CAR WASH Pulse™ (formerly The Pulse Report™) Debuts Refreshed Brand; Q3 Shows Softer Retailer sentiment, Rising supplier optimism

Subscriptions remain resilient on low churn; consumer price satisfaction stabilizes as value messaging gains traction.

The International Carwash Association (ICA) today unveiled CAR WASH Pulse™, the refreshed identity and format for its flagship industry research (formerly The Pulse Report™), timed with the release of a special edition of CAR WASH Magazine dedicated to the association's research brand. The upgraded CAR WASH Pulse package emphasizes faster reads, clearer visuals, and punchier takeaways—arriving as Q3 data shows retailer sentiment weakening while supplier optimism improves significantly.

“Recent softening in retailer outlook isn’t a blip anymore—it’s a sustained trend running alongside steady consumer behavior,” said Bob Klein, ICA research director. “Consumers still want clean cars, quick service, and value. The data shows operators leaning into those fundamentals—and CAR WASH Pulse is now designed to make those signals impossible to miss.”

Q3 Highlights

• Customer experience is still king. Retailers rank friendliness, consistency, and memorable on-site experience as top priorities—with 25% of customers reporting they don’t feel valued.
• Price satisfaction steadies. Consumer price satisfaction aligns with value perception, up 2% vs. Q2, though below Q1 levels.
• Membership churn stays low. Uncertainty around renewals ticked up, but intent-to-cancel remains largely unchanged.
• Growth expectations cool. Despite a 4% increase in year-end growth projections, the double-digit forecasts seen from Q4-22 through Q2-24 have receded and stabilized. 

Beyond the industry lens, CAR WASH Pulse Q3 situates the findings within today’s macro backdrop, including consumer confidence, real retail spending, and how businesses are adapting to tariff and inflation uncertainty. The broad takeaway: sentiment may be bruised, but spending is still showing life—creating opportunity for operators who align value propositions with evolving customer priorities.

“As you read this issue, pinpoint what applies directly to your sites,” said James Risley, ICA research manager. “With the CAR WASH Pulse rebrand, we’re raising the bar on how we share data with ICA subscribers—delivering resilient, responsive reporting that mirrors the industry’s own pace.”

Get the full report every 90 days—plus every issue of CAR WASH Magazine—by subscribing for $120/year at carwash.org/join. 

About CAR WASH Pulse 
CAR WASH Pulse™ is ICA’s proprietary research brand, helping subscribers grow with timely consumer and industry data and actionable insights—now delivered in a clearer, quicker-to-use format inside CAR WASH Magazine™.