I don't like leaving poor reviews but this one was easy to write. This is a car wash, your main and only job is to wash the inside and out of a car. My car come out of the wash and was barely better than it went in. A 10 second scan would have been enough to see the many areas needing attention. This was ignored. Like others I spent the first five minutes frustrated that the basics were not covered and 10+ minutes cleaning the missing parts. Not convenient or quality work. So many better option out there read more

The manager was very rude and condescending after feedback was given. He and his coworker laughed and joked. I was told by the cashier that I could return the next week for a rewash but when I showed up they had no record of my name or my call. I was told I had to pay again. This was a waste of my time and I felt degraded by the manager and his coworker. It is unfortunate because I have been a customer for years. I don't think I feel comfortable coming back. read more

Went to get the car washed this afternoon. Only 1 car getting vacuumed when I arrived, definitely not busy. When I returned home to put a couple of things in the back of the car (small suv), I see they didn't vacuum the back out and the interior still had smudges on the door pa els. I paid for a "gold" level. This is an established, long standing business that used to do quality car washes. Not anymore and they will no longer get my business nor endorsement. What a waste of time and money! read more

Wasn't going to post but the more I thought about my experience I felt compelled to share. I have a truck I brought in for the $65 hand wash and wax. I watched the truck get washed then watched the entire time it was in the wax area. The guy only put wax on the top of the hood. He spent most of the time (40 min) talking to his boss and coworkers. After finishing. I told him I was watching the whole time and he denied not putting wax on the whole truck. He said I could watch the business video. Since I had watched the whole process I didn't need to watch the video. I decided I will just never come back. This is sad because I have been here many times over the past 15 yrs. Just a warning to watch these guys if you are getting your car detailed. read more

They sent me a birthday email for discount, when I showed up the rude cashier tells me I need to print the email. No where in the email it says that. Moreover the service is slow not worth $20 wash. Never coming back and not recommending this place. read more

Hi guys, I just got out of the Encinitas Car Wash pretty frustrated with the service. I paid $19.99 Silver for the service and all my car panel, coasters, were the same way I delivered, full of dust!! He just cleaned up quickly after I showed it! I'd like to have the service I paid for! Rose read more

Don't bother getting any package other than the standard. They treat every level of car wash the exact same. On different occasions I've tried the bronze and platinum levels, my SUV turned out identical: dog hair and sand remaining unvacuumed, dashboard not wiped down. You're better off going to a drive through car wash and cleaning your vehicle throughly yourself. read more

This is the 3th time I am missing money from my car. First and second time I thought maybe I used all of my quarters. But this time it was clear they have stolen my money. They left only my pennies behind, but took everything else. I know it's only "change" but any amount taken with no permission is stealing. It shows no regard to decency. This is disgusting, never going back again. read more

Use to be my favorite. Last two times, one for a detailed cleaning and the last one for a regular cleaning. Obvious lack of vacuum and wipe of surfaces. The last one the doors were not wiped and when I complained they said 'it is not part of a regular wash'. Can you imagine the feeling of getting inside a car partially cleaned? And to be told after five years of great service that doors are not included? If they changed the policy they should put a big sing saying so. read more

Yesterday marked my 3 and final visit to this establishment. My first visit I bought the $50 some odd dollar package and was embarrassed for two reasons... First ~ that I actually paid this place $50 to wash my car. Secondly ~ I was embarrassed for the people that worked there... I mean, you're at a carwash for crying out loud. That's all you have to do... wet it, wipe it and clean it. If you not able to perform those simple functions, I feel bad for you. After my first visit, I got in my car and was dumbfounded as to how poor of a job those workers did. I was there for almost an hour and did not have time to to stick around any longer, so I walked over, found the manager and he gave me a $20 coupon for a Silver or Gold wash... I don't recall. That coupon was the only thing that brought me back. So I gave them a second chance, on them. Needless to say, it was just as bad the second time around, but at least I didn't have to pay for it. Then... yesterday, once again pressed for time after coming back from a camping trip with my son, I ignored my inclination to drive further away to get my car washed, but this place, unfortunately, is just right down the street from me and is remarkably convenient. So I paid for the Silver Package... $17.99 and I tipped the guys $3 ~ I got in my car and they hadn't even wiped out the the cup holders??? There was still dust on the area beneath the windshield, there was dust from the campground all over the place with foot/shoe marks that you would have had to have been blind not to see. Again... I got out of my car before leaving and walked over and asked one of the workers for a wet rag and proceeded to wipe down the inside of my car. They didn't even vacuum the crumbs that my 5 year old son had gotten all over the back seat. After wiping down the inside of the car, I walked around the outside and wiped off little "yellow spots" from pollen dripping trees in Jamul. At this point one of the workers came up and tried to help and I told him I had it... and as I was wiping off the yellow spots he tried to tell me they were scratches. I just wiped them off ~ it must have been one of those scratch removing magic towels ~ because, with a little elbow grease they disappeared. I will never come back to this joint again... 3 strikes and you're out!!! read more

