Tracy Kovalench
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 29/98) - After watching Yellowknife's filthy cars parade by for eight years, John MacDonald had an idea.

His vision of something better turned into reality last month in the form of Chico's Mobile Car Wash.

"It's about time people got a deal," says MacDonald, who charges $10 for 20 minutes with your car.

MacDonald built a box on the back of his truck that can hold two 100-litre water tanks, a water pump, a pressure hose and lots and lots of soap.

"My initial goal was to provide a service for seniors and people who live in apartments," says MacDonald. But that was only the beginning.

After five weeks of operation, business has grown substantially. MacDonald says he sometimes washes as many as 13 vehicles in one day. He also has fleet contracts with three local companies.

Proving he could conquer Peterson & Auger's Coca Cola truck, MacDonald is now working out a deal to clean the outside of their warehouse.

"Gee, maybe I should expand," says MacDonald, who plans to hire a student or two.

The innovative idea has made MacDonald just as successful on the social scale. "I get to meet a lot of wonderful people," says MacDonald. "So many people on the street say hi to me."

Not only do they stop to greet him, but they also jump on the opportunity to book an appointment.

He can do any car anywhere, (except on Franklin). Great feats include washing a car parked between two vehicles, each less than a meter away.

MacDonald already has his share of funny stories, "I was a surprise birthday present once."

He and his wife, Jinna, plan to use the extra income from the business to fund a trip to the Philippines planned for this December.

The couple owns two cats, Marmaduke and Chico -- hence the origins of his car-washing alias.

"Everybody asks for Chico when they call the house," laughs MacDonald.