A professional car detailer is going viral on TikTok after pulling back the curtain on budget-friendly “unlimited car wash” subscriptions. He says the hidden costs might leave your car worse for wear.
TikToker Robs Luxury Auto Detailing (@robsluxuryautodetailing) posted the video on Sept. 12, and it currently has over 13,000 views.
“You know what a lot of people don’t get about these car washes right here and how they’re so cheap?” Rob begins. He adds that while the initial offer seems attractive, “they get you so cheap because the quality is so cheap.”
Rob points out that these budget car wash services process a high volume of vehicles, which means individual complaints don’t carry much weight. ”They also have a little disclaimer that before you enter, if there’s any damage to your vehicle, that they are not liable,” he remarks.
In contrast, Rob says he offers quality over quantity. “Compared to me running my small business where I maybe do anywhere from one car a day to five cars a day at most, I’m focused on quality,” he states. “I’m not just gonna be there for about five minutes and then leave.”
@robsluxuryautodetailing #greenscreen ♬ feel good inc. djibouti dub – djiboooouti
Commenters share their thoughts
In the comments section, users split into two camps.
One side largely agreed with Rob and shared their bad experiences with unlimited car washes. One commenter wrote, “Left my car full of scratches and never went back to one.”
Another added, “The chemicals ruined my running boards and my gloss black rims. Cheap ain’t always great.”
However, not everyone was convinced by Rob’s argument. “Yeah rather pay $9.99 a month than $300 for a 1 time car detail. Cars going to get dirty no matter what,” one commenter argued.
“Been using these car wash for years now, never an issue. Car always gets compliments from detailers,” a second commenter shared.
Do automatic car washes really damage your car?
According to the Auto Detail Doctor, automatic car washes, including those with “soft cloth” systems, can be harmful to your car’s paint finish. “They are less abrasive than the spinning brush tunnel washes, but they still accumulate abrasive debris from other vehicles, such as grease, dirt, sand, and rocks, which makes the ‘soft’ cloth not so soft,” the article states.
If you’re going to use automatic car washes, touchless car washes might be a safer alternative. However, even touchless car washes, while less likely to cause physical damage, may use “harsh chemicals” that could potentially harm your vehicle’s paint over time.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @robsluxuryautodetailing via Instagram direct message for comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
