Free clean on offer at carwash launch

John Hudson, The Clean NZ Hawke's Bay owner, at the site of a new carwash on the corner of St Aubyn's St and Karamu Rd, Hastings. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hastings residents with dirty cars, trucks or even dogs will be able to give them a clean free of charge at a new car wash this month.

The Clean NZ Hawke's Bay owner John Hudson said the finishing touches were being put on his latest business venture: a large-scale, central car wash on the corner of St Aubyn St and Karamu Rd.

The "incredibly flexible" set-up would offer a variety of vehicle-cleaning services, including self-serve car washing, a valet service and even a dog wash.

Mr Hudson is the central North Island franchisee for the company, which has sites from Auckland to Dunedin.

"The bread and butter of it is going to be cars but the size of the bays mean they can hold dirty trail bikes, utes, large boats, medium-sized trucks - they have as broad a usage base as possible."

Customers using the self-serve car washing option could control how much money they spent.

"One of the attractions is it's a coin-driven system. You can spend $2 or $20, depending on how big or small your vehicle is and how dirty."

The Dunedin site was popular among taxi drivers, who spent $2 a day for a high-pressure rinse.

"It's 24 hours, any day of the week. If the kids are getting a bit much at home you can take your car out and clean it."

Mr Hudson said another incentive was the car wash's eco-friendly approach to wastewater.

"You'll use up to 60 per cent less water at one of our sites compared with somebody washing their car in their driveway.

"At home, all that residue goes into stormwater systems and ends up in rivers, lakes and the ocean."

From Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21, the business is running a promotion weekend, with free washes for all customers during office hours.

"It's a little different but we're keen to get as many people exposed to self-serving carwashes as possible."

The carwash will be opening its doors before the promotion, with tentative plans to kick off at the end of this week.

It's also running a competition on Facebook, where people who like and share its latest post will go in the draw for a year's free carwashing.

The new site is expected to create new jobs in Hawke's Bay, beginning with at least one full-time position as well as part-time positions.

Havelock North-based Mr Hudson is also the man behind Coastal Cowhides, which sells cowhide products to raise funds for his daughter, top New Zealand alpine ski racer Piera Hudson.

To find the carwash on Facebook, use the keywords: The Clean Carwash Hawke's Bay.