Insights
Operator-grade analysis on car wash development, acquisitions, operations, and equipment.
- What a car wash is worth in 2026: multiples, cap rates and what buyers actually payWhat is a car wash worth in 2026? Ranges for single sites, portfolios and platforms, net lease cap rates, sale-leaseback math, and what buyers actually pay.. 10 min read.
- Selling a car wash in 2026: how the process works, what a broker opinion of value is, and how long it takesSelling a car wash in 2026? Here is who is buying, what a broker opinion of value covers, the realistic timeline to closing, and what to fix before you list.. 8 min read.
- Car wash equipment costs in 2026: what a tunnel package, pay stations, vacuums and chemistry really runWhat does car wash equipment really cost in 2026? Sourced ranges for express tunnel packages, pay stations, POS, vacuums, water reclaim, and chemistry.. 8 min read.
- The 8 non-negotiables of car wash site selection in 2026Eight variables that decide whether a car wash site succeeds, in order of how much they actually move the needle. Built from 60+ sites developed across our team's careers and standard industry benchmarking.. 9 min read.
- How to underwrite a car wash acquisition in 2026: an IC-grade frameworkSix numbers that decide whether a deal works, five red flags that should make you walk, and the IC memo structure we use on every transaction. Anchored to 2025-26 market comparables including the Whistle Express acquisition of Take 5, Mister Car Wash's completed take-private, and the ZIPS Chapter 11 filing.. 12 min read.
- What a realistic greenfield car wash pro forma actually looks like in 2026Year 1 through Year 5 numbers, realistic ramp curves, cost structure, and returns for express tunnel car wash development in 2026. Built from public operator disclosures, industry benchmarking, and our team's operating data across 60+ developed sites.. 11 min read.
- Choosing tunnel equipment in 2026: an operator's honest take on OPW/Belanger, Trident, and ICSAn operator's comparison of the OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions family (PDQ, Belanger, ICS), Trident Wash Systems, and the rest of the 2026 express tunnel equipment market. Includes disclosure of our distribution relationships.. 13 min read.
- Car wash membership economics in 2026: the math that actually mattersPenetration, ARPM, churn, lifetime value, acquisition cost, and the pay station conversion funnel that decide whether a car wash membership program works. Built from Mister Car Wash public disclosures, Rinsed industry benchmarks, and ICA reports.. 12 min read.