The Car Wash Fetish

I am a car person… it’s my father’s fault. When I was 15 (yes you get your learner’s permit in Philly at 15!) my father turned to me and said,

“Amy, if you want to learn how to drive, you will learn on stick or you won’t learn”

So I learned how to drive a 5 speed at 15. My first car was an 81’ Toyota Corolla. The stick shift was something out of a 70’s flick.  Picture below.

The greatest thing about learning to drive a stick shift is that I can drive any car in the world. I will never be the wife whose husband brings home a new 911 6 speed twin turbo and will not be able to drive it, NEVER!

With my passion for cars I have this weird fascination with car washes.  I have been to every car wash in a 30 mile radius. Yes I really have been.  I can tell you this: there are FEW and FAR car wash places that perform a superior job. So you ask, “What would qualify a superior job”?  My answer is below

1)   A FULL SERVICE CAR WASH

2)   A full service car wash should always start with a hand washing of the exterior of the car. Anyone who’s been through a mechanical car wash will know that only a hand wash that can get to all the dirt on the car.

3)   The wash itself is done by hand or by machines that use a soft-cloth application to avoid scratching

4)   The car is then hand-dried and vacuumed, its windows cleaned inside and out, its tires glossed and its dashboard and console wiped down.

5)   The mats are washed or vacuumed

6)   The cup holders are cleaned out

I cannot tell you how many times I have left a car wash and the windows and/or the console is still wet, there are still crumbs in the cup holders AND the seats are not cleaned. IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!

So with all that – its very hard (believe me) to find a car wash that goes far and above the “regular” job. But there is ONE out there. It’s worth the 20 minute drive. I have been there with half the NY football team. It’s the only car wash they will bring their blinged out Bentley for a true car wash.

Progressive Car Wash in Totowa is BY FAR the best car wash I have ever been to besides the one in northeast Philadelphia.  This place is AMAZING!!!!!!!! They literally spend 15-20 minutes drying your car. I have to tell you the hand cleaned windows and towel drying makes a huge difference. Car wash starts at $15.99 for regular package which INCLUDES:

• Hand Clean Windows
• Towel Dry
• Vacuum Interiors
• Free Under Carriage Cleaning
• Machine Clean Mats
• Wheel Brightener
• Forced Air Dry

They also have a Silver ($17.99), Gold ($21.99), Platinum ($23.99) and Platinum Plus ($27.99). Basically these add hot wax, armor all tires, triple coat polish wax and for the Plus you get RAIN-X Surface & wheels.

Look I am going to be honest with you, Totowa is far for some and most people just want a car that looks clean. So my  “go to” car wash when I don’t want to make the trip to Totowa is Summit Car wash – they also do a great job. I was pleasantly surprised to find my cup holders cleaned, my windows dried and my mats vacuumed.

So now that its spring – go get your car washed! I would love to hear your feedback on Progressive.