Inside a car wash
See what gets built, what gets installed, and how a study classifies each asset.
That was a hypothetical car wash. Yours has its own purchase price and land split.
See the first-year deduction range a study would look for on your building.
Run the 30-second check »Take a closer look
Click a fixture to identify it. Drag to orbit. Choose from the list to focus on a component.
Edit the dollar example & see the assumptions
This is an illustrative $3.2 million express car wash, not a study of any real property. Change the numbers to explore proportional allocations; a study determines actual asset costs.
See the rendered stills
Blender renders of the same model the walkthrough uses.
Rinsecrest: every component and its recovery period
Rinsecrest is a fictional owner-operated express car wash with $3,200,000 total investment and $700,000 of nondepreciable land. The tables below list every component this walkthrough builds, the recovery period it is assigned in this illustration, and its illustrative allocation.
illustrative assumption. A real study's allocation comes from the specific property's own records.
By recovery period
| Recovery period | Components | Illustrative amount | Bonus-eligible here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-year | 10 | $1,105,000 | yes |
| 15-year | 11 | $1,395,000 | yes |
| Total allocated to depreciable property | 21 | $2,500,000 |
Component by component
| Component | Recovery period | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wash piping and controlsDedicated wash-water piping, motor controls and equipment circuits use the 5-year equipment schedule in this example. | 5-year | $180,000 |
| Wash brushesThe rotating side brushes and overhead wash mitter are 5-year service equipment in this example. | 5-year | $170,000 |
| Water reclaim systemThe wash-water recovery tanks, filters and pumps are 5-year service equipment in this example. | 5-year | $145,000 |
| Conveyor and guide railsThe vehicle conveyor and its dedicated drive are 5-year service equipment in this example. | 5-year | $135,000 |
| DryersThe blower array and air nozzles are 5-year wash equipment in this example. | 5-year | $110,000 |
| Vacuum stationsThe vacuum producers, hoses and cleaning stations are 5-year service equipment in this example. | 5-year | $110,000 |
| Presoak and entry equipmentThe presoak applicators, entry sensors and dedicated controls are 5-year wash equipment in this example. | 5-year | $85,000 |
| Pay stations and gatesThe payment kiosks, readers and vehicle-control gates are 5-year service equipment in this example. | 5-year | $70,000 |
| Rinse and finish archesThe rinse, protective-finish and final-rinse applicators are 5-year wash equipment in this example. | 5-year | $65,000 |
| Illuminated sign face | 5-year | $35,000 |
| Glazed wash tunnelThe wash tunnel walls, shared staff-room wall and structural frame use the 15-year car-wash-building schedule in this example. | 15-year | $390,000 |
| Queue and vacuum pavingThe queue lanes and vacuum parking surfaces use the 15-year land-improvement schedule in this example. | 15-year | $320,000 |
| Wash building roof | 15-year | $175,000 |
| Vacuum shade canopiesThe permanent steel shade structures and foundations are conservatively treated as 15-year land improvements in this example. | 15-year | $149,000 |
| Tunnel floor and foundationThe tunnel floor and foundation use the 15-year car-wash-building schedule in this example. | 15-year | $90,000 |
| Attached staff roomThe staff room and restroom share the wash building wall and roof and use its 15-year schedule in this example. | 15-year | $86,000 |
| Curbs and site drainageThe curbs, surface drains and site stormwater system are 15-year land improvements in this example. | 15-year | $60,000 |
| Rear perimeter wallThe freestanding rear masonry boundary wall is a 15-year land improvement in this example. | 15-year | $45,000 |
| California planting bedsThe installed planting beds and irrigation are 15-year land improvements in this example. | 15-year | $35,000 |
| Site lightsThe pole lights and dedicated site-lighting circuits are 15-year land improvements in this example. | 15-year | $30,000 |
| Roadside sign pylonThe permanent roadside pylon and concrete footing are 15-year land improvements in this example. | 15-year | $15,000 |