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im not aware of how this crud from salt and dirt will impact something that may cost me money. im not aware of ever having damage from that that required repairs or that ive been hit when returning/selling a car due to damage from dirt/salt. so unless I see it in my wallet, then im not opening the wallet for washes. however, your recommendation of once a year (at least) is pretty conservative so its not like that would make a huge dent in my wallet.
They may not tell you salt is the cause, but that rust to parts underneath are vulnerable, as is the paint. Paint and some parts withstand it better than years ago, but still can do significant damage over the years.
But why is that important? I can see if the car got REALLY dirty--like you were driving through the mud or something. But what exactly is the point of washing a car that gets ordinary use? It's an item that's kept outside (well, usually, except for the occasional car that's garage-kept). But it's used outside. It's going to get dirty. I don't think I've EVER noticed whether someone's car was shiny and clean or not.
I like keeping my exterior washed. Dirt on the paint causes scratching. Tiny scratches that, over time, will lead to rust. The various things that are kicked up from the road also can damage the metal parts on the undercarriage. I've had my TSX for nearly 10 years, and the paint still looks relatively brand new, save for what i like to call the ignorant-door-dings from parking lot cars of people who don't care about other people's property. Mostly, I wash it myself though because car washes cost a small fortune out here.
im not aware of how this crud from salt and dirt will impact something that may cost me money. im not aware of ever having damage from that that required repairs or that ive been hit when returning/selling a car due to damage from dirt/salt. so unless I see it in my wallet, then im not opening the wallet for washes. however, your recommendation of once a year (at least) is pretty conservative so its not like that would make a huge dent in my wallet.
cars are better now because there's better paint, but it really would only have an impact on you if you held on to a car long enough. certain brands are known to break down more quickly than others. it's just a prevention step. doesn't mean it would have happened though if you never washed your car.
the longest ive ever owned a car was 9 years. I never washed it and it lived through many harsh winters. when I got rid of it, it didn't have any rust. even where is was keyed like nuts on my hood by some jerk, 5 years or so after the keying there was still no rust.
the longest ive ever owned a car was 9 years. I never washed it and it lived through many harsh winters. when I got rid of it, it didn't have any rust. even where is was keyed like nuts on my hood by some jerk, 5 years or so after the keying there was still no rust.
like i said - it's not guaranteed to happen. but for the miniscule cost of the water, a spong, and some soap, i think it's a worthwhile preventive measure. like i said my acura is coming up on 10 years old, 118,000 miles. my subaru is only 4 yrs old and 70,000 miles. i'm keeping them as long as we can. so i want to deal with as few issues as possible.
Hmm, that does make sense. Do all car washes clean the underside or do you have to ask for that?
What's funny is that I have a car wash within walking distance of my house. Not that anyone would need to walk to a car wash, but I cannot go anywhere without driving past it, and I've never gone there.
As Winter Soldier said, it's an option. I usually get the basic wash with a couple of extras. Sometimes I'm lucky and go when the deluxe wash is on sale. That includes the undercarriage blast, extra vac, and a host of other goodies.
I probably should, but I don't care about the paint or having a car that looks good to others. I do care about salt damage. If you don't clean the salt and mud from under your car, you'll be looking at very expensive repairs.
I recently inherited my mother's 1996 Geo Prizm. The engine is in terrific shape. All of the rubbery parts need to be replaced: a belt, hoses, gaskets, seals. That's pocket change. The jack points and engine mounts are failing due to rust. I could never make her understand the value of a good wash. If she'd only taken it to the car wash a few times a year, I might not be forced to deal with this mess now.
I don't have a favorite place. I go to the one by the supermarket or the one by the building center.
Tough crowd here.
I get mine washed a few times a year. I particularly love when they clean the interior- there are 2 places near me one is in Hamilton on rt 33 and one in East Windsor on rt 130 I think they are called Neoglide. Anyway they are same owner and they really do a very nice job.
Like I said, maybe 3 or 4 times a year.
Tough crowd here.
I get mine washed a few times a year. I particularly love when they clean the interior- there are 2 places near me one is in Hamilton on rt 33 and one in East Windsor on rt 130 I think they are called Neoglide. Anyway they are same owner and they really do a very nice job.
Like I said, maybe 3 or 4 times a year.
Aw, but we're fun.
I really don't care much what my car looks like/if it's clean on the exterior, etc., but cleaning the stuff off from underneath makes sense for keeping the car in good condition. Maybe on my next walk I'll glide over to see how much it costs. I know this place sends coupons in the mail, too.
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