I've been here a couple times, the first time was for a wash from Groupon. I go back because it's a good wash (they also wipe dry) lots of vacuum bays (with two different attachments), and never a line like the other place down the way. There are always employees who are friendly and willing to help which makes it that much nicer to come to. read more

Updating my review: seems like they have worked out the kinks since my last review. Love having these guys in our area. It's fast, a quality clean, and you also have the option to get your car vacuumed afterward if u have time. read more

I have been going to this location since they opened -- the customer service was great, workers were friendly and helpful. Now it has a lot to be desired in customer service, experience, and cost. I came in at 6:25 (they close at 7) to use the drive-thru facility. There is usually an attendant but no one was there when I went to select my service, so I did it myself. First thing: they'd placed barricades at the entrance of the facility (35 minutes before closing), so I had to wait for someone to notice me to remove them. When someone came to help, I asked a question about my purchase -- I purchased the $24 option that comes with a free vacuum token, but the checkout instructions did not indicate I'd still need to add the vacuum service even though it's free. He explained the process to me rudely and tossed aside the cones before pressing a token into my hand aggressively. When you exit the wash, there is someone there to wipe down your windows. I did come in with a filthy car full of bug junk from a recent roadtrip, so when the attendant said something about my windshield being hard to clean, I said it was no problem & he didn't have to remove all of the debris - I'd spot clean it later. However, he then dipped his rag into something that seemed like grease before wiping my front windshield. It left a film on my windshield that made seeing out of it impossible, especially with the sun hitting directly on it. I asked him if he could wipe it again, which he did, but it just kept smearing. I asked if he had a cleaning solution, and he just looked me dead in the eye & said "No." There were other cars exciting the wash so I couldn't stay there to have it cleaned, so I pulled into a vacuum stall (which I'd planned to use anyway) and asked a different attendant for help, explaining that my windshield was worse than when I came in. He said they don't give out free supplies for anyone, & when I explained I just wanted to correct what their employee had done, he denied that the employee did anything. He then removed the vacuum hoses from the stall I was about to use because it was now 15 minutes to closing time and he said this was their standard procedure. I've never experienced anything like this at a Solar wash... my car was worse than before, I had to wipe down my windshield with a blanket I had in my car just to get home safely, and I didn't even get to use the full benefits of the car wash I paid for. read more

Quick and easy car wash. Token machine takes both cash and digital payments which is convenient

place is an absolute scam, employees are so awfully rude and disrespectful and have nothing better to do than berate you. absolute 0 customer service, came here for 15 mins and left pissed lol read more

Please most car wash services are pay me first feels bit of a hassle. They care about their customers and time management.

Able and team were really helpful navigating me/my car at the new facility off San Pablo. Gorgeous self-car wash! Really got me car clean/dry, A couple callouts: need better entrance signage and a way to tip the team. read more

I went back to Solar Car wash twice since my last review. I got the premium wash to compare to the basic wash. The result was similar. Car had to be hand dried and rims came out dirty. I was so looking forward to this car wash since Kaady's was wash of choice. Also, it's 20 percent more than Kaady's. At Kaady's the car comes out dry and rims cleaned. Why is there a difference? Is the equipment at Solar crappy? Or did Berkeley Planning department torpedo them? read more

Once you get good at operating the equipment and figuring out how to pay, you can actually wash and rinse your car in about five minutes which is pretty cost-effective. If you do need more time, it will cost two cycles which is $10 and also pretty reasonable. So far when I go there, people are polite and everybody waits nicely and I've had no problem when washing my car. it's good if you bring your own microfiber towels to dry when done. read more

This is my new go to place for a car wash. My first FREE wash was awesome!! Super friendly family business. All new equipment. Lots of space. Fairly priced. Nice & safe neighborhood. read more

This is a review of the new solar car wash on San Pablo near Dwight. Probably the best drive-through car wash in the bay area! They also wipe down the car at the end, and they have really good vacuum hoses. Definitely the best place to wash your car! read more

It works. And when it didn't, there is a staff at the site. I didn't realize that at first when the water pump wasn't working. So I called the service number but they didn't get back to me until 3 days later. On the plus side they did call me back. read more

