Carwash communication

A carwash method for washing a vehicle for a customer at a carwash at a carwash location, the carwash includes a carwash bay and a carwash controller, the carwash being associated with a vendor computer system, the carwash method comprising:

• displaying on a customer digital system a representation of the carwash location, wherein the customer digital system includes a portable digital device that the customer has in the vehicle;
• driving the vehicle to the carwash location;
• displaying a plurality of carwash options on the customer digital system;
• selecting a desired carwash option from the plurality of carwash options, wherein selecting the desired carwash option involves the customer digital system;
• establishing a remote communication link between the customer digital system and the vendor computer system;
• establishing a local communication link between the customer and the carwash controller, wherein the local communication link is shorter than the remote communication link;
• communicating the desired carwash option from the customer digital system to the carwash controller using at least one of the remote communication link and the local communication link;
• communicating the desired carwash option from the customer digital system to the vendor computer system using at least one of the remote communication link and the local communication link;
• making an online Internet payment for the desired carwash option, wherein the online Internet payment involves the customer digital system, the vendor computer system and the remote communication link;
• via the local communication link, informing the carwash controller that the vehicle is in position to enter the carwash bay;
• the carwash controller determining whether the carwash bay is available to receive the vehicle;
• if the carwash controller determines the carwash bay is available to receive the vehicle, then subsequent to informing the carwash controller that the vehicle is in position to enter the carwash bay, at least one of the vendor computer system and the carwash controller inviting the vehicle to enter the carwash bay;
• the vehicle entering the carwash bay;
• and
• performing the carwash operation according to the desired carwash option, wherein the carwash operation includes washing the vehicle.