![Top Five Reasons why NOT to Wash Your Car](http://townsquare.media/site/676/files/2016/03/RS4814_117587051.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Top Five Reasons why NOT to Wash Your Car
Road salt dirt covers your car. If you’re lucky enough to have any fluid in your washer, the windshield might resemble a raccoon’s mask with a reasonable view of the highway ahead of you.
Visibility and safety aside, there are plenty of reasons why you should NOT wash your car rid of the salt dirt and grime caked on by winter driving conditions. Notice I didn’t say they were GOOD reasons, but believe me, once you checked out the complete list, I’m sure you’ll discover a few good life hacks.
- Piotr Sikora, ThinkStock
Piotr Sikora, ThinkStock 1You Can use Your car as a Notepad
Everyone can recall an age when writing “WASH ME” into the back of a dirty car, bus or truck seemed like the most rebellious thing to do. The really bad kids would sometimes write dirty words into the dirty door panels. Some creative types might even attempt drawing certain female body parts! (.) (.) But we’ve matured since then, and would now more likely write reminders like “get oil change” or “buy milk”. Yes, we’re older now and “adulting” is the “in” thing to do, even if drawing cartoon boobies is still more fun. Whenever possible I still try to combine the two practices with messages like “return bOOks to library”.
- BO NIELSEN, ThinkStock
BO NIELSEN, ThinkStock 2Stop Theft
An expensive dirty car is a great theft deterrent. A thick coat of salty grime can make even the coolest of expensive cars look crappy. Ugh, who would steal THAT?
- Mulecan, ThinkStock
Mulecan, ThinkStock 3Drive With Pride
An old, cheap car looks remarkably better with a coat of dirt, salt and grime. More accurately, it simply doesn’t look any worse than all the other late model cars on the road today. You know, the kind that have another 34 months of $300 payments to go. Suckers. You can drive right past them with all the self-righteous smugness you can muster in a grey 1999 Saturn.
- andrey pavlov, ThinkStock
andrey pavlov, ThinkStock 4Use Dirt as a Disguise
Even better when the road salt and dirt are covering up the scratched, dented, dinged-up corners, bashed-in bumpers and crinkled, crumpled fenders. The result of too many late night drive thru obstacles like parking lot curbs, divided-lane medians and low-hanging fast food awnings. The streaks of highway crud add a certain character to the battle scars of multiple owners and rookie drivers.
- John DeFeo, ThinkStock
John DeFeo, ThinkStock 5Blend In
Finally, you and your car blend in with everyone else in their nasty, grimy winter wheels of steel. Rich or poor, busy or laid-back, rushed or relaxed…your dirty winter car is part of the whole. It's a welcome member in the community of contraptions required to endure sub-zero temperatures, muddy windshield streaks, and quarter panels dusted with white salt that wipes off the chassis easily enough, but clings to your clothes as desperately as winter clings to the month of March.
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