My poor car was in desperate need of a wash and man was I glad to hear about this place!! Brand new equipment and reasonable prices in a great spot in Berkeley. I came on a Sunday late morning and there was no line (i'm so used to waiting 1+ hours so this already made my day), was greeted by the manager who helped me with the payment process. The wash was super thorough and my dog loved watching the colors lol. Another employee wiped off the excess water on the mirrors etc at the end of the wash-- everyone was super friendly! They had plenty of vacuums too which I took advantage of (all that dog fur is finally gone!). Will definitely be back. read more

Washed my car here today. Wednesday around 2pm. Very simple and easy to operate the payment machine. excellent power pressure. Everything worked well. Car was cleaned well and I didn't need to use the foam brush. I will return. I am checking out their $15 monthly wash online. read more

My new spot!! Super nice folks working there, and the price was entirely reasonable. I really appreciate that this place is so environmentally conscious. read more

Fast and cheap self car wash station. For 5 dollars you can wash your car only if you are really fast or there is just a dust on it. Also good vacuum station read more

i had a wonderful experience here. i drove up, selected the service i wanted and, in exchange, i received a token to vacuum my car after the car wash was completed. once my wash was over, a man was waiting at the exit who...HAND DRIED my car. i mean, talk about feeling special. but i'm sure he does that for everyone. overall, the value was worth it; next time i'm in the area, and there's no rain in the forecast for a few days, i'd definitely return. read more

THIS REVIEW PERTAINS TO MY EXPERIENCES AT THE OAKLAND SITE ON MACARTHUR. Never really had too much either way to say about this business - until now. Ok, I DO have an extant "pending" matter related to putting 5 tokens in and having absolutely nothing occur that one would expect even from the shadiest of businesses. My main beef is that I have called and left my number on the "Help" line at least Four (4) times and have not (in the 2 weeks past since this happened) heard a damn thing. Actually, I DID hear something from the shady older man that looms around the place and who appears to, at the very least, THINK he belongs there. I had a discussion with him and got a pandering, insincere, and ineffective load of BS that began with him explaining to me that the matter had already been taken care of and that I would be receiving my tokens in the mail or by email. Interestingly, I would be a bit startled IF this occurred, as the messages I have left did not include my contact information other than my phone number. When I brought this to the older gent's attention he immediately shifted gears and said that HE would be around the area and that HE would see to it that I got my refund. He didn't have access to the tokens that day, otherwise he assured me that he would just take care of it right then. (Remember Barney, from Andy Griffith Show? The old guy not having access to the tokens kinda reminds me of the "One Bullet in the Shirt Pocket" policy Andy restricted Barney to. Well played, Solar Car Wash Owners!). Anyway, at the conclusion of my verbal "hand job," I was admonished by this noble mascot that I was no longer going to be able to dry off the wax or water left behind on my car, and that I had spent too much time in the way of other customers by doing so. Oddly enough, there was NO ONE waiting to use the vacuum, and I had immediately moved my car from the shade of the wash area when I saw a car sitting in the waiting area. I am pretty courteous, so I rarely do "excess detailing" if I see that there are people waiting, but it kinda sucks that I spent about $8-10 washing then WAXING my car with SOLAR's equipment/products, and am made to feel as though I shouldn't do, as pretty much EVERY AUTO EXPERT recommends, and DRY the water or wax from the vehicle. Another somewhat baffling thing that occurs at this very spot is the obliviousness this Octagenarian Gent seems to have for a select few that DO frequently exercise good judgment as it relates to wiping the excess water/wax away from the car with no admonishments or warnings forthcoming. To be clear, I am a middle-aged Caucasian dude who likely doesn't meet the demographic requirements for such privileges. Anyway, all in all, this is a pretty well run outfit that has great water pressure and fairly reliable equipment. I'd just appreciate a reply to my calk and, perhaps, a little honesty and parity from the Octo-Gent. Thank you. read more

