Big Red Express Car Wash opening this fall

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

The Big Red Express Car Wash is under construction at RM 2222 near RM 620 and is slated to open this fall offering the latest in car washing technology.

“We’ll probably open at the end of September or beginning of October,” said Tom Sesny, manager of the independent car wash at 11213 RM 2222.

The wash will feature a tunnel with a conveyor belt system where the whole floor will move the vehicle forward while the washing goes on. There will be driers at the end of the tunnel to dry the car and vacuums on-site.

The tunnel will hold up to five cars at any one time and there will be no rails, which Sesny said can damage tires.

“It will be a quick wash, less than three minutes,” Sesny said. “It will be a lot faster than anything else in town.”

Big Red Express Car Wash will open by this fall offering a wash that takes less than three minutes.  Photo by Lynette Haaland

Big Red Express Car Wash will open by this fall offering a wash that takes less than three minutes.
Photo by Lynette Haaland

There will be four levels of wash from the basic, priced at $8, to the top wash costing $20, which includes a full wax and tire shine. Monthly packages will range from $20 to $50 per vehicle.

Big Red Express is located next to Jiffy Lube and will share the same driveway. The November 19 City of Austin Zoning and Platting Commission Hill Country Roadway site plan states that the site was granted alternative equivalent compliance for building its entryway not facing the street.

The previous owners of the site had plans to make it into a car wash since 1999 but it never happened and they sold it, Sesny said. “We were looking for a place to go.”

The new Big Red Express facility will be 6,230-square-feet, taking up approximately 8 percent of the 1.9 acre site.

The site will have a total of 52 percent of impervious cover, where rainfall cannot be absorbed, including the building, a road, parking lot and sidewalk

The site was approved for a car wash in 1999, days before rules changed on how much impervious cover was allowed with the Hill Country Roadway Corridor code, Sesny said. This site was grandfathered in allowing a maximum of 60 percent impervious coverage, or it would not be possible to build a wash there now because impervious cover today is closer to 20 percent on a site like that, he added.

Big Red Express’ owner also opened Intense 22 Fitness nearly three years ago at 3600 N. Capital of Texas Hwy in the Bee Cave area.

Sesny said that they will be sending out specials and promotions prior to opening and those interested can go to www.bigredexpresscarwash.com.