVENUE
Average gross revenue per car was up significantly year
over year. Last year’s survey showed an average ticket price
of $11.78, which has increased to $12.67 this year.
FUTURE
Around a quarter (28 percent) of in-bay operators plan to
make an equipment purchase over the next 12 months.
Of those with designs on a capital investment, 50 percent
plan to purchase an in-bay unit, 25 percent are looking at a
vacuum system, and 25 percent are in the market for
computers/digital technology.
T
SURVEY
2025 IN-BAY AUTOMATIC SURVEY
PERCENTAGE OF WASH BUSINESS DONE BY DAY OF WEEK
MON TUES WED
THURS
FRI SAT SUN
Pacific & Mountain
Alaska-Arizona-California-Colorado-Hawaii-Idaho-Montana-
Nevada-New Mexico-Oregon-Utah-Washington-Wyoming
Midwest
Iowa-Kansas-Minnesota-Missouri-Nebraska-North Dakota-
South Dakota-Wisconsin
Central
Illinois-Indiana-Michigan-Ohio
South
Alabama-Arkansas-Delaware-Florida-Georgia-Kentucky-
Louisiana-Maryland-Mississippi-North Carolina-Oklahoma-
South Carolina-Tennessee-Texas-Virginia-West Virginia
Mid-Atlantic
New Jersey-New York-Pennsylvania
New England
Connecticut-Maine-Massachusetts-New Hampshire-Rhode Island-Vermont
NOTE: Some results do not total 100 due to rounding *Too few results
* * * * * * *
18 8 8 8 20 30 20
10 10 10 10 10 25 25
10 8 8 15 20 23 17
13 10 10 13 20 20 15
10 5 10 15 20 20 20
OCTOBER
2025
www.carwashmag.com
32
HOW FAR DO CUSTOMERS COME?
AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC
COUNT AT BEST SITE
13,120
NO
29%
YES
71%
YES
100%
0
10
20
30
40
50
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
MORE CARS WASHED SAME AS LAST YEAR FEWER THAN LAST YEAR
NOTE: Some results do not total 100 due to rounding
WINTER SPRING SUMMER FALL
Pacific & Mountain
Midwest
Central
South
Mid-Atlantic
New England
21 27 28 25
30 30 22 18
30 25 20 25
22 30 23 25
25 30 23 23
30 30 25 15
PERCENTAGE OF WASH BUSINESS
DONE BY SEASON BY REGION
ACCESS TO
THE INTERNET
100% YES
WEBSITE
43% YES
OPEN 24 HOURS OPEN SUNDAYS
WASH VOLUME COMPARED YEAR TO YEAR (IN-BAY AUTOMATICS)
More than 10 Miles. 10 Miles or Less 8 Miles or Less 5 Miles or Less 4 Miles or Less 3 Miles or Less 2 Miles or Less
9% 91% 82% 72% 55% 36% 9%
44%
27%
38% 36% 33% 31%
17% 19%
29%
20%
40%
31%
33% 34% 33%
21%
32%
34%
48%
50% 50%
OCTOBER
2025
www.carwashmag.com
36
AUTOMATIC REVENUES
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
2022 2023 2024 2025 2022 2023 2024 2025 2022 2023 2024 2025 2022 2023 2024 2025 2022 2023 2024 2025 2022 2023 2024 2025 2022 2023 2024 2025
FULL-SERVICE WASH
AND/OR EXTERIOR WASH
SELF-SERVE GAS SALES C-STORE FAST-LUBE DETAIL OTHER
14% 14%
13%
8%
71%
80%
64%
73%
14%
7% 7%
33%
21%
7%
42%
4% 0% 0%
0%
0%
0% 0% 0% 0% 4% 7%
13%
17%
$12.67
$420
