Key Takeaways
- Tommy’s Car Wash offers cutting-edge car wash technology and varied services.
- It caters to both individual customers and businesses with flexible subscription plans.
- Innovative cleaning services like Tommy Guard and Ceramic Body Wax enhance vehicle protection.
- Easy subscription signup and cancellation via the Tommy’s Express App.
- What Is Tommy’s Car Wash?
- Overview of Tommy’s Car Wash Services
- Services That Tommy’s Car Wash Offers
- How Does Tommy’s Car Wash Work?
- Subscription Service Details
- Pricing: Subscriptions and Regular
- Unique Selling Points
- How to Sign Up for a Subscription
- How to Cancel Your Subscription
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts: Why Consider Tommy’s Car Wash?
What Is Tommy’s Car Wash?
Tommy Car Wash is a reputable car wash franchise based in Holland, Michigan. It provides car wash operators with essential equipment, wash detergents, wash tunnels, transporter belts, and franchising opportunities.
On top of car wash operators, the corporation also caters to fleet and business accounts. For instance, it can partner or manage accounts with ridesharing or fleet companies to wash their cars.
Aside from its business-to-business (B2B) front, the company offers a business-to-customer (B2C) operation.
In the self-service car wash category, Tommy’s Car Wash Systems is dominating the market nationwide.
Its B2C services include professional car washes and expand to several packages, depending on how much cleaning your vehicle needs.
Tommy’s Car Wash has streamlined its services with a mobile application as well. You can pay for your wash without stopping by a cashier.
With such a wide reach in the industry, Tommy’s Car Wash has earned a number-one spot under the fastest-growing franchises category from the Entrepreneur Franchise 500.
Stick around to learn more about Tommy’s Car Wash’s services, prices, subscription plans, and unique selling points.
Alternative Option: Rocket Carwash
Overview of Tommy’s Car Wash Services
In the self-service car wash category, Tommy’s Car Wash Systems is dominating the market nationwide.
The company continues to distinguish itself from competitors with leading car wash technology, varied services, and community outreach.
Tommy’s Car Wash has also streamlined its services with a mobile application as well. You can pay for your wash without stopping by a cashier.
Services That Tommy’s Car Wash Offers
Here’s an overview of the offered services:
Tommy Guard
Tommy Guard is a patented car wash treatment that helps block UV rays, maintaining your car’s paintwork. It also repels and beads water for better visibility.
Underbody Flush
The service provides a low-pressure water spray that cleans underneath your car to remove clogged debris and corrosive salts.
While nobody can see your car’s underbelly, cleaning it is essential for maintenance. It can extend the vehicle’s life and reduce repair costs.
A clean underbody means less dirt that can impact the car’s aerodynamics, leading to decreased fuel use. Plus, you don’t have to deal with rust and corrosion damage.
Self-Serve Vacuums
Once the car is done washing, you can use one of Tommy’s Car Wash’s vacuums that use dual-sided hoses to suck any leftover crumbs or dust.
The vacuum uses a touchless option you can activate from the app. It’s also connected to a sun canopy.
Mat Washing
Car mats are notoriously challenging to clean because of all the built-up dirt, sand, hair, and food crumbs.
Tommy’s Car Wash mat cleaners ease the process. All you have to do is insert the dirty mat into the machine face-down after hitting the green button. Then, choose between vacuum or water-only options.
Push the mat into the machine until it holds it.
The device will thoroughly clean your mat in a matter of minutes. If you don’t hear anything, but your mat is still inside the machine, try hitting the button again.
Before inserting your mat, ensure that it fits in the machine. Most thin plastic and fabric mats are compatible, but thicker custom makes will likely be too large to fit.
Rainbow Coat
Tommy’s Rainbow Coat is a poly-bond wax mixed with six colors. It creates a protective barrier for vehicles by blocking salt, water, rain, and UV rays. You’ll also get an ultra-smooth, glossy finish.
Ceramic Body Wax
Like the Rainbow Coat, Tommy’s Ceramic Body Wax service also sprays a layer, composed of Carnauba wax, all over your vehicle. Adding this layer regularly can add extra shine and protection from elements.
