A Wash of the Future
Carwash incorporates one-stop auto care into upscale office complex
By Elaine Foxwell
It all started when Toppino decided to convert one of his upcoming professional office projects into a hybrid office and autoservice center. He shared his vision of a carwash with Robinson, who offered his expertise on tunnel design and management. The partnership led to the development of one of the most forward-thinking carwashes in the area — a facility that incorporates a full-service auto-care facility into a three-story office complex.
The demographics for Clermont were ideal for the wash. The area has grown from a small agricultural town into a major bedroom community for Orlando, and is one of the top communities for Walt Disney World employees. Residential developers are building thousands of new homes in the area, making it one of the fastest-growing ZIP codes in Florida. A turnpike and new toll roads connect Clermont to downtown Orlando, reducing travel time to fewer than 30 minutes.
More Than a Carwash
Elite Carwash opened last year, after nearly three years of planning and design. Toppino spent most of the time overcoming his advisors’ design flaws and dealing with city officials on the site layout, signage, parking requirements and traffic flow. “They had never approved a full-service carwash, much less seen anything like this concept,” says Toppino, who was meticulous in designing the facility to complement existing upscale offices and retail structures in the area.
“We did not want the project to look like a typical carwash,” Robinson adds.
And it doesn’t. Elite’s Auto Service Center is part of a three-story office building; the carwash tunnel is behind it, and the retail and waiting areas are on the first floor. A Mobil 1 Express Lube center connects to the main building. The complex not only provides a state-of-the-art wash with Peco equipment, but also offers full-service detail, express detail, express lube, retail, full-service entertainment and a coffee shop. A Tire Kingdom is on an adjacent parcel. The total project for Elite Carwash and Mobil 1 is 21,532 square feet on a two-acre lot.
“Businesses renting the offices on the second and third floors know they are in an office building, but have all the benefits of the volume a carwash can provide, driving customers their way,” Toppino explains. “Our building tenants also use Elite as a valet service for their customers.”
The building is acoustically designed to shield the offices from any noise generated by the wash equipment. The 100-foot-long tunnel, which runs on the side of the office complex, is constructed with a 10-inch concrete ceiling to also eliminate noise. Skylight chutes are built into the tunnel ceiling to allow natural light. The tunnel, which has a 120-foot conveyor, is 13 feet high with 5-foot walkways along both sides. The equipment room was built on the side of the tunnel—away from the office building—to further ensure that no noise disturbs tenants. Each supply line from the equipment room runs through an individual conduit and has quick couplings for immediate repair.
The Mobile 1 Express Lube is designed to provide efficient service while also being easy to keep clean. The three-bay shop uses pit service bays rather than hydraulic lifts. A special nonslip, high-tech floor was installed so that oil and stains wash off easily.
All tunnel equipment is supplied by ACW Equipment from Norcross, Ga. (Peco Carwash System’s representative). Robinson says they chose Peco’s stainless-steel system because they wanted “the customer to always be able to see a clean, shiny tunnel.” Steam machines from Vaporlux Systems are used for interior detailing.
Elite recycles 100 percent of its wash water through reclaim equipment supplied by Hydro Management Systems. “We use only 10 to 14 gallons of fresh water per car,” Robinson reports. “The rest is from recycling, and our water bills are far under the norm for a full-serve wash.” The wash uses 80 percent less water than the city projected, which saves the city more than one million gallons of fresh water every month.
“Seven months after we opened, we have absolutely no smell in our tunnel from our reclaimed water,” Robinson adds.
DRB Systems Inc. supplied the computer, POS and other software systems to help run the wash efficiently. ADT Security Systems provided the two DVR systems and security cameras used to monitor the site. There are 26 cameras on site, with seven cameras in the tunnel, eight cameras in the vacuum area and the rest in other key areas. “The customer’s vehicle is under surveillance from the time they first drive on the lot until they get back in to leave,” Toppino confirms.
A safety wall separates the tunnel and detail center from the customer area. “Customers need never worry that a child will be able to run into the wash area,” Robinson remarks. A canopied, outside waiting area is also separated from the detail and wash area by a block wall. This area has benches for customers and a play center is in the works for the future.
Fun at the Wash
The lobby also features a kid-friendly arcade with an assortment of games including PGA golf, retro PacMan, crane tilt and pinball. Toppino installed a high-definition, big-screen television in the middle of the lobby— as well as theater seating for 12. The acoustics in the lobby, along with the entertainment system’s state-of-the art speakers, provide directional sound so the television is audible in the seating area without being too loud in the lobby. And on select weekends, a licensed masseuse is available to give neck and back massages.
