4 reasons to stop at a car wash

Once the “wash me, please” messages start showing up, it may be time to head to the car wash. But is it worth the cost? Here's what you need to know.

For children, going through a car wash is lots of fun: the high pressure jets bombard the car, the machinery talks to you, and there’s that weird feeling of getting a shower but staying dry. A car wash is definitely a popular place, but not just for children, of course.

• Car owners who want to take care of their investment are only too happy to cross off this job on their weekly to-do lists.

Generally speaking, car wash services are à la carte. Here are a few worthy of note:

• The elimination of dirt, salt deposits, and pollutants
• UV protection for the vehicle
• The application of a gleaming finish to windows, chrome, and paintwork
• Protection from rust
• Complete drying of the vehicle at the end of the wash

As well as the aesthetic advantages of going through a car wash, the high pressure jets that are aimed at the vehicle dislodge any debris, which makes for a smoother drive. And don’t forget that dirt attracts moisture and keeps it in direct contact with the surface of the vehicle.

• Dirt also tends to become embedded in all the small imperfections of your car, such as those little and big scratches on the bodywork.
• By eliminating the dirt, you can prevent this moisture from causing unwelcome rust patches on your vehicle. It’s an important step in protecting your investment.

Because automated, or self-serve, car washes are often busy, even in cold weather, some drivers prefer to entrust their cars to a team of professional car detailers, who clean the entire vehicle thoroughly, both inside and out.

• Either way, the idea is to avoid ending up with a car that smart alecks can draw their funny pictures on, in all the dirt and dust.

Is your car filthy? Treating it to a car wash can save you precious time.

• Drivers agree that it takes a lot more time to wash, scrub, rinse and wax a car by hand than to have it cleaned in a car wash, where the whole procedure is over before you know it.
• In only a few minutes, you’ll be ready to take to the road, with a car that gleams like new.