Sectors · Sector

Car wash

1 breakdown and 6 tracked deals in this sector, compiled from public reporting.

Disclosed value counts only deals where a figure was made public. Most private equity transactions never are, so treat this as a floor, not a total.

The breakdowns

• Sep 19, 2026

  Who Owns America's Car Wash Chains and Why Is Private Equity Buying?

  Build costs, membership revenue and the real deal figures behind the car wash roll-up — including Mister Car Wash's $3.1 billion take-private and the ZIPS bankruptcy.

Who is buying

The deals

1. 2014

   Mister Car Wash

   Investment · Leonard Green and Partners

   CompletedCleary Gottlieb — Mister Car Wash's $3.1 Billion Take-Private
2. 2021

   Mister Car Wash

   IPO (New York Stock Exchange) · Leonard Green and Partners

   ExitedCleary Gottlieb — Mister Car Wash's $3.1 Billion Take-Private
3. 2025-02

   ZIPS Car Wash

   Bankruptcy filing (Chapter 11)

   BankruptMore than 260 locations across 23 statesMMCG Invest — U.S. Car Wash Chains: Performance, Differentiation, and Investment Landscape
4. 2026-02$3.1B

   Mister Car Wash

   Take-private · Leonard Green and Partners

   AgreedAround 550 locationsCleary Gottlieb — Mister Car Wash's $3.1 Billion Take-Private
5. date t.b.c.$385M

   Take 5 Car Wash locations

   Acquisition · Oaktree Capital

   CompletedRoughly 380 locationsMergr — Oaktree Capital Management and Alvarez & Marsal Capital Acquire Whistle Express Car Wash
6. date t.b.c.$850M

   Quick Quack Car Wash

   Minority stake · KKR

   CompletedMMCG Invest — U.S. Car Wash Chains: Performance, Differentiation, and Investment Landscape

Compiled from public reporting. Not investment advice.