Circle K

Cannot believe that I didn’t post this update earlier. Probably too traumatized and just wanted to block the whole experience from my memory. About a week after speaking with the District Manager, I returned to the store and went inside to speak with the store manager, as I had been instructed to do to receive my 4 free car washes and the apology from Jay.
Jay and the same store manager were both behind the counter. I walked up to the counter and as soon as Jay saw me, he looked at me and asked several times (all with righteous indignation) how I could report him to the district office. He was clearly without remorse or regret. During the third accusatory inquisition, the manager tried to cut him off and began telling me how sorry Jay was. Finally, with zero attempt at sincerity, Jay said he was sorry.
I then asked the manager about my free car washes. While he indicated that he knew what I was talking about, he had no grasp on how to make that happen for me. After thinking about it for a minute, he turns to the cash register and punches some buttons and then hands me a receipt that shows the codes for four car washes (wait for it…) all of which expire in one week. Yes folks, that’s right, I was going to have the cleanest car in Irvine for a full seven days! It was at that moment that I realized the employees of this Circle K lack not only customer service skills, but also basic common sense.
While I’d like to think that I politely pointed out that all four washes expired in one week, I’m pretty sure that when I did mention it, I was probably looking at him with utter disbelief and my tone was more patronizing than polite. His solution was to tell me to use the first one within week and after that, every time I wanted to use another code, I needed to come in and show him the receipt (because he said he would remember) and he would issue me a new code that was good at that time. Ummmm… I do not think so!
I used my first free car wash that day and drove my newly cleaned car out of the station’s lot, never to look back (let alone get gas there) again!

Well, firstly the gas price is definitely cheaper than the place up the street. And gas is gas. The relatively decent prices are the reason this place gets 3 stars instead of less. However, the things other than the gas are not very good.
Firstly, the car wash. Well, I disagree with some other users about it being a horrible wash; however, I would say it’s not a very good one either. If you get the Economy wash, it certainly is not good enough to even clean the things off your window even if it’s not very dirty. However, it will get loose dust off your car.
As to other commentators commenting about it not having a brush that touches your car, well I guess they don’t understand the purpose of a touch-​free car wash. You should never, ever go to a car wash where large brushes touch your car. That is the absolute worst thing for your paint! It will ruin your paint. So, this place is great because it is touch-​free.
However, if your car is very dirty, it probably will not do a good job removing the dirt if you use the basic Economy wash. If your car is very dirty then you should definitely get the full Ultimate wash if you want that to be the final wash until next time. The Ultimate wash does a pretty good job in my experience. Not perfect, but pretty good.
Another issue with the car wash is that the card reader is often broken. It used to just not work and after waiting 5 minutes you’d have to go inside. However, at least now there is a piece of tape over it and a small sign that says go inside to pay with card. So you have to either pay in cash or leave your car and go into the shop to pay for it. Last time I went I had to back up my car around the drive-​in curve so I could park and go inside.
Also, the car wash is rather expensive. Especially because if you want a decent wash you need to get the Ultimate wash, which is the most expensive.
Additionally, most of the times I have went to get a car wash over the past 6 months, it was closed. I don’t know why, I don’t even know if there are specific hours. I usually checked it in the early afternoon. I know it was closed because there was a cone set in the middle.
Another issue with this location is that the service is very poor. The owners/​employees barely speak English, are difficult to understand because of their very thick accent, and you will be waiting a long time for service even if you are first in line.
So for the gas, 4 stars, the car wash itself, 3 stars, and for everything else, 1 star. 3 stars because the usual reason for going to a gas station is to get gas, so this takes precedence over the in-​person service and car wash.

ahahhaa! worst car wash i ever got, and it looks like it’s been going on for years, stragest wash ever — it just sprays water on your car. there isn’t a brush or anything that comes in contact with the car. i knew it could not have turned out well. after this JOKE of a wash, i went in and demanded a refund. the guy was reluctant. told him to come out and look at the car. he did so, and actually has the nerve to tell me it was that bad because i only got the «basic» wash. what a chump! got my refund.

Car wash? What car wash, the only thing I got was a couple drips of water that wasn’t enough to clean that front of my window. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the employees are just plain rude AND unhelpful. Not to mention my credit card was charged twice. Save yourself the time and money by avoiding this place by all costs.

Finally got to try their car wash — if you’re in a hurry, don’t get anything more than Economy or you’ll be there forever. I kid you not! The unit is self contained — even the dryer moves so there’s no moving out and letting another vehicle in. Yes, it’s that slow. It’s not designed for SUVs either so you’ll still have a dirty back end.

Gosh. A gas station. Well, I usually come over here to get gas. :) I dont use the car wash (face it people it ain’t gonna get your car that clean, and it may even mess it up) but I like the mini mart. You can pick up all kinds of stuff there. I gots two pink lighters and a cherry air freshener. They got food too… and coffee.
So yeah. I get gas here. Yay!

I advise against getting your car washed here. It wouldn’t start. I had to go in and get the attendant as did the person in front of me. Not to mention the actual wash wasn’t very good.

This gas station has by far the rudest employees I’ve ever met. They are cluless beyond comprehension. One time the car wash stopped mid cycle and my car was all soapy. I was told it was because I didn’t pay. HUH? I paid cash?
Today I was told I couldn’t use the car wash because of «chemicals» yet the line was full and the person behind me bought a car wash. What is going on in this Bazarro World?
The Premium wash used to be $ 8. Now its $ 11

Lousy Carwash!!!
1. Really bad results, car looked barely clean after a run through the $ 9.00 Carwash and had streaks in it after the wash.
2. Slooooow as molasses. I had two cars ahead of me and waited 40+ minutes for my turn
3. Payment machine at the entrance to the Carwash doesn’t work well. Wouldn’t accept cash.
Don’t waste your time here, drive to the Carwash on Culver and Barranca and get your vehicle washed there for less $$

Eh, it’s pricing is ok. The only good thing about it is that it’s clean and the location is convenient since it’s in a plaza.
The carwash sucks. It takes forever and there’s not really any high pressure cleaning to get rid of the dirt off your car.

