Bubbles Car Wash & Detail Centre Windermere — Attraction in Windermere

The reviews I go out of my way to compose are to share my experiences with a product or service. If you've read them, you'll see they're mostly positive, I want everyone who reads them to know it will be worth their while should they decide to try the services and products. On the flipside, I also want consumers to know when I've received poor service or products, and I want the companies I'm reviewing to be aware of what's happening when things aren't good.

This is a review that I feel very strongly about and is very different from my usual. First things first. I have used Bubbles services many times in the past, and I was quite impressed when they opened this location. The facility is new and looks very modern and clean. They even have a Nespresso machine to use while you're waiting as you watch your vehicle go through the wash. The staff in the waiting area are great, the wash bay staff are very nice, so nice, they've started to recognize me and have short conversations when I come in for a wash.

Here's where things get frustrating. I purchased the Platinum Exterior Wash Club Membership and prepaid for this option. Today, I bring my vehicle in for its usual hand wash, rinse, and dry. I have a matte finish on my vehicle and have always asked for the spinning brushes to be retracted because, if you're a car person, we know that rubbing of any kind isn't good for a paint job, especially for a matte finish. Anyway, I entered the facility and advised the individual that approached me that I would like no brushes when my vehicle goes through. He replied in a very rude tone that "they don't do that anymore." Even when I told him, before I purchased and prepaid for the Platinum option for 3 months, the person that sold it confirmed, this was something I can ALWAYS request. He continued to speak to me in a manner that was quite condescending saying things like "well, that's going to be changed", "its like ordering a Big Mac and leaving out the special items that make it special" Which quite frankly, If I ordered a Big Mac and asked them to hold the burger, buns, and leave only the sesame seeds and ketchup, that's my choice and I accept responsibility for that, especially if I'm paying for it! I attempted to reason with this individual about my preference further, but he continued to insist that "the materials were non abrasive and wont damage your matte finish," and "the company that did my matte finish doesn't know what they're talking about, because they don't know how we do things here." Or "you don't trust the process, and i'm not okay with that, " and even adding that "we had a Rolls Royce in here worth 500K, they didn't have any problems." Here's the kicker, I asked him if he would refund me for the remainder of the subscription and he says, "just use it until the end of the subscription, you don't have to renew" I also asked him if he was the owner (because he acted like it), but he was the GM. Isn't part of the success of a business to retain customers? as well as grow / acquire new business? Referrals are part of this process. I guess because I was wearing a baseball hat on the weekend, he felt that I wasn't the type of client they needed. After the interaction, he "allowed" the retraction of the brushes, but this experience has really left a negative mark. Even my teenage daughter was in the car with me and made a comment that "he was very rude." It's really a shame because my experience with the Windermere Bubbles location has been positive until today. I'm not sure I'll be renewing my membership with Bubbles or returning to this location after this subscription has expired.

I guess the moral of this review is that if you like taking care of your vehicle and prefer to wash it without the brushes, this isn't the place to go to. The other Bubbles locations will do it for you. Coincidentally, there are other reviews about paint damage and swirls and dealing with management but this still didn't seem to phase this GM. This will probably fall on deaf ears. Management should take these reviews...

Clean: 3.5/5 Service: 2/5 Speed & convenience: 5/5 Value: 2.5/5

I was looking for a very basic interior clean (vacuum, windows and a quick wipe down). Ahead of time, I was looking at their 'preliminary-level select package' which comes with: Hand wash n dry Vacuum, dust, window/glass Undercarriage rinse High Lustre Clear coat conditioner Rust Inhibitor Interior Fragrance

Service: 2/5 Having never been here, I walked in and spoke to what turned out to be the cashier gal. She was super nice and friendly. She gave some insight on the clean but directed me to pull into the bay to speak with an advisor. Hopped back in the car and into the bay.

