What Splash Car Wash does

Splash Car Wash (legal name: Splash Car Washes) is a privately held, founder-owned regional car care platform founded in 1981 by Mark Curtis and Chris Fisher in Greenwich, Connecticut. The company operates 75+ physical car wash locations across seven Northeast U.S. states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Delaware), supported by a corporate headquarters consolidated in Milford, CT in 2020 and a workforce of more than 1,000 employees that washes over one million vehicles per year. Its service portfolio spans express exterior washes, automated full-service washes, hand washes, in-bay and self-service bays, express detailing, premium Five Star Detailing (paint correction and ceramic coating), oil change and lube, and brake service.

The core operating technology is a network of express car wash tunnels with soft-touch automated equipment, supplemented by license plate recognition for frictionless membership entry, water reclaim/recycling systems, and eco-friendly biodegradable soaps. The Max Pass monthly unlimited membership program (Express $23.99, Clean $28.99, Shine $33.99, The Works $38.99) is the primary recurring-revenue engine, paired with pay-per-wash single visits, premium detailing and ancillary automotive services, and a fleet/commercial account program for livery, taxi, Uber, and Lyft operators. Splash sells exclusively through its own locations and online enrollment with no third-party distribution.

Splash's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer physical retail with subscription-driven product-led growth, where Max Pass is marketed as paying for itself in approximately 2.3 washes per month and is supported by referral promotions and 50%-off first-month acquisition offers. Marketing channels include a content blog, organic social (Facebook, Instagram), prominent Google review integration (4.6/5 across 61,335+ reviews), referral programs, and a recurring community-charity partnership program integrated with new-site grand openings, which has raised over $3 million for 400+ local organizations since 1985.

Name

Splash Car Wash

Legal name

Splash Car Washes

Website

https://splashcarwashes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Splash Car Wash is a privately held, founder-owned regional car care platform operating 75+ express car wash and detailing locations across seven Northeast U.S. states, serving individual consumer drivers and commercial fleet accounts via a monthly Max Pass unlimited membership subscription and pay-per-wash services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Subscription Memberships (Max Pass): Monthly recurring unlimited car wash memberships (Max Pass) with tiered plans (Express, Clean, Shine, The Works) ranging from $23.99 to $38.99/month. Members receive unlimited washes at all locations, free vacuums, dedicated lanes, and exclusive discounts on detailing and oil changes. Cancel anytime, no annual contracts.
2. Pay-Per-Wash (Single Visits): Individual car wash purchases at per-visit pricing. Express Exterior from $10-$11; Automated Full Service from $24.99; Full Service Hand Wash from $33.99; Express Detailing from $39.99; Five Star Detailing from $275; Oil Change from $29.99; Brake Service from $170.
3. Professional Services (Detailing, Oil Change, Brakes): Ancillary automotive services including express detailing, five-star full detail with paint correction and ceramic coating, oil changes with 21-point safety inspections, and brake service. Members receive 30% discounts on oil changes.
4. Fleet / Commercial Accounts: Special fleet and corporate wash programs with volume pricing and centralized billing for livery, taxis, Uber, and Lyft vehicles on commercial plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Splash Car Wash operates 75+ physical express car wash locations across the Northeast (CT, MA, NY, NJ, PA, VT, DE), offering automated exterior washes, full-service hand washes, detailing, oil changes, and brake services. The Max Pass monthly unlimited membership subscription ($23.99 to $38.99/month) provides recurring access across all locations with license plate recognition for frictionless entry. The company also serves commercial fleet accounts with volume pricing and centralized billing.

