In December of 2016 & early 2017, Gem Car Wash, completely remodeled their car wash tunnel.

Included in the remodel is $38,000.00 reverse osmosis water reclamation system.  This system takes most of the solids & contaminants out of the wash cycle process, cycles it through 3 tanks resulting in 70% to 80% efficiency and reuse of the original fresh water.  In other words, for every 10 gallons of water used to wash a car, 7 to 8 gallons is cleaned, recycled & reused.

For vehicle washing, water is the primary means of rinsing the dirt, road grime, salt, and snow off the surface of the vehicle during the wash process. All soaps use water as the delivery medium from the chemical station out to the vehicle to assist in breaking up those contaminants. The higher the quality of water you use, the higher the quality wash you will deliver. Our reclaim system provides the right level of ph to ensure the correct proportion of acidity to alkalinity, resulting in a better wash & a cleaner car.

Plus with our automated and computerized soap & wax distribution system we can fine tune the amount dispensed to each vehicle so each car is cleaned properly with -0- waste.

According to the Western Car Wash Association, a typical tunnel car wash system uses roughly 17-18 gallons of water per car – which is in stark contrast to the average 100 gallons or more of water used in standard home car washes. Aside from repurposing valuable water, water reclamation systems used in car washes reduce disposal costs while helping to prevent detergents and other chemicals from polluting the environment.  

As everyone is aware the drought situation in California has brought to the forefront the importance of water, water use & water re-use or recycling. As proper environmental stewards, investing in a water reclamation system for an existing car wash such as ours was not mandated or required by the state. However, we felt it was necessary given the extreme level of drought the state has experienced over the past several years. California has now mandated water recovery for automatic and tunnel washes. On all new-construction carwash locations, sites must reclaim at least 50 percent of water used.

As we continue to grow & expand our operation over the years we will continue to look for ways to be more environmentally friendly. These types of investments are not only good for the environment but are good for business.

Fires, Smoke & Heat

As I’m sure most of you are aware, it’s been extremely hot this summer & we’re typically our busiest during the summer months. There has also been smoke in the air from all the devastating fires throughout the California & the West.  The heat makes it difficult to be outside for any length of time. Cars left in the heat can reach extremely high temperatures, which makes for hot seats, steering wheels, and the need for air conditioning. Hot temps in cars also brings our attention to not leaving pets, children or fresh food unattended.  The smoke may offer some relief from the heat by clouding the skies & keeping temps down, but respiratory issues come into play for many people including seniors & those with respiratory issues.

As business owners we must be aware of both heat & smoke for the safety & health of our employees.   We normally provide a 15-minute break every couple hours, a minimum 30-minute lunch, cold water, cooling towels & some shade or sun protection.  However, when the temps reach 100 degrees or above we will close the car wash down early. This is necessary to ensure our employees don’t develop heat exhaustion or even worse heat stroke.  The smoke adds another element of caution for our management team. We must be aware of various issues with our employees who may be sensitive to long exposure to ingesting smoke in the air. Recently we posted a pop up on our website alerting our customers that due to the high concentration of smoke we may be forced to close early.

To be safe, call ahead 916-451-6524 to make sure you don’t drive down when we’re closed.  As soon as the air clears we’ll operate our normal hours. Hopefully this explains why you may have driven into the car wash later in the day only to find that we’ve closed early.

Discounts  

Being a full-service car wash & detail center, people may have the perception that our prices are out of reach or expensive.  But if you are a savvy shopper like most of our customers tend to be, you don’t have to pay full price because we provide opportunities for one & all to receive discounts.  After all who doesn’t like to save money. Besides, we do all the work for you, so you don’t have to. We’ll vacuum the dirt, clean off the bugs & wipe down inside & out. That is what full service is all about. Plus, if you want to protect your investment &/or need a deep clean, our Detail Center is 2nd to none.

Join our Unlimited Monthly Wash Club – Wash everyday if you like for one low monthly price. See our website for more details www.gemcarwash.com.  This program is particularly good for UBER & LYFT drivers.

Seniors receive 25% off Any Wash $23.99 and up. A $6 savings taken right off the top at the register. Seniors also receive discounts on all our detail services. Senior discounts can be found on the specials tab, on our website. Go to www.gemcarwash.com.  In fact, All our specials are found on our Specials Page on our website and include.

Veterans receive 20% on all washes and all detail services 7 days a week. Thank you for your service to our country!!

