*Poll results from the International Carwash Association
Sixty-two percent of car owners believe
car appearance is essential. However, 53 percent wash their cars
less than once a month - and 16 percent never wash their cars at all!
To top it off, 61 percent of survey respondents admitted to
leaving garbage in their cars, and 27 percent say their car stinks.
"It's ironic: People say they feel car
love, but they don't practice it by keeping their cars clean,"
observed Courtney Caldwell, founder and publisher of American Woman
Road & Travel and a leading authority on all things auto. "A
number of environmental car culprits - bird droppings, acid rain and
salt, for example - can harm your car's finish in just a couple of
days. If you're not washing your car professionally at least
once or twice a month, you're risking damage."
"One in four car owners believe that a
dirty car reflects poorly on a person," said Mark Thorsby, executive
director of the International Carwash Association. "Aside from
the satisfaction professional car washes provide from an image
perspective - since, after all, most people care about how they
portray themselves -
many of us forget that professional washes and
details actually save us money in the long run by protecting the
investment we've made in our cars. In addition, they are much
better for the environment than at-home washes, which can use twice as
much water and pollute local lakes, rivers and streams."
Information provided by the
International Carwash Association after surveying 1,000 U.S. car
owners. |