Is A Car Wash Membership Worth It?

Bird poop on my windshield. Dead bugs on my front grille. And green and yellow pollen…well, pretty much everywhere on my car. With no time to wash my car by hand of late, I’d made more trips to the car wash in the past three weeks than I had in the past three months. Eventually, the attendant took note and said, “Do you just want to get the car wash subscription? You’d save money.”

Hmm, I do like saving money and driving a clean car, so my curiosity was piqued. The gist, he explained, at this particular car wash: You pay a flat monthly fee (automatically charged to your credit card) for unlimited car washes each month. After a quick sign-up process, including choosing your level of wash, you simply cruise through the pay station after the traffic arm lifts when your license plate number is electronically recognized. (The logistics may differ at other locations—for example, some places may provide you with a barcode or an RFID tag that you display on your vehicle—but the concept is similar.)

Sounds rather straightforward, but a car wash club isn’t for everyone, of course. Also important to keep in mind: Not all car wash facilities are created equally. While hand-washing is most often the ideal way to clean your car—and to preserve the integrity of its paint as well as keep side mirrors and trim intact—automated car washes deliver on convenience and can effectively rid your car’s exterior of corrosive road elements—with some caveats (read on).

When considering various car wash facilities and whether a car wash membership is worth your money, ask the following questions:

1. ARE TOUCHLESS CAR WASHES BETTER THAN AUTOMATIC CAR WASHES?
Is the car wash touchless (uses pressurized water but no brushes, etc.) or automatic (uses pressurized water with rotating brushes, rollers, etc.)? Touchless car wash facilities are usually gentler on your vehicle, particularly its paint, while automatic facilities can do a better job at creating the friction needed to remove more stubborn dirt and debris.

2. DO AUTOMATIC CAR WASHES CAUSE PAINT SCRATCHES?
If considering an automatic car wash, what’s the condition of the brushes, rollers and related equipment? Be aware that worn-out, filthy equipment could do more harm than good by putting small scratches and swirls in your paint finish.

3. WHAT KIND OF WATER DOES THE CAR WASH USE?
What type(s) of water does the car wash use (for example, recycled, freshwater or reverse osmosis), and how does that water affect the quality of the wash, including achieving a spot-free shine?

4. WILL A CAR WASH MEMBERSHIP HELP ME SAVE MONEY?
How does the cost of a single visit compare with the monthly subscriber fee, and realistically, how many times per month will I use the wash to get my money’s worth?

5. IS THE CAR WASH MEMBERSHIPS EASY TO CANCEL?
Are there any contracts, and can I cancel my plan at any time without penalty?

6. CAN I PUT MY CAR WAS MEMBERSHIP ON HOLD FOR FREE?
Can I put my car wash membership on hold for free (including with no reactivation charge) if I’ll be out of town for an extended period of time?

7. DOES THE CAR WASH MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE ANY SIGN-UP INCENTIVES?
Are there any sign-up incentives, such as a reduced or free rate for the first month?

8. CAN THE CAR WASH MEMBERSHIP BE USED AT OTHER LOCATIONS?
Does the company have other locations that I can patronize under my membership plan?

9. IS MY CAR COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAR WASH?
Does my car meet the requirements to pass through the wash? This consideration may be relevant for convertibles, pickup trucks, and SUVs, as well as for vehicles with certain advanced safety technology that can make it tricky to proceed through the wash tunnel in neutral gear.

10. WHAT PERKS COME WITH THE CAR WASH MEMBERSHIP?
Does the facility have free self-serve vacuums, members-only lanes for shorter wait times or other perks with membership?

How you weigh the answers to these questions can help you decide whether a car wash subscription—and the use of car washes in general—is right for you. Now please excuse me as I head to the car wash; my car is screaming, “Wash me!”