Why NJ drivers really need to wash their cars this week (Opinion)

Take this as a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do piece of advice. Bro, wash your car!

I’m terrible when it comes to this myself. But even I will heed this warning coming from AAA this week. We just had a killer snowstorm this week and we still have more winter to come. There’s a lot of brine and road salt out there. And it’s damaging your car in ways it’s easy not to think about.

Brake lines. Fuel tanks. Exhaust systems. Exposed car parts on the underside of your vehicle are slowly corroded by the deicing chemicals used on Jersey roads.

While we don’t want to think about it, AAA’s John Nielsen says, “Repairs to fix these problems are often costly, averaging almost $500 per occurrence.”

Ouch.

So a $20 car wash can more than pay for itself.

AAA says in the last five years 22 million drivers in the United States experienced car damage from what we use to clear ice from roadways. In fact, a bill was just introduced in the new legislative session that would study the effects of road salt used in New Jersey. It would not only study the cost of damages done but also the environmental impacts and look into alternatives.

But NJ Turnpike Authority spokesman Thomas Fenney doesn’t think alternatives will be as good in keeping highways clear. He told NJ.com, “Salt and brine are the best options for keeping the roads safe in winter storms, and safety is our primary concern. AAA offers sound advice for motorists who want to reduce the likelihood of rust.”

So wash your car. As I will this week too. And let’s all pay extra for that undercarriage scrub. Your car and wallet will thank you later.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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