Poll:How Often Do You Wash Your Car?

[Pointby2]

Consider myself kind of a car guy. Currently own a black Focus RS. I would never run it through a car wash. Since we live in SoCal it doesn't get dirty often, but as soon as it gets dusty/dirty, it gets washed. I do cheat now and use a waterless wash product. So much easier than dragging out a hose and bucket. I've been using this:
Optimum (NR2010Q) No Rinse Wash & Shine - 32 oz.

 

[meleana]

Once a year, in the spring, is enough for me. I drive very little, about 3,000 miles per year, so the car is rarely on the road. And when it is home, it is kept in an indoor, heated garage, protected from the elements.

Don't cars break down from on use? We have a 2013 CRV- 30,000 miles in it. Pleasure car. Garaged. Needed brakes replaced twice already. The dealer and my husband say it is from non use!

 

[meleana]

Northeast winters require a lot of trips to the car wash.

 

[scrabbler1]

Don't cars break down from on use? We have a 2013 CRV- 30,000 miles in it. Pleasure car. Garaged. Needed brakes replaced twice already. The dealer and my husband say it is from non use!

I have had to replace some things over the years, but the brake pads only once, a year or two ago.

I don't know your driving habits or the quality of your parts and repairs, but those can impact how often car needs repairs, too. Not sure I'd trust what a dealer says.

As for nonuse, maybe if you don't drive your car for months at a time stuff may go bad. I never go more than a few days, and most of my trips are short which is the main reason I have such low mileage (~3,000 miles per year) with a car in good shape.

 

[meleana]

I have had to replace some things over the years, but the brake pads only once, a year or two ago.

I don't know your driving habits or the quality of your parts and repairs, but those can impact how often car needs repairs, too. Not sure I'd trust what a dealer says.

As for nonuse, maybe if you don't drive your car for months at a time stuff may go bad. I never go more than a few days, and most of my trips are short which is the main reason I have such low mileage (~3,000 miles per year) with a car in good shape.

This car was only used for vacations- a few road trips per year from NY to VT and NH and occasionally on a weekend. If the weather was bad with snow I would take it to work instead of my Honda Fit. My husband knows cars as he worked for dealer s and now works in auto insurance.


We always washed and cleaned the car after all our vacation trips. Very well taken care of at the dealership- all maintenance. We would run the car occasionally in the garage as well.



We could hear the brakes make noise. I even argued with Honda corp. about this- that maybe it was a flaw in design or bad parts. My husband says they make the parts cheaper these days- the metal.


After the last $1100 bill- routers now always have to be replaced with the brakes- my husband is now alternating taking it to work with his Hyundai Sante Fe Sport.



I don't buy any of this. But now that I have stopped working I am selling my 2013 Fit with 98,000 miles on it because I rarely go out and I don't want the same thing to happen. I'll take the CRV out when I need it.


SMH.....

 

[Walt34]

Don't cars break down from non use? We have a 2013 CRV- 30,000 miles in it. Pleasure car. Garaged. Needed brakes replaced twice already. The dealer and my husband say it is from non use!

I've heard more than one mechanic say that the worst thing you can do to a car is leave it parked for long periods. Especially outside.

Re the brake pads prematurely wearing, if you don't drive it the discs start getting bits of rust on them, and rust is an abrasive. I have a pickup truck that while garaged, is driven infrequently. Sometimes I have to make a point to drive it at least once a week and that seems to be "often enough".

 

[unclemick]

Memory phart.

In ancient times when college summer job was at the paper/lumber mill complex the parking lot entrance and exit had a drive thru car wash.

People in that part of Washington also hosed down their house paint that didn't get rain washed.

heh heh heh - grew up with the faint smell of pulp and sulfate.

 

[cbo111]

During love bug seasons (happens twice a year in Florida), gotta wash the car after any long drives. The bugs are all over the front bumper and windshield and stink up the garage. Outside of love bug season, we rarely wash the car.

 

[bw5972]

Every 50,000 miles.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Never. And I have $130,000 in vehicles.

 

[Fedup]

Yesterday, nice rain washed my car. My daughter texted she was going for a car wash but the rain saved her $10.

 

[gerntz]

Since I lease, not often. In the end, not mine.

 

[Talkjk]

Once a month, and enjoy doing it. Try to wash my kids cars when ever they stop by. Wash the motorhome three or four times a year, that takes 3+ hours.

 

[MRG]

Done it twice today and it still looks like crap. Paid $10 at the carwash apparently detergent is any extra fee? Power washer didn't do any better.

 

[Texas Proud]

Done it twice today and it still looks like crap. Paid $10 at the carwash apparently detergent is any extra fee? Power washer didn't do any better.

LOL... kinda the same for me.... went through the car wash twice and still had dirt on the roof and trunk... had to wash it by hand yesterday.... sent in a complaint to the company and hoping to get that money back...




BTW, I am starting to believe that the 'wax' or whatever chemical they put on the car helps to trap dirt!!! Seems that both cars are getting dirtier faster AFTER I took them in for a car wash... now, it could be that all the rain we have been getting along with pollution is making it stick, but I am now going to be looking harder at the car wash....

 

[nash031]

Probably every 2-3 months. And it needs it more than that given the little amount of rain we get here. That said, it seems like a premium waste of water to wash the car, so I generally wait until the dirt starts to rub off on clothes or the windows get close to becoming unsafe.

 

[aja8888]

Probably every 2-3 months. And it needs it more than that given the little amount of rain we get here. That said, it seems like a premium waste of water to wash the car, so I generally wait until the dirt starts to rub off on clothes or the windows get close to becoming unsafe.

You know you can wash a car with one or two buckets of water if you do it right?

Also, those automatic car washes recycle their wash water and losses are minimal.