Rainy days vs. car washes!

Have you ever seen a used car listing, especially a classic car listing, that boasts that the car was “never driven in the rain“?

It’s a fairly common mention among prized, pristine older vehicles and it’s also an interesting practice to think about, especially since most of us see a spring rain shower as a fast and free car wash. And the topic raises some questions: Is rain a good substitute for a trip to your local car wash? Can rain actually damage a car over time?

Let’s find out!

Is natural rainwater enough to keep a car clean?

The answer is no. Rainwater, whether a gentle spring shower or a torrential summer downpour, only offers a light rinse that isn’t strong enough to remove caked-on dirt, bug smear, or road tar and which often leaves behind mud and streaking.

Is rain dangerous to a vehicle’s exterior?

Usually not, but acid rain is a fact of life and in areas of the nation where acid rain is severe many exterior surfaces show wear and weathering much faster than normal. This is true of vehicle surfaces as well – especially for cars that are older and which lack modern clearcoat protection. This clearcoat helps resist weathering and protect the paint underneath, and having your car waxed or visiting a car wash with hot wax or UV protectant adds more layers to resist that slow damage over time.

What car wash services does Tommy’s Express offer that a natural rain rinse can’t?

• Pure Water: Our final rinse water is purified with a commercial Reverse Osmosis system to provide spot-free shine with no spotting or streaking.
• High Power: Targeted, high-power nozzles help peel away grime and scum from all quaters of your car.
• Soft Friction Cleaning: Gentle soft cloth and foam material adds scrubbing action to break up and remove stubborn stains that a rinse alone won’t dislodge.
• Detergent Action: Our proprietary car wash detergents and cleansers safely work to pull away grime and dirt while putting on a great show for the passengers!
• Underbody Cleaning: Targeted blasters under the car deliver rinsing action to dislodge tar, dirt, and salt from the nooks and crannies you’d never clean otherwise.
• Extra Protection: Our works wash delivers tire shine, hot wax, and UV protectant to make sure your car resists dirt, rain water, and sunlight for affordable short-term vehicle protection.
• Cleaning On-Demand: When you need your car looking good for an event or outing, you can’t wait for a convenient rain shower. We’re open from dawn to dusk to give you the quick in-and-out car wash experience you need whenever you need it.

Interested? Just give you your local Tommy’s Express a try! You can also download our app on your mobile phone or tablet and sign up for a TommyClub Membership, which opens up our exclusive members-only App lanes and gives you Unlimited monthly car washes! Learn more here.

Tommy’s Express Car Wash