Zombie Car Wash 2010

Let me start by telling you how it ended:

Metro’s Zombie Walk 2010 ended on Saturday night at 10:00 PM with about 30 volunteers dancing the Cupid (Cuban) Shuffle on the front drive of the Speedway Car Wash. It was a great (and appropriate) way to close out 5 days of an Event that seemed to have surpassed everyone’s expectations.

If you didn’t get a chance to stop by, let me say that the reviews we received were exceptional. I don’t think anyone anticipated the effort we put in, turning our car wash into a haunted-house-zombie-themed-ride. Those that did come said things like: “really amazing,” “so much more than I expected,” “too cool,” and “better than other haunted houses in town.” I’m not bragging here. I just want everyone to know that they missed out on something fun and entertaining so that they’ll be sure to come next year. After all, it’s not everyday that you get to combine the classic past-time of washing your car with a classic horror movie like George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (it was playing on the side of the building like a drive-in theatre, incidentally).

But the customers weren’t the only ones who had their expectations exceeded; yours truly did as well. And more than this, I can honestly say that I’m speechless with gratitude and pride at the Metro Car Wash Employees, Sahuaro High School Students, and participating businesses who sacrificed their time and services to make this Event a success.

Like any new project, we really didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. We have a scholarship; we needed to raise money for it; and a Zombie Car Wash for Halloween seemed like a good idea. But once we began planning and designing and constructing, it became apparent just how large of a task we were faced with. We needed 40 volunteers per night for 5 nights; we needed help in getting the word out about the Event; and we needed supplies and props for the sets. And wherever there was a need, people came through in a big way.

So this week’s blog is more or less a Thank You. It’s a Thank You to all of the Students at Sahauro High School who listened to their teacher, Mr. Harkin, and gave up their plans night upon night to dress up like zombie’s and scare Tucson. It’s a thanks to my employees like Adam Villalobos, Juan Arellano, Melanie Romero, Gwen Valenzuela, Chris Hopper, Steven Hopper, Jacob Bacinski, Gabbi DeJesus, Izzy Lopez, Lorenzo Tambriz, Alex Ortiz-Uribe, and many more who not only worked all day at the car wash, but stayed on into the night to deliver a great show, help clean up, get no sleep, and go back at it again the next day. It’s also a Thanks to the volunteers like Ivan Nieto, Amanda Anyaeji, Josie at the Job Corps, and Les and Sarah Henson who aren’t employees or high school students, but felt that raising money to put a deserving kid through a year of college was a worthy enough cause to give up their personal nights and dress like road kill.

It’s also a big thanks to the businesses that helped us out.

Thanks to Heat Wave Productions and Joey Velasquez for DJ-ing nightly. You kept the party going, spirits high, and got zombies to dance … not an easy task (Metro Car Wash highly recommends Heat Wave’s services for any occasion, btw; you can contact them directly at 520-519-9379).

Thanks to Gary and Judy Tenen at Alphagraphics CPS for donating the 4,000 flyers that were dropped all over Tucson. Thanks to Sue Callahan at SignAge for donating the posters. And thanks to Julie Rustad at 24-7 Creative Solutions for designing such a great marketing piece to begin with.

Thanks to Tucson Weekly, the Arizona Daily Star, and Tucson Night Out for getting the Event coverage and helping to bring in more customers. And thanks to Jo Ann Mesa for volunteering to help contacting the same (your efforts were much appreciated).

I’m sure I’ve missed a lot of people deserving of thanks. I apologize in advance.

Like anything that takes a lot of effort, this was exhausting and I’m glad to say it’s over. But more importantly, I’m glad to know we raised enough money to put our first student through a year at Pima Community College next year. And more than this, I’m glad to know there are so many people in Tucson generous enough with their time and money to make something like this a reality.

I’m all zombied out folks, so until next time … stay clean my friends.

