Private Wash Facilities

Not all car washes belong at fuel stations. Some belong to private car wash centres. Others belong to car rental services for washing recently returned vehicles. This page is dedicated to all of those car washes, which come in many forms and types!

NOTE: Car Washes at Car Dealerships or Rental Firms **are now found here!**

## Star Wash, Kaitaia

Star Wash Kaitaia opened in September 2022, and is a new Istobal Wash Facility, featuring an Istobal M'Start automatic wash with Red & Blue brushes.

## Clean Me, Whangarei

This car Wash site did not originally have an automated machine, but one was opened here around 2017. The machine is an Istobal M'Start, with two-tone blue striped brushes.

## (CLOSED) AutoClean, Huapai

In the town of Huapai, just outside of Auckland, there is a small private wash site that originally operated a Washtec CK30 with a blue frame and white brushes. This was replaced with the current wash between 2012 and 2017, which is an old Washtec SoftCare Evo with Green-striped Brushes, which suggests it is most likely secondhand from a BP petrol station.

This site closed down in 2022, and is currently awaiting re-development by a new owner.

## Orange My Premium Car Wash, Glen Eden, Auckland

This brand new Istobal Wash facility opened in 2022 at Caltex Glen Eden, Auckland. The new wash facility has an Istobal M'Start with Orange, Blue & black brushes. This replaces Caltex's own wash at the site, which was a secondhand Washworld High velocity touchless, installed to replace a PDQ Laserwash 4000 a few years prior.

## Wash Works, Silverdale, Auckland

This brand new Istobal Wash Facility opened on October 5th, 2019, and is home to what was the very first Istobal M'Nex 32 in New Zealand! It has a red frame with two-tone blue striped brushes.

## U Wash, Papakura, Auckland

This car wash site is hidden underneath the back of a McDonald's. It originally had a Ryko Radius Touch-Free system with a custom name plate, but this was recently replaced by a PDQ Laserwash 360plus with a custom vinyl. This is actually really annoying, as this was probably the only Radius in the North Island.

I'm not able to say if the 360plus has LaserGlow or not, but given it has a custom red wrap on it, i'd say likely not.

## TJ's Car Wash, Manuwera, Auckland

This private Car Wash in Auckland has an interesting History. It has always had both a Brush wash and a Touch-Free wash. The touch-free is a Washworld High-Velocity, which is still going strong having been there since at least 2009. As for the brush wash, the original wash was a Ceccato Advant (possibly the only one in NZ), which was fitted with blue-striped swirly brushes. the photos of this machine are terrible, but I found an identical in the UK one on Flickr.

Sometime between 2009 and 2012, the brush machine was replaced with another Ceccato, this time a Pegasus with blue brushes. This was then replaced sometime before 2017, with a brand new Istobal M'Nex 28, with 5 blue & yellow brushes.

In 2022, the Washworld was replaced with a secondhand PDQ Laserwash 360 classic.

## #1 Supreme Carwash, Botany Downs, Auckland

This private Car Wash Site in Auckland originally had just one automatic machine - a PDQ Laserwash 4000, which is still in use today.

A brush wash was added to the site around 2015. Originally, this was an Istobal M'Start with blue brushes. in 2017 this was upgraded to a rare Christ Qantus, with 5 blue brushes.

This site was originally called "TJ's Carwash", but changed its name to "#1 Supreme Car Wash" in May 2021.

## Wash Depot, Henderson, Auckland

This private wash site didn't have an automatic machine until 2017, when a touch-free PDQ Laserwash 360 was installed. In 2019, a second machine - a Laserwash 360plus - was installed next to the first one. This means that this site, interestingly, has both a Classic Laserwash 360 and a Laserwash 360plus. LaserGlow lighting is not used here.

## Washworld Takapuna, Auckland

This private site originally had a super rare Ceccato Orion with blue swirly brushes. In 2015, this was replaced with a brand new Istobal M'Nex 22, with blue-striped brushes.

## Wash Depot, Greenlane, Auckland

This private site originally had a single Washworld High-Velocity touch-free. In 2016-17 this was replaced with a Washworld Razor touch-free. In 2018, a second automatic bay was opened, which is also a Washworld Razor.

