Do I Really Need to Wash My Car? It’s a Matter of Performance and Safety
by Steve Padgett’s Danville Honda
There is no doubt that dead bugs on a windshield are unsightly. Did you know, however, that those same insect carcasses can damage your paint job over time if they’re not removed in a timely manner? The longer a dead mayfly is left on your car, the more difficult it becomes to remove it without also stripping off the finish and paint. Chips in your paint take away from the overall look of your vehicle, and it also opens the door to two of your car’s archenemies: rust and corrosion.
Same goes for bird droppings, pollen, and tree sap. The acidic and sticky properties of these contaminants can eat holes in your car like a moth on a sweater, and it’s a simple matter of keeping it washed and cleaned regularly. Preventative maintenance is worth doing, because it not only improves the resale value of your vehicle, its overall health is better. Think of your car as a pet, in this instance: if you don’t wash your dog, he’s going to be smelly, flea-bitten, and miserable. He won’t be as happy. And neither would you.
Another incentive to remove the dirt, road grime, rain, and snow on your car is that those pollutants can affect your fuel economy, as well. A freshly washed and waxed vehicle will slide right through the day with less friction, because a coat of gunk isn’t holding it back. That’s right. A dirty car is less aerodynamic than a clean one. While these effects may not be the most apparent, wouldn’t you prefer to get every inch out of your car’s fuel economy and overall performance?
In terms of safety, a cleaner car is safer on the road, especially at dusk or while driving at night. Grimy windows and windshields obstruct or diminish your visibility, which affects your reaction time to other cars and obstacles on the road. It’s not an overstatement to say that a cleaner windshield could be lifesaving.
Conclusion
If possible, keep your car in a garage or under cover. In the colder months, this will protect it from snow and ice; in the warmer months, it will be shielded from the hot sun, which beats down on your finish and can even fade your interior. During the summer, the sun bakes errant dirt and grime into your paint job like a burned pizza, so giving your car regular baths will keep it looking its best. There’s more than your pride at stake; keeping your vehicle clean helps ensure it’s also running at its highest level.
Ready for a clean slate? Contact Steve Padgett’s Danville Honda today and we can help you the perfect vehicle to fit your needs and keep you looking your best!
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