Mobile Car Detailing
You bring the wash to the car — the customer never leaves home or the office
Bottom line
Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.
Mobile car detailing businesses bring professional interior and exterior cleaning directly to residential driveways, office parking lots, and fleet yards. The operator arrives with a van stocked with water tanks, pressure washers, vacuums, and detailing chemicals — no fixed location required. A solo detailer running 3–4 cars per day at $150–$300 per job grosses $120K–$200K/year. Crew-based operations expand through recurring residential accounts, fleet contracts with car rental companies or dealerships, and commercial vehicle work. The model wins on convenience: customers pay a premium not to deal with the carwash line. High-value cars (luxury, fleet, dealership prep) push average tickets to $300–$600 and improve margin significantly.
Avg Revenue
$250K
Profit Margin
48%
Acquisition Multiple
1.25x - 2.75x
Startup Cost
$8K - $35K
How It Works
The operator builds a service van outfitted with a 50–100 gallon water tank, 12V pressure washer, wet/dry vacuum, polisher, and a full supply kit. Jobs are booked via phone, website, or an app like ServiceTitan or Housecall Pro. Residential customers pay per-visit rates ($100–$250 for a basic wash and interior clean; $250–$600 for full details). Recurring subscription packages — weekly maintenance washes at $50–$80 per visit — anchor revenue. Fleet contracts (car rental agencies, dealerships, rideshare drivers) generate predictable weekly volume at lower per-unit rates but minimal sales effort. The detailer drives to the customer, performs the work in 1–2 hours, and moves to the next booking. Expansion happens by adding vans and employees once the booking queue is full.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Watch / verify
Mobile Car Detailing has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.
Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.
Weak source data caps the final score.
Why it may work
- +Attractive 48% estimated margin profile
- +SBA dataset shows 70 recent comparable loans
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !No category operating model yet
- !No category model yet
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
- +No lease or facility overhead — the van IS the business, keeping fixed costs minimal
- +Strong word-of-mouth and repeat business: customers who love their detailer rarely switch
- +Fleet and dealership contracts create predictable weekly revenue at volume
- +Low barrier to entry lets operators start part-time and scale without a large capital bet
Cons
- -Heavily weather-dependent — rain and freezing temps cancel jobs and compress revenue in northern markets
- -Operator-dependent in early stages: taking a sick day means zero revenue without a backup tech
- -Water access logistics matter — apartment dwellers without hose access create job complexity
Best For
Hands-on operators who want a low-overhead service business with strong word-of-mouth growth and a clear path from solo operator to multi-van fleet
Operating Costs
At $250K revenue: labor (if hiring) 35–40%, supplies and chemicals 8–12%, vehicle and fuel 10–12%, insurance 3–4%. Solo operators net 55–65% after supplies and vehicle costs.
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 detailing and automotive service businesses for sale
Training, supplies, and business resources for the professional detailing industry
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
- service
- Difficulty
- 1/5
- Buy price
- $313K–$688K
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
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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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