New soapy Joes is awesome. I love the amounts of stations they now have, no more waiting or fighting for a spot. It's more efficient and things actually work, like the vacuum cleaner. More space for the line as well. The staff still sell you the membership hella hard, but that's their job. The smell isn't as good as their original one, I wish they'll bring back that car air freshener smell. read more

Soapy Joe's - Car wash - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

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You can just pull up and vacuum your car, no questions asked. Which is nice, because the car had a lot of sand in it from beach adventures and needed to be vacuumed out. The cool thing about the vacuum area at Soapy Joe's is that there are vacuum hoses on both sides of your vehicle, so you're not trying to tug a hose where it can't reach. They make it very easy to clean the inside of your car here. I didn't use their car-washing facilities here, but I was super happy with their vacuuming offerings. Soapy Joe's gets two thumbs up from me. read more

I don't usually come to this car wash, I was just in the area today but my experience was frustrating enough that I won't be back. Right from the start, the employee up front kept asking me to sign up for a membership because of a current deal. I politely said "no thanks," but he continued to push repeatedly. At one point, he even told me I was "lacking" for not signing up, which felt completely inappropriate and unprofessional. I had to say no at least 10 more times before he finally stopped and just ran my card. It was really uncomfortable. I won't be returning to this location or any of their locations if employees are being encouraged to harass customers. When someone says no, it should be respected the first time. Not everyone wants to pay $20 monthly fee for a service they rarely use. read more

What a great place to get your car washed. Drive through, then go to a detail spot and finish the job. We went there for their grand opening last week. Got a free car wash. What impressive me is, the car comes out very clean, and we get to detail it outside and inside. You know it's going to be done good. I like their "all you can wash" for $30 a month. That's right. You can wash your car everyday if you want for that price. Hey, if you just went 2 times a month, you'd beat any other car wash in cost anywhere. Friendly staff, easy to do, and price is right. read more

They are back open and better than ever! Paved road and entry. All the vaccums work. Very new and very clean. The washes are much better and remove a. Good amount of dirt and mud which comes handy during the wicked winters here in SoCal. An excellent value for daily or weekly washes. Cleaned my car which is all I needed. read more

Soapy Joe's - In between the storms - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

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I'm done with this location and I'm considering canceling my membership completely. This is the 5th time since they're "Grand Re-Opening" that I've come to this location and they're closed. The first couple times there was an employee standing out front explaining the closure. Their new hours at all locations are limiting. If you have kids to drop off at school, a job, and your kids play sports- forget being able to wash your car here or at any location. Waste of money for sure. read more

Soapy Joe's - says they're open but they're actually not.. - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

If you need to cancel and miss by one day they will not refund you even if you haven't used it. They charged me despite my cancelling and calling the next morning when they were open in order to speak to an actual human. Avoid their scam at all costs. read more

Checked it out and was a bit leafy at first but since they reopened they have not disappointed. The place is always well kept and clean. Most of all compared to other locations this one is well listed out so there is no traffic jams trying to figure out where to go. Vacuums have tons of power and the car wash machine being new really does a great job washing. Big shout out to the staff as these guys are in it and always ready to help. Ivan helped me out today and was a huge help and made sure I was taken care of. Highly recommend this location! read more

This was the easiest car wash ever. We vacuumed the vehicle and then drove right to the entrance of the car wash. We were offered a membership, but I don't live in the area, so I declined. There were the right amount of towels to wipe down the inside of the car, the timer on the vacuum left me with minutes left to do a final sweep of the nooks and crannies and the price of the wash was not very expensive. We went arrived in a dusty car that needed a little TLC and left with a shiny masterpiece. I love the concept of this car wash. Too bad we don't have any in the Bay Are where I'm from, it would be a hit! read more

Soapy Joe's - Surprising my bestie by setting her ride polished. Here I am with her baby girl. - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

Always broken. They tell you next week it will reopen, then next week rolls around and they tell you the same thing again. Went under renovation during the majority of last year to supposedly give a better experience and so far it's been a complete miss and disappointment. read more

I went to soapy joes yesterday in San Marcos and thought that I would give them a try,well I did and it was by far the worst experience I have ever had and the only reason I am going to go back is so they can fix the screw up of a so called wash job. If they do not fix it they will pay for a new paint job. Don lovitt read more

finally back open. brand new facility best vacuumes even better than carlsbad. the only thing I could say to improve is the entrance where you scan or pay. my E350 van just fits. maybe make a little bit more room to turn. read more

Soapy Joe's - Vacume on the side of the car wash. - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

