Wood Dale Automotive

Since 1945, Fuller's Carwash, Detail & Lube Center has mollycoddled motor vehicles with a slew of auto services. Founder Bob Fuller's relatives manage each of the auto center's 11 locations, which sprout up every time someone buries a ratchet in fertile soil. Skilled technicians populate the work bays and invite vehicles inside for oil changes, auto repairs, and tire rotations that extend the life of vehicular shoes by encouraging even tread wear. Soft-cloth car washes and meticulous detailing services bolster a car’s resale value and ensure it stays as pristine as the day it was delivered by a factory-assembled stork.

So established is Circle K Midwest that even brand-new vehicles recognize what its red-and-white logo stands for—fuel, snacks, and everything else a car might need to keep powering down the road with its driver. Circle K's story starts back in 1951, when Fred Hervey bought three Kay's Food Stores in El Paso, Texas. Under his guidance, these three little shops grew into the more than 3,000 convenience stores that crouch on our nation's street corners today.

After rolling up to a Circle K, drivers can pump their faithful roadsters full of high-octane fuel and send them skipping through a car wash to experience the cleansing touch of Blue Coral Beyond Green and Rain-X products. Then it's time to step inside the air-conditioned shop for a peek at the provisions. Rows of sodas hibernate behind glass doors, and snacks, candy, and their ATM guardians stand boldly out in the open. Some Circle Ks also offer the Take Away Fresh Café, which presents an appetizing lineup of healthy road fare including sandwiches, fruit cups, and fresh-cut vegetables. Drivers can gear up for a long drive with premium coffees or enjoy a cold Polar Pop, whose specially formulated cup keeps drinks colder thanks to the family of tiny snowmen trapped in its foam walls.

The seasoned technicians at Goodfellas Automotive help to ensure that interiors and exteriors remain strong and striking. In addition to installing remote starters and decking out rides with full audio-video systems, technicians solve simple automotive quandaries with oil changes, tune-ups, and brake services backed by lifetime guarantees. They also set to work on exteriors by tinting windows, mounting 22-inch rims, or installing HID headlights—high-intensity beams that are bright enough to navigate dark tunnels or intimidate fourth-grade flashlight-tag champions.

The trained and certified detail technicians of Lake Cook Auto Wash & Detail extract both exterior and interior grime by hand with à la carte and packaged car-cleaning services. Patrons can choose to lavish their rides with leather conditioning or Simoniz tire shines, or invest in a full-scale experience that targets sullied engines or worn paint. The staff welcomes grimy autos 365 days a year, ensuring customers don't have to deal with a salty undercarriage during winter or cavities in their cars' grilles after Halloween.

Cars roll off of Grand Avenue and right into Glitz Car Wash & Detail Center for a full-service wash or interior and exterior detail. The detailing crew washes away dirt and muck by hand, buffs and waxes surfaces to make paint shine, and dresses tires. They tackle interior debris with vacuum cleaners and shampoo, and detail engines to keep motors happily purring. While technicians service their car, customers can retreat to the comfortable waiting area, where they can flip through a magazine or play peak-a-boo with their car through the glass window.

Bottles of Meguiar's, Rain-X, Black Magic, and Nu Finish line the work bays at Car Pretty, where experienced detailers revamp rides with detailing and hand-wash services. Despite their impressive product arsenal, their supplies come second to their technique; using clay bars, detailers meticulously remove tiny scratches and imperfections from paint, taking care to evict all bird stains and hood-ornament birds' nests. They also take advantage of specially designed Tornador equipment that dislodges embedded dirt from all interior surfaces. While the detailers unleash their cleansing fury on sullied surfaces, guests can lounge in the shop's waiting room.