Self-serve Car Wash in Northern Virginia?

[gwstud]

Thanks for the information, smpol19. Honestly, it`s really hard to find a place to wash your car in DC or NOVA. If anyone lives close to Maryland or doesn`t feel bother to go there. Try Flagship carwash. They have tunnel wash and also self-wash service, too. I went to the one in North Bethesda, it has 8 bays there. Link to the map

[imported_adec]

I know this is an old thread but...

I`ve used sweet water in sterling, definitely does have coin operated bays to wash your own. Brought all my goodies and even clayed and applied my Zaino in the bay. Also, heard of few others in Mannasas. I have never heard of nor seen any car wash places, where you can wash your own car, in any other part of northern va. If I`m wrong, please correct me.

[saab93]

I`ve been going to the one at Lee Highway & Blake Lane for the past 3 months. Its a real pain in the a*s because there are only two bays and a line of 12 cars all the time, so you don`t have much freedom to take out your bucket and wash it by hand. I do it, but everyone gives me dirty looks. Three times I got lucky where I didn`t have to pay, water was simply flowing :dance



My apartment complex just turned on the water for the car-wash area, so I`ll be going there (thank God). Now at least I can take my time and be able to detail. I just bought one of those Mini Shark vacuums as well, comes with a hose and extensions, looks promising.



Going back to our discussion of lack of car washes, I`ve only been in NOVA for 7 months, and I notice day by day that this is not the most living-friendly area. Unless I make 3x what I make now and be able to afford a house (not townhouse or condo), a real house with my own garage and front/back yard, I just can`t see myself lasting here. There are other cities with just as much jobs that are more affordable.

[brwill2005]

I`ve been going to the one at Lee Highway & Blake Lane for the past 3 months. Its a real pain in the a*s because there are only two bays and a line of 12 cars all the time, so you don`t have much freedom to take out your bucket and wash it by hand. I do it, but everyone gives me dirty looks. Three times I got lucky where I didn`t have to pay, water was simply flowing :dance



My apartment complex just turned on the water for the car-wash area, so I`ll be going there (thank God). Now at least I can take my time and be able to detail. I just bought one of those Mini Shark vacuums as well, comes with a hose and extensions, looks promising.



Going back to our discussion of lack of car washes, I`ve only been in NOVA for 7 months, and I notice day by day that this is not the most living-friendly area. Unless I make 3x what I make now and be able to afford a house (not townhouse or condo), a real house with my own garage and front/back yard, I just can`t see myself lasting here. There are other cities with just as much jobs that are more affordable.

You hit the nail right on the head about the cost of living here in NOVA. The other problem is the stress because of the hyper fast pace of life and all the traffic.

[sskinne2]

Yeah my wife used one, cause she really wanted her car washed but didnt want to wash it at home!!! Now I have to get all the swirl marks out of her brand new dodge caliber! I said why didnt you just let me wash it. She said cause I really wanted to wash the car myself!!!

How did her car get swirl marks?! From the sponge she was using? I don`t want to go to the same place if the hose squirts out any harmful substance? I`m so thankful for this thread. I just bought a car before I moved to NOVA, and I had been taking it to automatic car washes, and it never gets the front end of my car..like where the lights are. I had been going to this automatic car wash and it seemed rough on the car...now I`m starting to think from this thread that those washes can give scratches! Yikes. I`ve gotten scratches on the back of my mirrors and for some reason I thought it was from the car wash I had been going to...ugh.