Car wash services - are they worth it?

[noobienoob]

It's the winter time and I notice a lot of snow, dirty, and stuff piling up on my 07 car. I heard it's good to wash the car to keep the body of the car in good shape.

I'm not as inclined to get myself messy over doing a personal wash of the car so I would rather use a car wash service like Mr.Steam or Petro. Would you recommend these services in keeping the car clean and the body in good shape?

Thanks

[yugrus]

To me washing the car in winter is pointless. The roads are covered with salt, dry or wet, and you get your brine on your car right after you leave the carwash. Plus, however lightly, but the car wash impacts the paint.

So if you can stand the looks of your salt-covered car, don't wash it until spring. Unfortunately I can't... I wash it may be three times in winter, getting more and more convicted that it is useless.

[BartBandy]

Dirt holds moisture. Moisture causes rust.

I don't wash my car in the winter as often as I should, but after every big salting is a good idea.

[TenzoR]

I think regular car wash in gas station are good enough for winter as you mainly want to wash out the salt left on your car. A good under car spray is probably good every time after a big snow storm (when they salted the road)

[The_Professor]

I try and wash my car at least once every few weeks in winter. First off, I don't like all the crap sitting on my car, and second, i just hate the way it looks. I just check the weather and be sure not to wash it before any wet weather as that would be pointless.

[Atomic Chip]

To me washing the car in winter is pointless. The roads are covered with salt, dry or wet, and you get your brine on your car right after you leave the carwash.

So I guess there is no point in clean underwear every day, either.

[Pete_Coach]

So I guess there is no point in clean underwear every day, either.

How dumb, not even a good point here, your car in the same context as your personal hygiene.

As for car washes, I use the touchless wash systems in the winter to clean the underside of the car and to just get it looking reasonable. They are great in the winter. Ask for some car wash coupons for Christmas, or give some. They will always be used and appreciated.

[ES_Revenge]

How dumb, not even a good point here, your car in the same context as your personal hygiene.

LOL, perhaps... But saying not to wash your car in winter (because it's going to get dirty again ) is some pretty bad advice...

[yugrus]

So I guess there is no point in clean underwear every day, either.

Your guess, your choice. As long as it works for you...

Whatever floats your boat. You can wash your car three times a day, but as you leave the bay, the fresh salt from the road sticks to the wet underbody right away, and in ten minutes the car would not know a difference. The white powder that you see on the road in winter is not ice or snow, it is very fine salt. It stays on the road until spring when it gets washed away by the rain.
Where I live, in winter the city re-applies the salt after its layer gets below a couple of inches, it seems. It is better to keep the car as dry as possible and as cold as possible to inhibit corrosion. The wash does not help at all, other then helping you feel good...

[yugrus]

But saying not to wash your car in winter (because it's going to get dirty again ) is some pretty bad advice...

I still fail to see a proof to the countrary. Care to elaborate?

[ES_Revenge]

I still fail to see a proof to the countrary. Care to elaborate?

If you fail to see "proof to the contrary" you just aren't looking. Instead of me provding "proof" of something that should be general common knowledge, why don't you provide any articles or data from reliable publications/sources that say washing the salt/dirt off your car in winter is a bad idea? Because I don't think I've ever read anything of that nature before. In fact a quick google search of "winter car wash" or "winter car washing" will net you tons of results. Going over the first few pages of results I really don't see any hit that doesn't say that you should wash your car in winter and wash it often, not leave it because it's going to get dirty again

There may be people saying they don't wash their car in the winter but they're just like you--they really haven't got a clue. Again, find one article about car care from even a half-reliable source that cites not washing your car in winter being a positive step in car care.

Salt accelerates corrosion, plain and simple. Salt can't do anything to a painted/sealed metal surface, no, but any paint imperfections/scratches, even microscopic ones, on metal surfaces will corrode faster with salt + water sitting on it than not. Furthermore much of the underbody of a car is not painted or sealed metal meaning having the salt stay there throughout the winter will only result in increased chassis/component degredation and corrosion.

Saying something completely ridiculous and completely defying common sense is what needs the proof here, not generally accepted and endorsed car care principles. It's amazing I'm taking the time to argue this in the first place because it's really not worth it. Arguing common sense versus nonsense is really a waste of time.

[cipher]

To me washing the car in winter is pointless. The roads are covered with salt, dry or wet, and you get your brine on your car right after you leave the carwash. Plus, however lightly, but the car wash impacts the paint.

So if you can stand the looks of your salt-covered car, don't wash it until spring. Unfortunately I can't... I wash it may be three times in winter, getting more and more convicted that it is useless.

The problem with leaving the dirt on your car is that it's abrasive. So when you park your car and someone parks next to it and gets out and then rub against your car, it causes scratches in your paint. Scratch deep enough and that's where rust starts.

P.S. Do you brush your teeth daily? Why bother? Why not do it once a year?

[nolimtzel]

this is why gm and ford cars have so much problem....it all goes back to people leasing them and treating them like sht. so when the next person buys it they run into all these problems and blame it on the car.
most people who bought imports in the early 90s didnt lease them so they took care of it and hence never got problems so the car built up a solid rep.

[yugrus]

ES_Revenge, thank you very much for taking your time to explain me what a moron I am, sounds like doing it in circles really helps your point. Let's agree on that and move forward.
I ask you to provide a reply to seemingly easy question that you try to ignore. I'm not sure though if I provide it in easy enough way for you to understand, but I'll give it a chance.

When you wash your car and go home, and salt sticks back on the wet body, how is it better or different then before the wash?

Remember, the thickness of the salt layer does not matter; it takes a fine grain in the right spot to start corrosion. So how your washed car feels better picking up the salt back after 200m of driving? The rate of corrosion actually increases because it is a brine now instead of dry salt, and it is warm.

And dude, go educate yourself before you start talking about unprotected car underbody. Chassis- yes, but these are the parts that pick up fresh salt before anything else in the car. Making chassis parts wet does not help at all.

cipher, I agree with you. In environments with moderate or no salt usage it is much better to wash a car, winter or summer. And we don't even have to look into such extreme cases like yours. Although we should adhere to specific local conditions. You should think twice before washing your car if it is dry and salty outside.

[yugrus]

P.S. Do you brush your teeth daily? Why bother? Why not do it once a year?

Yes I am. Do you wash your car twice a day too? Why not?