I have tried to 6 times since they have supposedly "re-opened" and every time they're closed. I've tried all different times of day and different days of the week and not once have they been open. Every time an employee has told me "next week" but that's never true. I will NOT be trying again. read more

We renewed our annual membership since their location in San Marcos was due to reopen. That was November 2025. We have been back at least 6 times and the location remains closed. There is always someone there to tell us the location is still closed but it will open in a few days but come back in 7 or 10 days just to be sure!!!! So bogus Soapy Joe's. Save your money and take your business to one of their competitors. read more

Terrible Service and Zero Accountability Soapy Joe's has been a complete disappointment. Their location has been closed for over six months with absolutely no notice, no updates, and no communication about when--or if--they'll reopen. Meanwhile, they continue charging monthly membership fees like nothing's wrong. I reached out to request a refund or even just a credit, and was flat-out denied. The customer service was dismissive and unhelpful--zero effort to make things right. It's completely unacceptable to shut down operations without informing paying customers and then refuse to provide any kind of compensation. Avoid Soapy Joe's at all costs. They clearly don't care about their customers once they have your money. read more

They reopened after a long remodel and then closed. Every week they say they'll be open next week and still stay closed. It's a huge waste of time and makes me wonder why I pay so much for a membership to a business that can't stay open. read more

Gabby was amazing today! Very helpful and so sweet. Has a positive attitude. Pls Give that girl a raise !

I've been laying this membership for months barely using it while waiting for the San Marcos location to reopen. Just went this afternoon after they finally reopened and it's closed due to issues with the tunnel. read more

well ever since they closed for a "glow up" back in January of February 2025 it's been hell to get a subscription canceled. Sending several emails since February I've had it canceled three times supposedly but yet still being charged monthly for it. read more

Soapy joes is awesome since they have self serve vacuum and towels for you to dry your car. The air freshener they give you smells good and lasts long also. Only thing is that they don't take Apple Pay! Cash or card only. Other than that Trevor was helpful. Value you get for the basic wash is good for the price. read more

I would give Soapy Joe's negative stars if allowed. I went through this wash last Sunday 3/16 and the machine malfunctioned ripping off my driver's side mirror. The manager Melvin was understanding and wrote a claims report. The interaction I had with him was 4 stars. I was told by Melvin I would receive a call 1-2 business days by the claims department about replacing my mirror. Melvin admitted it was their error due to the machine malfunctioning. I have not received a call or email from the claims department. I have called everyday, multiple times a day for the last 4 days. What horrible customer service by their corporate office. I don't recommended this place to anyone!! read more

Soapy Joe's - Wash at Soapy Joe's - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

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This location is fairly new to San Marcos, but the layout is absolutely terrible. First off, it's difficult to find the entrance for the car wash line. When I entered following signage, I was taken to the tire shop side, which is not where the line is located to get your car washed. I had to turn around and re-enter to get in line. When exiting the wash, the vacuums are only on one side- the same side where cars are waiting in line to be washed. That means you have to wait in line AGAIN to vacuum and then you will not be able to get out when you're finished because there is a line of cars parallel to you. Such poor planning, I won't go to this location again. We were stuck here at least 30 minutes. read more

I am looking for a car wash and before buying a monthly subscription, I got one single wash, the most expensive one, the Magic Joe. When I got through the line today, I came to the vacuum station and realized my hood's middle part and roof were completely not washed. When I got to the employee and asked if I could rewash, the answer I received was "you should buy the unlimited subscription. We can't guarantee that." Definitely my worst car wash experience. I don't recommend it, and now I need to go wash my car somewhere else. read more

Soapy Joe's - Car Wash Near Me - San Marcos, California

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Right now, I can only give this car wash 3 stars. The facility is long overdue for a renovation. The vacuums are incredibly weak--my Dustbuster performs better. On the plus side, they've recently introduced newer microfiber cloths, which is an improvement since the old ones left streaks on the windshield. However, there are never enough vacuum bays, which is frustrating. While the location is very convenient, I don't love the recent price increases, especially since they're not even updated on the website. I'll consider giving them another try once they reopen, but for now, it's a mixed experience. read more

I signed up for this company's unlimited car wash package specifically because of their closest location to my home. As someone who is handicapped, convenience is a major factor in my decision-making. But for the last three months, that location has been shut down with no reopening in sight--meaning I've been paying for a service I can't even use. When I reached out and asked for a reasonable refund, given that their closure has made it difficult for me to travel to their other locations, their response? "All sales are final"--then they had the nerve to cancel my membership entirely. No apology, no effort to make things right, just a blatant disregard for customer service and common decency. This company clearly does not care about its customers, especially those with accessibility needs. If you're considering their unlimited package, be warned: if something happens to your nearest location, they'll happily take your money with zero accountability. A total scam and a complete lack of professionalism. Avoid them at all costs! read more

