Coin-Op Car Wash
Quarters add up faster than you think
Bottom line
Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.
Coin-operated car washes are open-air bays with pressure wash equipment that customers operate themselves. They are among the simplest car wash models — no tunnel, no conveyor, no employees. Modern versions accept credit cards and mobile payments alongside traditional coins.
Avg Revenue
$120K
Profit Margin
47%
Acquisition Multiple
2x - 3x
Startup Cost
$80K - $200K
How It Works
Customers insert coins or swipe a card to activate a timer on a pressure washer with selectable settings (soap, rinse, wax). Each bay operates independently. You maintain equipment, restock soap/chemical, and collect revenue. Vacuum islands add additional income per visit.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Worth underwriting
Coin-Op Car Wash maps to the Car Wash model. The category can work for acquisition buyers, but the right answer depends on source freshness, verified economics, and the specific red flags below.
Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.
Weak source data caps the final score.
Why it may work
- +Attractive 47% estimated margin profile
- +Category usually has strong acquisition-financing fit
- +SBA dataset shows 70 recent comparable loans
- +5 clear operating upside levers identified
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !Capex-sensitive model
Category operating model
Car Wash
Revenue drivers
- • Cars washed per day
- • Average ticket per wash
- • Monthly membership penetration
- • Traffic count and ingress/egress quality
- • Upsells such as wax, detailing, vacuums, and fleet accounts
Key risks
- • Equipment failures can be expensive and immediate
- • Weather and seasonality distort trailing results
- • Environmental or drainage issues can become hidden liabilities
- • Competition can pressure volume and membership churn
What you need to believe
- The site has durable traffic and convenient access.
- Equipment condition supports the asking multiple.
- Membership economics are real and not masking churn.
- Near-term capex will not consume the buyer return.
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 811192 · Car Washes
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | MD | $2.7M | $3.1M |
| Mar 2026 | MA | $558K | $657K |
| Mar 2026 | MI | $312K | $367K |
| Mar 2026 | MD | $1.8M | $2.2M |
| Feb 2026 | TX | $2.7M | $3.2M |
| Jan 2026 | TX | $1.6M | $1.9M |
| Jan 2026 | TX | $1.0M | $1.2M |
| Jan 2026 | CA | $480K | $565K |
| Dec 2025 | PA | $1.4M | $1.7M |
| Nov 2025 | OR | $850K | $1.0M |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.
Pros
- +Nearly zero labor — truly passive income
- +Simple mechanical systems are easy to maintain
- +Lower acquisition cost than automatic washes
- +Card payment upgrades increase average ticket
Cons
- -Revenue ceiling is lower than automatic tunnels
- -Exposure to vandalism and equipment abuse
- -Seasonal weather dependency in many markets
Best For
Passive income seekers with a modest budget
Operating Costs
Water, sewer, chemicals, and electricity are the primary costs — no labor needed beyond periodic maintenance visits by the owner.
SBA Financing Estimator
Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service
Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.
Where to Buy
Search for coin-operated car wash businesses for sale
Find affordable coin-op car wash opportunities
Acquisition Score
Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.
Quick Facts
- Category
- physical
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Buy price
- $240K–$360K
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
Some links may be affiliate links. We only recommend tools we'd use ourselves.
Ready to Buy? Start Here →
Largest business-for-sale marketplace in the US
SBA loans and business acquisition financing — get funded fast
ROBS financing — use retirement funds to buy a business tax-free
Bookkeeping for small business owners — hands-off financials
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