Tire Gloss
A Tire Gloss is as much about aesthetics as it is about functional maintenance. The gloss contains a water-based dressing, which is made of synthetic polymers and natural oils.
The aqueous liquid sticks to your tire to give it a glossy finish, but gloss aside, the layer also has UV-blocking properties.
It slows down the tire’s cracking, hardening, fading, and overall aging process. Think of it like a two-in-one sunscreen and moisturizer for your tires.
Red Hot Cleanser
As you pass through the wash tunnel, the red hot cleanser applies a thick foam layer paired with intense red LED lights to give you a unique car wash experience. Its main purpose is to break apart debris and dirt in the initial car washing stage.
Three-Step Wheel Cleaning
The three-step wheel clean involves using a mixture of friction and high-pH wash detergent to slough off all the dirt lining your tires and rims.
How Does Tommy’s Car Wash Work?
The cornerstone of Tommy’s Wash Club is the license plate recognition software used at car wash entrances.
This technology scans the license plates of approaching vehicles, granting access to recognized members without the need for physical tags or employee assistance.
This streamlined, hands-free approach reduces wait times and enhances user convenience.
While the primary method of interaction and payment is through the app, Tommy’s locations also support traditional payment methods.
This includes direct payments to employees for single washes or using automated payment kiosks at some lanes, catering to all preferences and ensuring a seamless experience for every user.
Subscription Service Details
Tommy’s Car Wash has four service packages. Pricing for each option varies based on your location.
You can choose between subscribing to a monthly membership for one of the packages or picking one of the service packages as a one-time car wash.
While a one-time car wash is convenient in the short term, you’ll save more on car wash maintenance with a monthly subscription.
For instance, a one-time Works package can cost $22 in Iowa. If you join the TommyClub, you can pay a monthly $42.99 to get the service done more than once.
Quality
The Quality package only provides members with a basic exterior wash. In this package’s case, you can benefit from a one-time purchase.
Cars usually need to get cleaned every two weeks. Assuming you live in Louisiana, the membership costs $20 monthly, while a one-time Quality package costs $8.
That’s why if you’re only going to wash your car twice a month, we suggest sticking with a one-time payment.
Super
The Super package provides you with:
- Basic wheel cleaning
- Underbody flush
- Tommy Guard
Ultimate
You can highly benefit from the Ultimate package if your car endures a lot of rough and tumble. The plan includes:
- Three-step wheel cleaning
- Rainbow Coat
- Tommy Guard
- Underbody flush
Works
As the priciest of all packages, you can expect your car to undergo a luxury wash treatment with Works. You’ll get a:
- Rainbow Coat
- Underbody flush
- Three-step wheel cleaning
- Tire gloss
- Red hot cleanser
- Ceramic Body Wax
- Tommy Guard
TommyClub Discounts
Tommy’s Car Wash hasn’t advertised a loyalty program to TommyClub members. Despite that, first-time members who download the Tommy’s Express App do get a free one-month subscription to the highest-tier Works package.
Pricing: Subscriptions and Regular
Since prices vary based on location, here’s a breakdown of what to expect when subscribing to the TommyClub monthly membership.
| Subscription Plan | Monthly Payment Price |
| Quality | $19.99 to $24.99 |
| Super | $24.99 to $32.99 |
| Ultimate | $29.99 to $37.99 |
| Works | $34.99 to $42.99 |
As for the regular one-time payment, here are some price breakdowns to consider.
| Subscription Plan | One-Time Payment Price |
| Quality | $8 to $12 |
| Super | $12 to $17 |
| Ultimate | $16 to $22 |
| Works | $20 to $26 |
Unique Selling Points
Tommy’s Car Wash Systems continues to distinguish itself from competitors with leading car wash technology, varied services, and community outreach.
Here’s a more in-depth list of why you’ll want to pick the self-service car wash company::
- Affordability: Compared to other car washes like Flagship, Circle K, or Classic, Tommy’s Car Wash offers more value for every wash.
- Service Variety: You don’t often stumble upon a car wash service offering four membership packages to suit every need and budget.
- Fleet and Business Service: The car wash establishment caters to businesses and fleet services with attractive discounts, washing vehicles as big as 84” tall and 96” wide.
