There’s a new car wash in town… Named $3 car wash. It peaked my interest. I have a car, it was dirty. Really dirty like four wheeling dirty. Except of course I don’t go four wheeling, technically, I do I guess. I drive, it has 4 wheels… and the parking lot I leave my car in daily is gravel and has giant holes that nearly swallow the car if hit just right, or drench the vehicle in gravely inkspot shaped sludge. So yes, it always needs a bath.
I have driven by the new car wash numerous times since it opened, observed the layout but never went in..until yesterday. The car wash itself is a beautiful brick and red metal building, as you drive in the parking lot, there are clearly marked lanes and to the left are arched pieces of red metal, it’s a perk trust me.
I proceed up the driveway and then it’s the point of no return, I am at the gate, and Disneyland pops into my head for some reason, or maybe John Candy saying ” Sorry folks the park is closed”, but I digress.
I mostly popped in because I wanted to see what this $3 car wash was all about. I feared there was a catch and it couldn’t be real. I pulled up and a face appears on the screen an begins to talk to me. Very Jetson’s. I review my options and yes there is indeed a “light wash” for $3. I am a skeptic and decide it will be no good on my tough grime, so I opt for the mid range $7 wash. These are the low-end options, there are some others. I turn back to my purse and am grabbing my cash. When I turn back to feed the face on the screen my cash, there is a young guy standing next to the car ready to insert my money for me, because I shouldn’t have to lean over 7 inches and do it myself. I know..customer service. He is very nice and does his job, suggests a higher price wash, I say no, $7 is fine.
He wishes me a good day and disappears, not sure where maybe there is a trapdoor next to my car. The bar lifts (think toll booth on the highway) and I round the corner heading to the wash. I pull up to the spot where I am to begin my wash, there is a groove for the left tires to glide in and another mystery attendant appears to my left. He mouths something I can’t understand, so I roll down the window (who does that in a car wash?!) and he shouts “neutral, put the car in neutral” I comply.
The journey begins, just like a ride, Jurassic Park comes to mind. As I slowly make my way through the wash, watching the huge red oversized mop things, gently slap my car, they seem to hug it actually, slowly working up and over, rinse and repeat. The final washing step is to wax the car with “Clear Coat” , but I didn’t order the clear coat ( who has seen Fargo?) None the less it is part of the $7 wash. The final step is the air dry process of the car, as you look up you see these squares of fire. I can’t look away, I don’t know what they are for, but I like the way they look, and they dry my car.
As you approach the end of your ride, it simply says “Go Go” and you exit the building. I opted to go left and check out the curved red things I saw on my way in. I slide my car into the parking spot and get out. These are free vacuums , that’s right I said free. They have fairly good suction and they are free! After I vacuum my car, I inspect the wash job. There is one crucial spot on my car that most drive through car washes NEVER get clean. The back or hatchback of my car is flat and it is always left dirty by drive through car washes. Clean as a whistle, shiny too, must be the clearcoat.
I am happy with the product, my car looks great. Next time I will try the $3 wash. But this car wash is amazing, reminiscent of the car washes of old. I remember going to one when I was a kid that was very similar to this in style. Except I think we exited the car and watched it get washed from behind a glass window, safe from the suds.
And for you pet lovers, they also have a pet wash. A two for one.
So if your car gets into a fight with some mud, check out the clear coat.
Until Next Time,
Lj
Eclectic Energy 