Not washing your car weekly can cost you thousands of dollars.
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According to Nate, an automotive technician at BMW in Minnetonka: A viral clip posted to the dealer’s TikTok account (@bmw_of_minnetonka), if you neglect to wash your car regularly, rust will occur more easily. This could ultimately lead to structural damage to key components, he claims.
Car wash = savings?
“Washing your car once a week can literally save you thousands of dollars,” Nate says at the beginning of the clip.
He says it’s a good idea to wash your car at least once a week, or “as often as possible.”
“Because something like this could happen to this customer,” he said, before showing the vehicle’s underchassis, which was clearly covered in rust. “This customer came in with a lot of lights on his dashboard. He had a lot of wheel speed sensor failures. Each wheel has a wheel speed sensor.”
He pointed to the front wheel of the car closest to the driver’s side. “It’s not reading this wheel in particular, so when I turn that wheel, the car doesn’t know that it’s spinning,” he says.
wheel speed sensor
But why is this component so important? “So the wheel speed sensor controls the anti-lock brakes. Traction control is very important in winter,” he explains. “If the wheel speed sensors aren’t working, those systems aren’t working either, and that’s very dangerous in the winter.”
At this point in the video, viewers may be wondering, “Wait, what the hell does that have to do with car washing?” Nate breaks it off.
“So what’s causing it to fail? If you look under this vehicle a little bit, you’ll see that it’s really rusty,” he said, showing us the rust. “This vehicle has 200,000 miles on it. But I’ve seen a lot…I’ve seen a lot of cars like this.”
However, the auto technician went on to say that his car is “not that rusty” because it is washed regularly. “All the salt from the winter will kick up and corrode and eat everything,” he says.
rust forever
Following this, Nate highlights the individual bolts that are secured to the vehicle’s undercarriage.
“Look at this little 8-millimeter bolt. It’s an 8-millimeter bolt over there,” he said, shining a light at the rust-caked part. “And it just falls apart when I rub it. I wouldn’t be able to get it out without breaking it.”
As these bolts rust into your car, you will have to put in more effort to maintain your car. As a result, the simple task of removing a panel can turn into a nightmare.
“So this repair is going to cost several thousand dollars,” he said. “And it costs $10 to $20 to wash your car once a week? Maybe? So you save a lot of money.”
Can washing your car prevent rust?
If you’re concerned about rust building up under your car, you’ll probably want to specify that you want the undercarriage cleaned. car wash company take 5 It writes that cleaning your car’s undercarriage can “prevent road salt and debris buildup.” Like Nate, a blog posted by a car wash company notes that gravel and mud are particularly problematic for car owners. Debris that accumulates over time can interfere with the performance of some components. This can lead to “structural damage” or mechanical failure. The company added: [can] Extend the life of your car parts and avoid costly repairs in the future. ”
There are several others car wash companyalong with the car cleaning supplies manufacturersalso appreciate the benefits of regular cleaning.
Other benefits of regular car washes
If you want to maintain your car’s finish, washing it regularly will help keep it free of dirt and grime. “Adhesive” to paint.
Dirt and rust from other parts of the car can be removed from components other than the undercarriage. As a result, rust can be prevented. Additionally, regular cleaning can remove particles that cause rust.. So even if the rust is hard to see, these cleanings can wipe it away.
viewers had doubts
One hopeful commenter responded, “Do you think washing your car will save your broken transmission?”
Others pointed out that there are many car washes that don’t offer an undercarriage wash option. “Many car washes do not have undercarriage washes,” they wrote.
However, someone else raised a potential problem with Nate’s weekly car wash recommendation. “How can I wash my car when it’s 10 degrees outside and there’s no parking?” they asked.
@bmw_of_minnetonka You’ll thank me later 😉 Preventive car care is very important to save money and extend the life of your car. In some cases, it can be as simple as washing your car regularly to prevent rust. Do you get your car washed regularly even in winter? #Wash your car #BMW Dealership #BMWofMinnetonka #bmwcars #BMW #car wash @BMW ♬ Censor_Bleep-1kHz01-3(Long)(1530477) –otoLogic
One user said that he has extensive experience in maintaining BMW cars. They say regular car washes won’t prevent some components from rusting.
They wrote: “I’ve been working on BMWs in the Rustbelt for 19 years. Washing your car doesn’t save you any money. Bolts will rust no matter what you do.”
One commenter said Nate’s video looks like a way for BMW dealers to justify notoriously expensive repairs. “BMW’s new excuse for excessive repair costs. “You didn’t wash your car more than once a week,” they wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to BMW of Minnetonka via email for further comment.
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