## Rub-a-Dub Valet Car Wash, Auckland

This conveyor site is built next to a Petrol station in Auckland. The history of this site is very interesting. The site was originally a Mobil, and had a Conveyor wash under the name of "Express Valet Wash", with Belanger equipment. The site closed by 2012, but was later re-built as a Z station. A new conveyor wash was built here, which is also using Belanger Equipment. It now operates under the name "Rub-a-Dub Valet Car Wash". The petrol station has since been sold and is currently a Waitomo.

Although the wash is located at a petrol station, it is a separate business not related to the petrol station.

## Auto Valet Car Wash, Manukau, Auckland

This private wash site has a red Washtec SoftCare with red & yellow swirly brushes. This machine has been operating since at least 2009.

## Wash Zone, Pukekohe, Auckland

A new Istobal Wash facility opened in Pukekohe back in December 2021. The site, called "Wash Zone" features an Istobal M'Start with a blue & white frame and Yellow & Purple striped brushes (a colour combo I really like). The brand new facility is located right accross the road from Z, making wonder if the construction of this was a factor in deciding to select Pukekohe to recieve of of their 8 new new Istobal M'Nex 32?

## Washpod, Pukekohe, Auckland

Washpod is a series of stand-alone touch-free Car Washes around Auckland. The first of these is in Pukekohe, which has a PDQ Laserwash 360 classic. This wash has LaserGlow coloured lighting.

In Mid-2020, a second WashPod was built next to the original, with a brand new PDQ Laserwash 360plus with LaserGlow.

## [GONE] Washpod, Wairau

Washpod opened a location in Wairau in 2017, but this site did not last long and was closed and demolished in November 2019. It had a PDQ Laserwash 360 classic. This wash had LaserGlow coloured lighting.

It's sad that this site closed, since it was located near the Pacific Car Wash Systems building, which is the company that invented the original Laserwash and now serves as the main distributor for PDQ Equipment in NZ.

The concrete pad showis where the WashPod once stood.
## Washpod, New Lynn, Auckland

the second Washpod is in New Lynn, which opened in 2019. It has a PDQ Laserwash 360 Classic. This wash has LaserGlow coloured lighting. Despite opening in 2019, this wash is not a 360plus, so the machine is probabaly reused from the Wairau site that closed down the same year.

## Washpod, Mt Wellington, Auckland

Washpod opened a new site in Mt Wellington in early 2021, with another brand new PDQ Laserwash 360plus.

## Washpod, Hobsonville, Auckland

Washpod have continued their expansion across Auckland with a new site opening in Hobsonville in May 2021. The new site is their biggest yet, with THREE automatic touchless washes opening. Two of the machines are brand new PDQ Laserwash 360 Plus's, whilst the third is a secondhand Laserwash 360 classic retrofitted with Laserglow.

## Waiheke Car Wash, Waiheke Island

This private site is home to the *only* automatic car wash on Waiheke Island. It didn't have an automatic machine prior to the installation of the current one (when that was I am not sure). The machine is an Istobal M'Start with red & black striped brushes.

## Thames Car Wash, Thames

This car wash site has been around for many years, and added its first Automatic car wash in 2015. The machine is an Istobal M'Start with blue striped brushed.

## Kupe's Car Wash, Whitianga

This is a fairly new private car wash, which is an Istobal Wash Facility. It has one automatic bay, which houses an Istobal M'Nex 22 with black brushes.

## Clean Park Morrinsville

This site was originally known as "Yello K-Wash", before a major rebrand to "Clean Park Morrinsville" in 2021. This is the only private wash site to use Karcher Car Wash equipment in New Zealand! The original automatic wash here was a Karcher CB1 with Yellow & Grey brushes. This machine had been here since at least 2008, and has had a few differnt top brushes.

In June 2020, the CB1 was replaced with a Brand new Karcher CB3, which has extra-height and also has both Brush and Touchless options.

## Swish Car Wash, Hamilton

This Car Wash centre was originally called "Frankton Car Wash", and has a single touch-free automatic bay, which has a Washworld Razor. This site became a Swish Car Wash in 2022.

## The Wash Club, Te Rapa, Hamilton

New Zealand's fourth conveyor system, called "The Wash Club", will open soon the the Hamilton town of Te Rapa. The system will be the first conveyor wash in NZ to use European-made equipment, featuring a Washtec Softline2 system. We're not yet sure what colour the brushes will be, but Green is a very prominent colour in the company's branding, so that is a possible option.

