About This Episode
In this episode of Ask the Expert, we sit down with Michael MacDowell, CEO of Momentum Carwash Specialists, to discuss what it takes to scale car washes efficiently while avoiding the bottlenecks that can slow growth and impact performance.
Michael shares insights from years of experience in car wash development, equipment installation, and operational optimization, including how operators can reduce build timelines, improve throughput, and create more consistent customer experiences across locations.
From early planning decisions and faster startup timelines to upgrading existing washes and improving operational flow, this conversation explores the decisions that can have the biggest impact on scalability, customer experience, and long-term performance.
Topics Covered
- Scaling car washes without creating operational bottlenecks
- Reducing build timelines and accelerating startup
- Site planning, traffic flow, and throughput considerations
- Evaluating sites for long-term scalability and performance
- Common mistakes operators make during development and expansion
- Improving customer flow and overall site efficiency
- Upgrading existing washes versus building new locations
- Equipment selection, reliability, and long-term maintenance considerations
- Reclaim, RO, and planning for long-term operational costs
- Increasing throughput while maintaining wash quality and customer experience
- Standardizing operations across multiple locations
- Membership growth, customer experience, and retention strategies
- Why early planning decisions impact long-term operational success
About The Guest
Michael MacDowell is the CEO of Momentum Car Wash Specialists. With decades of experience in car wash development, equipment installation, and operational optimization, Michael works closely with operators on site planning, throughput, startup timelines, and long-term scalability.
Through Momentum Car Wash Specialists, he helps operators streamline development, improve operational flow, optimize existing sites, and build car washes designed for long-term performance and growth.
