Abandoned Car Washes: Ryko Select-A-Wash

Located in Riverview, FL
Video of this wash in operation from 5 years ago: • Older Ryko Select-A-Wa...
This Ryko Select-A-Wash was one of the last remaining systems from my original videos. It has been over 5 years since I filmed this wash. A lot has happened in that timespan, and sadly, this wash will soon meet its demise.
Back in the early 2000s, Florida began seeing a boom in Radiant food stores paired with the Marathon gas stations. Ryko had been contracted with Radiant to install many new systems in bulk, including the Select-A-Wash, and Velvet Touch 2000. Ryko Select-A-Washes we’re the most commonly installed and could be found almost anywhere throughout South Florida. However, Rykos contract soon expired with Radiant, and since the early 2010s, many of these original systems have been either torn out or replaced due to their age. Another factor for this was owner neglect.
This Select-A-Wash on the other hand managed to survive and was most likely the last of its kind in operation in all of South Florida. It was very well taken care of and continued to operate for years. However, starting last year, the system began to see long periods of downtime and unreliability. It would be down for days on end, reopen for less than a day, and be back down not long after. It was a perpetuating cycle of constant downtime. But in mid 2022, not too long ago, the wash was finally closed. Although it is unknown what caused the closure, it is suspected to be due to either an onboard control being fried by a bad water leak, or a bad air compressor (which is the #1 cause of in-bay automatics being shut down for good). In addition, this system had been neglected for the final few years for its life.
What’s amazing is that not only does this system still have running water, it also has power! This system is not 100% abandoned, but it is highly likely to be either torn out and scrapped, or replaced with a brand new system. As of the recording of this video, the gas station has been shutdown, but there is still active work going on inside the convenience store. This site will most likely be rebranded and reopen as a new firm, but the future of this wash remains unknown.
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[@JadenLamb]

Wow that is so sad there was a 24hr car wash in Cape Coral that is abandoned off of pine Island Road and Nickolas

[@CarwashMan18]

Dang. Machine looks rough. A lot of the covers likely were removed by salvagers selling the stuff for scrap money. Thats a pretty rare machine to come across. Even has Neo-glide brushes instead of the foambrite.

[@ncautowashes2889]

I thought you stopped filming in-bays unless you found an extremely rare system.

[@FloridasExpressCarWashes]

This is one of my few exceptions. Select-A-Wash systems are rare, and are becoming more rare, and this wash is not operational.

[@johnsonnguyen2730]

@@FloridasExpressCarWashes ok so the abandoned car wash and the brush are dirty

[@axjohnny1517]

Somehow the pay station is still showing where the numbers would show when you enter the code

[@BloxburgHomeownerAssociation]

I seen this wash I did explore in there but didn’t record I do live close to river-view But I got some few abandoned car washes around my location

[@rcboattrailer]

looks like some elbow grease and cleaning that wash can be operational again in the future.

[@jarretstroud1842]

This is depressing. Ryko Select a Washes are my favorite car wash system ever and my favorite system made by Ryko. Seeing this model being rare is depressing and I hate seeing them being replaced, scrapped or abandoned.

[@CaliforniaCarWashes]

I can agree.

[@carwashconnoisseur7216]

Are the last operating Ryko R7B Ultracleans in the US are at Lube USA Willamette in Eugene, Silver Star Car Wash in North Miami & Howell Sunoco in Cumberland?

[@iamnotcola]

Yes but sadly the one at lube it USA in Eugene Oregon has neoglide brushes

[@CarwashReviewsFlorida]

I still happen to have a video unlisted of an outside view of this operational back in January of 2018.

[@insectscarwashesconcerts2000]

Upload it please I'd like to see it working.

[@jarretstroud1842]

Please upload it. I would love to watch it.

[@bpot1927]

usually when you see cmds, that means that a voyager was once here

[@gmodGod963]

do u work at or own a car wash

[@gradymcclintock6160]

The dryer looks like it's in better condition then the wash machine

[@CatFusionOFFICIAL]

Is there any reason it got abandoned?

[@daogreallilflameakafncsfaz760]

Dose it still work

[@bigburgerboi2005]

Obviously not

[@daogreallilflameakafncsfaz760]

@@bigburgerboi2005 you don't have to be mean

[@bigburgerboi2005]

@@daogreallilflameakafncsfaz760 I’m not at all, but if you look at the machine itself you can clearly tell it’s not operational

[@daogreallilflameakafncsfaz760]

@@bigburgerboi2005sorry

[@FrenchFryCheese04]

What happened though