## Te Rapa Car Wash, Hamilton

Originally, this private site had a single automatic bay with a PDQ Laserwash 4000 touch-free. In 2015, a second wash bay was added, which has a PDQ ProTouch Tandem brush wash. In February 2019, the Laser4000 was replaced with a new PDQ Laserwash 360plus.

The new Laserwash has the LaserGlow coloured lighting system installed. It also features the SwingAir drying system, the only 360plus in NZ with this feature.

## Matamata Car Wash Centre, Matamata

This Car Wash Centre in the small town of Matamata originally had a Ryko Excel with red, Beige & Black brushes. Sometime around 2011-2012, it was replaced with a Ryko Softgloss MAXX (the only one in New Zealand) with Red, Orange & Yellow brushes.

In 2023, following a vehicle collision, the Softgloss MAXX was replaced with a brand new Karcher Kleenstar iQ, the first of its kind in NZ.

## Wash N Shine, Tauranga

This site is an Istobal Wash Facility, featuring a single automatic bay with an Istobal M'Nex 28 with red brushes.

## Wash'NGo Gisborne

Wash'NGo is owned by Gisborne Holdings Ltd (GHL) and features three self-serve bays and one automatic car wash. The automatic machine is a Washtec SoftCare2 Pro Touchless combination wash, which has a dark-grey frame with Silverlight design and black brushes. The wash has options for both Brush and Touchless washes, as well as a combination wash.

## Eze Wash, New Plymouth

This self-serve site was constructed and opened in 2017. It is an Istobal Wash Facility, which essentially means that it is a complete package provided by Istobal, including the design of the building and all of the wash equipment - both self-serve and automatic.

The has one automatic bay, which has an Istobal M'Nex 22 Combiwash, with dark blue brushes.

## Hugo's Car Wash, Napier

This car wash site in Napier has one automatic car wash alongside it's self-wash bays. The automatic car wash was originally a touch-free Washworld High Velocity. In 2018, this was replaced with a new Washworld Razor.

The site wash originally called "Car & Dog Wash Napier", but is now called "Hugo's Car Wash".

## Swish Car Wash, Palmerston North

This car wash site was originally known as "Palmerston North Car & Dog Wash", and has two automatic Car Washes. One a brush wash, which is an Istobal M'Nex 22 with Blue brushes, whilst the other is a touch free, which is a Washworld Razor. I was only able to find decent pictures of the M'Nex 22. In 2022, the site became a Swish Car Wash,

Signage seems to suggest that there might have one been a rare Ceccato Pegasus brush wash here, and a Washworld High-Velocity, but as there is no Streetview between 2009 (before the site was built) and 2017, we have no images to prove this. The signage was replaced in 2018.

In 2023, The Washworld Razor was replaced with a brand new Petit Accutrac 360-i, a first for New Zealand. This also has off-board dryers, which is extremely rare in NZ.

## Total Wash, Blenheim

This private wash site opened brand new in 2019. It has has a Washtec SoftCare**2** Pro Touchless, though sadly it does have rather boring black brushes. This machine is not actually "Touchless" as the name might suggest. Instead, it is combination wash capable of Brush, Touchless or Combination wash packages. It does have a nice coloured light show fitted to it.

## Tasman Autowash, Nelson

This Istobal Wash Facility has a single automatic wash, which is an Istobal M'Nex 22 Combiwash, with dark blue brushes.

## COMING SOON! - Richmond

A new Istobal wash facility is being built in Richmond, and is believed to have an Automatic Machine on the way. The automatic wash is an Istobal M'Start with Red & Blue brushes, with a very interesting brush pattern. I look forward to hearing more developments and hopefully the site will soon be open!

## Big Dave's Car Wash, Kaiapoi

This Car Wash site in the town of Kaiapoi, just north of Christchurch actually used to belong to the Petrol Station next door, a Shell. It has 3 self-serve bays and an automatic bay, which was an Istobal M12. When the site was sold to Mobil, around 2012, the Car Wash was sold off, and a private buyer took over. The new owner took over the site and retained the self-serve bays, but not the auto bay, which was converted to a laundromat.

In 2019, the site was sold again, with "Big Dave's Car Wash" opening. A new auto-bay was put in where the original one was, with a second-hand PDQ Laserwash M5. This machine looks like it should be a Laser4000, but upon closer inspection you can see that it's actually an M5 that has had the original gantry covered replaced with refurbished Laser4000 covers.

