Inaccurate article

[washnshine]

http://mynorthwest.com/11/652527/Deluxe-The-Works-Why-you-dont-need-that-frilly-car-wash

I came across this article from a few years ago - I've seen ones like this before and always wonder how they find the "expert" to comment on professional car washing and extra services.

He recommends the wheel cleaner twice per year - I'd like to see a set of mags or polished aluminum with brake dust that look good with two cleanings per year.

I know clear coats are different from single stage paint, but to say it does not need to be waxed often does not take into account that people might actually want their paint to look good, have a glossy finish and repel contaminants.

 

[robert roman]

Although I don’t agree with a few of the recommendations (i.e. wheel cleaning), the article and expert opinion is not inaccurate.

Today’s vehicle paint isn’t “no-wax” but it is low-maintenance. For example, my neighbor hasn’t washed his 3-year old Impala even once.

Tire sidewalls are brownish looking, wheels are dull and black trim on side mirrors and moldings have faded.

The paint shines but there is no depth. Throw a towel across the hood and it just sticks.

Has this affected the value of his vehicle? No, because I could correct all of these issues in about 4-hours for $100.00.

“….people might actually want their paint to look good, have a glossy finish and repel contaminants.”

This guy doesn’t care. He would rather spend the time and money to wash and wax at the casino playing Texas Hold’em.

Most of the young motor-heads today drive around in metric compact cars, half of them are primer. When I was young, I waxed my domestic car almost weekly.

I hand wax my wife’s Sonata only a couple of times a year. It doesn’t need any more than this and it looks brand new.

Now the carwash industry is reducing hand wax to push button. It’s what people want, more convenience.

Nissan I believe is showing off a car that cleans off with a garden hose. This type of paint coating (lotus-like effect) doesn’t shine (matte finish) but that’s not the point.

The auto industry is educating the general public on the benefits of even lower maintenance vehicles as offered by the OEM’s and their networks of dealerships.

Who are you going to trust?

Brandi, who has collected awards for her reporting, and Ford a certified automotive expert or the guy who owns or manages Joe’s Car Wash?

This isn’t news. It’s just gotten tougher for the carwash industry in general because of the economy, changes in consumer behavior and more competition from the auto industry.

 

[washnshine]

"Today’s vehicle paint isn’t “no-wax” but it is low-maintenance. For example, my neighbor hasn’t washed his 3-year old Impala even once.

Tire sidewalls are brownish looking, wheels are dull and black trim on side mirrors and moldings have faded.

The paint shines but there is no depth. Throw a towel across the hood and it just sticks.

Has this affected the value of his vehicle? No, because I could correct all of these issues in about 4-hours for $100.00."




Well, with that logic they should have taken the article one step further and said it isn't necessary to ever wash the car at all. Maybe just spend the $100 and four hours on it before you trade it in to get a few bucks more (providing it is more than $100) - but only in the event that you find a buyer that cares.

Obviously, your neighbor does not care, but some do, or this forum would not exist, as we would not have a car washing and detailing industry. And for those who want to regularly maintain their vehicle's appearance, this article is inaccurate. If hand waxing has been reduced to the "touch of a button" (I know, just a slogan), then there must be some value the consumer can actually see and feel in hot wax, especially with the continued use of the product over time, but this article states these costly frills can be "avoided altogether."

The extra services we offer are about appearance and maintenance of protection. I don't know of any operator who believes the extra protection services they offer replace hand waxing, but they do preserve protection and maintain the appearance of vehicle finishes - and the quality of products we can offer has been elevated in recent years. Someone who reads this article and is interested in maintaining the appearance and protection of their finish is led to believe the extra services do nothing; hence the the broad inaccuracy of the article.

"Who are you going to trust?

Brandi, who has collected awards for her reporting, and Ford a certified automotive expert or the guy who owns or manages Joe’s Car Wash?"


In terms of who to trust, I see it this way: I can't watch any major news channel without seeing several reports by award winning reporters and anchors on health, medicine, nutrition, exercise, how to prevent illness etc. However, when I have a health related question or concern, I still talk to my Doctor.

 

[robert roman]

“+Well, with that logic they should have taken the article one step further and said it isn't necessary to ever wash the car at all.”

Quite frankly, this is what the automobile industry would have their customers believe if it would keep them away from Mr. Carwash operator.

Auto dealers are competition. If the auto industry could paint cars with Lotus effect paint today, it would do so in a heartbeat regardless of how badly it would wreck the carwash industry.

For example, more and more new car dealers are offering customers no-wait, no-appointment necessary (express) oil change service, some with free carwash. This has knocked the quick-lube share of the DIFM market on its butt almost as bad as express wash with free vacuum has knocked wand revenues.

Today, new free-standing quick lubes are going up about as fast as new self-serve washes.

The fact of the matter is there are fewer people who care about the appearance of their vehicles as compared to ten years ago. Evidence of this is the population has increased as total cars washed and industry wash revenues have decreased.

Don’t get twisted out of shape, industry trash talking isn’t news either. Also, I didn’t write the article or make up the numbers.

As for my neighbor’s Impala, I certainly could rejuvenate the exterior of this vehicle to like new condition in four hours. Only the most discerning eye would know.

The principal reason is the clear-coat.

Clearcoat now contains particle technology that creates a harder, silica-like surface that improves scratch and mar resistance and as well as improved resistance to acid rain and tree sap.

Clearcoat is very resilient and couple of years of neglect is easily cured as compared to old lacquer or enamel paint.

“If hand waxing has been reduced to the "touch of a button" (I know, just a slogan), then there must be some value the consumer can actually see and feel in hot wax, especially with the continued use of the product over time, but this article states these costly frills can be "avoided altogether."

If the hot wax is of sufficient quality and it is reapplied once a month, hand-waxing can be reduced to push-button.

Likewise, applying paint sealant with automated vehicle polishing tunnel can reduce hand waxing to pushing a button only two or three times a year instead of twelve with hot wax.

Of course, either of these would cannibalize carwash hand-wax income.

 

[buda]

All car wash operators who have read this article should send an email to the author, Brandi Kruse, as I did by finding an email or better yet a link to email or Facebook page.

I am not sure she will reply to me, but I was able to inform her of the inaccuracies in her article and the positives she did not mention, about car washes.

Regards
Bud A