Oklahoma man who bought a car wash collects his first full month of cash from the vending machine as he reveals exceptional profit he's set to make in first year

Buying a cash business can be a gamble, but one Oklahoma man says his investment in a vending machine at his car wash is paying off in more ways than one.

After installing a brand-new vending machine at his self-serve car wash, he collected his first full month’s earnings and shared the results online.

The vending machine wasn’t the biggest money maker on the property, but it added another steady income stream.

He also revealed the impressive profit he expects to make from the business during his second full year of ownership.

How much money does a car wash vending machine make?

Running a self-serve car wash means collecting cash from more than just the wash bays.

Stephen, an Oklahoma business owner who documents his operation on YouTube, recently emptied the coin boxes from his eight vacuum stations before moving on to his newest addition – a vending machine selling drinks, towels, and air fresheners.

The machine had only recently been installed, making this its first full month serving the car wash customers.

According to the owner, he acquired the vending machine through a trade for an old automatic car wash unit, estimating it would have cost around $8,000 brand new, but in theory, it was free.

When he opened the cash box, he found $73 in bills, with additional revenue coming from card payments that weren’t included in the cash total.

The air fresheners inside the machine also proved popular, bringing in another $18.75, although he admitted they were more of a convenience item than a major source of income.

Several of the best-selling scents, including Black Ice and Caribbean Colada, had already sold out by the time he made the collection.

One unexpected issue was customers trying to use the car wash tokens inside the vending machine, causing the coin acceptor to jam.

He said he had big plans to add signage explaining that the tokens can’t be used to buy products.

He has big plans for the next year of ownership

While the vending machine offered an encouraging start, it was only a small part of the overall business.

The owner’s eight vacuum-cleaning stations generated about $1,212 over roughly three weeks, with each vacuum typically bringing in between $200 and $225 per month.

He explained that he charges customers to use the vacuums, despite many nearby competitors offering them for free.

Instead, customers using his automatic wash receive tokens for complimentary vacuum time, which he says prevents people from using the vacuums without paying for a wash.

After adding the delayed vacuum collection to his monthly figures, he said his gross revenue for the period climbed past $20,000, beating the same month last year.

Looking ahead, he’s expecting the car wash to generate around $300,000 in revenue this year.

After expenses, he believes the business will return at least $120,000 in net profit, despite continuing to invest in upgrades and new equipment.

He also stressed that owning a self-serve car wash isn’t passive income, explaining that regular maintenance, repairs and restocking are all part of the job, even if it requires fewer hours than a traditional full-time role.

The YouTuber said he replaced much of the equipment himself after buying the business two years ago, helping reduce issues with things breaking down while improving reliability and profitability.