Automatic car washes have been around for quite a while. Many people use them because they offer a more convenient way to clear your car. However, car wash options that you drive through can damage your vehicle in several ways. This is even the case with the best new cars. Many people opt to wash their cars the manual way instead of letting the machine do it.
Here are three reasons to steer clear of automatic car washes.
The car wash that you drive through can damage alignment
The idea of going to a car wash that you drive through can be tempting. In fact, many drivers go this route to get their vehicles washed. However, automatic car washes can cause damage to your car’s alignment. This happens because the act of driving into the car wash is more complex than most people think. If the vehicle isn’t on the conveyor belt perfectly, the system can pull the tires and wheel alignment out of place.
Readers should note that the conveyor belt used in the car wash could also be misaligned. Because of this, you could drive on to it the right way but still leave with a damaged car.
They can damage your mirrors
The car wash that people drive through has many moving parts. This complexity means it can damage several parts of your car, including the exterior mirrors. The damage happens because the mechanical arms used by the car wash can be harsh. In particular, mirrors that may be loose or damaged are more at risk. Still, many people with perfectly intact mirrors have sustained damage.
This also goes back to the conveyor belts used in the car wash that you drive through. If the car is off-center, it’s also more likely that the car wash will damage the mirrors. Automatic car washes can also damage the antenna on your car, which could cause issues with listening to the radio.
Paint damage
The car wash options you drive through can also damage your paint job. It may not be apparent at first, but automatic car washes cause many micro-abrasions that can show up over time. This happens for a few reasons. According to CarParts.com, many car washes use recycled water to reduce consumption. However, this, along with harsh brushes, can leave lasting damage.
In many cases, these car washes damage the clear coat, which can cause the vehicle to rust over time.
