We at Mr. Clean Car Wash, wanted to make sure that when you hear us say one of these common car terms, you understand what we are talking about.
- Detailing– A detail is a specific procedure that deep cleans a specific area. There are usually two main types of detailing, internal and external. External detailing generally includes washing, waxing, and polishing the vehicle. It also includes headlight restoration, clay bar to remove paint contaminants or External Vinyl Conditioning that dresses the black vinyl trim many vehicles have today. Internal detailing includes when a technician shampoos carpets or cloth seats, cleans and conditions leather seats or interior plastic and vinyl surfaces. Both of these types of detailing are important because deep cleaning helps to keep a vehicle in top shape and reduces the effects of weather and other elements that keeps up its appearance and helps to maintain value for resale.
- Oil Change– The replacement of dirty oil and oil filter to clean oil and a new oil filter in a vehicle’s engine. It is recommended for a vehicle to get its oil changed every 3 months or 3,000-5,000 miles depending on the make and model as specified by the manufacturer’s recommendation. Oil changes are important for the longevity of a vehicle. The key to a great car is a great engine, and an oil change helps maintain a great engine.
- Clay Bar– A compound used to smooth the painted surfaces on a vehicle and remove any contaminants. Can be used on multiple surfaces, such as glass, metal and paint. This detailing process is important to clean microscopic contamination from painted surfaces to give a smooth cleaning to paint before waxing.
- Express Wash– An express car wash is great for a quick run through when a customer is short on time and wants a quick exterior cleaning. It is an exterior only tunnel only wash that does not include a technician drying the vehicle or doing any other finishing process. In many cases, customers that get an express wash will dry and vacuum their car themselves in the self service vacuum area of the carwash.
- Full Service Wash Best described as wash that includes interior and exterior cleaning. A full service wash includes interior cleaning such as vacuuming, windows, wiping dash and console by a carwash associate after being washed by the carwash tunnel. Mr. Clean Carwash has several levels of full service washes that add additional tunnel applied features to the wash without adding any time.
- Throttle plate– A valve that controls the amount of air flow allowed in the engine of a vehicle. It is important to keep a throttle plate clean in order to keep a vehicle from breaking down and running the way that it should.
- Emissions Test– A test that is required by most states that checks the amount of exhaust waste that a vehicle transmits into the air. The test is usually required once a year and can include a check of other safety features including brakes. Without an emissions test a car owner will not be able to get their vehicle registration renewed as well as get insurance in some cases.
Read more in depth definitions of any unfamiliar terms on Mr. Clean Car Wash’s blog.