# Monthly Car Wash Pass



## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

I signed up today for a month's pass at my local car wash. It includes unlimited washes for $29.95. If I renew it's $24.95/mo after that. It's a basic exterior wash and dry. No wax, no wheels. Do you think this is a good package? The price for a single wash is $6.00.

I figure I can do a daily wipe down of the interior and vacuum as needed myself.


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## limepro (Mar 7, 2015)

Are vacuums included? Here it is $20 unlimited wash and vacuum.


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## texasm203 (Oct 27, 2015)

For $30 not bad. I need to wash my truck due to all the rain here, but at $8 a wash it gets pricey. You'll have the only clean car on the road after it rains.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

Stop on over, I'll drag out a hose, bucket - o' - soapy water, a shop vac and some glass cleaner for $3 - half the price of a carwash and it will look better my way.

Passengers reach out and touch the window because they can't see it, I'm constantly wiping off fingerprints.


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## limepro (Mar 7, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> Stop on over, I'll drag out a hose, bucket - o' - soapy water, a shop vac and some glass cleaner for $3 - half the price of a carwash and it will look better my way.
> 
> Passengers reach out and touch the window because they can't see it, I'm constantly wiping off fingerprints.


Even if you managed to finish in 15 minutes you are at $12 before expenses if you do 4 an hour, I hope you value yourself more than that.


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## sidewazzz (Jun 30, 2015)

I did it for my SUV but not the car.


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## HotRodriguez75 (Oct 16, 2015)

Which car wash? I have been looking for one and am hesitant to say $24.95 is a good deal since it is only includes a wash. If they had vacuums available for a quick vacuum, I would be all over it.

When I started looking around, I found a couple of places that offered monthly washes, but all did not have vacuums available onsite and wanted to charge $6-8 to vacuum. A couple raised the price from what was on there website.

I currently use Car Spa in Farmers Branch/Addison. I have them do a weekly clean/vacuum package for $16.99. Depending on the monthly special I typically use that coupon per week. This month, they are offering 35% off of there details service (Seat Shampoo, Floors/Mats, interior detail) for about $20 each. I had the Seats and Floors this month. Some months it's $5 on the wash/detail package. As we all frequent car washes, I have never left this place disappointed. I also have them change my oil as well. $59 for synthetic blend.

Then for the quick washes, I will typically run the local car wash and do a quick wash and vacuum for $3 (20 minutes) or if time does not allow, I will pay the $5-6 to drive through real quick.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

HotRodriguez75 , $3 for a wash and vacuum? Wow. Are you talking about a coin-operated place?


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

limepro said:


> Are vacuums included? Here it is $20 unlimited wash and vacuum.


I believe that 5-minutes of self-vacuuming comes with each wash. I've got to check that.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

HotRodriguez75 said:


> Which car wash?


It's Carmel Car Wash. They have really crappy reviews on Google but I think that's from people who are used to a higher quality of service. I get much better service at my other car wash, but I pay $10.99 for a basic wash there.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Coachman said:


> HotRodriguez75 , $3 for a wash and vacuum? Wow. Are you talking about a coin-operated place?


Hahaha!!! He's talking about saving a bunch of money by doing it yourself. $360 / year is a good chunk of money to spend when you can wash a car for years with just a little out of pocket.

Personally I never understood the car wash thing. Just do it at home for pennies a wash.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> Hahaha!!! He's talking about saving a bunch of money by doing it yourself. $360 / year is a good chunk of money to spend when you can wash a car for years with just a little out of pocket.
> 
> Personally I never understood the car wash thing. Just do it at home for pennies a wash.


^^^^^^^^^^^^
Cuts his own hair for pennies a year.


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## borrowedtune (May 7, 2015)

I pay $15 per month for unlimited washes. Probably a price war going on between the 2 car washes in town.

The downside is just today they scratched my car real bad. I finally got the owner to say he'll pay for the repair at an auto body shop but I'm skeptical how this is going to play out.


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

Coachman said:


> ^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Cuts his own hair for pennies a year.


Is in his mid thirties and has no hair!


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## HotRodriguez75 (Oct 16, 2015)

Coachman said:


> HotRodriguez75 , $3 for a wash and vacuum? Wow. Are you talking about a coin-operated place?