The original M12 that Shell had....
## Auto Self Serve, Kaiapoi

This new self-serve car Wash site will open in 2021. It is owned by Tunnel Wash in Christchurch (See Below). The site has two Touchless automatic machines, which are both Chinese-made Leisuwash Touchfree 360's, which is a complete rip-off of PDQ's Laserwash series.

## Tunnel Wash, Harewood, Christchurch

This site is home to one of the only conveyor wash tunnel systems in New Zealand! The tunnel equipment was made by American manufacturer *Motor City wash Works*, featuring Red & Black Brushes as well as a red front-to-back mitter. It also features a brush-drying system, which uses grey-black brushes.

The site originally opened under the name "Auto Express Wash", but in 2021 they re-branded as "Tunnel Wash".

## Tunnel Wash, Christchurch CBD

Tunnel wash opened a brand new, second Tunnel Wash in Christchurch CBD in late 2021. The new site features an almost identical set-up to first, again using Motor City Wash Works equipment with red brushes, front-to-back mitter and textile drying.

## Splash'n'Dash, Christchurch

This car wash centre used to be called "Canterbury Car & Dog Wash" prior to it's new ownership and new name in 2021. It is home to a single automatic machine alongside it's self-wash bays, which is a Washtec Softcare Evo. It appears to be made to Mobil specifications, with blue brushes.

This car wash has broke in April 2019, and wasn't repaired until late-2021 when the whole site was taken over by Splash 'n' Dash. In March 2022, the old brushes were replaced with second-hand Orange & Dark Blue brushes from one of Z-Energy's machines.

## Splash'n'Dash, Christchurch (Blenheim Road/Clarence Street)

The other original Splash'N'Dash Car Wash has never had an automatic wash, prior to 2022, when the site received a brand new PDQ Laserwash 360plus Touchless System. We're not yet sure exactly what features this wash will have, a picture of the back of the wash appears to have minimal branding, suggesting that the new wash will have LaserGlow lighting.

## Splash'n'Dash, Christchurch (Challenge Halswell)

Splash'n'Dash has opened a new miniature site at the Challenge Halswell Petrol station, with a brand new PDQ Laserwash 360plus, just like the one they recently installed another of their sites. Although located at a Petrol station, the wash is to be operated by Splash'n'Dash and carry their branding, not Challenge.

## Wash HQ, Christchurch

This Istobal Wash facility in Christchurch has one automatic car wash alongside it's self-wash bays. The automatic car wash is an Istobal M'Start, with Blue & Yellow Brushes

## Bubble & Squeak Car & Dog Wash, Methven

Methven is a small town in Eastern Canterbury, and is certainly not the kind of place you usually expect to find a Car Wash, but nevertheless, a private wash site was opened here in 2014. The site has a single self-wash bay and a single auto bay. The Automatic Wash is an Istobal M'Nex 22 Combiwash, with plain blue brushes. Being installed in 2014, it is one of NZ's earliest M'Nex systems. This machine is an extra-height model, so tall that it can even wash small trucks and minibuses!

## Fastlane Carwash, Timaru

This new facility opened in December 202. The site features 5 self-serve bays and one automatic Touchfree wash, which is a Petit Accutrac 360i, and is only the second machine of this type to be installed in New Zealand so far. The new machine uses blue wash towers with custom signage on the gantry.

## Car Wash 24/7, Queenstown

This car wash site is an Istobal Wash Facility and has two automatic Car Washes. One is a brush wash, which is an Istobal M'Start with Blue & Grey brushes. The other is a touch free, which is an Istobal Tracer, the first one in NZ.

## The Washstation, Wanaka

This private wash facility was built new in 2020, and has a brand new Washworld Razor touchless Car wash, with the new black graphic design that is now standard on the Razor.

## The Clean Crawford, Dunedin

This private wash site has one automatic bay, which has an older Washtec SoftCare Intro with blue brushes.

The top of the machine was painted dark-grey between 2018 and 2020.
## Ezy Clean, Invercargill

Built between 2010 and 2017, this small private site has a PDQ Laserwash 360 in its single automatic bay.

In 2020, the site added a second automatic wash, which is a PDQ Laserwash 360plus, with LaserGlow. They also has LaserGlow retro-fitted to their existing Laserwash 360.

## Ezy Clean, Gore

Built in 2017, this private wash site has a single automatic bay, which has a PDQ Laserwash 360plus. This car wash does not have LaserGlow.