fpena944

I'm in Hudson county and I'm having an impossible time finding a self-service car wash close to me! I don't want to take my car to one of the "full service" places because I'm scared they'll scratch not only the paint but also the plastic rear window.

But upon searching the yellow pages, Yahoo, and the online yellowpages.com directory, I cannot find any that are closer than 40 miles away.

Any ideas? My car needs a bath...

bf95cab

Theres a hand wash place in Fort Lee, i think on Palisades ave just near where it intersects Lemoine avenue (a couple blocks from the GWB). I haven't used them, but i hear they're good.
I'd include a link to a mapquest map, but don't know how.

Z-man

I have my car dry cleaned in the winter! (Joke).

There are two auto-cleaners that I know won't scratch my car: in Montvale, by my work where we take our company cars (Mercedes-Benz), and a place at home. (Wayne). I found them by taking my Subaru commuter car to them and being satisfied with their service.

Hope this helps!
-Z.

MadMax

Fpena,
I too have this concern here in Maryland. I live in a Condo (where they turn off the outside water spickets during the winter) so I cannot wash my car. Never take your Cabriolet through an automatic carwash. It will likely scratch your rear window plus, the soaps and spray waxes they use are all over the rotating chamois material that beats your car clean. Not to mention the high pressure water that will be sprayed on the top and window seals.

You will have to find a place that either does a hand wash or hand wash it yourself.

Good luck. I haven't been able to find anyone around here that does a true "handwash."

Max

Tremelune

It won't get the underside, but a big bucket of warm water and a smallish towel go far when there's no other option. I usually wait until it goes above freezing, crack the hose a bit, spray the car down (making sure to nail the underside and wheel wells), then just wipe it off. If I'm feeling crazy, I'll break out the warm bucket and sponge.

Damian in NJ

I use Jackson's, on Rt 22E in Union. They have 8 huge garage bays, and you pull in and one guy will go over your car. It's $12, and I tip my guy a ten spot. Some people tip a buck, but my car looks like its getting detailed every time I visit. I do bring my own car soap and wheel cleaner, as the commercial stuff they use will take wax off fast. Ask for Ronnie (tall skinny guy) and tell him I sent you. Highly recommended. Ask anyone how my car looks.

Chris_924s

Hmm water??
I know , it stinks, too cold to wash it here. I'll wash mine in my garage (unheated) doing small patches at a time.. I can detail it at the same time. takes a long time tho..

Global warming my a$$.......

Dave

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Damian in NJ:
<strong>I use Jackson's, on Rt 22E in Union. They have 8 huge garage bays, and you pull in and one guy will go over your car. It's $12, and I tip my guy a ten spot. Some people tip a buck, but my car looks like its getting detailed every time I visit. I do bring my own car soap and wheel cleaner, as the commercial stuff they use will take wax off fast. Ask for Ronnie (tall skinny guy) and tell him I sent you. Highly recommended. Ask anyone how my car looks.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">It looks like he had it detailed first so it would look good on the way to the car wash!

Dave

Oh yeah, if by "self service" you mean one of those places that you pull in and stick quarters in the slot to make the hose work, there's one in Kenilworth (~15 miles) a block west of the GSP, exit 138. For me it's on my way home from work, so I pull in every few days to just rinse the bulk of the crap off.

Damian in NJ

Thanks for the kind words, Dave. There is another self spray washomat in on Valley Road, in Stirling, NJ. This is a nice country drive about five minutes off RT 78W about 20 miles west of Newark Airport.

J Berk

fpena944

There's one ( Touchless Carwash I think) on Rt 46 West in South Hackensack....about a mile south of the Little Ferry Circle...just before Teterboro airport.

If I recall ( from the Hoboken daze) there used to be a decent hand wash near the firehouse on the south side of town....Observer Highway I think?

Chris_924s

You NJ guys.. i swear. I'm originally from Newark, and if i remember right my grandfather NEVER washed his 72 LeMans.. besides it was a piece of crap when he got done with it..

BTW- is Jimmy Buff's still around? Taylor pork roll??

J Berk

Jimmy Buff's is still there...never been myself but my wife's cousin talks about it all the time......by the way...Newark...ever go to Ed's hotdog truck? That was an essential part of my college meal plan ( NJIT )

Dave

Tried Jimmy Buff's once, wasn't impressed.

fpena944

Hello all,

Yeah actually what I meant was one of those drive in, stick in a bunch of quarters, and you wash it yourself. I am surprised there's not any that are closer to me. Oh well, new place - new way of doing things.

I'll check out some of the hand-washing places you all mentioned and see which one is best. The one by the firehouse is still there...Looks kinda small though but at least it's close to Domino's if I need to grab lunch.