Thanks Coachman! I will check out Carmel. If it includes vacuums and I can find a decent location, $25 is a good deal. And yes I do coin operated and to keep my car maintained with simply a quick wash, vacuum, or both.

Uber Kraus . I am talking about balancing out a job and maintaining a clean vehicle. This is all about having the time, which I work 40+ hours a week plus Uber 20 - 30 hours. $16.99 every 2-3 days is not feasible. $16.99 a thorough cleaning plus a couple $3.00 time/money saving washes/vacuums that takes 15 - 20 minutes is doable on my lunch break and works for me. I am completely aware of my overhead and expenses and understand how much it costs to wash at home.

We have two jokers here (cough....trolls). Just sharing what I do and what works for me. Thanks for the feedback!


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

HotRodriguez75 said:


> Thanks Coachman! I will check out Carmel. If it includes vacuums and I can find a decent location, $25 is a good deal. And yes I do coin operated and to keep my car maintained with simply a quick wash, vacuum, or both.
> 
> Uber Kraus . I am talking about balancing out a job and maintaining a clean vehicle. This is all about having the time, which I work 40+ hours a week plus Uber 20 - 30 hours. $16.99 every 2-3 days is not feasible. $16.99 a thorough cleaning plus a couple $3.00 time/money saving washes/vacuums that takes 15 - 20 minutes is doable on my lunch break and works for me. I am completely aware of my overhead and expenses and understand how much it costs to wash at home.
> 
> We have two jokers here (cough....trolls). Just sharing what I do and what works for me. Thanks for the feedback!


 I am not trolling. We spend a lot of time discussing ways to minimize our out of pocket expenses on this forum and that's exactly what we are doing here. If you spend $30 a month for a car wash pass you can consider that roughly 10 to 14 minimum fare trips (depending on your market rates) which will take most drivers anywhere from 3 to 6 hours or more to complete (depending on ride requests, etc..). It takes maybe 10 minutes to hand wash your car.

Personally I would rather spend the time not driving people around and washing my own car. This has a number of benefits including less wear and tear on the automobile, less money to the IRS at the end of the year, less overhead including gas and more time at home.

I understand that carwashes are more convenient for some people especially if you live in an apartment complex. At the end of the day though I think it would be a hard case to prove that buying a monthly car wash pass saves you time or money versus doing it at home.

If you are driving select or black the numbers are obviously much different.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

Coachman said:


> I signed up today for a month's pass at my local car wash. It includes unlimited washes for $29.95. If I renew it's $24.95/mo after that. It's a basic exterior wash and dry. No wax, no wheels. Do you think this is a good package? The price for a single wash is $6.00.
> 
> I figure I can do a daily wipe down of the interior and vacuum as needed myself.


If you drive primarily at night, you can get by with a couple car washes a month, but be sure to keep the windows clean. That's the biggest tell of all, not the dirt on the paint.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

Between car washes, which I try to avoid, (but can't in the winter) I spray a mixture of water and dish detergent in an old Windex bottle all over the car. Two drops of Dove in a quart of water does the trick for about a half a penny per wash and 15 minutes of my time. I don't even turn the app off, if it pings, I'll finish later. I'm not missing a fare just to sparkle the car a bit. 

Hose it down and squeegee the windows. Wipe the windows on the inside also. That rear passenger window is most important. You want them to have a hard time seeing it. The back of the car after a rain is going to be dirty - might have to get your hands wet and wipe down everything aft of the doors if you want to avoid a car wash fee. 

Leather cleaner on a cotton towel, even if your seats are vinyl, smells really nice and keeps the interior clean & "cozy". Cloth seats should be LIGHTLY sprayed with something like Febreeze.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> Between car washes, which I try to avoid, (but can't in the winter) I spray a mixture of water and dish detergent in an old Windex bottle all over the car. Two drops of Dove in a quart of water does the trick for about a half a penny per wash and 15 minutes of my time. I don't even turn the app off, if it pings, I'll finish later. I'm not missing a fare just to sparkle the car a bit.
> 
> Hose it down and squeegee the windows. Wipe the windows on the inside also. That rear passenger window is most important. You want them to have a hard time seeing it. The back of the car after a rain is going to be dirty - might have to get your hands wet and wipe down everything aft of the doors if you want to avoid a car wash fee.
> 
> Leather cleaner on a cotton towel, even if your seats are vinyl, smells really nice and keeps the interior clean & "cozy". Cloth seats should be LIGHTLY sprayed with something like Febreeze.


