B1 Bullsone CarCare, Carpos open first joint store in Busan, targeting 250 locations nationwide

B1 Bullsone CarCare and the Korea Automobile Specialized Maintenance Business Association (Carpos) announced Thursday they will open their first combined car wash and repair store in Busan.

The two companies will officially launch the store — B1 CarCare Busan Seo-gu Gudeok — on Saturday, marking the first tangible outcome of an MOU the two sides signed in March. The venture aims to convert existing repair shops into integrated car care hubs offering washing, detailing and consumables replacement, offsetting declining demand for internal combustion engine maintenance as electric vehicle adoption grows.

The Gudeok store features vehicle lifts installed in its wash bays, allowing customers to receive premium detailing alongside light maintenance — including engine oil changes, brake pad replacements and wiper swaps — in a single visit. The facility is also equipped with specialized detailing lights to detect swirl marks and water spots on painted surfaces, wheel-cleaning equipment and an interior carpet washer.

The two companies plan to combine Carpos's national network of roughly 17,000 repair shops with B1 Bullsone CarCare's car wash and detailing expertise to present a new business model suited to the transition to electric vehicles.

The store will also link with automaker membership programs — including Genesis Privilege, Hyundai Blue Members and Kia Members — as well as mobile carrier membership schemes. A dedicated app for booking washes and consumables replacements, along with an online voucher purchase system, is also set to launch.

"The opening of the Gudeok store is more than just the start of a single location — it is the first step toward shaping the future of the repair industry together," said Kim Ok-su, chief executive of B1 Bullsone CarCare. "We will continue to provide full support so that this new business model combining car washing and repair becomes a new standard for the car care industry, and leads to positive change that both Carpos members and customers can feel."