22% PAID Miminum to $15.00 per hour
0% PAID MINIMUM WAGE
67% PAID $15.00 to $20.00 per hour
11
% PAID MORE THAN $20 .00 per hour
LABOR COSTS
DRYING CYCLE OFFERED
CUSTOMERS BUYING A DRYING CYCLE OPERATORS REPORTING
UNDER 10%
11%-25%
26%-40%
41%-55%
56%-70%
OVER 70%
0%
0%
0%
0%
10%
90%
0
20
40
60
80
100
93%
YES
7%
YES
AVERAGE DRYING CYCLE
PRICE $1.50
AVERAGE WAGES PER HOUR
PER EMPLOYEE
AVERAGE GROSS REVENUE
PER IN-BAY CUSTOMER
IN-BAY AUTOMATIC: OPERATOR PROFILE
OTHER BUSINESS AT WASH SITE
THE AVERAGE
MONTHLY VENDING/
SALES REVENUE:
OCTOBER
2025 www.carwashmag.com 37
9%
55%
36%
AVERAGE NUMBER OF CARS WASHED ANNUALLY PER AUTOMATIC
RESPONDENTS WHO OPERATE A
COMBINED AUTOMATIC/
SELF-SERVICE FACILITY
3377%%6633%%
SELF-SERVE
WASH
REVENUES AS
PERCENTAGE
OF TOTAL
INCOME
AUTOMATIC
WASH
REVENUES AS
PERCENTAGE
OF TOTAL
INCOME
OPERATORS
SELLING GASOLINE
EXPRESS EXTERIOR
AVERAGE MONTHLY
GROSS INCOME PER
SELF-SERVE BAY
YES 7% | NO 93%
EMPLOYEE
UNIFORMS
FULL
PARTIAL
NONE
Has Hurt
Business
Present
in Market
Area
13%
YES 87%
NO
$1,592
17,210
62%
YES
38%
NO
OCTOBER
2025
www.carwashmag.com
38
Respondent Profile
Tables 1 and 2 (right)
offer year-by-year
comparisons of operator
experience levels and
multiple site ownership.
Leng h of Experience 2025 2024 2023 2022
Table 1 Table 1
Under 5 years 14% 0% 4% 16%
5-10 years 8% 0% 25% 14%
11-20 years 21% 20% 18% 21%
Over 20 years 57% 80% 53% 50%
Site Ownership 2025 2024 2023 2022
Own 1 Site 70% 50% 63% 67%
Own 2 Sites 50% 6% 7% 7%
Own 3 Sites 10% 22% 11% 7%
Own 4 or More Sites 20% 22% 15% 20%
PAYMENT METHOD
ACCEPTANCE
CONVEYOR REVENUES EQUIPMENT
PLANNED EQUIPMENT
PURCHASE
(AMONG THOSE EXPECTING
TO UPGRADE)
0
20
40
60
80
100
CASH CREDIT
CARS
TOKENS BARCODE NUMERIC
CODE
MOBILE
DEVICE
44%
RESIDENTIAL
25%
VACUUMS
25%
DIGITAL
TECHNOLIGY
56%
COMMERCIAL
50%
IN-BAY
AUTOMATIC
AVG. GROSS PER CAR
$12.67
TYPE
FRICTIONAL WASH MATERIAL
DRYER TYPE
VENDING MACHINES
14%
HYBRYD
65%
TOUCH FREE
40%
GLASS
FRONT
20%
BOTH
40%
DROP-SHELF
29%
CLOTH
71%
FOAM
17%
ON-BOARD
83%
FREE-STANDING
21%
FRICTION
86%
100%
29%
14% 14%
57%
NATURE
OF WASH
LOCATION
OCTOBER
2025 www.carwashmag.com 33
0
10
20
30
40
50
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
0%
50%
7%
14%
7% 7%7%7%
0% 0% 0% 0%
PERCENTAGE OF OPERATORS
REPORTING AS THEIR
BEST MONTH OF THE YEAR
0
1
2
3
4
5
MORE
THAN 5
14%
14%
29%
14%
14%
7%
8%
COMPETING
WASHES
IN AREA
OVERALL
NUMBER OF COMPETITORS OPERATORS REPORTING
OPERATING COSTS (PER MONTH AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL REVENUES)
RENT
EQUIPMENT & BLDG. MAINTENANCE
CHEMICALS (soaps, waxes, etc.)
LABOR
UTILITIES (incl. water/sewer)
ADVERTISING&PROMOTION
INSURANCE
CUSTOMER CLAIMS
15.6%
12.1%
15.6%
12.2%
11.1%
2.1%
8.4%
2.0%