- Advanced Cleaning Tech: What’s more impressive about Tommy’s is its range of patented services that elevate the washing experience, such as its Tommy Guard service.
- Gift Cards: Tommy’s offers gift cards for its range of packages for those friends and family who want to take extra care of their ride.
- Investment Opportunity: Tommy’s Car Wash Systems offers exceptional franchising opportunities for those looking to own a car wash establishment.
- Giving Back: Tommy’s Car Wash recognizes the importance of giving back by donating a portion of its earnings to the nonprofit, Water Mission.
- Promoting Eco-Conscious Practices: The car washing company prioritizes energy efficiency. The establishment uses translucent roofs to let natural light in. That way, they can conserve light energy during 90% of opening hours.
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
I had a Tommy’s Wash Club membership for around two years, and during that time, I loved it.
I didn’t end up getting rid of it until I moved to a different part of town and the one location they had was too far out of the way to make it worth my time.
I thought the pricing was fair, the app worked well, and the car wash was always clean and well-maintained.
I not only used the car wash often, but also the floor mat cleaners and vacuums (which were incredibly strong).
These value-added features helped me justify the monthly membership even during months when I didn’t get very many washes.
My Suggestion: If you’re thinking about joining, I’d first run a competitive analysis of the other subscription-based washes in your area. While Tommy’s is nice, it’s definitely not the cheapest option in town.
However, they do occasionally offer deals, like Black Friday sales on gift cards or seasonal prices on new memberships as a way to get new subscribers to try the service.
When I signed up, I just asked management for a better deal and they gave me a discount on my first few months of the service.
How to Sign Up for a Subscription
While most similar companies have complicated sign-up processes, Tommy’s Car Wash realizes that most of its customers only want to get their cars taken care of minus the hassle.
That’s why signing up for a subscription is straightforward, and any one can do it.
Tommy’s Wash Club operates through a user-friendly app paired with sophisticated computerized systems at each car wash facility.
Initially, members download the Tommy Club App, set up an account, and register their vehicles by entering details such as make, model, and license plate.
Members can add multiple vehicles to their account, with separate monthly packages for each.
After selecting a car wash package, payments are made within the app via credit card, enabling automatic monthly billing. Subscriptions are flexible, allowing changes to packages at any time.
How to Cancel Your Subscription
Canceling a subscription is often harder than signing up for it because, let’s face it, no one wants to lose customers! Luckily, Tommy’s Car Wash makes it easy for you to cancel your subscription.
Whether you want to cancel your subscription for a better plan or prefer one-time packages, here’s how to do it.
- Open the Tommy Express App.
- Go to the navigational lines on the top-right corner and choose “My Garage.”
- Select “Manage Subscription” next to the car you want to cancel the membership of.
- Choose “Cancel Subscription.”
- Follow the prompting instructions, which will let you switch to PayPerWash.
- Tap on “Finish.”
You’ll receive an email informing you about the canceled subscription.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Tommy’s Car Wash Locations Are There?
There are over 276 Tommy’s Car Wash locations, but only 184 are open, while the rest are coming soon.
What is Rainbow Coat at Tommy’s Car Wash?
It’s a poly-bond wax that repels water, sunlight, rain, and salt, creating a protective layer. It’s called a “Rainbow” because of the component’s six colors.
Can you transfer a Tommy’s Wash Club membership to another vehicle?
Yes, you can transfer a Tommy’s Wash Club membership to another vehicle through their app. Navigate to “My Garage,” then “Manage My Subscription,” choose “Transfer Plan to Another Vehicle,” select or add the new vehicle, and confirm your choice.
Final Thoughts: Why Consider Tommy’s Car Wash?
Overall, Tommy’s Car Wash has proven to be a top contender in the car washing industry. The platform offers multiple subscription packages to suit every budget and need.
You could be a fleet operator or regular customer looking for a basic wash—Tommy’s has it covered with its four plans.
What’s better is the company’s mobile app, which simplifies the subscription and payment process.
Whether you’re a one-time PayPerWash regular or a Works member getting the highest-end treatment, all payments can be done through the app.
