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!

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!

It’s definitely not exactly the most brilliant or cost-effective way to save money, but it’s just one of a few frugal/cheap things I do. Not sure I really save all that much individually - but it’s just one of many things I do that combine into aggregate savings over time.

When I used to live in an apartment complex with only outdoor parking, my car was kept perpetually clean by all the natural rainfall received. Now that my car is kept inside a reserved indoor parking garage, it’s kept away from the harsh winter and summer elements, but it doesn’t get the benefit of that natural spray cleaning.

It’s not a bad idea, anyway. In a medium rain a quick run out to the grocery store for staples could be useful and still safe enough.

I personally have no real shame displaying my so-called unattractive car. I’m the same guy who drove around with an unsightly plastic tape covered rear side window when some car thief broke into my former old car when I was in grad school. It certainly didn’t impress the girl I was going out with at the time, but I made up for it in other more financially generous ways.

As for purposely driving my car around during a rain storm, I usually just make an effort to come up with an errand objective. Sure the errand could probably wait, but the rain storm won’t! The more powerful the thunderstorm, the better it cleans

As much as I am against spending tons of money on car washes, it probably is a good idea to wash the car on occasion (whether paid or free). “Bird poo” so to speak is pretty toxic and corrosive on the paint job over the years if it has the opportunity to harden into a diamond like encrustation.

Furthermore, after your car has been in rain, doesn’t it become dirty when it dries?

If you’re frugal, I think an argument can be made never to wash your car. For someone who buys a new car and then sell its off after a year or two, it may be important because relatively new cars are usually judged by appearances. However, someone buying an old car who resells it usually sells it to someone else who is also thrifty or is looking for parts, and so cleanliness is less important or maybe even not worth it. My car’s value now is $5000 and even when I get bird poo on it I don’t feel as if it’s worth cleaning off.

If however you work in an environment where you must network or if you feel too much pain or shame from displaying an unattractive car, when that may be an argument to clean it often.