After each night of driving, I spray the seats with Febreze with Gain scent and then crack the windows. By the time Junior gets in the car in the morning for school or baseball there's no trace of the smelly drunks or the heavily perfumed maidens I ferried to a fro just hours earlier.


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## UberMeansSuper (Aug 3, 2015)

Yup, I got a $19.99/mo. car wash pass at my local car wash. Totally worth it. Vacuums included, and I get the $6 car wash (the cheapest is $3, most expensive is $12). It's pretty good, comes with standard soap + tire clean + spot free rinse + dry. No one needs the wax or the RainX if I can just wash it again later in the week (or day). Sometimes I don't even wait for it to get dirty, just run it through it again.

Plus I get a kick out of breezing through the gate while the sucker behind me has to pull out his/her credit card, select a car wash, yada-yada-yada. I'm halfway through the car wash by the time they're done printing a receipt.


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## ray cash (Oct 22, 2015)

Ya i just got a car wash pass for $ 19.98/month I think it it going to work out good for me I can wash the car as much as i want and use the self serve Vac too.


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## Skinny1 (Sep 24, 2015)

I've washed my car 3 times in 200 trips. Rubber mats are A+


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

You lucky bastard. Only choice i have, is to purchase 3 car washes and get 1 free.


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## wk1102 (Dec 25, 2015)

ray cash said:


> Ya i just got a car wash pass for $ 19.98/month I think it it going to work out good for me I can wash the car as much as i want and use the self serve Vac too.


In psl? What place?


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## Silverado15 (Sep 16, 2015)

35.00 unlimited for truck 25.00 unlimited for car truck gets more options.


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## bluewarrior7 (Dec 17, 2015)

This ones in west palm beach florida

24.95 a month


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

The carwash that offers unlimited monthly washes in Indianapolis has set the price at 3 washes, so if you wash your car once a week, it's a bargain vs. paying $8 each time.

In the dead of winter, it makes sense. I don't wash my car in the driveway when it's below 30f. However, I end up washing the car at the competitor's carwash once a week for the same monthly price ($6 each, Crew charges $8, or unlimited for $25) and I don't have the hassle of trying to get them to stop billing my credit card. 

Problem is, once they have your cc#, they keep charging it. The first time a month goes by and you've only washed the car twice, you feel stupid. A mechanical wash is not the same as a driveway wash - it misses certain places and leaves water spots behind. Windows never get as clean as I like them. I still have to clean the interior glass and leather anyway. 

I don't think it's worth it. Go on vacation and you're out of town for 10 days out of that month, right? Have a minor accident and while your car is in the body shop for two weeks, are you going to wash a rental car? Can you even ride share with a rental car that's not the same as the picture on the app? (yes, but you have to explain to each pax why it's a different car and you risk them reporting you to the TNC)

I'd rather delay the car wash until the door handles look dirty, and see if I can "get by" with two or three washes a month, rather than feel obligated to wash the car twice a week whether it needs it or not. 

I'm not sure how the clear coat holds up to too many mechanical washes with that heavy duty detergent.


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## TRW (Nov 18, 2015)

Local car wash has a monthly unlimited car wash (max 2 washes per day) program from $26. 
Free use of vacuum, this is a no brainier.


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## Coachman (Sep 22, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> Problem is, once they have your cc#, they keep charging it. The first time a month goes by and you've only washed the car twice, you feel stupid.


No. What made me feel stupid was when my card was being charged $30/mo for a gym membership and I didn't use it once in sixth months.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

Coachman said:


> No. What made me feel stupid was when my card was being charged $30/mo for a gym membership and I didn't use it once in sixth months.


For Sale: The world's oldest unused Soloflex - in my basement. Don't expect me to help you lift it out to your truck.


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## wk1102 (Dec 25, 2015)

Coachman said:


> No. What made me feel stupid was when my card was being charged $30/mo for a gym membership and I didn't use it once in sixth months.


