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Car Wash Site Profit Calculator
Express car washes with monthly memberships generate predictable, high-margin revenue.
Monthly profit
$46,175
Member revenue
$134,400
Non-member revenue
$33,150
How the math works
Profit = member rev + non-member rev − (washes × var cost) − fixed cost.
4,200 × $32 + 65 × 30 × $17 − (12,600 + 1,950) × $2.50 − $85k = $134.4k + $33.2k − $36.4k − $85k = $46k/mo.
How to Use
- Enter monthly member count.
- Enter monthly membership rate.
- Enter daily non-member washes.
- Enter per-wash rate.
- Enter variable cost per wash.
- Enter monthly fixed cost.
- Read monthly profit and member share.
Frequently Asked Questions
Express car wash model?
Tunnel wash with conveyor: 2-3 min/wash. Price per wash: $10-25. Monthly unlimited membership: $20-40/mo basic, $30-55 premium. Member conversion: 30-60% of 1st-time customers converted to monthly. Target: 3,000-8,000 members per site after 18-24 month ramp. High-performing site: 10k+ members. Revenue model: 60-80% membership recurring, 20-40% transactional.
Unit economics?
Stabilized site: $1.5-4M annual revenue. Rough cost: labor 15-22% ($300-700k), chemicals 3-5%, utilities 5-8%, rent 6-10%, insurance 1-2%, maintenance 3-5%, property tax 2-4%. EBITDA margin: 35-55%. Operating profit: $600k-2M per stabilized site. Cap rates: 6.5-8.5%. Site-level IRR in lease-up: 20-30%.
Capital requirements?
Land: $1-5M in mid-size markets, $5-20M urban. Construction: $3-6M (building, tunnel equipment, vacuums, pay stations, pumps). Pre-opening: $500k-1.5M (marketing, staffing, working capital). Total: $5-12M per site. Payback: 4-7 years. Private equity aggregating franchise/independent chains — roll-up premium 10-20% over underlying EBITDA multiples. Major operators: Mister, Tidal Wave, Take 5, WhiteWater.
Site selection?
Daily traffic count: 25,000+ VPD optimal, 15,000 minimum. Drive-time reach: 5-minute to 15,000+ population. Competitor density: max 1 per 8-12k population. Visibility: hard corner, right-in/right-out, signage access. Co-tenancy: grocery, QSR, convenience driving strong (destination traffic). Site size: 0.75-1.25 acres typical. Zoning: automotive service, permitted uses. Drainage and water supply critical.
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