Self Serve Car Washes...not popular in NOVA (Burke, Chantilly: apartment complex, house)

[cdmurphy]

I go to Sam's on 234 in Manassas.

[Annie53]

Originally Posted by NOVAinfoseeking

Haha PK12...I'm not trying to bash people here at all! I hope that didn't come across that way. As I said, where I grew up we have tons of them and they're always busy..that's just what I'm used to. I like to do it myself b/c I can get any tough spots with the brush, use extra soap, clean my tires etc. I also like being able to vacuum and clean it out myself. I don't want anyone else to have to pick up my dirty sock that somehow ended up under my seat...how did that get there?! I was merely curious as to the lack of them here and if it's something people are/would be interested in using!

Here in Ohio they are everywhere and that is all I ever use...... for all of the reasons you mentioned....and the cost. Much cheaper than automated washes...... I can do a better job for less money.

Also.....the last time I went through a car wash that cleaned the car for you.....about 20 years ago.....they stole the change I keep by the ashtray.

I don't want to have to strip the car of every teeny, tiny, little thing that could be stolen every time the car needs washed.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by jmking

There is one off of Sydenstricker Rd just off the FC Parkway. Its on a gas station lot.

you mentioned this before. There is no gas station on or off of Sydenstricker. There is one on Gambrill at the Sunoco, but that is automated, not one where you can get out and wash it yourself. Many gas stations have automated washes.

[lqda4]

There is one just off Rt 1 right outside Fort Belvoir (Tulley gate). The one on Belvoir is probably the best.

[jmking]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

you mentioned this before. There is no gas station on or off of Sydenstricker. There is one on Gambrill at the Sunoco, but that is automated, not one where you can get out and wash it yourself. Many gas stations have automated washes.

What exit is it to that Sunoco? Anyway I believe I pumped gas there and I saw wands one uses to wash the car through the glass windows inside along the wall? If its automated, I'll give it try.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by jmking

What exit is it to that Sunoco? Anyway I believe I pumped gas there and I saw wands one uses to wash the car through the glass windows inside along the wall? If its automated, I'll give it try.

It's the Gambrill/Sydenstricker exit, but you don't take Sydenstricker to get to the station. It's on Gambrill, but I don't think it's any different than any other gas station car wash.

[bornindc]

Originally Posted by weezycom

It's a function of the high price of real estate around here. It costs so much to buy or lease the land and the pay the property taxes that -- once you add on the liability insurance, maintenance, protection from vandalism, etc. -- the self-serve washes don't generate enough profit to make it a worthwhile investment. If you could plunk down a drive-thru McD's or a self-wash on the same piece of ground, as the land owner, which would you pick?

I think Weezy is correct. I travel around the area quite a bit and the self-serve car washes are pretty sparse in Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery. You will find some of them in less-expensive or farther out areas like PG, PW and Charles Counties. And then in rural areas it seems like every little town has one or several. In rural areas and in other states like Ohio, West Virginia etc. where land is $2/acre (yes I'm exaggerating) they are probably big money-makers. So it likely is as Weezy posits, where land is expensive, they are simply not economically viable. A full-service car wash costs more and makes more money I'm sure, allowing them to make economic sense here.

I grew up around here and always have just done it at my house using the hose and my own car wash stuff, with an occasional visit to a drive-thru car wash for convenience (especially in the winter as I'm not into freezing my water pipes).

[scottfs]

I don't usually use car washes around here much because I will usually wash the car myself in my driveway. I will go through one a few times in the winter if the hose is really frozen. But otherwise I deal with the cold and do it myself

I used the coin-op DIY ones when I was in Arizona a couple of times. What I really didn't like was the quarters only allowed the equipment to run for a couple of minutes at a time, and I have a large vehicle. So I was rushing around like a maniac trying to finish in time not doing as good a job as I would have liked. I'd rather just have the automatic wash take care of it.

[wilsonct]

Odd, anyone know why that's the case? Very curious. I know there's a ton in MD so wondering what makes VA different?

[Fundman]

Probably because washing their car is something that most people do maybe once every six months or never. If you are doing it so infrequently it makes more sense to just pay the extra couple dollars and not have to get wet and dirty. The men who detail their car once a week are probably going to want to do it at home anyway. Maybe the self service places are more common in low income areas where people live in apartments and don't have access to hoses.

Originally Posted by wilsonct

Odd, anyone know why that's the case? Very curious. I know there's a ton in MD so wondering what makes VA different?