Every stop in the tunnel, then the vacuum bays

A car at Balboa Express meets foam and soft-touch wheels first, then the wax and protectant arches, then Ceramic Seal and the rinse, and finally the free vacuums out front. Plans start at $12 for the first month.

Call (858) 495-9274See the unlimited plans

6066 Balboa Avenue

Six stops from the gate to the vacuum bays

Scroll sideways along the conveyor.

  1. Amber soft-touch wash wheels on either side of a wet tunnel conveyor, mist hanging in the light

    01 Soft touch

    Soft Touch Wash

    Belanger SpinLite wheels turn at about a third of the speed of traditional equipment, wrapped in ShineMitt media that is thick and sturdy yet gentle like a hand-wash. Every plan starts here and ends with a Turbo Dry.

    Soft Touch Wash details
  2. Teal and orange wash media hanging over the conveyor in the protectant arches

    02 Arches

    Wax, shine and protect

    Silver brings Double Foaming Pre-Soak, Bubble Bath, the Duo Tire & Wheel Scrubber, an Undercarriage Wash and Sealer Wax. Gold adds Tire Shine, Hot Wax and Triple Foam Protectant, and Platinum finishes with Bug Removal and Full Body Protectant.

    Wax, shine and protect details
  3. Ceramic Seal tower sign beside the entry lane under white shade sails
    Ceramic Seal tower sign by the entry lane, under the shade sails.

    03 Seal

    Ceramic Seal

    Applied in the tunnel after the wash for long lasting shine, gloss and ultra UV protection. It is included with the Platinum Plus plan, and it can be added to any single wash when you pay at the terminal.

    Ceramic Seal details
  4. Vacuum posts and hoses under the solar canopy at dusk, the gold sign above
    Vacuum posts under the solar canopy at dusk.

    04 Vacuum bays

    Free vacuums

    A vacuum on each side of the car, a high pressure hose, and the Free Rapid Air System that blows dust and water out of vents, seams and door jambs. Free on every plan, from 8 AM to 8 PM.

    Free vacuums details
  5. Driver's view through a windshield with a small blank RFID tag on the lower left and the striped gate arm lifting

    05 Fast Pass

    Unlimited wash plans

    Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum all run on a Fast Pass tag about the size of a Band-aid. The gate lifts, the wash runs, and the plan bills monthly with no long-term contract. Plans start at $12 for the first month.

    Compare the four plans
  6. A curtain of rinse water falling through tunnel mist

    06 PurWater

    Solar power, reclaimed water

    Solar panels over the vacuum bays and on the roof power the wash and warm its water. PurWater recovery cleans that water to 5 microns, and the final pass is reverse osmosis water, so the paint dries spot free.

    How the solar and water systems work
Tunnel interior with multicolour wash media and coloured foam sheeting down

Why the tunnel is easy on paint

1/3the speed of traditional equipment
Belanger SpinLite wheels turn at about a third of the speed of traditional wash equipment.
4xthe touches of traditional media
ShineMitt media makes over four times the touches, in a mitt that is thick and sturdy yet gentle like a hand-wash.
9xthe cleaning and shining tips
The same media carries nine times the cleaning and shining tips of traditional media, so each pass does more.

The wash is quiet and safe for the motoring public, and a quiet wash is easier on pets riding along.

Inside the bay there is a light show for kids and passengers, so the few minutes in the tunnel are not wasted on the back seat.

The tunnel at night, lit blue from inside, behind the fence and palms

Open 8 AM to 8 PM, blue-lit after dark

6066 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, CA 92111, on the northwest corner of Balboa and Abernathy Avenues in front of Genesee Plaza. Every day, weather permitting.

Call (858) 495-9274Pick a planDirections and hours