Has anyone ever witnessed 1 of these style washes ever? I heard people talking about them being in Canada, but are there any in the States still around? I also knew of a Touchless version that recently closed in the Metro Detroit area. Lots of overhead with poor management killed it.
Car Wash Forum
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Indoor Do-It-Yourself Washes
- Thread starter Pro-Techt
- Start date
Bubbles Galore
Active member
So is that like a self serve with doors?
There used to be one in Omaha. I never went there but was told by other ss owners that it was a real rip off. When you drove in, you got a ticket (like you do in a parking garage, with the "time entered" stamped on it). You had the use of the the normal cycles to clean the car, vacuums, etc. You could stay in there and bucket wash, wipe it off, wax it, rub, touch, and feel all day. But you were paying by the minute. They're out of business.
bigleo48
Active member
Big Buckets in Calgary is really nice. They call those 'barn style' washes. Anyway, I toured it just after they opened a few years back. They had like 12 SS bays and two IBAs. You payed by the minute you were in the building. So a ticket upon entering and a cashier to check out and pay. I took a bunch of pictures, but I can't find them and they don't seem to have a website 
Hope this helps...BigLeo
Hope this helps...BigLeo
rph9168
Carwashguy
I saw one in Minnesota a while back but it was basically a heated garage set up where you could use it to wash your vehicle or do mechanical work in it. Their was a meter set up much like a self service. When the time ran out the doors would open and I think the lights went out. I am not sure but I think the doors closed when the vehicle left the building. I don't remember what they charged but it looked like a fairly well-run business. Never saw anything like it anywhere else except for a self service oil change bay set up out West.
JJJakubowski
Active member
Funny you should ask ...
In the Fall issue, I just happen to have a feature story about such a wash that was built in Casper, Wyoming early this year.
There are quite a few of 'em in Canada, and they're referred to as "wash barns" or "two door washes" --- one door as entrance at which you get a ticket imprinted with the time you enter, and the other door as exit at which you pay a cashier for the time spent washing.
What's really interesting about this wash in Casper is not that it is "just" an indoor self serve wash (a rarity in the States), but that it also has 3 hoist bays in which customers can do DIY OIL CHANGES and LUBES --- making it totally unique!
JJJ/SSCWN
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The Poster Formerly Known
In the Fall issue, I just happen to have a feature story about such a wash that was built in Casper, Wyoming early this year.
There are quite a few of 'em in Canada, and they're referred to as "wash barns" or "two door washes" --- one door as entrance at which you get a ticket imprinted with the time you enter, and the other door as exit at which you pay a cashier for the time spent washing.
What's really interesting about this wash in Casper is not that it is "just" an indoor self serve wash (a rarity in the States), but that it also has 3 hoist bays in which customers can do DIY OIL CHANGES and LUBES --- making it totally unique!
JJJ/SSCWN
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The Poster Formerly Known
Eric H
Well-known member
There is one in Grafton, MA called Fitzy's. I could not find a web site for it.
I was told that it used to be a boat dealer. The old showroom is the detail shop, while the shop/warehouse has a Peco tunnel and 6 SS bays (Wash Dynamics, if you remember them). The vacs are outside.
You do not get a ticket like the barn style washes. They are set up like traditional SS bays.
It works out great in the winter, we get about 2 months when it rarely get over freezing, and almost never over 40 degrees.
I was told that it used to be a boat dealer. The old showroom is the detail shop, while the shop/warehouse has a Peco tunnel and 6 SS bays (Wash Dynamics, if you remember them). The vacs are outside.
You do not get a ticket like the barn style washes. They are set up like traditional SS bays.
It works out great in the winter, we get about 2 months when it rarely get over freezing, and almost never over 40 degrees.
Here is one in Edmunton, Alberta...only they use regular timers in each stall.
http://arcticautowash.ca
http://arcticautowash.ca