I purchased a gold wash today, it was by far the worst car wash experience. The didn't vacuum the interior, there were still crumbs in the back seat, didn't wipe off the dust. and during the wash, they left my car on and running the whole time - my phone is connected to the car - I kept getting notifications from the running car.... not considerate. read more

It seems that you can never get the deals they advertise. And when they are done and you find a spot that they forgot to clean, they will always say, oh that will cost you extra ! Customer service does not exits here. They just believe in volume business and not quality or detail work. I think that the only way this place changes if the owners sell this business to someone who knows how to run this business !! Two thumps down !! read more

After a handful of bad experiences over the past six months, time to finally call out Encinitas Car Wash for resting on their laurels. The lack of effort on the interior--for a $35 wash--is pathetic. Half-ass effort with the vacuuming, the interior wipe down, etc. How this place continues to have long lines baffles me. Locals continue going here out of convenience and muscle memory, paying no attention to the sub-par results. The guys who worked here back in the day had tremendous hustle and pride in their work, while the current crew is lackluster. Too much competition in this day and age to settle for and over-priced experience that under-delivers. Won't name names as to where I plan to go from here--as I don't want this to come across like some type of ad--but I can pay $20-per-month at a neighborhood drive-thru spot for unlimited washes and access to a vacuum and microfibers towels where I'll do a better job myself. Highly suggest those of you who aren't afraid of a little hard work and elbow grease do the same. For half the cost of one wash at ECW, I can do weekly washes and a much better job. Done with this spot. Today was the final straw as my interior looked barely touched, despite paying for a "Premium" wash. read more

I have been a loyal customer here for 5 years. The cashiers are always very nice and friendly but unfortunately the car wash service has gone down hill. They are usually very busy so expect to be there 30 plus minutes. Last three times they have been very sloppy and lazy with the interior and wiping the windows down. My very last visit there was yesterday my car was still very dirty and I asked them two times to rewipe the hood and window and they gave me attitude. So I will not be back :( my new car wash is Shell at Encinitas ranch they are very thorough and fast :) read more

Awesome place. Right across the street from the old Red Robin on el camino. Everyone that works here is always smiling and always nice. With the coupons in the "community guide" that get mailed to your house it costs only 7.99 (9.99 reg) for an outside/inside clean. They vaccum and wipe down the inside of your car and drive it through a machine to clean the outside. There's a little hot dog store on site so you can eat while you wait. read more

Terrible experience today. Left my trunk open to be vacuumed. ( As the last time I had it washed they did not do it.) After my wash there were yellow spots on my driver side door, windshield and door. Asked the worker to clean, then checked the inside of the trunk and it had not been vacuumed. Worker drove it back to that area and Fernando said " you didn't tell us", I told him that I left the trunk opened! He proceeded to vacuum it and he left spots on the bumper. I asked him to please wipe it down and I was told he had a customer. Hmmm, I thought I was a customer. Sometimes an apology will go a long way when someone doesn't do their job properly. Excuses are just that excuses, and a customer does not want to hear them, when we are paying for a service. read more

Very sloppy. The driver's side was fine but the passenger side (the one I didn't immediately see when I handed them a generous tip as I hopped into my car) was not done well. There were spots everywhere and even my right-side tires were still dirty. I keep my car clean so really, there was not much that they needed to do for that $20 "Gold" package. I wish I checked before I drove off because now I regret tipping them at all. One extra star for the cafe in the waiting area though -- the owner was friendly and the iced americano was tasty. read more

I have been going here for a long time and had the worst experience ever and the manager or owner wouldn't do anything to fix it. My breaks were making a weird noise pulling out so I got out and asked he guys working there if it was from the water from the wash. They kinda laughed and said yes and started speaking Spanish. I can understand Spanish and while I got into my car the gentlemen called me a "bitch" in Spanish. Apparently they think it's ok to harass women there. I will not be back and I will file an harassment complaint. read more