Product overview

Splash Car Wash operates a regional car care platform with 75+ locations across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Delaware. The product portfolio centers on car washing and detailing services organized into two tiers: express automated services (Express Exterior Wash, Automated Full Service Wash, In-Bay Automatic & Self Service) and premium hand-applied services (Hand Wash Services, Five Star Detailing, Express Detailing). Adjacent automotive maintenance is offered through Oil Change & Lube and Brake Service. The Max Pass unlimited membership program provides subscription-based access across all locations with tiered pricing and member-exclusive benefits. The company uses license plate recognition technology for frictionless member identification at supported locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Saves money vs. single-visit washes after ~2.3 washes per month
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Clear Path for VeteransminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Splash partnered with Clear Path for Veterans during the grand opening of its Fayetteville, NY location to raise $8,500 supporting veterans and their families. The event offered complimentary car washes in exchange for donations.
• The Pirate Toy FundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Splash partnered with The Pirate Toy Fund during the grand opening of its Henrietta, NY location, raising $3,700 and collecting enough toys to provide for 500 children in need in the Greater Rochester Area.
• Mom's House NYminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Splash's Johnson City, NY grand opening raised $6,000 for Mom's House NY, supporting single parents completing their education.
• Homesteads for HopeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Splash's long pond road Rochester grand reopening raised $6,100 for Homesteads for Hope, an inclusive community farm cultivating purpose for individuals of all abilities.
• Warriors S.O.A.R.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Splash partnered with Warriors S.O.A.R. (supporting disabled veterans) during grand openings of its Rutland, VT and Shelburne, VT locations, raising $7,100 and $4,100 respectively.
• Breakthrough T1DminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Splash partnered with Breakthrough T1D (Type 1 Diabetes research) during the grand opening of its Clay, NY location, raising $6,100 toward research for children with Type 1 Diabetes.
• Second Chance FoodsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Splash's second Brewster, NY location grand opening raised $4,000 and food donations for Second Chance Foods, addressing food insecurity in the community.
• Friendly Food PantryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Splash's first Massachusetts location in Randolph raised $2,500 for the Friendly Food Pantry during its grand opening.
• Special Olympics New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024Splash's grand opening in Cicero, NY raised $8,822 for Special Olympics New York, providing athletes with intellectual disabilities equipment, attire, and health supplies.
• Bradley SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Splash's Derby, CT grand opening raised $4,000 for Bradley School to support building a newer, safer, and more inclusive playground for children at the school.
• Make-A-WishminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Splash collaborated with Make-A-Wish for a Halloween-themed event in Hamden, CT, raising $2,500 through free washes for donations.
• Hope Hall SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Splash's Chili Ave (Rochester) special reveal weekend raised $4,600 for Hope Hall School and included a Golden Ticket winner who received free washes for life.
• Golisano Children's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2023Splash partnered with Golisano Children's Hospital during the grand opening of its Fairport, NY express car wash location, raising $1,500 for the hospital.
• Lindenhurst Youth CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Splash's grand opening of its newly re-branded express car wash in Lindenhurst, NY raised $5,000 for the Lindenhurst Youth Center.
• FoodlinkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023Splash partnered with Foodlink of Rochester (fighting food insecurity) during grand openings of Brockport and Spencerport, NY locations, raising $8,000. Customers received free washes in exchange for donations.
• Grace for Vets (GFV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Grace for Vets is a nonprofit founded in 2003 comprising thousands of car washes that give free car washes to all veterans on Veterans Day. Splash founder and CEO Mark Curtis is President of GFV. Splash has participated at its 19 locations (at time of article) on November 11, providing free washes to veterans. GFV has grown to 1,635 participating car wash companies across 4 countries, having served 2.68 million+ veterans since inception. In 2019, 347,054 cars were washed at 4,426 locations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Driven Brands: Driven Brands (NYSE: DRVN) is the parent of Take 5 Car Wash plus Maaco, Meineke, and other automotive services. Listed diversified auto-services platform that competes with Splash via its car wash subsidiary and represents the strategic acquirer profile for regional chains.
• Mister Car Wash: Mister Car Wash is the largest car wash operator in the U.S. with ~500+ locations and an unlimited wash club subscription. Listed on NYSE (MCW), it serves as the public-market benchmark for the express tunnel category and competes directly with Splash in overlapping Northeast markets.
• Spotless Brands: Spotless Brands is a multi-brand car wash platform (Sparkling Image, Flagship, Clean Auto, etc.) operating 170+ locations across the U.S. Backed by Gauge Capital, it represents a multi-brand consolidator with comparable subscription model and Northeast presence to Splash.
• International Car Wash Group (ICWG): ICWG operates ~900 car wash sites across Europe and Australia under brands like IMO, Wash, and AutoShine. International operator with comparable express tunnel and membership models, useful as a geographic-adjacent benchmark for multi-unit car wash unit economics.

Direct peers

• Quick Quack Car Wash: Quick Quack Car Wash operates ~200+ express car wash locations primarily across the Western and Southern U.S. with an unlimited wash membership. PE-backed by Roark Capital, it competes with Splash on subscription-driven express car wash economics and is one of the most successful PE-owned regional operators.
• Take 5 Car Wash: Take 5 Car Wash operates ~400+ express wash locations across the U.S. with an unlimited wash club subscription similar to Splash's Max Pass. Owned by Driven Brands (NYSE: DRVN), it is a direct subscription-model competitor with active Northeast expansion plans.
• ZIPS Car Wash: ZIPS Car Wash operates ~260 express tunnel car wash locations across 25+ states with an unlimited wash club subscription model and LPR-enabled entry. Closely comparable to Splash in operating model (express tunnel, monthly subscription, multi-service add-ons) and an active acquirer in the same fragmented express car wash category.
• Tommy's Express Car Wash: Tommy's Express is a national express car wash franchise with 200+ locations and a membership-driven model. Its franchise structure offers a different growth path than Splash's corporate model but a directly comparable product offering for customers.

Emerging players

• GO Car Wash: GO Car Wash is an emerging express car wash operator with locations across the Midwest and East Coast, offering an unlimited wash club comparable to Splash's Max Pass. A smaller, growth-stage peer that competes in some of the same Northeast expansion geographies.
• Mobile Wash: Mobile Wash is an on-demand mobile car wash app operating in California and other Western markets. Different delivery model (mobile/on-demand vs. fixed tunnel) but competes for the same end-customer convenience narrative and is an emerging alternative to brick-and-mortar express wash.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Splash.Greenwich
• Instagraminstagram.com/splash.car.wash
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/splash-car-wash

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A6 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Splash Car Wash