Great car wash along with great monthly car wash plans. The monthly car wash plans allow you to save money, and wash your car for one monthly price. It's unlimited washes! Soapy Joes has locations throughout San Diego County and they currently have 10 locations open with another new car Wash location opening soon. Reliable equipment, friendly employees and good quality car washes. Soapy Joes is worth a visit. read more

Cancelled my membership today. Started paying $15 a month back when I started my membership for the lowest tier, over the last two years the price has risen over 66% to $25 a month for the lowest tier with no warning. Service has also gotten worse. Why am I paying $25 a month for employees to not clean the clogged vacuums or fix the broken ones? Why am I paying $25 a month for a teenager to stand next to the card reader that I can reach from my car window, push a button, and grab my card. I have working arms, go clean the vacuums.... Didn't even get offered an air freshener today, the only reason I was hanging on to my membership (the smell is unmatched). Nobody in line got offered one. read more

The vacuums and drier fans have no suction or power. When I told an employee, she replied " well, they ate free." Left with dirty floor mats and water spots read more

I'd been a member of their competitor's ("Super Star") car wash for about a month. Then noticed Costco, my favorite store, was offering a year of membership at Soapy Joe's for about $100 less than I was paying. I cancelled at Super Star and bought a one year membership at Soapy Joe's. My first time through Soapy Joe's their flapping brushes dug deep etchings into the paint on the hood of our car. I've photoed my receipts from Costco, the contract receipt from Soapy Joe's as well as the damage to the hood of my car. They are all attached to this review. Soapy Joe is claiming the damage to the previously unblemished paint of our hood was somehow "pre-existing". We had our car photoed extensively at Tag Collision only a week or so ago. There were no scratches to our hood at all. Every time I ran our car through for its Ceramic Wash and Wax at Super Star I carefully wiped the entire vehicle afterward. No scratches. I'm disgusted to read the similar damage experiences recorded in their Yelp reviews. Costco has greatly increased the membership at Soapy Joe's. You have to wait to be let in for your wash, wait in line for an open vacuum and wipe down slot. Their vacuums are cheaply made. Only one size to their nozzles. "Clean" wipe down rags are never folded---just tossed in on top of the dirty ones. No mat cleaning machine and no packets of pre-wet wipe down tissues for your car interior. I cancelled my new membership yesterday---the first day I used it and they caused several hundred dollars of damage to our car. Cancelled it through Costco. We will never deal with Soapy Joe's again. To "save a few bucks" we've endured several hundred dollars of damage to our vehicle. read more

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This specific location is the worst. The vacuums are always clogged or have very little suction. The employees don't direct traffic well when it's crowded so it becomes pure chaos. However, the new location in vista is 100x better. Do yourself a favor and drive the extra 6 minutes over for a better experience. read more

bought a year membership everything was great five months . Then they close the location. They want me to drive across town Escondido to get my car wash. That's not what I envisioned when I bought my membership. Having used car wash it for the last six months very poor poor planning on them not to notify new members their intent to close location. read more

This location for months has not had adequate vacuums yet they don't disclose it either and then they close and don't tell any of the regular monthly paying customers like myself additionally don't offer to give you any discount. It's up if you call and wait 30 minutes on the phone to get a discount. Very shady. read more

High service quality and it is super quick and easy to get your car washed and cleaned!

Our little car was dirty so can't complain to much that a little left on it didn't upset me. The one employee I talked to was pleasant and helpful. read more

Damaged 2 of my cars and did nothing about it even though a manager was witness both times! Shady at best!

The best car wash on the planet in San Marcos on San Marcos Blvd. highly approved. Thanks for about here now and I absolutely love service equipment and how my car. read more

Went in the car wash and hydraulic oil got on my car. Many times the vacuums don't work well. read more

Phyli & Trevor were very helpful and kind!!! They helped me switch my membership to my new car. thanks guys!

Excellent customer service despite not having the correct bill to pay with (only accept $s1, 5s, 20s and I only had a $50 with no card on me, my bad). Gentlemen were nice (Christian and Lucas) and helpful with my situation. Would come again for their service and car wash!!! Thank you guys!!!! read more

I recently lost my wallet so all o had was Apple Pay... they DONT take Apple Pay. The man there said that if I write a yelp review he can let me in for free but alas my phone was freezing up bc it's like 5 years old. They let me go through anyway so here I am the next day writing the yelp review! Fun car wash and nice vacuums read more