Haslett Automotive

A testament to their meticulousness, the auto experts at Southland Auto Wash spent a decade developing their signature tire protectant and polish, Tire Blaze. Though they'd tried Armor All or angrily shouting at tires to scare grime away, they envisioned a mechanically applied tire dressing that would function something like hand cream. With the help of Qual Chem, they finally cracked the code. After a treatment, tires look newer, with a glossy, almost wet appearance and a deep-black hue. They also resist rubber breakdown, cracking, and damage from road detritus.

Tire Blaze is only one service at Southland Auto Wash's five locations, but its history reflects the company's devoted attention to detail and insistence on top-shelf car care. These values, along with the wash's extensive water-conservation projects, earned the sudsatorium a nod as Grand Rapids Magazine's Best Car Wash. This should come as no surprise since the family-owned company—now in its third generation of car washers—has been detailing cars on increasingly advanced automated lines since 1950.

Complete Auto Care, where ASE-certified technicians tend to busted rides and invite interested drivers to attend free Car Care Academies. A respect for the environment seasons each of the company's repair and maintenance services. Take the EcoPower oil change, for example, an option in Portland, Oregon shops that boasts recycled, twice-refined engine oil mixed with the distilled rage of Mother Nature.

Since its first facility hit the streets in 1926, Firestone has expanded to 2,200 locations nationwide, all of which offer the same service warranty options and stand as red-and-blue beacons to remind us that community programs such as Driver's Edge and Meals On Wheels deserve to be sponsored. Auto care wouldn't be complete without tires, and Firestone has plenty of those to offer, including Bridgestone run-flats that fend off the effects of a flat tire for 50 miles.

The detail technicians at Great Lakes Chemical Services revivify rides with skills drawn from an in-house training program and more than a century of combined experience. To get autos looking their showroom best, the team restores exterior luster with paint sealant infused with nanotechnology, in which each individual molecule works in tandem with the next to seal the metal's pores and, like pointless water balloons, prevent moisture from ever causing harm. Technicians also touch up vehicular mishaps by erasing scratches and uncorking dents.

Touting Chrysler's Five-Star rating for customer service, the personable staff at Chrysler Jeep of Ann Arbor guides patrons through a showroom of new and pre-owned Chrysler and Jeep vehicles. Trained technicians shuffle around the bays of the repair and service center and collision center, mending frazzled frames with Mopar parts and bubble gum once chewed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Snacks and beverages from the coffee bar and toys, DVD player, and video games inside the kids’ play area help pass the time as patrons wait for services.

Lansing Nissan's showrooms house new and pre-owned Nissans that beckon to showcase their prowess during customer test drives. Factory-fresh sedans, trucks, and SUVs flaunt their empty odometers and flex their rotund tires, while pre-owned rides boast quality assurance inspections, during which certified techs confirm that they're under five years old, have less than 60,000 miles, and refuse placing bets on their own horsepower. The service department's qualified staff doles out a long list of auto services that range from oil changes to engine replacements, and even gives cars a thorough washing before sending them off to explore the road.

Though Lansing Nissan sometimes features a discounted price online, this Groupon still offers the best deal available.

True to its name, Advanced Automotive calls upon modern and effective diagnostic equipment manufactured by Identifix and operated by ASE-certified technicians tasked with preventing and repairing automotive problems. The crew renders a wide range of services, from general oil changes to checking electronic systems or swapping out entire engines. Throughout each service, the staff encourages car owners to remain involved by asking questions and lovingly holding their car’s side-view mirror.