There are so many little things about moving to another country that you don't think about until you're standing there trying to figure them out. This week's lesson? Getting the car washed in Portugal.
It sounds simple enough. Pull into a gas station, select a wash, pay, and drive through. Right?
Well, not exactly.
Our First Car Wash at Repsol
We stopped at a Repsol gas station in Portugal to get the car washed. The first question was whether we needed to pay before pulling into the wash. Turns out, at this location, yes, you need to go inside the gas station first.
We went inside, selected our wash, paid, and received a code.
Easy enough. Now what?
We drove around the station to the entrance of the automatic car wash and pulled forward until the sign told us to STOP.
Here's where things were a little different from the automatic car washes we're used to in the United States.
You actually get OUT of your car!
Once the car was positioned, we had to exit the vehicle, walk over to the control panel, and enter the code we received when we paid.
Then the wash started.
And here's the important part: You cannot get back into your car until the entire wash cycle is finished.
Instead of sitting inside while the brushes and water do their thing, you stand outside and wait for the machine to finish washing your car.
How to Use the Automatic Car Wash at Repsol
Here's the process we followed:
Go inside the gas station. Choose your car wash package and pay at the counter.
Get your code. Keep the receipt or ticket because you'll need the code to activate the wash.
Drive around to the car wash entrance. Follow the signs for Lavagem Automática.
Pull forward until the machine says STOP. Make sure your vehicle is positioned correctly.
Turn off the engine and exit the car. Follow the posted instructions.
Enter your code at the control panel. This activates the wash.
Wait outside until the wash is completely finished. Do not attempt to reenter the vehicle while the machine is operating.
Return to your car when it's safe and drive away.
That's it! Once you know the routine, it's pretty straightforward.
A Few Helpful Portuguese Words
Lavagem automática: Automatic car wash
Lavagem: Wash
Parar: Stop
Código: Code
Entrada: Entrance
Saída: Exit
Posso pagar aqui?: Can I pay here?
A Little Perspective
One of the unexpected challenges of living overseas is how something as ordinary as washing your car can suddenly require a little problem solving.
It's not that the process is particularly difficult. It's that you don't know what you don't know.
Do I pay inside? Do I drive in first? Am I supposed to stay in the car? Why is the machine not starting? Am I holding up the person behind me?
All perfectly reasonable questions when you're navigating an unfamiliar system, especially in another language.
And sometimes, all you really want is someone to tell you how it works before you get there.
So here's your heads up if you're using an automatic car wash at a Repsol station in Portugal: Pay inside, drive around, pull in until it says stop, get out, enter your code, and wait for the wash to finish before getting back into your car.
Keep in mind that other Repsol locations and car wash systems may operate differently, so always follow the instructions posted at the wash.
Another tiny piece of Portuguese daily life figured out. And one less thing to overthink next time.
JumpJet | Navigating life overseas, one little learning curve at a time.