Thrifty Coin Op Car Wash

I really like this car wash! I know there’s another coin op one just a little farther south on Lincoln, but for some reason, I always come to this one. I hate the coin change machines, but I’m glad they’re there. They only take $ 1 and $ 5 bills, so be sure to bring those if you don’t come with quarters.
It’s a 10 quarter minimum ($ 2.50) for 4 minutes, but you can put in as much money as you want after that to extend it. Make sure you extend it before it runs out or you’ll need to put another 10 quarters in!

It’s a basic self-​car wash place. Wash in front, vacuum in back. Prices are standard ($ 1 for vacuum, $ 2.50 for 4 minute wash).
The guy working there was refilling the change machine when I got there, and he pointed out another machine a few stalls over.
I had no problem with the pressure of the sprayers and the vacuum worked fine for me.

Machine broke in the middle of when I was washing. Had to drive around with a soapy car to find a place that would get the soap off. Have called several times for a refund. No response. Reporting to Better Business Bureau.

So, I re-​learned a valuable lesson today. You get what you pay for… sometimes. Today was my second visit here in a month. First visit was ok. This visit, not so much.
Manager/​owner informed me I wasn’t using the proper technique to insert dollar bills into the change machine, so he showed me his technique he called coning. Ok. Thanks for the assistance.
He stood there while I washed my car, dressed very nicely in his pressed pants and striped dress shirt. I guess he likes to watch beautiful blond women in cut off jean shorts & flip flops wash their cars? Then again, what hetero man doesn’t. I’m sure it doesn’t matter that I’m 40 years younger than him.
Then, when the machine failed to beep, letting me know that time was running out so I could insert more quarters, he wouldn’t do anything about it. So, no problem. I took all the quarters I just got out of his machine & drove my half-​soapy car down to the car wash on Lincoln between Navy & Ozone (adjacent to the CVS & Whole Foods). I’m definitely not going to give money to a business person who stands by and oggles their female customers & then adds insult to injury by walking away when that customer informs them that their machine is not fully functioning.
Did not use the vacuum, so can’t comment. Btw, car wash down the street costs the same $ 2.50÷4 minute wash $ 1.25 vacuum & also has a wheel/​tire scrub brush & is super clean & well maintained. The water pressure was super strong & suction on vacuum was excellent. Dude overseeing the place looks like a surfer & was super attentive & busy maintaining the facility & helping/​acknowledging customers. Not only was he professional & proactive, but also did not oggle in the least. Try this place instead.

Low pressure and terrible vacuum suction ,
Dirty and full of thugs hanging around…
Would not recommend at all!

Good place for a quick car wash. Sometimes it can get busy but most times it’s usually 3 to 6 cars. 4 things I would change it’s when you change one spray to another it would be instant and not take that long and able to choose longer times up to 15 minutes for a flat rate of $ 3.00 and always be able to money to get more time and be able to use all coins (i.e 1 cent=1 min, 5 cents=4 mins, 10 cents=7 mins, and 25 cents=10 mins.

Good stuff! I’m more used to washing my car in my parents’ driveway (you know, soap & bucket style), so I hadn’t been to one of these coin-​op washes before. Big ups to the 1^st reviewer for giving his step-​by-​step directions. They helped a lot!
Things to add:
— There is a little knob that switches the spray and foam brush thing from soapy water to foam to clear water to spot-​free shine.
— Ideally, you’d have 1 other person with you, who could feed quarters into the machine as needed, since you get extra time commensurate with the extra quarters. If you feed in extra quarters without letting the initial 4 minutes expire, you don’t have to feed another $ 2.50 and get a full extra 4 minutes (eg, you can feed an extra $ 1 and just get another 2 minutes). Teamwork, man.
— A trick my friend taught me: before you even start, if you take the foam brush and just start brushing the tires/​hubcaps (since there is usually leftover foam), the grime comes off your tires a lot faster when you’re actually washing. Saves like 10 seconds, and time is money.
I’m not trying to be alarmist here, but as a petite Asian female who does a lot of stuff on her own, I try to avoid places where I might get harassed; even if no actual PHYSICAL harm comes to me, I prefer not to deal with it. So, I’d driven by that other coin-​op car wash off Ocean Park (the one closer to Main), and it had always looked a liiiittle sketchy, with random dudes just hanging out. This is one is not sketchy at all. Busy street and lots of other people there doing their own thing (I went at 6pm on a Sunday).

What?
Am I really the first one to review this place? GTFO.
This is a coin op car wash located on Lincoln and Ocean Park Blvd.
There are 4 self washing spots, and about. 5 – 6 Car Vacuums.
Nothing fancy about it, and this car wash is not new. But everything does work as it should be.
It’s my go-​to car wash in SM/​Venice Area.
Vacuums $ 1.00 = 4 minutes.
Car Wash $ 2.50=4 Minutes.
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#### MY SIX DOLLAR WASH CYCLE ####
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+++++PHASE ONE ($ 2.50)
0. SPRAY OFF YOUR FOAM BRUSH WITH CLEAN WATER. WASH all the dirts away before you go town with that thing. (See note)
1. [2min] Rinse (high pressure water) — get crap off my car. ALSO rinse the form brush. there might be dirt on it from previous user.
2. [1min] Soap Water — cover the car with foam bubbles. do not mind the pink foam
color.
3. [1min] Form brush — Brush up the car. let the time run out. Keep brush every where. you would want to work the brush top to bottom. do not drag up dirt on quarter panel up toward. TOP. FRONT. BACK. SIDE. bottom side quater panel.. etc.
Time will expire. but i keep brushing. because car is now covered in bubbles.
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+++++PHASE TWO (2.50)
4. Rinse — wash everything off. If I have Extra time. I spray bottom side of the car.
5. move the car to vac area and dry off the car. (BRING soft towels, old t shirts. shamwow. etc)
6. Vaccum the car and throw away the trash.
7. detail inside with Armor All, Dress up the tires, check the tire pressure. check engine oil.
8. Drive off happy.
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@@@@@ NEED TO KNOW @@@@@
0. Before you wash your car, SPRAY FORM BRUSH with water. you will be brushing your car with it, so if that brush is dirty, (you do not know if last person dropped it on the floor, wash the wheels last…) you are basically scratching the crap out of your car.
Wash the brush first. Save your Clearcoat!!!
1. Coin machine is on site. (takes one dollar bill and five)
2. Open 24 hours.
3. Heavy traffic area. not some shady corner.
(there are always some one there when I go there.)
4. Trash can is on site.
5. There is no bathroom on site, but there is Micky D and Taco Bells, near by. gas station is also next door.
6. Stalls are regular size. and brushes and hoses are long enough to reach around your car /​suv.
7. No washing buckets please sign is on.
8. Stop Button in Car Wash spots does not work. so expect to spend full 4min in one shot.
9. I bring Paper towels, Windex, Armor all, small wash cloth, big towel to dry off the car. I always check tire pressure after the vacuum my car, check engine oil level, and I wipe the dirt underneath the wiper blade.