Winter Car Care-What's the point?

Yes, here we go again.  After just a few days of clear roads and Wam! Another round of snow and ice conditions.  Doing this time period I have had a lot of people ask, "Why should I even bother to keep my car clean?"  This always follows some type of comment like, "it's not staying clean very long.  This my friends is the heart of the problem.  Having a car covered in road grime in not a good thing.  Especially winter road grime.

You see during snow and ice conditions roads crews lay down what is know as cinder (sin-der) to melt ice and help with traction.  This product is a combination of: sodium chloride, calcium chloride, sand, and pea gravel.  Now add in the layers of oil, antifreeze, and coolants that are already on the road ways and you have some extremely corrosive road grime.  Sodium chloride and calcium chloride in particular are rust causing agents.  It would be one thing to pass through a puddle of this stuff.  But, what typically happens is there is a never ending stream of road slush that we pass through from point A to B.  Creating typically a black or grayish film on the vehicle.

Let us not forget that for many of us a car is the second largest investment we will ever make.  So, take care of it.  An investment only gives back what you put into it.  It is going to take a little bit more energy to keep a clean car during the winter months.  But, your car will thank you in the end.



Here are few simple protection tips:

1. Have a good coat of wax on the paint.
2. Waxing the wheels offers protection against corrosives.
3. Do not keep road grime on for more than 7 days.
4. Touchless washing is better than brush washing.
5. Be sure to rinse out wheel wells and undercarriage.

Farrell Sexton
Tidal Wave USA
www.tidalwave-usa.com

Tidal Wave Auto Detail-Here Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Tidal Wave USA-Here Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

I can not help but notice that I am one of few car wash and detail locations in my area to stay in business.  I am not sure if it is the economy or management.  I would like to think it is our management that has allowed us to succeed instead of fail.  A customer is never just a number and deserves to be appreciated.  I would think the fact that I love my job and love cars might help as well.

My business started when I was about 11.  Admittedly it was not much of a business considering I was not getting paid to wash my father's car.  But I loved doing it!  Every couple of weeks, during the hot summer months, in the southern river valley town of Fort Smith, Arkansas.  I would break out the water hose and a bucket of thick soapy water.  Before too long it would turn into an all day event.  I started teaching myself how to wax a car.  After that I started learning about cleaning the inside of the car and not just what you can see and touch.  For some reason, this just was not enough I wanted the ultimate clean.  So than I began experimenting with seat and floor panel removal.  Then I just kept building on what I was learning and getting better until about the ripe old age of 14. 

At 14 one of our neighbors was over and commented to my dad just how good his car looked.  After my dad told the neighbor that I was the one that took care of it.  The neighbor made the comment they had just got through paying a professional to do their car and it did not look half as good as my dad's car.  Hearing this information gave me an idea.  So, the rest of that summer I went door to door in my neighborhood and started asking if they would like to have their car detailed.  I loved taking a car and making it look like it just rolled off the show room floor.  I also liked seeing the smile it put on peoples face to see their car look so good!  Now 21 years later, I still carrying this same passion for my work to this day!  I also look forward to seeing my customers smile tomorrow.

Farrell Sexton
Owner and Operator
Tidal Wave USA
www.tidalwave-usa.com