Features

The Car Wash Show 2014 takes place this month. Our industry’s largest annual event provides the single greatest opportunity to ensure our businesses are on track over the coming year. Some of you may be reading this while... »

Historically, car wash owners have been hands-on people. However, the success of the new car wash formats has shown that automation can increase efficiency and free up valuable time. »

Add a Water Management Professional to Yours.

Reclaim water is a product like any other.

Operators across the country take great pride in being a part of the car wash industry. The business model shows that, if you make good... »

Little Fan, Big Inspiration.

Yesterday, I finally got to meet my favorite pen pal. Salim Kapasi first wrote to me last year looking to learn more about the car wash industry. I suppose his parents helped him write the actual... »

Attract Them with High-End Service

Nothing works better than a presentation.

Ever notice the best restaurants in your town tend to have the most customers? In fact, the more exclusive and expensive the restaurant is, the... »

Are you a successful single-site car wash operator who is ready to expand? Have you been thinking, “It can’t be that difficult, I know what I am doing?” Guess what — it is not that simple, but with careful planning you can make... »

Study Guide: Paint Correction and Protection, Part I »

The largest surface area of a vehicle is painted. Paint is used to cover metal body panels and make outer surfaces look good. »

Your relationship with your car wash equipment distributor is the closest thing to being in a marriage. I say this for a reason: It holds true. When you finally decide on a distributor, you better evaluate whom you are getting... »

Over the past few decades detailing has evolved into an industry all its own and Jim Goguen has been there every step of the way. Over the past 30 years Goguen has progressed from a car audio installer who did detailing on the... »

The detail industry has undergone a major transformation in the past few years. No longer is the service viewed as a side project at a car wash — or worse yet an unsafe process run by an unprofessional detailer — it has stepped... »

Creating and Maintaining a Program

I have been very fortunate to have worked in many successful organizations during my career in this industry. Due to those experiences, I have often been asked for the secret to success in the... »

Making an Assessment

Building a car wash or purchasing an existing one can be a very expensive venture. There are many factors that need to be considered when purchasing a wash such as location, car count, labor pool… you get... »

Operating a successful detail shop is a rewarding venture with many benefits. There is a feeling of satisfaction that comes with being your own boss and seeing first hand the results of your hard work. However, running a detail... »

Soap is made by mixing fat with a water solution of sodium or potassium hydroxide. Detergent properties are due to dissociation hydrolysis — water added to a substance causes both the substance and the water molecule to split... »