This place is great, and I'm pretty damn sure you can't beat the price. For less than $10 they give you a solid full wash, including a vacuum and wipe down inside ... For the excellent service I got from Encinitas Car Wash, I used to have to pay three times that amount in San Francisco. If you're always on the go and don't have the time or resources to wash your car yourself, ECW is definitely worth every penny you pay for (and more!), it's such a great deal! read more

The people that work there are nice, Cool they have a fruit smoothie kinda place inside, bad news they were closed when i went 3pm friday..... great customer service was amazing and the inside was clean an organized. With that being said I damn near paid 20 bucks for a job I could have done better. I suck at washing my car but at least I know how to vacuum. I literally have never been here before an since I was in the area I thought I'd stop by. I'm so disappointed I see spots all on my front window, smears on all windows except for back left one. Crumbs and real dirt on floor and mats. Water spots on right side hood, and on right passenger seat. I'm a uber driver so people dirty up my car quickly by far this is worse car wash. Most of my reviews get 5 stars but I couldn't let this go un mentioned. The bottom line is the charge way to much for the job they're doing. Not to mention to use coupons online they need to be printed out. read more

Last time I come to this car wash as they require a PRINTED coupon so I paid 4.00 more than expected. Who doesn't take online coupons? I have to go print it and waste paper?!? And it was too late to get my car back by the time I learned this. I even asked if I could come back with a printed grocery coupon to get my 4.00 back and was told no. read more

No complaints here. Fast friendly service. There is a coffee shop attached too! When I got here the line was pretty big but it moves fast. I usually don't expect a lot at car washes but they did a good job. read more

Paid an extra $10 for having a large SUV and got the Platinum wash at $40 total. I had to call the guy back 5 times to wipe my spotty windshield, wipe the dirt sports off dash, etc...I finally gave up after the 5th time. I know I have a large SUV and it's extra work but that is why I paid more , right? read more

I was really hoping when I went here that it would be worth my time and money as it's hard to find a good car wash. Alas, it was not. I can't help but say that I wished I had just washed my car myself. I paid $20 for my car wash, sat outside, and watched the man working there wash my car. I think once he saw me watching he started watching me more than he was focused on washing the car. When I got in the car there were multiple areas that had not been vacuumed or wiped down well (the radio area, the cup holders, the door handles, streak marks on the windows, and there was a good amount of hair on the carpet). The good news was that they did a decent job on the outside so I only had to take it home and clean the inside myself. Disappointing for 20 bucks. At least the experience encourages me to wash my car myself and save a little dough! read more

Pretty good job for a Sunday morning . Little slow but that's expected for the time of day. Place was clean and they seem to have a smooth process. I just got the basic wash and would go back. read more

I came in yesterday for a gold wash, they didn't clean the sap off the front of my car, they didn't clean the cup holders or the front bumper. I went back and they said they'd give me a free wash the next day. They did the same exact thing didn't clean what I asked them to clean. Don't go here read more

Absolutely the worst car wash I have ever been to. So shocking they are still in business or I just came on an off day. My car was not vaccumed all the way. Dirt still on the car and windows were smeared and streaky. My seats were still dirty, hadnt been wiped down. I asked them about the seats and they said seats to be wiped are $35 extra. What?! I paid for the second most expensive wash too. So weird. They did however fix the dirt on the car and vaccumed again but spent almost 20 mins longer getting it right. Stay clear of this place if you want a real wash and clean. So sorry I ventured away from Palomar Wash in Cbad, I guess they have me spoiled for $12.95 I get a clean car and my seats cleaned. Here I paid $19 for them to smear my dirt around. read more

I decided to try this place out because I had a coupon. Not worth it!!!! The outside of my car still had dirt spots on it. One of my favorite parts about getting my car washed is when they clean the console and inside interior. It was untouched. I even made sure there was no trash or any items inside the car, so they could clean it thoroughly. LAZY! I will never return. read more

Great service until I actually picked up my car. After getting the special of Detail + Gold wash I noticed that there were still marks on my seat and in the trunk. After tipping them over 30% I didn't think it would be any problem with them simply cleaning the marks that I found.... apparently not. I was told that this was not covered under my package and before I could even reply the attendant returned to another car. After the horrible job done I won't be returning and suggest that anyone considering to try this place take their business elsewhere. read more

After going to this place for over six times, I have to say the quality of wash / detail have gone a steady decline. I am finding more and more missed spots, smudged windshield, and half-done wheels. There was a time when I tipped the staff after each wash, but that will stop from now on. Not very happy with the car wash place and now bringing the original 4-star down to a 3-star rating. read more

