Las Vegas pulsed with energy and excitement, April 26-28, as The Car Wash Show™ 2025 unfolded under its dynamic theme, “It’s a Vibe.” From first-time attendees to seasoned veterans, operators and exhibitors came together to explore the latest technologies, share insights and strengthen the community spirit that defines the car wash industry. 

It’s a Vibe
Attendees and exhibitors alike described the atmosphere as nothing short of electric. "The vibe is exciting. It's all beautiful!" said Confinity Robotics' Corey Garibay. Confinity revealed a robotic interior detailing machine that uses AI and “everybody seems to be just as excited about it, if not more, than we are,” Garibay said about the attendees flocking around the booth during The Preview Party in the New Product Showcase, scrambling to get photos of the robot in action.

The vibe was “pretty happening,” said Terry Chavez of Duke of Oil in Indiana, who came to The Show to expand his knowledge about what’s going on in the industry. “Everybody seems to be excited and so well-informed.”

For Kelly Michalak of Gabriel Ride Control, the feeling was mutual. “It's very exciting, very energetic and a lot of fun,” in addition to being a great event for networking and learning about the industry, she said. 

Mel Ohlinger of OhmCo said, “It's just so exciting to see everybody again. It's like a family reunion sometimes,” underscoring The Show’s unique mix of business and connection.

Making connections is a big reason Tyler Mooney of Willow Oak Partners values The Show as well. “Networking is definitely a big part of why I come to The Car Wash Show… there’s probably somebody out there that’s already fixed your problem — you just got to find them.”

What Was the Buzz?
Artificial intelligence (AI) dominated the conversations, with industry leaders eager to explore its potential. Derek Straathof of Shell Canada said, “It’s all about AI and how it can improve the car wash. We’re really excited about how that can help us save costs, increase uptime and generally have a better car wash for the consumer.” He said the vendor partners have some great options and they are looking into how they can dial back chemicals and customize them for each individual wash. “We're also looking at it for a subscription model to optimize that aspect.” 

Andres Mateus of Wash Brands said, “AI is allowing small operators to have a more competitive edge against the larger operators, which kind of levels the field and helps the industry as a whole.” 

At the DRN Data booth, Noel Pena said the hot topic at their booth was around gathering data with license plate recognition for lead generation and marketing. “Attendees were really curious about it and there’s a lot more buzz around it.”

Sustainability and simplicity were also critical talking points. Daniel Seidl of Heydel & Seidl said, “If we have only one planet, and if we think a little bit about the future — not only about being cheap and fast — it will be very helpful.” Greg Floyd of Mr. Magic Car Wash said, “We over-complicate a lot of things, and I think we’re trying to simplify more things with other technology, equipment, marketing.”

Membership growth and consumer experience were key areas of focus, too. David Burton of Rinsed said, “I would say [the buzz is about] how to grow and maintain memberships. Everyone’s looking to grow.” 

Discussions about the economy were also buzzing on the show floor and in the education sessions. It was something that Tom Fields of Waves Express Carwash noticed. “This is no secret,” he said. In every industry, people are talking about the economic uncertainty. “And a lot of operators are very anxious about that,” he said. “But, this is an opportunity to prove that we may be different brands, but we can weather this together as an industry.”

Time for Some Education
The education sessions resonated deeply, with many attendees highlighting both tactical and big-picture takeaways from the variety of options, which included feature, breakout and PAMA sessions, plus some on The Show floor in the PITCH theater and the new Spark theater.

Alicia Ray of Tagg-N-Go Car Wash said, “There was tons of great information in the session about the 10 moments of customer experience that help generate revenue and decrease churn. I am involved in training, and so I can incorporate those to help increase our customer experience.”

Todd Baright of Foam and Wash Car Wash valued the information he gleaned from the session by Donald Miller. “I loved how he said, ‘Don't confuse people. Make it simple. Don't make them think.’” He also appreciated the tip about the car wash being the guide and the customer being the hero in the story. “I'm excited to make some stories and help our marketing program.”

