In the Car Wash Magazine 2023 Special Edition, there was an intriguing article outlining consumer trends in the car wash industry. This data was compiled by analyzing data as early as August 2023 and as far back as 1996. 

I wanted to share 10 of the car wash industry trends that I found interesting in this research as we continue to build our Hurricane Express Wash brand where we now have 29 operating locations. 

Speed and Efficiency

There was a 59% increase in agreement that washing at a car wash instead of washing at home saved the customer’s time (2014 vs 2022). 

This should not surprise anyone that washing your car in an express tunnel that only takes 2-3 minutes is considered faster than washing at home where you have to spray down the car, soap it up, scrub it down, rinse it, and dry it which usually takes 30-45min depending on how fast you can do it. 

However, one of the key things we always keep in mind at our car washes is how long the wait time is when they come to wash their car. We have to always be ready and keep the line moving. Our goal is to make sure all customers get through the line and into the tunnel within 10min or less to avoid the long wait time that can sometimes occur during the busy times. 

Wish There Were More Locations

73% wish their favorite car wash had more locations (2023). 

This is something that is extremely important as we continue to build our Hurricane Express Wash brand of car washes throughout the country. We have already built a huge amount of brand loyalty and we are already getting comments from our customers that they want more of our brand throughout the city. 

Convenience is so Important

68% agreed that they wish there were more car washes conveniently located near them (2023). 

The customers of a car wash are usually within a 10min drive from the location. The closer you are to a customer’s home, the more likely they are to sign up for a monthly membership and continue to use their membership on a frequent basis. 

Another thing we always consider when acquiring or developing a car wash is the accessibility of the site for customers. A great location is not enough. If it is hard to access, then you will not have success. 

New Vehicle Owners Wash More Often

New car owners (1 year old or less) are 90% more likely to wash 4+ times per month (2023). 

This is a great stat as we are right now working with local car dealerships to provide a free month of car washes when they purchase a new vehicle. This confirms our thesis and determination to get our information into the hands of new car owners.

Reducing Water Usage

53% are interested in a car wash that recycles its water, reducing the amount of fresh water needed and the amount of waste being released into the environment (2023).

At Hurricane Express Wash, we have water reclamation tanks where we are recycling 70%+ of the water being used to wash each car. This is very attractive to our customers, but we don’t do a very good job of promoting this to them. One of our goals in 2024 is to be more diligent about promoting our water recycling efforts to our communities.

Going Green with Earth-friendly Chemistry

49% are interested in a car wash that uses only environmentally friendly cleaning products (2023).

All but one of our chemicals (tire degreaser) are considered environmentally friendly. We pride ourselves on being as green as possible with our chemistry and will continue to put efforts towards being Earth-friendly with our chemistry. 

Washing at Home is Declining

In 2023, 79% wash their vehicle at a car wash most often instead of washing at home vs 47% in 1996. 

It seems like many people are jumping onto the express car wash bandwagon with car washes popping up everywhere in most primary and secondary markets. This has been a huge driver in people washing their cars more often at a car wash versus at home. 

It’s Just Fun! Bring the Family!

There has been a 61% increase in agreement that washing at a car wash is fun and a 166% increase in agreement that washing at a car wash is a fun family activity (2014 vs 2022). 

My 4 children truly enjoy going through the car wash so I would 100% agree that it has turned into a great family activity. However, since we have 9 Hurricane Express Washes in town, they tend to ask to go to their favorite one which is usually determined by the presence of loud sounds in the car. 

I’ve spent some time at the pay stations to perfect our sales process and I can tell you that the cars with children tend to join as members easier especially when I bring up the family fun aspect of it. 

Car Wash Apps Are a Must

83% agree that every car wash should have a smartphone app to do things like manage their membership, receive special offers, track rewards, and advise of wait times (2023). 

We launched our Hurricane Express Wash mobile app in August 2022, and it has truly increased the ability for us to sign up members. It has also helped us reduce our churn rate. 

The most important thing it has allowed us to do is connect with our customers. In the past, we had no way of reaching our customers as we didn’t have names, phone numbers, emails, etc. All we would get is a credit card and that was it. The ability to contact our customers about promotions, events, scheduling, etc. has allowed us to continue to build our brand loyalty.