Are drive-through car washes still a thing?

Posted by rmvandink@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 42 comments

For many years I’ve seen car servicing teams who handwash cars in supermarket car parks. I visit often but have never had a need to wash my car while here. I’m now looking to wash my car and I see many options in Crawley and Essex, but they all seem to be “hand wash” and “car valeting services”.

Do drive through car washes not exist anymore in the UK?

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terryjuicelawson@reddit

The automated ones? I know of a few, and done it once. It wasn't brilliant, the ones where a person does it are far better. Less fun though.

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Much-Beyond2@reddit

This is actually a well-known phenomenon in UK economics -> https://theconversation.com/the-return-of-the-hand-car-wash-and-the-uks-productivity-puzzle-39594 It's basically cheaper to pay someone peanuts to hand wash a car than to invest in the technology.

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rmvandink@reddit (OP)

This is really interesting and part of my initial bafflement: how is washing by hand competing away automation? In the Netherlands the labour shortage and cost of wages would make this impossible.

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Alternative-Emu2000@reddit

For the cost of a brand new drive-through car wash, you could pay a dozen people minimum wage (or less) for a few hundred years.

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rmvandink@reddit (OP)

Well, in other countries it seems to run profitably so I am skeptical of your calculations.

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Alternative-Emu2000@reddit

Be as sceptical as you like, it won't change the facts.

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Annual-Delay1107@reddit

You don't have enough illegal Albanians. That's your problem right there.

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rmvandink@reddit (OP)

Or maybe we don’t have enough unscrupulous “entrepreneurs” and still have a vaguely functioning labour inspection so that you cannot criminally underpay staff and dodge all your taxes so blatantly.

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yourefunny@reddit

Two in my small town of around 20,000 people. One in a BP garage which I used last week. The kids love it and one as an independent car wash place with hand washers as well. They say they are the most popular in the WORLD!

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GoshILoveSlothS@reddit

We have two in my town, we also have two hand wash / valet servies

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bondinchas@reddit

Yes, there's half a dozen in my town. They're always located at a petrol station, never stand alone.

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Inevitable-Debt4312@reddit

Yes! I’d say, at a guess, that they work about 28% of the time.

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PhysicsAgitated6722@reddit

We have one in the village petrol station. Always seems busy on Sundays.

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snapper1971@reddit

Yes, and they're used regularly.

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Individual-Cut-5582@reddit

My local Asda has one!

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BarryTownCouncil@reddit

Yes.

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seven-cents@reddit

We've got one that I know of in Hastings, but I can't use it because I have roof bars.

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funkidflash22@reddit

At the car wash (pls someone get that song reference)

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rmvandink@reddit (OP)

I’ve had it playing in my head all day.

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Robotadept@reddit

There are 2 near us but they are more expensive than the hand car wash and only do half the job

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Evening-Carrot6262@reddit

I have found the opposite (at least on price). Most hand wash places charge around £12 for an SUV.

My local drive-through wash has several tiers, the most expensive being £10 for the full works.

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rmvandink@reddit (OP)

This might is explain why there appear to be fewer

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PolarLocalCallingSvc@reddit

Yeah.

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Hunter037@reddit

About 50% of the supermarket petrol stations near me have a car wash.

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Once-I-Was@reddit

There are many.

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Creepy_Client952@reddit

There's one in Morrisons near me, also one in a shell garage nearby. I had trouble finding any when I moved to the area as Google doesn't/didn't seem to differentiate between automatic drive through, hand wash or those self jet wash things at petrol stations.

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rmvandink@reddit (OP)

90% of what I see when searching apple mapa seem to be the latter two

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Firthy2002@reddit

They are rarer than they used to be. Even petrol stations that used to have them have got rid even if the petrol station itself is still there.

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wandering_light_12@reddit

we have two in my town so Id say yes.

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philff1973@reddit

Two in my town as well , they don’t seem to use Brillo pads as brushes anymore either. The 1980’s ones used to leave swirly marks in paint.

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wandering_light_12@reddit

They do a much better job than I ever could do thats for sure, and yes pricey now but better than stood out in the cold and wind doing it by hand! Polishing however, I do that by hand still.

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peddersmeister@reddit

Yeah they still exist, i rarely see standalone ones, but often see them at petrol stations.

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Mental_Body_5496@reddit

Tesco has one near me.

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zoppaTheDim@reddit

Must be too much rain and not enough salt in Britain to make it profitable.

In the US, automated drive through car washes are everywhere and they even sell all you can wash plans to people who want them.