Over the course of several years, using automatic car washes will cost you several weeks in time and thousands of dollars in cash and increased depreciation to your car.

Time Cost of Using Automatic Car Washes

If it’s not too busy, an automatic car wash will return your car in about 20 minutes; closer to 40 if they’re busy. And don’t kid yourself into thinking you’ll be productive during that time—more like 40 minutes of Candy Crush and people watching! Plus, there’s the drive. In Monterey Park, CA[1][2], the Los Angeles suburb where I live, with traffic it takes me 15 minutes to get to the automatic car wash near me. Assuming I get my car back in 30 minutes and that I wash my car every other week, I would be spending 26 hours a year driving to, waiting at, and driving home from the automatic car wash! That’s 130 hours over five years—nearly a month’s worth of work. How much do you earn in a month?

Money-wise, the cost of using an automatic car wash can be broken into two parts: the actual cash paid for the car washes, and the cost in accelerated depreciation to your car.

Cash Cost of Using Automatic Car Washes

In Monterey Park, CA, the cheapest automatic car wash package starts at $19.99, with a suggested tip of $3 – 5. The price of the package most of us would get, the one with the tire dressing, etc., starts at $21.99. This is for a sedan; trucks and SUVs are extra. So, assuming you drive a sedan, get the $22 service, and give the lower tip of $3, you’ll spend $25 per car wash. If you get your car washed every other week that totals $650 per year—$3,250 over five years. If you get the cheapest car wash and don’t tip, that’s still $2,600 over five years. And automatic car wash prices tend to be higher in more economically advantaged areas. (Picture is after hours in a car wash in Alhambra, CA)

Depreciation Cost of Using Automatic Car Washes

Automatic car washes accelerate your car’s depreciation by insidiously damaging its paint and trim. The mechanical brushes and pads they use cause most of this damage; but their industrial-strength chemicals and production-line-like drying methods also cause plenty. The easiest-to-see damage caused by automatic car washes is the fine swirls covering most cars’ paint. Additionally, the chemicals they use accelerate the drying and oxidation of cars’ plastic trim. The effect is that after several years of using automatic car washes your car’s paint will appear hazy and dull and its trim old. This negatively impacts your car’s resale value.

For instance, according to Kelly Blue Book a 2015 Honda Accord in excellent condition costs $13,282[3]–that same car but with the added wear consistent with five years of automatic car washes? $10,322[4]. That’s an additional $2,960 loss in the car’s value in just five years! And your depreciation cost goes up as your car’s value goes up. If you drive a top-of-the-line BMW 3-Series, the added depreciation cost is $6,805[5][6].

Total Cost of Using Automatic Car Washes For Five Years

Assuming you live in a similarly middle-class area to Monterey Park, CA, your total cost of using an automatic car wash over five years is as follows:

Choosing The Cheapest Automatic Car Wash, No Tip, 2015 Honda Accord

• Cost In Fees: $2,600
• Cost In Added Depreciation To Your Car: $2,960
• Total Cost Of Using Automatic Car Washes For Five Years: $5,560 and about 130 hours

Choosing The Slightly Better Automatic Car Wash, $3 Tip, 2015 Honda Accord

• Cost In Fees: $3,250
• Cost In Added Depreciation To Your Car: $2,960
• Total Monetary Cost Of Using Automatic Car Washes For Five Years: $6,210 and about 130 hours

Choosing The Better Automatic Car Wash, $3 Tip, BMW 3-Series

• Cost In Fees: $3,250
• Cost In Added Depreciation To Your Car: $6,827
• Total Monetary Cost Of Using Automatic Car Washes For Five Years: $10,055 and about 130 hours

Alternatives To Using Automatic Car Washes

Depending on your circumstances, perhaps the best alternative to using automatic car washes is washing your car at home. This option could save you thousands of dollars in car washing fees and delayed depreciation to your car. Drawbacks to this option are the initial outlays of time and money to research and buy effective car washing tools, the time it’ll take you to learn proper car washing techniques, and the two-to-four hours you’ll spend every third weekend to properly wash your car. Still, this option will save you thousands of dollars over the life of your car, and may even benefit your health thanks to the extra exercise. We will publish posts on effective car washing tools, techniques, and what to do if you can’t wash your car at home; so, if these topics interest you, please check back soon.

Another alternative to using automatic car washes is hiring a good mobile car wash service. For instance, our mobile car wash service in Monterey Park, CA uses specific shampoos, tools, and techniques designed to minimize the likelihood of adding swirls to your car’s paint, or drying its trim. And although the price for this type of service may seem steep initially, hiring the right mobile car wash service may end up saving you thousands of dollars in delayed depreciation to your car and hundreds of hours in premium weekend time. Plus, you’ll get the added joy of driving a car that looks perpetually new. And the best mobile car wash services will wash and protect your car so well that you may only need their service every third week—again saving you time and money.

When Using An Automatic Car Wash Makes Sense

It makes sense to use automatic car washes when the car’s depreciation is inconsequential to you and you don’t care about its appearance. These conditions are met if you’re renting a car, are unconcerned about money, plan to keep the car until it is ready for the salvage yard, or are leasing, and don’t care about the way your car looks. Automatic car washes also make sense for fleet vehicles, work trucks, and other vehicles whose resale value is primarily based on their remaining utility and whose appearance is irrelevant to that utility.

[Figures in article as of January, 2020]

[1] Suburb of Los Angeles, CA. Median household income: $56,000: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_Park%2C_California

[2] Suburb of Los Angeles, CA. Median home price: $667,000: https://www.zillow.com/monterey-park-ca/home-values/

[3] https://www.kbb.com/honda/accord/2015/lx-s-coupe-2d/?vehicleid=402152&intent=buy-used&category=coupe&mileage=68051&pricetype=private-party&condition=excellent/

[4] https://www.kbb.com/honda/accord/2015/lx-s-coupe-2d/?vehicleid=402152&intent=buy-used&category=coupe&mileage=68051&pricetype=private-party&condition=fair/

[5] https://www.kbb.com/bmw/3-series/2015/335i-xdrive-sedan-4d/?intent=buy-used&mileage=66694&pricetype=private-party&condition=excellent/

[6] https://www.kbb.com/bmw/3-series/2015/335i-xdrive-sedan-4d/?intent=buy-used&mileage=66694&pricetype=private-party&condition=fair/

About the author:

Alex is the owner-operator of a mobile auto detailing, car wash, and paint correction business in Monterey Park, CA, a suburb of Los Angeles, CA.