Editor: This is the third in a series of business reviews by the Widder Curry of car washes in the Ocean Beach and Point Loma areas. Here are reviews No. 1 and No. 2.
Genie Car Wash
3949 West Point Loma Blvd.
San Diego, 92110
619-223-6830
I have had a distaste for the Genie Car Wash ever since the attendant tried to convince me that my head lights on my 1996 Sable Wagon were so cloudy that I was just asking for a ticket from one of San Diego’s “Finest”. This was in 2011. But I was told that for a mere $25 the car wash could fix those cloudy filters and it would be as good as new. I declined.
When I pulled into the car wash this morning, driving a 2012 Toyota Camry, I wondered what they would try to sell me this time, and “sell” me they did.
“Today the manager is having a real special; one that you should take advantage of right away.” I told Zach I wasn’t interested in any special but he cut me off and told me I should listen to what it was because I really needed it. “Normally, a wax runs about $150 but today it was only $54.” As he pointed to the bird droppings on my car, he said “ . . . the wax would protect the finish and do away with any “pitting” that might have already happened.” I told him I wasn’t interested.
When he asked me what I did want, I told him I wanted the full-serve wash; inside and out for $15.95. (It should be pointed out that at the other two car washes that is what I had, and I did not pay anywhere near $15.95!) Zach immediately came back at me and told me I could save money if I were to purchase a book of 6 car washes – each wash would then cost about $9 each. I again declined.
There were only two other customers at the car wash – 9:30am on Sunday morning, and there were a lot of men just milling around. I noticed that none of the others offered to help the one working on my car, which is too bad because when I drove out of the lot over to the Barons lot to buy some produce, I noticed that the back of the car had many wet spots on it. When I raised the truck I found that water had gathered along the rubber lining of the trunk, which I quickly dried myself.
The $15+ price included an “air freshener if you ask for it”. I am still enjoying the “new car smell” so did not ask for it, nor was one provided. The other car washes asked me what “flavor” I wanted.
The interior of the car was relatively clean. It was apparent to me that Buddy, my Golden Retriever, had been in the back seat because there was still some small evidence of blond fur on the carpet. It also did not appear that the carpet mats had been removed; merely vacuumed over, because there were a few pieces of grass – the “walking on” kind – not the smoking kind – on the passenger carpet.
Of the three car washes I have reviewed so far, Genie is the last one that I would go to again, not only because of the evidence that it was not cleaned as well as it should have been, but because it was almost $6 more expensive than the other two, and I do not appreciate the “hard sell.” I am curious to find out if men are treated to the same sales pitch as I was or if it is only a gender thing. None-the-less, try the other two first.
One more car wash to try in the next month or so. Stay tuned.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Just an aside: In driving the car out of the garage a few hours later, I noticed that the white bird droppings that were pointed out to me by Zach were still in evidence, although not as many as there were when I brought the car in. A little water on a rag cleaned them up well. Judi
I also did not like the hard sell the one time I was there.
I tend to go to the one next to Costco Business Center on Convoy St, $45 for a hand wax and quickie interior cleaning.