1. What impact does car washing have on the environment?

Washing your car in a professional car wash is the best way to protect the environment. We use less water (about 25 gallons) than washing in the driveway. (60 - 120 gallons) Our wash water is treated before it goes into the city sewer system. It then goes to a waste water treatment plant. Washing your car in the driveway causes the water to go into the storm drain. This drain is only meant for rain water. The soapy wash water ends up in our rivers and lakes killing fish and polluting the environment. At the professional car wash, the dirt that comes off your car ends up as cover at landfills and recycled for use at asphalt plants.

2. How often should my car be washed?

Weekly. Washing your car once a week will ensure that the vehicle's surface is being cared for properly. Make washing your car part of a weekly ritual. If you go for many weeks without washing your car you may have allowed irreparable damage from acid rain, bird droppings, bugs or salt to occur. For many people their car is the second largest investment they make after their home doesn't it make sense to protect it? Feel Good in a clean car and increase the value at trade time.

3. What about washing the bottom of my car? Is it really necessary?

Washing the bottom of your car is just as important as the body. Road film, mud and salt all work against your car's muffler, shocks..... Frequent washing keeps rust from getting started.

4. I have the protective coating on my undercarriage so why do I need to have the undercarriage treatment?

The protective coating applied by the manufacturer or after market does provide some protection to the undercarriage. The underside of your car is susceptible to pollutants as well. Every time you drive through a puddle you are splashing up contaminants. The undercarriage is not only important in the winter to remove salt and sand, as you would think, road contaminants are present year round. The undercarriage of your car takes a tremendous punishment from small stones that are kicked up by your tires. These stones bombard the undercarriage and nick your undercarriage's armor and expose bare metal. Once rust gets a foothold it will spread regardless of the protection. The undercarriage treatment will rinse and flush the undercarriage and then apply a rust inhibitor to your undercarriage, which will help prevent the harmful effects of rust. The undercarriage treatment will not effect any of the electronics of your vehicle it is designed to be a full coverage low pressure (similar to driving through a puddle) rinse and application of a rust inhibitor product.

5. How does wax in a car wash work?

The was applied in our wash will protect your car's finish for up to thirty days. It is applied in a two step process. A foamed on wax cleans and penetrates the surface. A sealant is then applied to add shine and protection. For additional protection, check out services available from The Detail Shop.

6. Will the wax from the car wash streak the outside of my windows?

No, the wax from the car wash will not adhere to glass. The "rainbow like" streaks that you are seeing are caused by deposits of road film, mainly grease and oil from car and truck exhaust that get trapped under the wipers. Once the car has been washed and the glass is clean, the next time you use the wipers you are moving the wipers that have the oil residue on the blades across the clean glass causing the streaking. A solution to this is after having the car washed use a paper towel with some white vinegar or window cleaner on it and run it across the wiper blades, you'll be amazed at what you find. Also replace the wipers at the first sign of wear this will extend the life of the windshield and increase your vision in inclement weather.

7. The person I bought the car from said I never have to wax my car?

This is a common misconception. New cars, (those from the mid eighties to present) have a new style paint called clear coat. This clear coat is actually paint with no color pigment but it is susceptible to the effects of rain, snow, salt, bird droppings and other environmental pollutants. The painted surface when magnified has millions of small valleys that can hold surface contaminants that can damage the clear coat finish. Earlier models of vehicles had many layers of paint and early paste waxes has small abrasive particles which actually acted as a type of mild sandpaper which would remove the damaged layers of paint. Using this type of waxing process can damage the new clear coat finishes. The clear coat finishes need to be cared for, once damage is done to a clear coat finish many times the only way to correct it to have the vehicle repainted. Magnotta Car Wash offers Blue Coral brand clear coat safe waxes and polishes both in the tunnel applications as well as in our Express Detailing Centers. The waxes are designed to work with the finish to help preserve its life and keep it looking new for many years.

8. How does the car wash know that my car gets the wax and the next one doesn't?

The age of computers has even touched the car wash industry. Every vehicle is measured precisely by multiple sets of electric eyes that measure the length as well as the height of each vehicle. We have created our own computer system that has given us greater control over the car washing process. For example we know exactly where the tires are so we can apply exactly the correct amount of wheel cleaner to just the tires. The air dryers and drying chamois curtain pivot and raise or lower depending on the height of your vehicle to maximize the equipment's ability to dry your car.

9. What is acid rain?

The spots that you are noticing that look like water spots are actually the remnants of acid rain. When rain or snow falls it captures environmental pollutants such as Sulfuric and nitric acids from factory, automobile and truck exhaust. That rain, snow or even the morning dew contains pollutants that settle to the bottom of the water drop on your car's finish, when the sun heats and evaporates the water it leaves behind the concentrated acid that etches the clear coat paint finish. It leaves jagged edged spots that look similar to water spot but it cannot be removed. In some cases this spot can be removed by a high speed buffing of the finish but in the majority of the cases it is not repairable. Prevention is the key here. Keep a good coat of wax on the finish and wash the car especially after a rain or snowstorm. New car manufactures have taken notice of the problem and have attempted to protect their cars; you may have noticed a protective white plastic sheet over the flat areas of a car that are exposed to the rain and sun.

10. Is it safe to bring my convertible, vinyl or canvas custom toped vehicle to a car wash?

Yes it is perfectly safe to bring those types of vehicles to our car washes. Our advanced custom computerized system allows us to "damper" the touchless air dryers. This cuts the downward air velocity to prevent any damage to your roof.

11. It just rained or snowed so why do I need to wash my car?

This is a critical time for the life of your paint. Pollutants, such as sulfuric and nitric acids from automobile, truck and factory exhaust become trapped in rain drops or snow flakes, these settle on your car and as the sun heats them and evaporates the water it leaves behind concentrated acid that can damage the finish.

More Questions & Interesting Facts - From the International Car Wash Association