Once you’ve signed up for our Birthday Club on our website, you will receive a free full-service car wash on us, so if you only wash your car once a year that’s the time to do it. www.gemcarwash.com.

Our Coupon Booklets are buy 4 get one free and or buy 8 get 2 free. You’ll save $3-$6 per wash depending on which wash package you choose. Our Happy Hour, normally the last 1 ½ to 2 hours of the day Monday- Thursday, provides everyone a $8 discount off any wash package. www.gemcarwash.com

Finally, we have Monthly Managers Specials that are posted in the local Neighborhood Shopper & on our web site. Open to everyone & includes numerous opportunities to save on wash packages & detail packages.  www.gemcarwash.com

Discounts, we have them & we look forward to seeing you at the GEM. Remember www.gemcarwash.com

If you have any questions you can always ask one of our friendly Service Advisors for details.

Gem Car Wash is a full-service car wash & full detail center. If you drive around I’m sure you’ve noticed all the express car washes that have been going in. We are one of the few full-service car wash establishments remaining in the region. Unlike the express car washes in the area that offer low price, drive in, drive through, dry it yourself & vacuum yourself, we do all of that for you. We also provide full detail services; including full detail work inside & out. We shampoo carpets and seats, we provide several kinds of wax applications, headlight lens restoration, windshield repair service & many express detail options that are available while you wait.  Our gift shop has a variety of different items for purchase while you’re waiting for your car to be cleaned by us. Gift cards, drinks, snacks, and a variety of car care products and accessories to help enhance your driving experience.

There are several things we pride ourselves on which you may not experience at an express car wash. Yes, we are more expensive, but we do our absolute best to make sure you car is clean inside & out & your overall experience is a pleasurable one. Our staff is there to help in any way they can to make sure you are satisfied, and you leave feeling like you got what you paid for. When you pull in, our service advisors will help counsel you on the best wash package for your needs and will make recommendations based on your cars condition for any extended detail service your car may require. Your car can mean several things to you and most people who own a car take pride in keeping their car clean, so it holds its value. We also spend a tremendous amount of time in our cars, whether it be for work, visiting family, running errands, hauling the kids around to their different activities or going on vacation. There’s nothing better than having a clean car when you spend as much time in it as we all seem to do.

If you have children, you know how messy they can be especially with food in the car. When it gets to the point where you just can’t stand it any longer, bring your car in so our staff can look to see what the best detail solution for your situation would be.  We have special equipment that can not only clean the interior but with our drive-pur product, it will remove most stains and sterilize the fabric or leather.

Bugs, birds & certain trees, can splatter, poop, or distribute hard to extract marks on your car that can damage your cars finish. Before that happens, bring your car in to have one of service advisors or detail specialist recommend the proper wax treatment to protect the clear coat & finish of your car so those nasty stains or marks don’t worsen or ruin your cars finish. We have special chemical compounds & waxes that once applied adhere to the cars service and bond with the finish & clear coat to add an extra layer of protection. Once applied the bug spots come off easier & water spots never have a chance to develop. Our detail staff is very experienced some with over 18 yrs in the business just detailing cars. Our detail shop staff is also trained by the product manufacturers to apply the products we use in such a way as to obtain the best results.

In conclusion, when it comes to cleaning your car, protecting the finish on your car or making the inside of your car sparkle like new, leave it to the staff of Gem Car Wash & Detail Center to provide the right advise, products & service to protect that precious investment & allow for a much better driving experience.

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing that all to familiar sound of a rock hitting the windshield. You immediately try to zero in on where the sound hit & see a rock chip that may or may not have started to splinter or create a spider mark on the windshield. Rock chips can take place any time of the year and with summer construction projects starting to take place, rock chip occurrences can increase.

It’s important to repair small chip marks immediately when they occur so they don’t spread and create an unrepairable crack.  Most people don't fix their rock chips because they think they won't damage the windshield. Rock chips lead to cracked windshields and this can affect your safety along with the integrity of the windshield. It is much more expensive to replace a windshield than to fix a rock chip! Because of that fact, most insurance companies will pay for a rock chip repair without affecting your premiums or any out of pocket expense.

At Gem Car Wash and Detail Center, we have trained technicians to help assess the damage to your windshield to determine if one or more of the chips on your windshield can be repaired. We’ll even call your insurance company with you to ensure you’re covered. The process is simple & fast, usually just 10 minutes. We inject a resin into the area that seals the crack & prevents future spreading.

Next time you’re in ask one of our service advisors for help and we’ll work with you on getting your rock chips repaired for free.