Unlock powerful tax savings by investing in car wash equipment before the window closes.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and should not be considered legal or tax advice. Please consult with your accountant or tax professional to understand how these rules apply to your specific situation.
A Rare Financial Advantage for Car Wash Operators
While the Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law on July 4th, 2025, encompasses various aspects regarding spending and tax for all US residents and businesses, one element is especially good news for businesses looking to invest in car wash equipment. The Big Beautiful Bill immediately reinstates 100% bonus depreciation on qualifying assets (described as property with life under 20 years and includes equipment) while it was just previously at 40% for 2025 and would be phased out entirely by 2027.
What that means for you – if you’re planning on building a new car wash site, expanding an existing one, or simply upgrading your equipment, you can now deduct the cost of your investment in the first year, providing ample upfront tax savings, helping you save more money and fast tracking your Return on Investment (ROI).
Let’s break down what this means, how it works, and how you can take advantage of it using high-quality, North American-made equipment from Transchem Group/Turtle Wax Pro, as well as other Vehicle Wash Solutions equipment brands.
What Is 100% Bonus Depreciation and Why Does It Matter?
Bonus depreciation allows businesses to deduct the full purchase price of qualifying equipment in the same year it’s placed in service. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017, this 100% deduction was originally available through 2022 and was set to reduce 20% each year until it hits 0%. The Big Beautiful Bill brings it back, fully, for the 2025 tax year.
This means you can immediately deduct the cost of owned equipment, including systems used in tunnel, IBA, and self-serve car washes, saving potentially tens of thousands of dollars upfront.

A Simple Example: Investing in a Water Reclaim System
Investing in a water reclaim system is a top-of-mind consideration for many car washes as it helps to recycle the water used inside the wash process, especially as scrutiny on environmental impact increases and in some areas, requiring such a system to even receive a license to open a new wash. And while reclaim units do help reduce on-going water usage - saving costs in the long term, they do have an initial cost that can be off-putting to those just starting out.
Luckily, water reclaim units, like other car wash equipment, qualify for the 100% bonus depreciation tax savings, so let us run through a basic example of the costs. May not be 100% accurate numbers, please inquire for more details and talk to your tax professional to learn about your tax rate.
- Water Reclaim Unit: $35,000
- Eligible for 100% bonus depreciation
- If your business has a 25% effective tax rate, that’s a $8,750 reduction in your federal tax liability this year
Add onto this how much in water bills you'll save using a reclaim system, and what would be a large financial consideration could be paid off in under a year at a busy car wash!
That’s money back in your pocket, or capital that can be reinvested into other revenue-generating parts of your wash. This type of savings scales quickly when investing in full tunnels, control systems, and more!
Choosing the Best for your Wash: Soax and Clearwash
When you invest in equipment, you’re investing in the future for your business. Flexible options, made from high-quality materials, durability, right price point, and excellent performance are all important aspects that you may prioritize in your search.
Transchem Group is proud to manufacture their own water reclaim units in Clearwash, and self-serve car wash equipment in Soax that fit all the above.
Clearwash uses ozone technology and membrane filters to clean used car wash water to 5 microns, as well as eliminating odor in the process. Hand built in North America, Clearwash comes in two models: PR40 & PR90, cleaning 40 or 90 gallons of water per minute, saving up to 65% in freshwater usage.
Soax is a line of self-serve car wash equipment and pressure washing systems that are engineered to perform and made to last. Also made by hand in North America, Soax doesn’t take shortcuts by tailoring machines to fit your layout and bay count with high performance pumping stations, chemical wall packs, and dispensing equipment. All Soax machines are manufactured out of stainless steel and use off the shelf parts, allowing for straight forward repairs.
And as you may have guessed, all Clearwash and Soax equipment qualify under the reinstated 100% bonus depreciation, allowing you to save on upfront operational costs while you save in the long run too.

Why Now Is the Time to Invest
This opportunity may not last forever, legislation can always be overturned, just the same as it was before, but you can take advantage today!
Delaying your project may mean missing out on thousands, or even hundreds of thousands in potential tax savings.

The Full Solution: Vehicle Wash Solutions Has You Covered
When you work with us, you’re tapping into the broader Vehicle Wash Solutions ecosystem, being a network of best-in-class brands offering a complete car wash solution from equipment to controls to chemistry.
Here’s what’s under the hood:
- Transchem: Industry leading Turtle Wax Pro & AutoLux chemistry, Soax & Clearwash equipment, and technical support you can trust.
- PDQ: In-bay automatic wash systems known for reliability, innovation, and fast return on investment.
- Belanger: High-capacity tunnel systems designed for throughput and premium wash performance.
- ICS: Advanced control systems and payment technology that power car wash locations to help maximize profitability.
With this unified collection of brands, you can build, launch, and scale faster, backed by a team that understands your business inside and out.
Let’s Talk Equipment! - Contact Us
If you’d like to take advantage of this new tax saving policy with some of the best equipment in the car wash industry, please get in touch with us here!
Let’s build something big and save while doing it.