--DJ DripDry

A Guide to Washing Your Car

Being in this business, I take for granted that everyone understands why they need to wash their cars (as well as why they should wash them at a professional facility and what services they need to purchase when they stop in). Then I talk to a few customers and realize I’m completely wrong.

It makes sense, really. The topic of “car washing” is not one of those exciting discussions that seem to generate buzz around the water cooler (like, say, Lindsay Lohan’s latest escapades, government healthcare, the NFL weekend, or Jonathan Franzen’s newest novel). But still, we “car dudes” have feelings too. And since we’re passionate about the importance of our business, I thought I’d take this opportunity to briefly give you some information on (1) why you should wash your car, (2) why you should use a professional car wash, and (3) what services you should select on your next visit. It won’t be too painful, I promise. And you really might learn something.

First, let’s address why you should wash your car. The truth is: it’s more than just about looking good. Aside from the fact that a clean car says a ton about your image (that it greatly enhances your sex appeal and that it will more than likely help you get promoted in your career), it really is a low cost form of auto maintenance that will prolong the life of your car.

In most basic terms, there are just a lot of things out there, every day, that are degrading your vehicle’s paint. Bird droppings contain acid that burns through your clear coat and causes damage that can’t be repaired; brake dust actually eats into your wheels and then becomes baked-on in the heat; road oils and other pollutants can permanently dull your car’s color if allowed to sit for extended periods of time. It’s all much uglier than most people realize. And by simply regularly washing your car, you can remove these factors and insure that the look of your car will stay bright and protected for a long, long time. And that can mean more money to you at trade-in, or when you decide to sell it.

Next, there are also a lot of good reasons why you should wash at a professional car care facility (we personally believe Metro Car Wash is the best, but any of them are better than washing at home).

Now it’s possible, of course, that you have nothing better to do with your weekend than wash your car in your driveway. You’re someone who hates to go to a barbeque, you dislike sports of any kind, you detest kicking up your feet and drinking iced tea or beer, you shutter at the thought of relaxing in a pool, and you feel that two hours of your time under the beating sun is the perfect way to spend the precious moments away from your boss. But even still … you shouldn’t do it.

There are two basic reasons professional car washes are better than your driveway. First, when you wash in your driveway, the run-off goes into the storm drains, which does not go to a sanitation plant. The soaps you use, as well as the oils, brake dust and pollutants you remove, get washed into the lakes and rivers and the general environment. At a professional car wash, this polluted water runs through a sanitary sewer system and is ultimately processed in a sanitation plant. Second, by using a professional car wash, you’re saving a lot of water. Studies have shown that washing an average car, with a typical garden hose, will use about 116 gallons of water (seriously). An average full-service car wash, however, will only use about 40 – 60 gallons for every car (at Metro in Tucson, we can get lower than this due to our use of reclaim water). So think of it this way: using a professional car wash is actually your duty as a respectable member of society!

Finally, let’s discuss what service you should get the next time you come in.

Of course, every time you pull onto a car wash lot, a salesperson is going to try to sell you something expensive. But the truth is: there are times you need to spend the extra money, and there are times you don’t.

The question we get asked the most is: How often should I wax my car? And the answer is: it depends.

The sun’s UV rays are a major source of damage to your vehicle’s paint. And on newer cars, they’re now using less paint and less clear coat (to save cost), which means less paint protection. In other words, the more your car is out in the sun, the more you need to wax your car.

If you’re lucky enough to have covered parking throughout the day, then you may only need to wax your car every 4 -5 months. If your car is out in the sun all day, however, we suggest you get a wax at least every 3 months.

And one more point while we’re on this subject. If you regularly wash your car (2x per month) and regularly upgrade to a package wash with spray-on paint protection (like our Metro Wash), then you can also prolong the time between spending money on a complete wax.

So keep track of when you purchase, as well as what you purchase. And don’t get talked into something that you just don’t need.

Hope this information helps. Hope you haven’t been bored to tears.

Until next time, stay clean my friends!

--DJ DripDry