One star because the customer experience today was just plain terrible. First time here 10 days ago was a good experience and got me to come back as it was a good value. Today could only be described as an intentional effort to lose a customer. I was already one of three cars at the front of the vacuum station line and my car comes out 5 cars later than those next to me? If you know this car wash, that's pretty much impossible, unless it's intentional. Wasting my time! Watching my car dry in the sun while every other car gets worked on? What's the point of this car wash? You are wasting my time and money. If you're not any better than my garden hose, why should I waste my time (45 minutes) and money ($19.99 +$5 tip)? Lost a customer today...but I doubt the owner cares. read more

My favorite neighborhood spot to get my car clean. They always advertise so whenever I get my car washed about twice a month, I bring my coupon from the back of my grocery receipt and get my Full Service wash for $6.99. It's a great deal! With that, you'd have extra cash for a latte! read more

Friendly and fast! The cashier was courteous and funny and these guys detailing the cars really bust their buns! Amazing attention to detail and surprising speed coupled with great prices simply can't be beat. Best carwash in the county, if you ask me and this is my first time here! read more

Today my is my second time here and was disappointed that they forgot again to set machine to dispense the wax and undercoat protector that I paid for. Unless you pay for cheapest wash, keep on eye on your vehicle to make sure you get what you pay for. You can see the neon lights lighting up for wax or other features as it moves through the conveyor. read more

Encinitas Car Wash is a reliable place to get the muck off of your car. Mid-week mornings are the time to visit, as there is virtually no wait time. Don't forget to bring your online coupons! I recently had a mini-detail and honestly they made my car look brand new. They were able to buff out a pretty big scratch, enough so that my car passed it's lease return inspection without any additional charges. Busy? Call and make an appointment. They would get 5 stars, except that windows are not their strong suit. A regular wash always seems to leave me with streaky glass. Overall they are much better than any other car wash in the area. Bottom line: good price, quick service and hardworking staff. read more

I went to get a car wash & they left my car with the door open forever & let the drips dry on it. I kept waiting because they were having a busy day. I was worried that my battery was going to die with the door being left open so long & finally just took my car & left as nobody was drying it. I had to drive home with a big dry erase letter X on my window & it was super embarrassing!! Now I have to get glass cleaner & do my best with the drips they let dry! Ugh!! read more

Best car wash in SD county! Customer service is great, they're efficient and thorough! Been to a lot of car washes that just try to turn and burn the cars thru and you end up getting a half ass job. Great thing about here is they take time to do it right without wasting your time if you're in a rush! If you got a little more time to spare leave it to get detailed and they'll bust out the toothbrush on it. Great spot to get the buggy a bath when you're on El Camino in Encinitas. 100% satisfied!!!! read more

Let me preface by saying I've never felt the need to write a review here on yelp before today. I've been here a few times before, and service has always been okay before today when we came in to have the interior of our small hatchback cleaned. I was told it would take 1-2 hours. After watching our car sit untouched in the detail area for 30+ minutes and approaching 3 hours of waiting we asked the lady up front what was up. The manager was rude and explained that it was our fault we didn't tell him how dirty the interior was (dog hair) and that we weren't entitled to any recompence, furthermore he actually tried to get us to PAY MORE, "because the owner had instructed him to do so." I had a few problems with this: 1. I've brought the same car here for cleaning before, with same (if not more) amount of dog hair, and it was completed within an hour, at no extra cost. 2. The manager was the one who took our car keys and drove it in, he should have said all this up front when he saw the car; rather than quote us 1-2 hours. 3. We were there watching the entire time, I made eye contact with this man multiple times, he could have approached us and explained at any point before we complained, but he did not. He actually tried to charge us more AFTER we complained. Shame. This place always seemed very professional. Now it seems like they just don't care. Other customers were complaining as well but the manager seemed to have an excuse for everything. Take your cars elsewhere. read more

The service was good for the price. They did great detail work. Just one thing I'd like to add - that I, too, understand Spanish. So, as you walk away and mock me after I tip you, that makes me not want to return. I knew the car was dirty, that's why I brought it in for service! read more

Awful!! Less than average car wash on top of bad customer service! Woman at the front desk hates her job and makes it evident with every customer she deals with. The car wash was $80 and I could've paid for the $35 wash and gotten the same job. Over priced and this place needs help at the front desk. The woman is more than miserable and she'll make sure you know it!! Get your car washed elsewhere!!!!!!!!! read more