New self-service car wash to open in Timaru in November

Friday, 15 September 2023

A self-service car wash on Timaru’s State Highway 1/Evans St is expected to open in November, with the man behind the project excited to finally be opening in a district he says has a lot going for it.

Fastlane Car Wash Timaru director Hugh Gardiner said while he already owns car wash facilities in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay, he wanted to build a business in another region, with South Canterbury ticking all the boxes.

Gardiner said he was familiar with Timaru as he, his wife, and two young children had spent a lot of time at Levels Raceway.

This connection had driven part of the new business, with motorsport fan and competitor Peter Sprague to run the car wash, Gardiner said.

“We are excited to be opening,’’ Gardiner said.

“We were looking for anywhere out of Auckland that had a good demographic and climate was also a huge factor. Timaru was our first choice.’’

He said he had been looking for land in the district for about four years when the Evans St site came up, about three years ago.

The Timaru business had taken about two years to get resource consent, he said.

He said despite its location, adjacent to the entrance of Timaru’s newest retail complex, The Showgrounds, he had no involvement with that development.

“We are a small family business.’’

He said there would be five self-service car wash bays, and it would be a cross between a commercial business and an amenity.

It would be open 24 hours a day, he said.

The facility would also feature an automatic car wash capable of cleaning a car in about three minutes.

“A clean car is like a haircut, it makes you feel better,’’ Gardiner said.

It was also important to the family that the business got involved in the community through supporting different clubs and charities, he said.

Gardiner said the washers were also more environmentally friendly than washing a vehicle at home.