The four types of car wash machines popular in Australia

types of car washes

Carwash Equipment in Australia

There are four car washing machine types that are the most common in Australia.

  1. Manual self-serve car washes (jet wash) »
  2. Automatic (brush) rollover car washes »
  3. Touchless carwashes »
  4. Conveyor or tunnel washes »

These can be found in dedicated car wash facilities, as part of a petrol station or convenience store, and even in shopping centres. Businesses such as car dealerships and rental companies also need vehicle washing solutions with automatic machines providing a cost-effective (and reliable) solution to the expensive labour costs of manual hand washing.


types of car washes self serve

Manual Self Serve Car Washes (Jet Wash)

Self serve car washes, sometimes referred to as a jet wash, offer customers a DIY car cleaning option.  To protect customers from the elements (sun, rain), they are typically contained inside separated, covered wash bays.

Self serve car washing options

From a wall mounted control in the wash bay, the customer chooses their time and from a combination of cleaning techniques including:

  • Pre-soak and/or tyre and engine cleaner chemicals and applicators
  • Foaming soap and brushes
  • High-pressure spray rinsing
  • Low-pressure wax applicators
  • Spot-free final spot-free rinse

We offer various customisable options including underbody wash, motorbike and bicycle options, outboard engine flush, dual push and button control panels, and boat wash, as well as various activation and payment solutions.

Business applications

Self serve carwashes are available in a number of design configurations and can be used for many applications including:

  • Combined automatic and manual car wash sites
  • Car detailing businesses
  • Automotive dealerships
  • Commercial wash sites
  • Hand car wash sites

Self Serve Car Washes


types of car washes automatic brush

Automatic Rollover Car Washes (Brush / Soft Wash)

For car owners who want to keep their feet dry, automatic rollovers are a popular choice.

Rollover (brush) washes use a combination of high-pressure sprays, chemical cleaners, and friction cleaning provided by a range of cloths and brushes. New-generation rollovers offer exceptional wash quality whilst conserving and recycling water and minimising chemical usage.

The car washing process
  1. Pre-wash stage – High pressure jets or sprayers remove dirt, mud and loose debris from the car’s exterior. Chemical detergent may be applied during this process.
  2. Wash process – With the assistance of specially formulated chemical detergent, brushes, clothes and foam strips, that are mounted on overhead booms and side structures, work the car’s exterior to remove dirt and grime by moving around and over the vehicle.
  3. Rinse stage – High pressure water jets and sprayers rinse off the chemical detergent from the car’s surface.
  4. Drying function – Powerful blowers and air dryers remove excess water from the car’s surface. Heated air can be applied to speed up the process.
  5. Optional extras – New generation rollover car washes offer optional extras such as the application of wax, polish and a protective coating.

Our range of automatic brush car wash machines feature various configurations from a simple low volume, 3 brush commercial machine through to a fully configured, high speed, multi-brush unit. Combination car wash machines offer a combined brush and touchless wash process.

Rollover car washing options

Rollovers are the common product that users can find in the majority of car wash equipment sites and are available with many options including:

Brush Rollover Machines


types of car washes touchless machine

Touchless Automatic Car Washes

Another automated option for customers who want to remain comfortably within their vehicle is touchless automatic car washes.

Touchless car washes forgo brushes and use high water pressure plus chemicals to clean the car to achieve the highest quality wash finish.

Touchless car washes do not use brushes or clothes to wash the vehicle. Water jets are directed at the car’s surface from different angles and distances without any physical contact.

The latest touchless machines rely on state-of-the-art sensors and advanced computerised control systems to adapt the cleaning process to the size and shape of each vehicle.

We offer various models of touchless car wash machines including overhead and gantry-style units.  Both use powerful, advanced-flow concepts and engineered spray pattern designs to offer superior wash quality. The overhead configuration leaves the wash bay completely free of obstacles, enabling any type of vehicle to access it with ease and safety.

Touchless car wash features

Features of touchless car washes include:

  • Combined onboard dryers
  • Surface sealant application
  • Tri-colour wax application
  • Wheel and underbody wash
  • Various payment terminals and activation stands
  • Various wash package settings

Touchless Machines


types of car washes conveyor tunnel

Conveyor / Tunnel Car Washes

A tunnel car wash (also called conveyors) is an automated process with vehicles being washed as they move via a conveyor belt through the wash tunnel, providing the most thorough wash of all automated systems.

These machines typically feature a range of wash options including inexpensive express wash services to washes featuring wax and even undercarriage cleaning.

Conveyor, or tunnel, systems are perfectly suited to high volume sites that require a superior wash finish and high throughput.  Using this system on high-volume or commercial sites reduces waiting time and, in turn, increases wash revenue.

A choice of configuration options

We offer various sized conveyor tunnel systems and configurations to meet site design requirements and budgets. Conveyor-style wash systems have the capacity to wash 20 – 100 vehicles in one hour – the ideal solution for either small footprint sites with limited queuing space or areas that have higher volume peak times. We are able to configure the tunnel systems from a basic express (10 metre single bay reload) through to a fully-loaded 45 metre wash tunnel system.

Drive through car wash systems are designed specifically for car rental companies and automotive panel shops where a simple, superior and high volume wash is required.

Tunnel car washes are a low-maintenance yet high-quality car washing solution.  Consistent results and high throughput will reduce labour costs and increase productivity.

Touchless Machines


good sight car wash equipment

Good Sight Car Wash Equipment Australia

We can assist in all aspects of the growth and success of your car wash facility, automotive dealership or car rental business including site assessment, car wash design, machine installation, service and repairs, and, importantly, ongoing support to ensure the success and growth of your facility.

We are Australia’s leading suppliers of car wash equipment.  We have been offering Australia-wide sales & service since 1968 and were the first suppliers of automatic car wash systems in the country. Since, we have always been able to pride ourselves as offering a highly professional level of service and support to our clients.

Our range of car wash machines

Additionally, we offer a full range of vehicle wash services including car wash installation, upgrades and maintenance for car wash businessespetroleum retailersautomotive dealershipsfleet and rental car businesses.

We can also assist with a range of car wash accessories including coin-operated car vacuumsvending machines and dog washes.

car wash supplies 1

Consultation

We have the industry knowledge and experience to help you assess your future objectives, identify business opportunities and develop the solutions in accordance with your unique site requirements

More information »

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Sales

Our goal is to build relationships with our clients, working with them to build a car wash system for their specific needs and requirements and then support their business for the long term.

Car wash sales »

car wash suppliers australia

Installation

From initial installation of your new or updated equipment, our car wash technicians and tradespeople work closely with your architect, project managers and builders to offer a smooth installation service.

Car wash installation »

australian car wash supplies

Service + Support

We have an Australia-wide support network of car wash service technicians, backed by a full inventory of spare parts. Our flexible and economical maintenance options provide you with business peace of mind.

Car wash repairs »