I have been watching the progression of the new car wash and I was so excited to see it finally open! I rolled through with my kids for the deluxe wash and my car came out so sparkling clean. The fun lights and colorful soap was fun for my kids too. Im glad that I downloaded the app before I went because the car wash is slightly cheaper if you go through the app. I saw the owners walking around talking to customers and it was a really great experience. Plenty of vacuum stations and centrally located in Berkeley. read more

great chill spot I come here a lot to get my car done, fast and efficient. Not too busy either I just come here watch the car and get on with life. read more

I like that you can pay with card! The price and finish is of the car wash is great. It's about a couple minutes for the longest option. The drying is air/sun which saves energy so go on a hot day. read more

the wash offers good value and convenience. located close to Berkeley which is a plus

great place to goThey just renovated recently and I love the new spot. The actual wash tunnel is super long- they soap and rinse multiple times leaving your car super clean- and they have numerous self use vacuums to clean your car inside and out. The staff are very friendly as well and eager to help. They have a membership program where you get unlimited washes a month where you can also get free washes after x amount of washes so I'll definitely be back and would recommend anyone else to check it out too read more

I'm so glad I came here because my car has never looked this good! My car came out so clean, I couldn't believe it. I was also able to vacuum my car, which didn't take long at all. The workers were so nice to me and they have great deals for members so I will absolutely be coming back. read more

This is my new go to spot! the service was excellent, everyone was so friendly. And it's a family owned business! My car has never looked this good. Definitely coming back. read more

Just got my car washed at solar express car wash and wow! What an experience. Everyone was really friendly, the wait was short, and my car looks like it's brand new! Definitely the new regular spot. read more

Quick and go car wash on a budget! Washer all works and accept debit card. Wasn't busy at all. read more

Solar Express Car Wash - Like new, with a budget - Car Wash Near Me - Berkeley, California

I give it a low score because by the vacuum there is a gigantic pothole that I bottomed out in! The pothole is ridiculously huge, they should warn you or fix it! Honestly I was not paying attention and didn't even think to look. It was so bad I had to back out! I heard an awful sound and could not move forward! I haven't been able to look under the car to evaluate the damage yet but I say avoid it all together once you see it you can't miss it- the whole back lot is full of potholes! read more

Great price great service also super close to my house love that can't wait to come back

I haven't washed my own car in years. It's been just so easy to drive it to the car wash, look at all the different "Little Tree" air fresheners as I waited, and in 15 minutes of fame, my Whip would be sparkling clean. After the recent rain, I left the crib to wash my new car. Oh, but I had an "epiphany," I can't drive a convertible through the car wash, Dumb Sh*t." Then, I had a BIG idea. Wash it myself? Back in the old skool days, washing my '90 Red Honda Civic Si "Rice Rocket" was a "personal male mono e mono" experience for me. I know can to this! But I live in a condo, where and how? I've rolled by Solar Car Wash many times, right next to the fabulous La Villa Tacqueria (Yelp Another ***** Day) and I finally stopped in to try it out. A very nice man (turns out he is the Solar attendant) guided me into a covered stall. I looked a bit confused on how get started and he yelled, "You gotta have tokens." Cool! I wasn't sure how much it would cost, so I got a "Hamilton" worth of these Golden Dubloons. Turns out, ten tokens was bit more that what I needed. Who cares? Knowing that I have that compulsive urge, I methodically decided that I would first "high pressure soap" the body of the car, and then, go for the "high pressure rinse" from the top down. Damn, this water is really "high pressure!" At first, it kinda took off like a tail of a bronco bull! But I soon tamed the wild beast and was finished soaping and rinsing in 2.5 minutes (two tokens). I saw others working on their Whips and I pulled along the side of the building to dry my own ride off. Having not completely thought this whole thing through, I didn't have any towels. Back to the token machines and I got some "reusable shammies." (one token). The towels reminded me of good old Billy Mays and his "Seen on TV" ad for Zorbeez, the Original Super Shammy! (Remember that one, Lisa S?) The whole experience took all of 30 minutes, three tokens ($3) and I felt so good looking at my sparkling Whip. A true sense of accomplishment was a proud moment for me. I enjoyed to camaraderie with others that washed their own cars, from BMWs to the hoopty whips. One Mercedes owner shared with me her full array of Armor All products (dash, wheel cleaner, etc.). Very nice. All finished, I popped back in my ride, punched in the CD player to Wilson Pickett's 'Mustang Sally' and rolled out of Solar Car Wash "leaning" all the way down San Pablo Ave. Life? It's all good! read more

Great place to wash your car yourself for much less money. I like that it's solar powered.