“The future is now. If you take an extra day to learn a new technology, you’re already going to be five days behind your competitor,” Fields said. 

Trade Show Talk
The trade show floor buzzed with conversation, connections and discovery. 

AI and automation were hot topics among exhibitors. Shaun Salvador of Hawaii Self Storage said they just started a new car wash business and said they were looking forward to learning about a lot of the technology that’s out there. “I'm looking into the marketing aspect, the apps and all the technology that you need to operate a car wash,” he said.

New technology was what brought James Lavender of Lindsay Car Wash to The Show, as well. “We bought our car wash — a two-bay self-serve — a couple months ago and it was built in the ’80s, so we're looking for anything and everything to upgrade.”

Mike Kopren of Classic Car Wash and Stoney Creek Auto Spa said he was hoping to talk to people at The Show to find out what equipment is working for them. “The in-bay automatic is kind of a new beast for me that I have to tame and figure out. And that's kind of why I'm here —to find out from the best of the best what to buy and how to maintain it and what to do.”

Attendees were also focused on operational challenges and ideas for innovation. Lorenzo Cantu of Dark Auto Spa is embarking on a new build in Texas and wants it to be “a more upscale wash with a lounge,” so was looking for ideas at The Show. While Philip D'Agostini from Utah Auto Spa — who came to The Show because they are thinking about renovating their wash — said, “You either have keep up or get out. So, we’re here to see what’s out there. We have in-bay automatics, so we're trying to see what we can do to keep up with the tunnels.”

Exhibitors reported strong engagement from attendees and a crowd that was educated and informed. Vinny Muratore of Stone Bank said, “The clients that came in were serious, they wanted to know about what we had to offer.” In the New Company Pavilion, Charlie Young at Signs Unlimited saw “tremendous” interest during The Preview Party. “It was probably the best two hours we’ve spent at a show. It’s been great.”

“The Show works really well. Relationship building in this industry is key to the success of not only vendors, but also operators and everyone else in the industry,” Mateus said, who has been coming to The Show for the past 19 years. 

Mission Accomplished
For many, The Show wasn’t just a chance to look around — it was about achieving meaningful goals. Fields said, “We definitely attribute a lot of our success to the continuing education and the vendor contacts made here. You cannot beat it. It will change your entire business model if you come with an open mind, ready to absorb information.”

But it was perhaps summarized the best by Erika Vilaro of Hurricane Express Wash: “I like being able to come to an event like this because you can know nothing and leave with everything.”

TalkCarWash After Dark
New this year were two evenings of “TalkCarWash After Dark.” Held at Atomic Golf and Gatsby’s, both evenings were sold out networking events filled with people in the car wash industry making the most of every minute in Las Vegas to connect with others who live and breathe car washing. 

“There was a chill vibe,” said Blake Newman, who leads TalkCarWash with Tyler Slaughter. “Everyone was having a good time, there was a lot of laughter and it was laid back.” He said some of the people were meeting for the first time in person after connecting online in the TalkCarWash Facebook group, “so I think that's pretty special.”

“We're really excited about the collaboration and just bringing people together and making car washing a better place,” Newman said.

Celebrity Sightings
Are you one of our show celebrities? Check out more of our top photos from The Car Wash Show 2025 at carwashmagazine.com.

Record-Breaking!
The Car Wash Show 2025 was a record-breaker with more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space and 430+ exhibitors.

The Car Wash Show 2026
Stay tuned and save the date: May 11-13, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn.!

The Big Bash
There’s nothing like a gathering with free food, music, entertainment, prizes and libations on opening night to get the party started, make friends and renew acquaintances. The Big Bash sponsored by OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions accomplished that, and more. “The Big Bash is the perfect way to unwind after a packed first day at The Car Wash Show. It’s always a fun chance to reconnect with industry friends, enjoy some well-earned drinks and set the tone for a great weekend in Vegas. The arcade games were a nice touch, too!” said Max Pulcini of EverWash.