²⁴⁄₇ convenience store, cheap car washes… but slow service. Dreadfully slow.

Ok. So I don’t want to be negative and rant like a lot of people but I must say the service here is absolutely horrible. I live across the street from this place so its a very frequent location for me yet I try and stay away as much as I can. Every time I I inside the employee looks absolutely miserable. He has this look on his face as if he’s trapped in hell and there’s no way out. No joke. Service is also ridiculously slow so if you’re in a rush don’t even bother.
Ok one last thing. The air machine to put air in your tires is very touchy and you may ask to have them try and turn it on multiple times. But please heed this… the guy will tell you he already turned it on and you will have to insist he try again. This has happened to me on multiple occasions as well.

Absolutely HORRIBLE customer service. Snarky cashier was giving me attitude when I told her the pump card reader seemed busted. Took her sweet time helping people pick out cigarettes instead of ringing up people buying gas. Too many gas stations to deal with coming here again. Management, your staff is rude and causing you to lose business.

Very clean Mobil Gas station. A little pricey but well worth it, especially when you’re low on gas… haha

Typical gas station.
The location is very clean.
The gas price may not be the lowest, but I was nearby.

This review is for the «wash ‘n run» — I waited in a very long line for a car wash and the machine didn’t even work! When I went inside to ask for a refund, the girl just gave me a new code, but I explained to her that I didn’t want to wait in line again. She was very rude to me and just didn’t care! They really need to hire another person to watch the car wash or something, because the machine broke down for the person behind me as well! NEVER AGAIN!

This gas station… really is the worst, the clerks are rude and the people that hang out there are shady.
I tried to buy lotto tickets and they yelled at me because I tired to use to my debit card– I told the guy not to yell at me and left.
Also, there are a lot of accidents in that parking lot– people don’t look when they exit the car wash. You really have to be careful.
Now, I go to the Shell station just down the street. Problem solved, they accept my debit card, no problem. They also have a car wash.

This is for the car wash only —
I’ve been here a couple of times for the car wash — and have been fairly satisfied with the wash (knowing that its a gas station wash). Today I needed a quick wash as I didnt have time to do it myself or to hit up an actual car wash. I got the $ 7 basic one — and not even exaggerating, my car came out worse than it did goin in. Reason being, the water spots didnt go away. Its the first time I’ve had this issue here. My windows were spotted, and the rest of my car was.

I wish I could give negative stars!
I had the same experience as this reviewer:
«My friend was driving my car and we entered the car wash. For some reason the stop light didn’t go off, there was no horn signaling us to stop, and the little stop light didn’t go off. So we’re sitting there thinking what could have possibly gone wrong? I’ve been here before and normally i’ve gone through fine.
I then place a phone call to the inside gas station, and the attendant says he’ll come out. He sounded pretty crabby on the phone, but I didn’t think he would be so rude. He then yelled at us, telling us it was our fault for not following directions, and that the cycle is already over so we couldn’t get our car wash. WTH, seriously we waited in the blistering heat to get this car wash and we couldn’t even get it. He didn’t even let us explain that we didn’t hear the horn noise and/​or see the stop light flash. He just assumed that we were stupid and didn’t know how to follow directions.
After yelling at us, he told us to pull up to the front of the gas station and he would try to sort something out to get a refund. He gave me a receipt with a coupon code for a $ 9 carwash and said „I’ll give you this to you now, but it was your fault so if this happens again i’m not going to give you credit again“. I actually paid for the $ 10 one but whatever i’m never going back to that place again.»
The attendant (when he finally showed up) yelled at me and took my receipt. Then another man came out and yelled at me some more. When I drove back into the car wash again the light still didn’t go off and it wouldn’t start.
He said it was my fault… went an pushed some buttons it started and he left! Extremely rude.
I’d waited once for 30 minutes stuck in line with my boyfriend when it was malfunctioning before and we were trapped by cars, so my bad for trying this place again.
You’ve been warned!

I’ve been here a few times before. The carwash isn’t that great even the $ 10 selection which is supposed to be the «best» selection can’t remove the bugs off the front of my car.
But I was really desperate for a quick car wash today so I paid this place another visit. I know customer service isn’t really included in a drive-​thru carwash but the service I received here was not acceptable and actually degrading.
My friend was driving my car and we entered the car wash. For some reason the stop light didn’t go off, there was no horn signaling us to stop, and the little stop light didn’t go off. So we’re sitting there thinking what could have possibly gone wrong? I’ve been here before and normally i’ve gone through fine.
I then place a phone call to the inside gas station, and the attendant says he’ll come out. He sounded pretty crabby on the phone, but I didn’t think he would be so rude. He then yelled at us, telling us it was our fault for not following directions, and that the cycle is already over so we couldn’t get our car wash. WTH, seriously we waited in the blistering heat to get this car wash and we couldn’t even get it. He didn’t even let us explain that we didn’t hear the horn noise and/​or see the stop light flash. He just assumed that we were stupid and didn’t know how to follow directions.
After yelling at us, he told us to pull up to the front of the gas station and he would try to sort something out to get a refund. He gave me a receipt with a coupon code for a $ 9 carwash and said «I’ll give you this to you now, but it was your fault so if this happens again i’m not going to give you credit again». I actually paid for the $ 10 one but whatever i’m never going back to that place again.