There are many valid reasons to avoid automatic car washes!
While different things will depend on how often you should wash your car, a general rule of thumb is to do so about twice a month.
But depending on where you drive, how much you drive, and the kinds of roads you drive on, you may need more than twice a month to keep your car clean.
But no matter how often you wash your car, you should remember one thing: Even though automatic car washes can seem harmless and easy, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for! And sadly, this saying is particularly true in car washing services.
Automatic car washes can do more harm than good for your car, potentially causing thousands of dollars in damage. Is it worth it? Some local mechanics have shared 9 reasons you should avoid automatic car washes. Continue reading to find out what they are!
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Dubious quality of products
One thing to always keep in mind is that automatic car wash places are trying to be as profitable as possible. And we get that. But some high-quality products can be more pricey and affect their profits. We never know what kind of chemicals they could be using.
The stuff used can be too weak or too strong for cleaning cars. And, of course, you won’t get the most promising results with low-quality products. Some may use high-end chemicals, but that’s not the case with most establishments.
We spoke to someone who works at a car wash, and he revealed that they often use very harsh chemicals to get better results, and those chemicals are usually harmful to the car paint.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Damage to car paint
Harsh chemicals, recycled water, and brushes are major enemies of your car paint, especially the clear coat. Recycled water will always have some kind of dirt particles inside and might damage your car immediately.
Harsh chemicals can be acidic and cause extreme vehicle paint damage. They can especially damage your clear coat, and fading will happen very soon. Last but not least, let’s talk about the brushes. They’re too strong for a car’s paint to handle.
You can compare it to using sandpaper in the car wash. Together with strongness, let’s not forget that they also have dirt from the previous cars, scrubbing the clear coat again.
At first, you probably won’t see any paint damage, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see scratches and swirls all over your car.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Usage of recycled water
As we mentioned, automatic car washes use recycled water. Now, even though we all care about Mother Nature, ecology has nothing to do with it. It’s because of ROI and profit. While recycled water is excellent for the environment, it’s not exactly great for your car.
Although that water goes through numerous filters, it’s never entirely dirt-free. Particles and dirt that are inevitably trapped inside recycled water can damage the paint on your vehicle and make it oxidize quickly.
Besides the dust and dirt particles, recycled water frequently leaves water spots on your car, and removing those water spots can be a tricky task.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Damage to your wheels
It’s practically impossible to go through the automatic car wash and leave it without suffering any damage to your wheels. Wheel damage is widespread when using automatic car washes.
And the worst part is that you can’t avoid it entirely. Common reasons why wheels frequently get damaged in automatic car washes can include:
-Strong chemicals: As we mentioned, they frequently use very concentrated chemicals and soaps for “better” results.
-Rail-guards: Rail guards are the most common reason wheels get scuffed up during a car wash.
-Hard brushes: Stiff brushes will scratch car wheels, especially if you have those nicely polished alloy wheels.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Broken or bent windshield wipers
Just like your side mirrors, windshield wipers can be damaged in automatic car washes. Even though they may not stick out as far as your mirrors do, these pieces are thinner, so they’re more vulnerable.
Automatic car washes can put almost any exterior surface of your car at risk. We’ve heard it all, from valve stem damage to broken tire pressure sensors and antenna issues. Getting a hand car wash is the only way to guarantee your vehicle will be cleaned effectively and safely.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Windshield cracking and other damage
Unless there happens to be a system malfunction, an automatic car wash isn’t very likely to form a new crack in your car’s windshield. But, these machines can severely aggravate any pre-existing damage.
And while you may be thinking, “That doesn’t apply to me because my windshield isn’t cracked!” It could be more of a threat than you believe.
Little windshield knicks you might not have noticed on your car can turn into full-blown cracks once you enter an automatic car wash. If you know that you already have a crack, automatic car washes can make them much worse with the pressure of mechanical arms.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Not cleaning the ENTIRE car
Everybody understands this reason, right? It’s simply impossible for a machine to clean every single part of a car. The machine can’t reach some areas that you can with a pressure washer and your hands.
Also, the automatic machine is programmed to wash each type of car the same way. It doesn’t have eyes to see if there’s more dirt on your car to clean it better. When a person washes your car, they can see and clean every piece of dirt.
Automatic car washes are incapable of doing that. So you won’t likely find proper car washing at a place like this.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: Broken or Damaged Rearview Mirrors
Many car washing places have industrial moving parts that can handle vehicles of every shape and size. Unfortunately, as we mentioned a bit earlier, this can spell disaster for your side mirrors.
Unlike the smooth surface of your car’s exterior, your mirrors stick out into the harsh orbit of these mechanical arms. If your car is off-center or your mirrors are flexible, you may drive away from the car wash without them.
Reason to avoid automatic car washes: In the end, it can be much more expensive
Although automatic car wash places are known to be very affordable, in the end, it can cost you much more than washing a car on your own or taking it to a car detailing service. As we discussed, there are plenty of risks and dangers of using an automatic car service.
If you do decide that washing your own car is a better option, don’t forget the Nu Finish from Amazon!
When considering if you should avoid automatic car washes: If you get scratches or swirls on your car paint, how much will it cost to fix it? You’ll probably need to do a paint correction on your vehicle.
This will likely run you anywhere from $250 to $2,500, depending on the condition of your car and how much damage has been done. So you tell us… Is it worth it?
Have you ever experienced any trouble with this? Do you think we missed any reasons to avoid automatic car washes? Be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
And if you liked this article, we also recommend checking out: 6 Important Tire-Buying Tips to Avoid Wasting Money
