Car care

While some drivers enjoy getting the garden hose, sponge and a bucket of water, others prefer driving through an automatic carwash to get rid of vehicle grime. But are all carwash facilities created equal?
 
Worries of getting a side mirror blasted or paint scratches from the carwash brushes make some drivers a bit leery. So how do you choose a good automatic car wash facility?

Back in the days when gas station attendants filled our tanks for us, all car wax was basically the same. It was thick and pasty and came in a squatty metal can with a pry-open lid.

As car wax evolved over the years, liquid waxes were introduced in sleek plastic bottles that made the squatty metal cans look oh-so-1950s.

You carefully roll your vehicle into the garage and then hear an odd, scratching sound. A garden tool has scraped across the right front fender, leaving a scrape with missing paint.
 
What now?
 

Everyone loves the way a new car shines, the way molding contrasts against colorful sheet metal. Yet, weather and ozone can cause non-metal surfaces to fade, harden and crack.
 
How can you keep daily driving from spoiling your vehicle’s beautiful shine and hitting your pocketbook for replacement parts?