Since this station was renovated, I feel it is a much nicer station. Originally the pumps were terribly slow, often with one or two out of service. Now they have state-of-the-art pumps that are faster (though not as fast as the ones at the Mobil kitty-corner from here). The islands are well maintained, with window cleaning kits and garbage cans that are frequently emptied (another problem of the old station). The whole station is well lit, making it feel much safer than the old station. Gas prices are pretty fair, for a station right off the expressway.
Their market area is the real gem of this gas station. The market is well-lit, with excellent climate control, and is sparkling clean. The bathrooms are immaculate, with quality fixtures. There are TONS of food options - hot food options at all hours, frozen foods, snacks, groceries, fridges filled with beverages, hot & cold drink machines, and even ice cream. Late at night, this is one of the top places to get a quick bite to eat, and a cold drink. Staff are attentive and friendly, while everything is priced quit reasonably. There's even a small area to sit for a bit, to eat, and lots of parking.
Unfortunately, not all is improved... They added a new tunnel car wash system, which has all the bells and whistles and should provide a premium wash. However, it doesn't seem like it's properly calibrated or has malfunctioning sensors. I have a sedan with a very basic profile, but the brushes kept bouncing back and forth as it struggled to find my car profile. Half the time the brushes were off my vehicle, just spinning in the air. When it brings the brushes back - particularly when in the front or back - they get unusually close to the point that the armatures start bouncing back and forth. No damage was done, but it shook the car several times quite vigorously. Because of this, the conveyor had to stop a few times for me and the car ahead, resulting in uneven coverage of detergent. The spot-free rinse was very good, with excellent coverage, but the air dryers were underwhelming - missing the bottom quarter of the entire car. I've also gone through with my mid-size SUV twice, and it had similar problems (though less shaking and the dryer was more efficient). This tunnel offers one of the poorer washes I've had in the neighborhood, and I was concerned about it damaging the front and rear. The car wash system is a pretty new system, and all appears to be quality equipment. I think it's just suffering from improper calibration or some kind of sensor malfunction. I've mentioned this to the employees upon my first wash, who seemed genuinely concerned, but it continues to be an issue months later.
If you avoid this automatic car wash (go to the Mobil station kitty-corner from this location which is open 24 hours, or the Shell at Lake Cook & Skokie which is open 24 hours and the car was open 7am ~ 8pm, for excellent automatic washes), I think this Bucky's Express is a good 24 hour gas station. The fueling options and market are excellent, and there are other places to get a decent automatic wash. read more