I let the service advisor know I was looking for the most basic interior clean and exterior clean. He said they have a preliminary level, "but if i want good quality I have to go to the mid-level". I asked if it meant the preliminary wasn't good quality? (kind of cheeky but they were his words). I asked what each came with and he told me all the things the stuff i'd miss out on without telling me what I'd actually get. He was heavy on trying to upsell to the mid. In the end, I convinced him I just wanted the basic service and didn't need a tire shine package and he agreed.

Obviously I didn't enjoy the constant upselling without really explaining what packages came with. I'd would have given a 1/5 on service, but the gal at the front desk was super nice so bumped it up to a 2/5.

The clean: 3.5/5 The clean was largely what I think I found online. Seemed to be a very light dusting with a dry cloth, windows cleaned, mats washed, and floors vacuumed. Easily accessible parts looked good, others less so.

The package (at least online) suggested a hand wash n dry, undercarriage, rust n some other stuff. Hard to know if any of that was done, but I assumed hand-wash meant hand wash - not ran through the automated wash system. Maybe the hand wash is done somewhere out of sight and then they run it through the automated system to wash it again or for other reasons? Unclear and not explained by the advisor.

Lastly an interior fragrance was advertised, but seemingly not included? It never came up with the advisor and car didn't smell any different. Unclear.

My receipt says a rain-x package mid. I'm guessing they gave me the preliminary level rain-x package and the mid suggests a mid-level of dirtiness? Accurate for the level of dirtiness (if that's what it was), though I would have probably skipped the rain-x paint and window protection if that was a choice provided at the time. That might be on me for not pushing back harder against the service advisor to understand the options and/or what i was getting?

In the end, the outcome of the clean looked largely as expected, I'm just unclear if I got what I paid for....or even what service I got as many things between the service advisor, the website, and what you see don't line up.

Speed & convenience: 5/5 I couldn't afford to lost my car for hours and if this was gonna happen it needed to happen today. All in all, they took my car on the spot and the service probably took less than 20min.

Value 2.5/5 This one might be a partial me issue. $90 for a dust, vacuum and (automated?) car wash feels pricey. I typically pay $18 for the fanciest automated wash with no manual dry, so maybe that manual dry, vacuum and wipe is worth $70? Or maybe the issue is that I'm living in the past when things used to be cheaper?? I mean they all did a better job than i woulda done even if I had twice the amount of time, so it is what it is. It also doesn't seem any more expensive than the next place, so...maybe it's just me heh.

All in all, stoked with the speed and convenience. Service Advisor easily could have made this review a 5/5 if they spent less time trying to upsell and more time just clearly explaining the options, the process (e.g. how and times),...

• edited following owners reply: this was NOT a case of miscommunication, please stop gaslighting all of your clients. The communication was clear that I was denied service unless I paid nearly a grand for your premier package (no thanks, based on your other reviews, I don’t want to get my car back scratched or damaged, and don’t trust you to take accountability for it.) Never again. I’ll be reporting this to the better business bureau.

Classic scam artists. I brought my car in (small suv) for a basic vacuum of the inside, and basic wash on the outside. The guy working at this place tried to charge me nearly $800 for for a complete clean, with promises “you’ll be amazed” … get a grip I politely declined, to which they REFUSED to clean inside or out saying “it won’t be worth it for you… you should get premium package” Like buzz off. You can’t be serious trying to charge people nearly a gland to clean their car. You’re a BUBBLES. ACT LIKE IT. When a customer wants a basic wash, don’t stand there and blatantly decline. I just wanted a basic clean. It would have been “worth it” for me. More like NOT WORTH IT FOR YOU since I said no to giving you nearly a thousand bucks to wipe down my car. Get over yourselves NEVER would recommend.

But since I wasn’t ready to blow a paycheck to clean my car, I was denied a basic vacuum and wipe down. Not to mention the place is always empty and I was the only one there. You scammers ever consider thinking about why????

And no, you didn’t make my “expectations clear”, don’t respond with that. You straight up denied me service. I didn’t want your suggestions, I just wanted my car BASIC bare minimum clean I would have happily paid $250-$300 for that.

Most of these “5 star “ reviews are from employees and friends of...