Latest responses to “I Purposely Drive In Heavy Rain To Get A Free Car Wash” Copyright 2012, MoneyBlueBook.com 434690 2009-11-21T17:52:49-08:00 Sheryl Saving water for the environment is very important but be aware that any soap applied is washed into stormwater which goes untreated out to sea. So use an Eco-friendly soap that is biodegradable etc. I'd hope car wash businesses have to drain to sewerage. 434680 2009-08-21T16:20:37-07:00 David - a nudist I don't know if "David" from June 29, 2008 at 1:06 am is me or not, but in case he is, I have to add this. Driving through heavy rain may seem like a good car wash, but it's not safe. Heavy rain can lead to flooding and, if you're not careful, you can be washed away and possibly killed. Most people who die in floods are those that take unnecessary risks by purposely driving through flooded roads. And, floods kill a lot of people...more than lightning and tornadoes. Remember, just two feet of water can pick up any vehicle and take it down-stream. That's when it becomes dangerous and potentially deadly for people inside their vehicles. Plus, when driving through heavy rain, visibility drops dramatically and you may not be able to see where you're going. This, too, can be dangerous and potentially deadly since it can result in a crash. So, be careful with severe weather and heavy rain. If you want to drive in a moderate shower with moderate rain, fine. But, watch out for blinding downpours and flooding conditions. One of the big mistakes people make is they underestimate the depth of the water when they come to a flooded roadway. The road underneath the water could be washed out, which makes the water deeper than they think it is. And, that's why flooding is extremely dangerous. So, be smart, use common sense, and be safe. That is all I have to say. 434660 2009-06-29T10:18:32-07:00 Charlie B. I like your point. It's not just about saving money, it's about saving water too. The planet thanks you. 434670 2009-05-24T18:20:53-07:00 Dawn So, let me get this straight. You actually put on your pants, leave your home, and purposely hop into your car during the start of a rain storm JUST to save $10-15 on a car wash? Now that is the pinnacle of cheapness in my opinion. For God sakes man, pay that $10-15 or even $20 and get your poor car a decent car wash and thorough scrubbing. There is no way a random thundershower, no matter how powerful or forceful, can equal the same results as a good old fashioned car wash. Besides, these days, you can pay $4 or less to use one of those cheap do it your self car-washing water jet blasters. They come with soap dispensers and brushes for a truly thorough wash. Do this during Spring or Summer and you'll get a work out in the process. The other commentators are right....clean your car's body thoroughly or risk future permanent damage to the paint job from acid rain, salt crystals, or dirty grime...or worse. And stop this frugality madness :) 434640 2008-11-04T17:07:19-08:00 Kevin C Rain and snow contain acids that eat away at the paint and finish of vehicles. After acid rain falls on a vehicle, the water evaporates, but the acid remains. Concentrated by sunlight, this acid can become so strong that it will eat through the finish, ruining the vehicle's paint and appearance. When rain or snow falls it can capture environmental pollutants from factory, automobile and truck exhaust. The water has a low ph reading (acidic). The sun heats and evaporates the water but leaves behind concentrated acid spots which cannot be removed. When your car is dirty, your vehicles surface is holding all kinds of dirt particles, contaminants and road grime. Mix this with water and you have CEMENT. Whatever is water soluble mixes with other particles and new paint problems are born. Rain WILL NOT clean these particles off of your car. 434650 2008-10-25T15:23:57-07:00 P Kann I have done this for 10yrs. My car is parked outside. When rain stops I go out, give it a soapy wash, pour a bucket of water to rinse off suds. That is it. When rain stops for good (sometimes in 2days), I go, dry and buff! This is the way I always did in tropics, where it rains! Makes sense, save water. soap suds washed off in drainage, no chemical damage to environ. Sometimes, I get drenched as rain picks up! Thx. P 434620 2008-06-29T13:17:35-07:00 Raymond David, The funny thing is...back when I had outdoor parking, I did seriously contemplate breaking into my swimming trunks, and going out to my car shirtless during a pending rainstorm to scrub my car down real good with a sponge and liquid soap. But at the end I figured that was going too extreme! 434630 2008-06-29T01:06:28-07:00 David Hmmm...I never considered purposely driving my car through a heavy thunderstorm or rainstorm before. If I'm already on the road going from point A to point B and a storm suddenly shows up and pours, that's one thing. But, actually deliberately waiting for a storm to drive in...never occurred to me before. I'm not against it. It just hasn't occurred to me to do that. Then again, my car is parked in an outside driveway so when it does rain, I guess it gets its "car wash". This article did make me think of something. What if before a storm hits, I could scrub soap on my car and then, let the rain pour down on it? Now that would be a real "car wash", lol! 434590 2008-06-03T23:26:04-07:00 komodo dragon this is a funny post, the tittle in fact captivated me to read further. Its amazing how far people can go with their frugality! 434600 2008-06-03T19:30:22-07:00 debt consolidation unsecured Your chronicle having to drive for a car wash across the rainy city made me evoke that GoDaddy's commercial of a man stopping in a very hot fueling station. Gas and car washes are indeed recurring expenses but anecdotes like yours remind us that we are wasting time and money due to inertia expecting others do what we can too!