Gantry Automatic Car Washes Vs. Conveyor Car Washes

Suppose you want to open a car wash business or upgrade your old car wash machine. In that case, you are probably researching the differences between in-bay automatic car washes and conveyor car washes. Each has its advantages and challenges; selecting the right one for you will depend on your circumstances. Let’s start by defining each type of car wash, and then get into the pros and cons of each. 

Gantry Automatic Wash

gantry automatic is the typical car wash found at a gas station or convenience store. Customers decide what kind of car wash they want, drive into the bay, place the car in park and stay in the car while the machine washes around their car. 

Advantages of Gantry Automatic Wash

• This type of car wash typically requires less space than a conveyor car wash, so it’s a perfect choice if you have space constraints. Our car wash machine offer a line of car washes specifically designed with space considerations in mind. Our M-WS200,M-WS300 features onboard chemical application systems as well as onboard dryers to reduce space requirements and bay length.
• There are many ways to customize these car washes to deliver exactly what your customer is looking for. You have your choice of soft-touch car washes, touch-free car washes, or a combination option where the customer gets to choose the car wash type.  
• Adding an in-bay automatic to your gas station or convenience store adds a valuable service to your business. 
• Gantry automatics are generally more cost-effective to install than conveyor systems. 
• These systems don’t require staff members onsite to keep the machine up and running, so are relatively inexpensive to run. 

Challenges

• These car washes have a much lower throughput per hour (10-15 cars) than a conveyor system. This is because they can only wash one car at a time.
• Because of the slower throughput, lines can easily build up. While these car washes do have a smaller footprint than conveyor systems, line management needs to be a consideration.  

Conveyor Car Wash

Cars drive onto a conveyor system and the car is pulled through the conveyor. Customers may remain in or exit the car, depending on what type of conveyor car wash it is. The various steps and options, like rinses or foaming waxes, are performed at stations along the way.

There are a few different types of conveyor car washes to choose from: 

Full-Service Conveyor: Offers both exterior and interior cleaning of your vehicle. Usually done by a concierge or employee of the location.

Express Conveyor: Customer stays in their vehicle for an exterior wash. 

Flex Serve Conveyor: A combination of full-service and express that leaves it up to the customer to decide. 

Advantages of Conveyor Car Wash

• Conveyor car washes can offer more bells and whistles than an in-bay automatic or self-service car wash.
• The car wash itself can be a selling point for customers and their families. Many people enjoy watching the car go through the car wash and watching all the stations light up as various services are performed.
• Conveyor washes have a much higher vehicle throughput than other car washes. As mentioned before, the in-bay automatic has a per hour vehicle throughput of 10-15 cars, while a conveyor car wash ranges from 40-180 cars per hour depending on the conveyor size.
• Because of this higher vehicle throughput, waiting times and lines are decreased and customer satisfaction is increased.
• Higher vehicle throughput also helps the vehicle wash owner recoup their investment faster.
• There is an opportunity to sell extra products when the customers come in to watch their car and pay for their car wash. Think toys, books, puzzle books, air fresheners, candy, etc. as well as frequent buyer punch cards and loyalty programs. 
• 
  

Challenges

• Conveyor systems can require a larger up-front investment than an in-bay or self-service car wash. The conveyors, installation, and other equipment costs make it a much higher initial investment.
• These car washes typically use brushes rather than a touch-free spray, which increases the chance of scratches and damage to vehicles.
• Conveyor washes require more staff, particularly if it’s a full-service wash. This means hiring and managing more people than if you have an in-bay or self-service car wash.