Tommy Car Wash Systems
  • Shop Equipment
        • Buy Car Wash Equipment

          Tunnel Equipment

          Round Arches, Conveyors, Cleaning Stations

          Vacuums & Vending

          Stanchions, Hoses, Vending

          Detergents & Chemicals

          Tommy Signature Line & Pod System

          Point of Sales & LPR

          Plate recognition, Cameras, Payment Systems

          Backroom Equipment

          Water Reclaimers & Reverse Osmosis Systems

          Parts

          Replacement, OEM & more

          Guardian Wash Controls

          Take total control of your wash

          Refurbished & Overstock Deals

          Buy quality products at a great price

          Shop All Products

          Car Wash Services

          Modernize Your Car Wash

          Fully integrated stainless steel wash system built for performance

          Join the Franchise

          Partner with the #1 Fastest & Smartest Growing Franchise

          F500 icon #1 in category
          Inc. 2026 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the Midwest

          New Investor? Start Here!

          tcws car wash tunnel entrance

          One of the most important decisions you'll make when starting off in the car wash industry is choosing the right company to help you build your business.

          Invest in Tommy's
  • Modernize Your Wash
  • Our Company
        • The Tommy's Story

          retro car in old car wash tunnel

          A story of two brothers’ success - 
Jun and Sonny Essenburg opened their 
first car wash in 1969.

          Read More

          Careers at Tommy's

          car wash employee in tunnel
          Work at a Wash
          headquarters lobby
          Work at HQ

          More from Tommy Car Wash Systems

          Our Team

          Meet our leadership

          Car Wash Best Practices

          Get tips on how to run a #1 Car Wash

          Tommy Car Wash in the Community

          Read more on giving back initiatives

          Car Wash Intellectual Property

          Patents, IP & more

  • Support
        • Quick Support

          Browse Help Center

          Speak with Client Services

          Start a Chat

          Open a Ticket

          Helpful Support Articles

          Helpful Preventative Maintenance Videos

          Watch how to videos on car wash maintenance

          Equipment How To’s

          Read recent articles posted from Support

          Warranty and Returns

          See our return, services and product disclaimers

          Read More

          24/7 Field Service Support

          support representative talking on phone

          Get fast, superior service nationwide

          Custom support plans available

          Browse Direct Service Subscriptions
  • Contact Us
        • Contact Us

          Talk to Equipment Sales

          (616) 494-0411

          Get a Quote

          Contact Us 

          Follow Us Online

          LinkedIn

          Facebook

          YouTube

          Visit Our Global Headquarters

          648 South Point Ridge
          Holland, MI 49423
          Main Line: (616) 494-0771

          Get Directions
          front of Tommy headquarters
  • Shop Equipment & Services
    • Tunnel Equipment
    • Vacuums & Vending
    • Detergents
    • Point of Sale Systems
    • Backroom Equipment
    • Parts
    • Guardian Wash Controls
    • Used & Refurbished
    • Wash Facility Supplies
    • Cloth & Foam
    • Building Signage & Lighting
    • Detail Center & Laundry
  • Modernize Your Wash
  • Our Company
    • Our Story
    • Careers
    • Join the Franchise
    • Blog
  • Support
    • Browse Help Center
    • Speak with Client Services
    • Start a Chat
    • Open a Ticket
  • Contact Us
    • Talk to Equipment Sales
    • Get a Quote
    • Contact Us
    • Get Directions
Shop Now Sign In

Search to see results...

  • Tunnel Equipment
  • Backroom Equipment
  • Vacuum Area Equipment
  • Detergents
  • Parts
  • Signage & Lighting
  • Point of Sale
  • Guardian Controls
  • Shop Now

user account iconAccount

Blog Home

Tommy Car Wash: Because A Great Car Wash Starts With Great Equipment

August 18, 2015 Car Wash Equipment, Car Wash Tips

First-time investors, owners, and operators aren’t always prepared to answer the important questions that car wash development can raise. Considerations need to be made for site layout, pricing, advertising strategies, marketing budgets, staffing, and much more. But as far as car washes go, few choices are as vital as those deciding which car wash equipment will be installed inside the tunnel.

A car wash is, of course, a facility that washes cars and if the equipment behind that wash process isn’t up to the task the car wash will experience great difficulty.

Problems typically crop up in the following areas:

1. The wash equipment does a bad job.

If the cars aren’t clean you will have customer complaints, low membership rates, and a shrinking customer base.

2. The equipment LOOKS bad, even if it performs well.

Customers are left without a sense of value or a positive experience, leading to complaints, low membership rates, and a shrinking membership base.

3. The equipment is unsafe.

Poor equipment eventually ends up damaging vehicles, leading to expensive claims. Experienced operators know it takes a lot of washes to pay off even a small body work problem, and the additional damage to your wash’s reputation may be even more costly.

4. The equipment has no lifespan.

Vibration, weight, and rust in the high-moisture car wash bay leave low quality equipment unusable and unsafe within a decade. Replacing that equipment can set the wash’s profitability back months if not years.

5. The equipment is inefficient.

Even if a wash has high car counts and great volume, inefficiency ends up increasing expenses in terms of water, detergent, and electricity, sucking away profits and lowering your margins.

This is why it is of primary importance that new car washes invest in great equipment from the start and begin their operations with the proper level of investment and foresight.

Tommy Car Wash Systems equipment is designed to solve these problems and offer the very best in long term car wash performance and aesthetics. Instead of low quality iron or aluminum our arches are made from 100% stainless steel, providing lasting stability and a mechanic system that deserves to be shown off (have you seen the wall-to-wall windows in the Totally Tommy building design lineup?). The wide arch design is iconic, unique to us, and has the added bonus of alleviating dangerous customer claustrophobia by widening the wash zone—especially when paired with a big, naturally lit wash bay, bay windows, and a clear acrylic roof. Control systems are carefully designed for easy access and maintenance to simplify procedures and better ensure lifetime efficiency and performance standards.

Our team has been in the car wash industry long enough to see and experience every mistake and bad design choice out there. But instead of settling we’ve learned, grown, and developed new car wash solutions to improve the industry and offer better service and value, and the car wash equipment you’ll find in our wash is the proof.

For more information including a free tour of our newest facility here in Holland Michigan or an over-the-phone consultation, contact our team today at sales@tommycarwash.com or (616) 494-0411

_Tommy Car Wash Systems_

Car Wash Equipment, Car Wash Tips

Continue Reading

Critical Density & Car Wash DevelopmentPrevious post
The Tommy FLOPRO Wall MountNext post

Browse Topics

Buildings

Equipment

Franchise

Marketing

Operations

Detergents

Blog home

Tommy Car Wash Systems

648 South Point Ridge
Holland, MI 49423

  • Our Company
    • Our Story
    • Careers
    • Team
    • Contact
  • Offerings
    • Franchise
    • Equipment
    • Inbay Conversions
    • Site Models
    • Detergents
    • Vacuums
  • Useful Links
    • Webstore
    • Support
  • Learn More
    • Blog
    • Portfolio
    • Photostream

© Tommy Car Wash Systems 2026. All rights reserved.

  • Privacy & Compliance
  • Terms of Use