This place is okay. You will need this place unless you are Snoop Dogg and you got plenty of hos. Otherwise, you're probably like most city dwellers and you don't got any. If you're living around here in an apartment, and have no access to any water hoses, you'll either have to go to an automatic car wash at a gas station, or DIY at a place like Solar Car Wash. Those automatic places usually suck because those touchless systems don't get all the dirt off your car, or if they do touch, you run the risk of scratches in your paint or broken car antennas. $2 bucks for 2.5 min is kind of expensive. I love how they say its cheaper and you are going green by saving water by coming here.... you use less water since you pay out the wazoo to get high pressure water to come out of a hose. If you're coming here to save water and to be green, you should just use a bucket of water and do it yourself. It would be a hell of alot cheaper too. Anyways, my boo and I came here to get her MINI washed. We put money in, and I quickly sprayed the car briefly to get it wet, and then we used the brush to clean the car. I then let her take the high pressure hose and spray soap and rinse it off. She had a bit of a problem handling the hose (insert "thats what she said joke here") since the water pressure is super strong and sprayed the stuff all over the place. We spent about 5 bucks to wash the MINI, and it was kinda dirty in some spots, but its hard to notice dirt on a wet grey car. Doing it yourself, you would expect to pay at least 5 bucks to get your car clean. Even more if you really want to be like xzibit and pimp your ride and really get it clean. Bottom line: Its a bit pricey, but it gets the job done, and much better than a gas station drive through car wash. read more

The self serve spray wash is a dying breed, but luckily when I was in Oakland with a very dirty car, I found Solar Car Wash. This power spray spot has all the basics, good water pressure, several bays (so you don't usually have to wait), vacuums and lots of parking area to dry it all off when you're done. Solar even has a nifty "Value" stall that gives you 10 long minutes of cleaning power for $5. It uses the token system, so you can change out your cash/credit card in one of their change machines for Solar tokens to get the cleaning done. After washing my car at Solar, I found a couple of other locations for them, all in the Bay area. I'm not sure if the business is actually powered by solar energy or if it just uses the name, sorta the way "Quality" Inn just uses their name, but either way, this is a good representation of a disappearing service. If you price it out against one of those gas station car washes, you're way ahead with Solar (even counting the discounts on gas you get at the station washes), and your car comes out way cleaner. And if you really think about it, there's something very therapeutic about washing your own car. read more

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After the ashy air they were packed but everyone moved through quickly. Bring your own chamois and I wouldn't use the brush without pressure washing it first. As is the case with all of these places, the person before you didn't wash the brush out and can contain grit which will scratch your paint! read more

Couldn't get the machine to add more time so u ended up having to restart and having to charge twice. Extremely frustrating.

Its a pretty basic DIY car wash stop. They charge three dollars for four minutes (I always use a credit card), but they have a value spot as well. They have wash instructions posted on the side to maximize your car washing experience, which is helpful to a degree. No drying mechanism, but space in the back to pull forward and dry your car with a shimmy. read more

Leaving three stars because of the giant dip in the concrete if you aren't careful when you pull forward to vacuum your car you can destroy your front end the thing is deep. Otherwise it's a decent car wash and the value bay is the best one to use saves you the most money. read more

good wash and enough vacuum time for the price employees were really helpful and attentive! 8 minutes of vacuum for free with the second tier option which was plenty of time for me read more

After writing about my really bad experience, Seth from Solar Car Wash got back to me almost instantly. He refunded my money and also said there's no reason anyone should have a bad experience at any of the Solar Car Washes. I have visited the one on Telegraph several times sence then and the experience has been nothing but great. So I'm revising my review and I'm back to being a happy customer. read more

I was cleaning my vehicle right by the vacuum and a worker snuck up behind me to check that I wasn't doing anything nefarious. When I told him that he scared me, he got in my face and yelled that I shouldn't be there in "the ghetto." I was a regular customer. No longer. Horrible customer service. read more