New Wards Road car wash
Express Jet Car Wash offers a variety of services to the Lynchburg community
After the snowstorm Jan. 22, thousands of cars are still dirty from snow, salt and slush, and Lynchburg’s newest car wash is here to help.
Clean — Express Jet Car Wash took the place of the old Sonic drive-in restaurant. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
Express Jet Car Wash opened Jan. 1 after months of building and preparation by giving out free car washes to the citizens of Lynchburg.
Bill Hinton, the owner of Express Jet, told WSET people seemed happy with the services.
“Well, so far everybody is very excited about what we are delivering,” Hinton said. “They think it’s the best car wash they have ever been through.”
The car wash is located at 3805 Wards Road next to Caspian Tattoo & Body Piercing. It is open Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Jordan Engle, an employee at Express Jet, said they do not have any sort of student discount, but they will hopefully begin accepting Flames Cash soon.
“We are looking into Flames Cash to make sure it is doable with our processors,” Engle said.
Engle explained the car wash processes its transactions out of state, so it may take some time before they are able to accept Flames Cash.
They offer five different levels of wash ranging from $6 to $20. The services include normal washes, tire shine, wax and, at the highest levels, a paint sealant they call “Lava Shield.”
The Coach Class wash includes only cleaning and drying, but the first class level adds the tire shine, a rain repellent and a three-color conditioner for only $10, according to the Express Jet website.
The Simoniz Hot Wax and Shine package is $15 and includes a “waterfall” of wax that falls onto the car as it drives through. They claim the wax product produces the same result as traditional wax in three minutes. The wax is also available as a $4 add-on outside of its package.
Alternatively, they also offer something called the “Frequent Flyer Program.” Through this program, the customer no longer pays for each wash but pays a monthly fee instead.
Once enrolled in the program, Express Jet will place a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag in the windshield of the customer’s car. The car wash will recognize this RFID tag and allow the car to go through and receive whichever wash plan the tag is good for.
The prices range from $30 a month for the First Class Wash Package to $50 for the Captain’s Special, which is typically $20 per wash.
The cost is automatically billed each month to a credit or debit card provided by the customer.
This program applies to all Express Jet locations, which currently include the Wards Road location and another in Roanoke, Virginia.
For students looking for a job, Engle said Express Jet is always taking applications.
“They can go to our website at expressjetcarwash.com, and there’s a tab to click on for job opportunities,” Engle said. “They can download the application and email it or pick one up in the store.”
The application can be found under the “Contact Us” tab through “Employment.”
Gee is a news reporter.