Clean vs Dirty Car / Much difference?

[bentring]

Originally Posted by ThePrudentNinja

You must live in a city or similar. I live a little more out in the sticks and I can detail my car and within one day it's filthy again. Dust, pollen, bugs, mud, everywhere. I've yet to find anything to keep my car(s) clean for longer than a few hours of driving here. Just pointing out a different view.

And depending on the time of year you don't even have to drive the car for it to get filthy again within a day or three.

Around here that time of year is the entire year, minus a month or so, and of course that month is split up into 2 or 3 day blocks.

[Xist]

Arizona here, I washed my car when I replaced my battery and within a day it was covered in dust.

[digital rules]

Originally Posted by Thatdippedstang

I always keep my car clean, not for any MPG gain, but because I believe that all cars should be clean, even if its a beater, just a matter of pride i think.

Yes, and the car seems to run better when it's clean

Just part of the weekly ritual to wash the car & pop the hood to check the fluid levels. Gotta keep the engine clean too!!

Really surprised how many drivers have ZERO interest in checking under the hood. They just take the vehicle for granted; until it leaves them stranded one day

[Xist]

Yes, back when I had a job, I asked a girl at work if she would do anything if she saw an oil puddle under the hood. I was shocked when she said "No."

Do you want to ruin your engine, because that is how you ruin your engine!

...leaving you stranded that day...

[Fat Charlie]

It's a tool, not a display in a museum. Clean looks nice and that's great, but I'm okay with used but serviceable.

I had a kid in here a few weeks ago. Navy guy who wanted everything just so. He had just come to the area, apparently from somewhere that doesn't have pine trees. And their pollen. He asked me what we do to keep pollen off cars after they'd been cleaned. I told him the same thing we do to keep rain off of them- and in the winter it works just as well to keep the salt off.

You could tell that the Navy hadn't sent him running around the ship looking for a bucket of squelch or a left handed fuse setter or anything like that because he was eagerly waiting for me to explain what we do. His face dropped when I said "You don't. You can't keep it clean, you clean it again."

I wash mine once in a while, partly because I prefer it clean and partly because the kids like being in it in the car wash.

[aerohead]

Skin friction drag on a car is associated with air viscosity and local pressure.The car could be made of glass and have no lower drag than if painted with flat,camo paint.The only way you can reduce this friction drag is to not drive the car.

[Grant-53]

Here in the salt mines of NYS washing in the winter is the best way to avoid rust damage.

[Thatdippedstang]

Originally Posted by ThePrudentNinja

You must live in a city or similar. I live a little more out in the sticks and I can detail my car and within one day it's filthy again. Dust, pollen, bugs, mud, everywhere. I've yet to find anything to keep my car(s) clean for longer than a few hours of driving here. Just pointing out a different view.

I live in the city, but I have birds constantly sh*ting on my car, and tons of pollen around here, not to mention dirt that has no origin. However my car is A mustang, that is just about my favorite body style. It is also my first car, and I detail cars every day so I feel like I must keep my car as clean as possible, but that is what I feel it deserves