

On the other hand, if the wash offers an undercarriage bath, it may be worth the additional cost. Most new cars are extensively rustproofed at the factory during the assembly process further treatment is superfluous - and a money-waster. Effective rustproofing is applied to brand-new metal, in order to seal it from contact with external corrosives such as road salt. Undercarriage rustproofing, for example, is of dubious value. Hold off on the extras.Ī works car wash can cost twice as much as the basic wash, but you may not be getting twice the wash for your money.
MISTER RETRO MACHINE WASH WATER COLOR PRO
Honda Pro Spray Cleaner & Polish is excellent for this it also provides UV protection and easily and safely cleans off bugs, tar and road grime, etc. Any lingering streaks can easily be cleaned up at home yourself using readily available spray cleaners designed for just this purpose. Simply driving away from the wash and letting air flow over the car to dry any remaining water won't hurt anything, and is the best guarantee of a no-damage experience. Dirt and other abrasives in the rags can scratch the finish just like sandpaper. If you see the attendants using obviously dirty rags to wipe the car down, you should say "thanks, but no thanks" – and drive away in a wet car. Be alert on busy days, however, when a number of other cars have gone ahead of you. This is usually OK – provided the attendants are using fresh, clean (and soft) towels to do so. Many full-service car washes will then have you drive the car (or drive it for you) away from the wash area to be hand-wiped by attendants. Most drive-thru washes use a strong jet of heated air to force excess water off after the car goes through the wash. You'll usually need to bring your own bucket, wash cloth/sponge and dry towels, though. Also, some areas have self-service coin-operated hand washes, which are great for spraying away heavy dirt buildup. With this system there is virtually no chance of your vehicle suffering any cosmetic damage. Once this thin clear coat is damaged, often the only way to restore the shine is to repaint the damaged area.Īnother safe(r) bet is the touchless car wash, using only high-pressure water jets and detergents to clean the car – without physically touching the car. All modern cars, however, use a "base/clear" system with a thin, transparent layer of clear coat on top of the underlying color coat to provide the shine. On older cars with single stage paint (i.e., no clear coat above the color coat), light scratches could usually be buffed out. Some older car washes still use abrasive brushes (instead of cloth), which can leave small scratches in a car's finish. Here are a few important things to keep in mind when it comes to automatic car washes: Brushless is best But some cars will need a bath more often those that are parked outdoors and exposed to bird droppings or tree sap, or driven in areas with long, severe winters, where the roads are salted to remove snow and/or ice.
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For some cars, once a month or so is sufficient, especially if the car is lightly used and parked in a garage. So how often should you have your vehicle washed? That depends on how quickly it gets dirty – and how dirty it gets. All else being equal, a car with faded paint and a dingy overall look sells for 10-20 percent less than an otherwise identical vehicle that's been well maintained. Keeping your car clean and the finish looking good can also mean higher resale value when it's time to replace it. Or any one of several common mistakes can end up doing more harm than good. Or they use the wrong type of soap (such as dishwashing detergent), which removes protective wax and leaves a chalky residue on the finish. Often, do-it-yourselfers don't use enough water to safely remove dirt or they wash the car in direct sunlight, which softens the paint and leads to water spots. But are automatic car washes safe for your car? In fact, in many instances, they are the safest course of action for many car owners who want to keep their car clean. Automatic/drive-thru car washes save time and hassle.
