“Cheap wash programs are often better than the most expensive”: this is how you can save money at a car wash | car

Expensive car wash programs often carry promising names like Deluxe Titan, Protect +, or AllClean. It’s not always clear what treatments your car will be receiving, but cleaning the bottom of it is part of it in almost all cases. But you can skip this lower wash without any problem, says the German automobile organization ADAC. In fact, cleaning under the floor can actually damage your car. An inexpensive laundry program is often best, as long as it’s pre-washed, the organization says.

Pre-washing is particularly important, according to the German Road Service, when you take your car through a car wash. This can be done, for example, with a jet of steam or a chemical foam coat that loosens stubborn dirt on the car’s paint and prevents particles of dirt, sand, salt and stones from acting like sandpaper on the paint and causing scratches.

Thus, inexpensive standard washing programs are sufficient. “Expensive premium programs with soil clean-up are not necessary and can lead to problems,” the federation said. “In older cars, when cleaning the bottom panel, moisture could enter through the holes in the bottom. On the other hand, modern vehicles are usually plastic coated on the underside, which makes it unnecessary to wash the underside to protect against corrosion.”

The only time this is recommended is in the spring when you are sure there will be no more spraying. This way, any last salt residue can be washed away to prevent rust. But soil cleaning can generally be left to rain, according to the ADAC. Driving on wet roads removes dirt and mud from the bottom.

To protect against sunlight, resin, bird droppings, and sticky pollen, according to the ADAC, it’s wise to treat your paint after cleaning. Waxing lasts from three to six months and then the wax reaches places you can’t reach. a SealTreatment by a professional cleaning company can last up to a year. According to the ADAC, any paint damage caused by, for example, splash stones should be immediately treated with a paint pen to prevent further rust damage and expensive repairs.