New Jersey full-service operator marks five years with $1M-plus in upgrades

Prestige Auto Spa, a family-owned full-service car wash and automotive care business in New Jersey, is marking five years under its current ownership with a record of reinvestment, staff promotion, and a second location. The company has put nearly $1 million into its Toms River facility since October 2021, according to reporting from Auto Laundry News.

Led by managing partner Jeff Kovatch and operating partner Jorge Mendoza, the business serves Ocean and Monmouth counties and has accumulated more than 4,100 Google reviews at an average of 4.9 stars. The Toms River site counts more than 1,600 monthly membership customers through its unlimited wash programs.

Reinvestment and a service-heavy model

Over five years, Prestige has overhauled its MacNeil tunnel with new brushes, updated chemical systems, upgraded blowers, and modern vacuum equipment. The work also included electrical improvements, flooring, lighting, signage, and customer amenities.

Rather than running an exterior-only express format, the company staffs a sizable team for interior vacuuming, window cleaning, detailing, and in-person service. Its menu extends well beyond washing to ceramic coatings, window tinting, oil changes, light mechanical work, headlight restoration, and care for luxury and exotic vehicles. Prestige also provides services to local police and fire departments, first responders, hospitals, municipal fleets, and federal agencies, and supports area charities and schools.

"Technology is constantly changing, and we're committed to staying ahead of it," Kovatch said, adding that a team that cares about customers is what sets the operation apart.

Promoting from within and expanding

Staff development is a central theme. Mendoza started as an hourly employee and became an equity partner within two years of Kovatch acquiring the business. General Manager Jeff Brooks began as an hourly cashier before moving into management after one year. Kovatch described watching an entry-level worker grow into leadership or partnership as one of the most rewarding parts of ownership.

The company expanded into Wayne, New Jersey, in September 2025, investing roughly $750,000 in renovations at the second site and bringing its service model to Passaic County. With two locations operating and preliminary talks underway about a possible third, Prestige is continuing to explore expansion.

Why it matters for operators

Prestige's story runs against the prevailing push toward low-labor express exterior models. The company bets on a labor-intensive, full-service format backed by heavy equipment reinvestment, and its 4.9-star rating across more than 4,100 reviews suggests the approach is landing with customers. For operators weighing format decisions, it is a reminder that full-service plus add-on automotive care can build a durable membership base, with over 1,600 monthly members at a single site.

The employee-advancement angle is equally practical. Turning hourly hires into managers and even equity partners is a retention tool that costs little beyond genuine opportunity, and it addresses one of the industry's persistent pain points: keeping skilled labor. Operators running service-heavy models depend on consistent staffing, so a visible path from cashier to leadership can pay off in both retention and service quality.

Finally, the reinvestment figures offer a useful benchmark. Nearly $1 million over five years at one site, and about $750,000 to bring a second location up to standard, show the capital commitment required to keep a full-service operation competitive as equipment and chemistry evolve.