Exploring Car Wash Acquisition Opportunities — Looking for Insights & Active Listings

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by a searcher from Washington State University
in Atlanta, GA, USA

7mos ago

Exploring Car Wash Acquisition Opportunities — Looking for Insights & Active Listings

Hi everyone, I’m exploring the purchase of an existing car wash (or small portfolio) and would love to connect with those who have experience in this space, whether as owners, brokers, or investors. I’m particularly interested in understanding current market valuations, deal structures (asset vs. real estate included), and any recent transaction trends you’ve seen. If you’re currently representing a listing, have a site coming to market, or can share perspective on what’s driving returns in today’s market (membership models, automation, express vs. full-service, etc.), I’d really appreciate your input. Looking forward to connecting and learning from the group, and open to off-market conversations as well.

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reply by a lender 7mos ago
from Cornell University in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Hi Bryan, great to connect with you. We’ve seen a strong uptick in car wash acquisitions this year, especially with buyers combining real estate and business assets into one SBA structure. Lenders typically view these as solid collateralized transactions when the real estate is included. For leasehold models, the focus shifts to recurring membership revenue and stable wash counts. Market valuations are often in the 3.5–4.5× SDE range depending on site performance, membership penetration, and automation level. If the business includes property, the blended loan term usually averages around 17–18 years, improving cash flow. If you're looking for recent transactions and purchase prices, you can check out Deal Stats on Searchfunder (redacted. Note: If you’re using SBA financing, it’s often better not to include the real estate in the loan. While a longer amortization may seem appealing because it lowers payments, expensive real estate usually makes the total debt too heavy for the business’s cash flow to support. In most cases, we will model out both scenarios (with and without real estate), to determine the best path forward. We have a lot experience financing car wash and automotive service companies via the SBA. If you ever need help talking through a deal, I am happy to help. We work with all the major SBA lenders. The bank pays us after your loan closes, so this is a 100% free service for you. You can email me directly at redacted or schedule a meeting with me: redacted. Look forward to chatting!

reply by a lender 7mos ago
from Eastern Illinois University in 900 E Diehl Rd, Naperville, IL 60563, USA

If you need help from a financing perspective, we have financed many car washes over the years. You can reach me here or directly at redacted