Hey everyone,

I recently moved down from Hayward to Fremont. I used to live in a house modified into a three unit place, and could wash my car on the street or in the driveway without any issue. Now I live in an apartment complex being run by a property management with a lease and the whole nine yards... They don't specifically say not to wash my car in the complex, but given that even popping the hood of my car to just check oil, wiper fluid, etc is specifically forbidden in the lease, I suspect a full on car washing is probably pushing it around here.

So since I already have the supplies to wash my car myself, I was hoping to find a place I can take my Fit to, and pay to use their water so I can wash my car myself. Anyone know of a place near Fremont that'll do that?

Google tells me there's a place in Newark on Thornton Ave called Self Serve Power Wash. I was thinking of checking them out, but if anyone has any better recommendations I'd love to hear.

 

If you can't find an explicit "self serve", I think if you make friends with a local garage they'll have no problem with you slipping them a few $ to use their hose.

At least up here, washes come in two varieties, the first where you pay a set fee and they run you through an automatic washing tunnel; and the second where you park under a canopy and you pay with quarters for a certain amount of time with a multi-function sprayer (ie you can select water, or soapy water, or wax spray etc). The latter is rare even in the NE but if it's something that's available out in Cali it could be ideal - it costs you quarters only when you want water, so there's no problem with spending time under the canopy doing wash work. Depends on if there are people waiting, I suppose.

But given the hassle, you may end up deciding that automatic is just one of those things you have to pay for given your living situation. Eh. Not the worst thing I guess right?

 

The stall type washes are all over the place in the East Bay, and Google doesn't show half of them. Sometimes you just have to hit the streets hahaha

That one you mentioned looks like a self-wash stall type place, which is what you want. Probably like $2 to start, but it's on a timer, so if you rinse first, use your products to wash, and then rinse again, you'll have to spend $4. Which isn't too bad.

Probably less than you spend doing laundry now

I hate apartment living.

 

Apartment living does suck for cars. I used to live out in the South Bay, but now currently live in Vegas. One thing Vegas has going for it is there are tons of carwash stations and mobile stations. Luckily, there's this guy with a mobile car wash that parks his truck right outside our apartment complex.

But yeah, can't help you with self car washes in Fremont, but if you're ever in Milpitas, there's one on Main Street I used to go to.

 

I'll try to go check out the one I found on google then, and keep an eye open for any closer to where I am. If any other locals know of any in my area, please don't hesitate to share.

Thanks!

 

what part of Fremont do you live nearby? I'm don't know too much carwash places nearby, I usually wash and detail my own car. There's a decent self car wash place on chapel way off of Fremont Blvd right behind 7-11 nearby the 5 corners intersection/Washington Blvd. (Bay Street Cafe', Wells Fargo, Safeway) that's the only self wash place I know with the power washers and vacuums) Another good place that I can honestly trust washing or detailing my car is 68 auto and detail, which is approximately 2 miles down Fremont Blvd heading South

 

atran21, you rock. I drive right past that five days a week, but can't see the self service wash behind the 7-11 driving past on Fremont blvd. I just spotted it on Google street view, and shall check it out in person this weekend.

Thanks! ^_^