MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — By fall, it won’t be as difficult to maintain a shiny clean car here.

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service is funding a new car wash, to be built by local contractors next to the base’s gas station, according to Wayne Hansen, AAFES Misawa manager.

The project is expected to start in about two weeks, with an estimated completion time of 120 days.

The car wash will contain both an automatic, drive-through wash and an area to clean one’s car manually with a spray wand, Hansen said. Also available will be two industrial vacuums for car interiors “along with air and water so you can service your car yourself,” Hansen added.

It will be the only car wash available on base. The project evolved from interest expressed at a March 2004 town hall meeting, Hansen said.

“There was a car wash here a number of years ago, but there were mechanical problems with the equipment and it was not cost-effective to replace it,” he said.

The location will be on the left “as you exit from the fueling station” on the way to the Falcon Street stoplight, Hansen said. He did not know the estimated cost of the project.