The estimated 22,000 professional carwashes in North America range from no-nonsense, do-it-yourself places to indoor full-serves where you can read a magazine as your car is bathed.
Prices start at about $1.75 to $2 for a tunnel, or do-it-yourself wash, and can escalate to $7 or more for full-service.Here's a rundown of the different kinds of carwashes:
TUNNEL: Under a series of arches, spray nozzles apply a presoak solution, cleaning solutions, rinse water and wax.
FULL-SERVE: Service personnel wash the outside of the car and vacuum the interior.
SELF-SERVE: You pull your car into a bay and wash it yourself.
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AUTOMATIC ROLL-OVER: The car remains in place, or is on a track. You'll generally see automatic roll-over carwashes in gas stations.