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Business Profile

Car Wash

Tidal Wave Auto Spa

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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This business has 1 alert

Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Tidal Wave Auto Spa's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

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Tidal Wave Auto Spa has 66 locations, listed below.

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    Customer Complaints Summary

    • 203 total complaints in the last 3 years.
    • 110 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

    If you've experienced an issue

    Submit a Complaint

    The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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    Complaint status

    Complaint type

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/30/2025

      Type:Service or Repair Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I took my car through only this one particular Tidal Wave carwash and after going about 10-12 times, I noticed today many scratches on both sides of my car. I immediately spoke to the Supervisor and he said it was just because the car was so clean that I could see them. He told me that they were most likely there upon purchase. That is NOT true.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/30/2025

      Type:Customer Service Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I signed up for an initial discounted month of unlimited washes. I thought that I had cancelled the service, but the process is made unnecessarily difficult to end the monthly membership. They have charged me 49.99 monthly, for at least the last six months and I have not been using the service. I contacted their customer service and was told there will be no refunds.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/28/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I typically pay as I go to wash my car. I have had memberships with this place in the past and my car is not as clean and the brushes tend to damage my car. So I only use this place every so often. I was going through the drive through in ******** **** and the sales person stated they had a promotion where I can pay one time and come back unlimited times during the month of *******. I was told I needed to cancel by ********. I was sent a text to finish completing my membership. I never did because I was not keeping the plan. I saw today my credit card was charged for another month and it's only *****. I tried to go online and cancel but I never had a registration number. I tried the online chat and it only gave automated responses. I tried the phone number listed and it was an automated message and would hang up. I tried this several times and it finally asked to place my call in que and receive a call back. The woman I spoke to told me since I had a membership before I automatically should had known I had until the **th to cancel. This is not what you're telling customers to make sales. I was not aware of this. I purposely didn't set up the membership because I didn't want it and knew or was told I had until ***** to cancel. The woman said she cancelled the membership but I would still be charged for ********. After googling the reviews, this company is known for issues with memberships, including difficulty cancelling subscriptions, being charged after cancellation, and not being properly informed about recurring fees; customers also report complaints regarding damage to their vehicles from the wash equipment, like scratches, and poor customer service when trying to address these issues.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/27/2025

      Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      First transaction for $13.08 on ******* 
      I was told upon sign up, in person, with a trial, that my account was cancelled so that I would not be charged again.

      I have since been charged the full price for 3 additional months when I have not used their wash a single time.

      I called to get this refunded and instead was met with incredibly rude customer service at the corporate office. I was told that they will not refund more than one month, leaving me with $60 in fees that I didn’t use. I haven’t been refunded for that month yet and currently have paid 3 months - totaling in $97.98 and have not been there once.

      I asked to speak to a supervisor and they told me maybe someone would reach out, maybe not. They did email me a few days later and said they would not refund me.



      Another ****** reviewer wrote: They didn’t properly cancel one of our accounts when we changed plans. We didn’t catch it for 13 months. The corporate office refused to refund the 3rd account, over $600 dollars that they collected before I realized it.

      I called customer service, they said they saw where one account was supposed to be cancelled but wasn't. They escalated the call up. A few days later we talked again and they said that there is no proof that the first account was cancelled and that the first person I talked to never said that they saw it should have been cancelled.

      I now have cancelled all of our accounts. They chose no future revenue vs refunding money that was all due to a clerical issue of some sort on their side.


      There are many reviews like these.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/21/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I am filing this complaint regarding an unresolved issue with Tidal Wave Car Spa. The company charged $49 to my credit card for a service I had not used, despite my prior attempt to cancel.

      I contacted Tidal Wave Car Spa to cancel my membership before this charge was applied. However, they proceeded to bill me without my authorization and have refused to provide a refund, even though I did not use their services during this billing period.

      I find this practice unfair and unacceptable. I believe I am entitled to a full refund of the $49 as I canceled in good faith and did not utilize any services after the billing occurred.

      I am seeking the following resolution:
      1. A full refund of $49 credited back to my credit card.
      2. Confirmation from Tidal Wave Car Spa that my membership is canceled to prevent future unauthorized charges.

      I have attached any relevant documents, including proof of the charge and any correspondence with Tidal Wave Car Spa.

      Thank you for your assistance in resolving this matter.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/15/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I was told I could receive a month of car washes in December for the price of the car wash I had purchased so I agreed. On January 13 I was billed $37.24 on the debit card I used and I want this cancelled and my money refunded! They are impossible to contact by phone- you can’t stay on the line nor leave a call back number!

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/13/2025

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On December **, 2024, my property was damaged while utilizing the services of Tidal
      Wave Auto Spa. Following the incident, I discussed the matter with the associates and
      managers on site. They assured me that the company would take full responsibility for
      the damages.
      Unfortunately, despite their commitment, Tidal Wave Auto Spa did not follow through,
      and as a result I personally covered the cost and managed the repairs on my own.
      Given the circumstances, I am requesting reimbursements for the expenses incurred to
      repair the damages caused by Tidal Wave Auto Spa. I trust that this matter will be
      resolved promptly and fairly. Everything came out to be $287.37

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/09/2025

      Type:Billing Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      On ******* ***, I took my dirty car for a wash at Tidal Wave in **********. The associate working told me they had a deal going where the car wash would come with a full month of unlimited washes. I said sure, I would do the expensive car wash for the free month instead of the basic wash I planned to do. They told me I could go online and set up an account if I wanted to extend the service longer. I did not want to pay for, nor would I use an annual service, so I did not go online and set up an account. I paid the month fee of $26 and thought that was it after *******. Checking my bank statement today, I see Tidal Wave has billed me, without my consent a monthly charge of almost $50 from ********- *******. I called the main location and they said they can see I have not used the service, but they would not cancel back nor refund because I didn’t set up an account, accept, and cancel prior to the next billing date. I told them I didn’t set not authorize monthly payments and wanted it cancelled. They would only cancel and refund 1 month. I talked with a supervisor, same result. They can see the service was not used, but I didn’t sign up, accept, and cancel. I explained that was not what I was told, the sup told me I was texted a reminder to set up an account. I said I had no intention of continuing past the first month of $26 I paid for so I didn’t set it up. She said there was nothing she could do. She told me the next step was to talk to the location manager for assistance but she couldn’t say if she could really do anything. She referred me to a business that has no phone number online and says temporarily closed.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/08/2025

      Type:Product Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      I canceled my Tidal Wave subscription on 1-*-25 before it was to renew and charge me on 1-*-25 via their website services. They still charged my credit card on 1-*-25 for another month of service and are refusing to refund me my money back saying I needed to submit this request online 3-5 business days before the renewal date or I could've called their customer service line to cancel immediately without anyway of knowing these requirements. They are refusing to refund me my money.

    • Initial Complaint

      Date:01/07/2025

      Type:Order Issues
      Status:
      Unanswered
      Resolved:
      The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
      Unresolved:
      The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
      Answered:
      The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
      Unanswered:
      The business failed to respond to the dispute.
      Unpursuable:
      BBB is unable to locate the business.
      Called the number 706-938-0991. Attendant at Tidal Wave car wash cannot find barcode in the system to give me a car wash fo the unlimited washes I signed up for. Unable to reach an agent to cancel or receive a refund. Have not used Tidal Wave since sign up for first wash at $12.99 a month for unlimited basic car washes.

    Tidal Wave Auto Spa is NOT a BBB Accredited Business.

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