Is it good enough to just get your car washed? If I get my car washed frequently, and it always looks good, why detail it? What’s the difference between a car wash in Sacramento, and auto detailing in Sacramento?
Well, let’s start with the idea of a car wash in Sacramento. Sacramentans no longer have a ton of options for good car washing anymore. Once Harv’s in East Sac disappeared, Quick Quack Car Wash stepped in and never looked back, opening historic numbers of car wash facilities across California. Quick Quack, much like any other drive through car wash facility, is a good option for the price. I mean, who can beat an unlimited car wash subscription for under $50 a month! No one can, that’s why Quick Quack in dominating the market with a billion dollar company.
The good and the bad with drive through car washes.
Again, price! There are $20/month options and that seems like a no-brainer. You can have a clean car all the time for a minimal cost. Drive through washes are also convenient. You can pop in anytime. Now if you’re like me, these are two major factors in decision making; a $35/month unlimited car wash subscription sounds like a great option on the surface.
But the cons may convince you otherwise. It doesn’t matter which facility you look up, read the reviews of any drive through facility and you may think twice about using one. Broken mirrors, scuffed wheels, broken windows, lost antenna and so many other bad experiences. Maybe a bit less tangible and noticeable is the paint damage that occurs from the heavy bristles used in these facilities. Even when these commercial scrubbers are clean they can cause damage to your vehicle’s paint, just because of the material they’re made from and the speed they move at. Now imaging a big off-roading truck using these scrubbers to remove all the mud, rocks and sand from their rig, and you come in right behind them in your nice red car. Guess where all that debris is headed? Yeah, welcome to scratch and swirl city! And who knows how often these scrubbers are cleaned.
Of course, drive through washes are not your only options for car washing in Sacramento. And some drive through washes don’t utilize these scrubber, they use a “touchless” method where they just shoot soap and water at your car, then blow it dry (recommended method of the two). There are many brick and mortar car wash and detailing facilities scattered around town that can keep you car dialed in and looking good. However, the upsides greatly outweigh those of drive through washes. Including the fact that you’re supporting a small, local business. You’re paying for the business owner’s daughter’s ballet lessons, not the CEO’s new Ferrari.
The good and bad of hand washing small scale car wash businesses.
Small business are the heart and soul of any good community and local car washes and detailing businesses in Sacramento are no different. These entreprenuers have a passion for their work and this is the biggest difference in services. You get a passionate technician who values your business and the relationship you have with them. Hand washing your vehicle is also the very best way to avoid paint imperfections like swirls and water spots. Another important benefit is the products being used. Large facility businesses buy cheap chemicals in bulk. When your washes include things like “ceramic coating”, “waxes” and “sealants”, take that with a grain of salt, but small businesses, at least the professional ones, use quality products like Meguiar’s. Price is the biggest downside when making this decision. Small scale businesses have to charge a reasonable rate in order to make business work. There’s no way they can do a $35 monthly rate! Convenience can be experienced with both options. It is convenient to be able to drive through a wash on your way home from work, but with a mobile professional detailing service, the wash can be done at your workplace or home and this could be much more convenient than even the drive through washes.
Now let’s get into why it’s important to get a full detail done every once in a while.
Getting frequent washes may keep your car looking good to the naked eye, but small contaminants embed themselves into your clear coat and can significant damage to your paint over time; specifically oxidation and clear coat peeling. This is especially the case for cars parked outdoors. The only way to remove these contaminants is by using clay bar. Furthermore, protective agents like ceramic coating, waxes and sealants can also bond better to the paint once these contaminants are removed, allowing the protection to last longer.