One of the biggest attractions for the wash is the water cannons located on the wall adjacent to the tunnel. “I have had this idea for 15 years,” Robinson shares. Water cannons are in a safety-glass-enclosed room with nonslip tile flooring. The cannons are aimed through cut-outs in the Plexiglas wall alongside the wash, and kids can pay to spray water at the vehicles going through the wash. Sometimes, at the urging of the children, Robinson will play a joke on a new employee by asking them to walk through the tunnel to “help” on the other side; the employee becomes a live target. “The idea is that kids urge their parents to take them to the wash so they can have fun while their car is cleaned,” he divulges. “Our new employees take one for the team.”
The lobby features a wide variety of gifts and impulse items, including a $20,000 inventory of greeting cards selected by Toppino. “Our merchandise sales gross more than $1 per car,” Robinson reveals. “The lobby offers so many amenities. Even a customer waiting for his five-minute express wash can find something there to enjoy.”
Great Service and Then Some
Detail prices range from $24.99 for the high-tech fast wax, to $29.90 for deep cleaning with the latest express carpet-clean technology service, and $59.99 for the Elite orbital hand wax that includes wax, buff, shine and toothbrush detail. Again, there is a small surcharge for vans, SUVs and large trucks. Elite offers three leather-care packages, ranging from $19.99 to $39.99, and a full-service detail starting at $149.95, with charges based on size and condition.
Although Elite is a full-service carwash, it does offer a fast $5 exterior-only wash, which includes prepping, wash, high-velocity dry and finish. Customers can buy a package for $19.95 per month for unlimited carwashes.
Before a car enters the wash, staff members prepare the front and back of the vehicle.
After the wash, they hand-dry it. So by the time the customer gets a cup of coffee and pays for the wash, his or her vehicle is done.
The exterior-only wash allows the facility to compete with other exterior-only washes in the area. Robinson feels the ongoing trend to exterior-only will eventually swing back to full-serve as customers begin to want the extra touches that come from full service. The establishment is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
“Although we opened in the rainy season, we are seeing around 4,000 cars per month, with indications of growth to a probable plateau of 7,500 by the end of our first fiscal year,” Toppino comments.
Be a Good Neighbor
Even though Elite is only five months old, it is gaining the notice of its community. Readers of Lake Magazine, which is distributed in three counties in Central Florida, named Elite the “Best of the Best” carwash. “Word-of-mouth about our wash’s service and amenities is the best marketing tool,” Robinson affirms. It’s extra nice that people are talking — since the wash does not sit directly along a main street, it is not readily visible to passing traffic. “The primary marketing challenge was zoning regulations that prohibited placing the carwash’s sign on more than one side of the building,” Robinson reports.
Elite advertises on cable TV and uses direct mail. But it is the fun activities that draw parents—and kids—to the-wash. And that’s what Robinson finds most gratifying.
One of his best memories since opening the carwash involves a local city employee who was planning to take visiting family members to Disneyworld. Instead of asking for Disneyworld, the grandchildren wanted to go to the carwash “to shoot the water cannons.”
Besides providing entertainment, Elite believes in supporting its community. The wash’s administrator, Princess Braue, directs involvement with community activities. “We have participated in several well-recognized events to help raise money,” Braue states. The wash sponsors Little League and has established various fund-raising programs. The partners do public speaking at schools and real estate offices. They are also involved in Focus International, the South Lake Chamber of Commerce, Alliance to Protect Water Resources, various high school clubs and athletic teams, and the local cancer-assistance organization.
For newcomers considering venturing into the industry, Robinson advises being prepared to spend a good amount of time on the site in a working capacity. “You must also get to know your clients personally in order to serve them properly,” he asserts.
Franchise Aspirations
In the future, the dynamic duo’s concept will be available to the industry, as the partners are planning to share their carwash concept through franchising. Elite CarWash is federally trademarked and all apparel is protected.
“We want to the take our carwash model to a new level in the full-service carwash industry and franchise this concept,” Toppino declares. “We know how to value-engineer this concept, improve traffic flow and save hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Robinson started at the bottom of the industry as a service writer and worked in every capacity until he became president of a Texas chain. Healso owned a mobile detailing service. But owning a carwash like Elite had long been a dream of his, and he’s grateful to Toppino for helping bring it to fruition.
“Our goal is to set the bar so high with our quality services that customers will expect to pay more than they do,” Robinson says. “We want the customer to know we’re doing everything we can for them.”
The philosophy is to do a quality job for a reasonable price. And customers believe in the personal touch – even for the exterior only wash, he emphasizes. “We make sure our customers are always happy with the end result.”