Best Car Wash

It's almost hard to believe this city survived for so long without Auto Spa Bistro, a car wash and auto detailer that comes complete with a full bar, VIP area, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. On summer weekends, the modest lot transforms into a virtual auto show as Bentleys, Lambos, and Escalades pull in for servicing. But the real scene happens inside, where flat screens encircle a VIP area complete with plush sofas and mirrored walls. The bistro, which regularly hosts parties and happy hour events, made for the perfect setup during a taping of "Love and Hip Hop Atlanta" last season - minus the drama, of course. If you don't have a high-end luxury mobile, don't worry; exterior hand washes only run $15. Just make sure you bring enough money to hose down your throat while you wait. 348 14th St. 678-974-8187. www.autospabistro.com. less...

The difference between AUTO GLO HAND CAR WASH and some other car washes in town is that at Auto Glo, it’s all hands all the time. That means no automated scrubbers touch your car. Auto Glo workers carefully wipe away the muck with double-sided wool cloths and dry your car with microfiber towels to protect the paint. A basic wash starts at $10, and a wash and interior vacuuming costs $20. Add a wax for $20 and a full detail, complete with UV protective dash care, at $150. And, while you wait, you can enjoy Auto Glo’s massage chair and free Wi-Fi. less...

Could we take our beat-up economy cars to someplace other than Cactus Car Wash? Probably. But why would we? When we come in early in the morning, we get delicious coffee. When it’s cold outside, there’s a nice fire to keep us warm. And now the heat has us pleased that we can buy chilly beverages while we wait. Televisions and magazines keep us occupied while computer stations and Wi-Fi keep us from having to skip a beat on the workday. Taking our cars here leaves us feeling more pampered than our automobiles, which do indeed emerge from the wash and wax services looking shiny and new.
575 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-876-3232; 2980-A Piedmont Road, 404-846-4040. www.cactuscarwash.net.

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For less than $10 (less than $8 before 10 a.m. weekdays), vehicles are vacuumed, machine laundered, blow-dried and touched up by hand — a first-rate wash and set. God is in the details offered, most at extra cost: lube, oil, belt and coolant service, tire work, Blue Coral detailing, carpet steaming, tire shines, air-conditioned waiting rooms with car supplies (steering wheel covers, plate protectors, upholstery deodorant), coffee, juices, cookies, magazines and wide-screen television. And don't forget those really neat, bright yellow T-shirts that most staffers sport. less...