My wife pays for a gym membership, drives there and then uses the treadmil.

She could get a better workout cleaning off the one she bought 5 years ago.


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## PTUber (Sep 16, 2015)

DieselkW said:


> Stop on over, I'll drag out a hose, bucket - o' - soapy water, a shop vac and some glass cleaner for $3 - half the price of a carwash and it will look better my way.
> 
> Passengers reach out and touch the window because they can't see it, I'm constantly wiping off fingerprints.


You're not dragging your hose out here in Minnesota!


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## Jared Wallace (Dec 16, 2015)

I have an unlimited pass from Wash and Roll, cost me 35 a month, includes hand dry and hand wheel/tire detail, max of one per day. Also includes unlimited vacuum, unlimited compressed air (they have a hose and a nozzle for blowing shit outta vents and what not), and unlimited windex/armor-all(generic, but smells nice), and towels for both.

I usually wash it every couple of days, every day if driving. The unlimited vacuums are lifesavers, and the windex/armor-all keep the glass and interior clean and smelling wonderful.

Even with a 2 dollar tip, it's worth it to me not to have to make time each evening to wash it myself. My time is more valuable.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Coachman said:


> I signed up today for a month's pass at my local car wash. It includes unlimited washes for $29.95. If I renew it's $24.95/mo after that. It's a basic exterior wash and dry. No wax, no wheels. Do you think this is a good package? The price for a single wash is $6.00.
> 
> I figure I can do a daily wipe down of the interior and vacuum as needed myself.


I do Soapy Joe's in San Diego for $25 per month, for unlimited washes, they put a sticker on your car and you just drive through, no going to a pay a clerk.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

PTUber said:


> You're not dragging your hose out here in Minnesota!


 Well not NOW, I wrote that months ago.


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## TRW (Nov 18, 2015)

Skinny1 said:


> I've washed my car 3 times in 200 trips. Rubber mats are A+


s

I bought a set of Weathertech mats for my Forester with no regrets as to the cost.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

TRW said:


> s
> 
> I bought a set of Weathertech mats for my Forester with no regrets as to the cost.


I know that if I lived in a snowy, slushy climate that I'd have WeatherTech mats, too. Best way to protect carpet.


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## bluewarrior7 (Dec 17, 2015)

I think in general there a good investment


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

TRW said:


> s
> 
> I bought a set of Weathertech mats for my Forester with no regrets as to the cost.


No regret as far as the cost, but my car is black on black, and my only color choices were grey or brown two years ago. They fit great, they hold water, they just call attention to themselves as the only "not black" part of the car.

I see recently they added a black choice... there goes another $200


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Uber Kraus said:


> less money to the IRS at the end of the year


Car washes are deductible. Not sure where you send less?



DieselkW said:


> Hose it down and squeegee the windows.


Walmart has a yellow "squeegee" towel that is fantastic. It is better than a squeegee and you can wipe down a windshield 3-4 seconds per side. It's doesn't soak up much water at all, it really does squeegee it off. It's light like a microfiber but rougher. It's amazing.


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## DieselkW (Jul 21, 2015)

Much better avatar RamzFanz - I couldn't look at the old one and not think.... "is this a picture of a real guy?"


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## Uber Kraus (Jun 10, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> Car washes are deductible. Not sure where you send less?
> 
> Walmart has a yellow "squeegee" towel that is fantastic. It is better than a squeegee and you can wipe down a windshield 3-4 seconds per side. It's doesn't soak up much water at all, it really does squeegee it off. It's light like a microfiber but rougher. It's amazing.


Meaning, you have to pay taxes on all the extra rides you do to cover the car wash charges.


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## uberjulio (Jul 7, 2015)

Coachman said:


> I signed up today for a month's pass at my local car wash. It includes unlimited washes for $29.95. If I renew it's $24.95/mo after that. It's a basic exterior wash and dry. No wax, no wheels. Do you think this is a good package? The price for a single wash is $6.00.
> 
> I figure I can do a daily wipe down of the interior and vacuum as needed myself.


NJ $ 15 
108 US-46,Little Ferry, NJ 07643
njcarwash.com


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