Should You Bother Washing or Detailing Your Car?
Last updated November 2026
Having a car detailed—or washed—is not like changing engine oil. Don’t change the oil and your vehicle’s days are numbered; don’t detail your car—or even wash it—and you might lose a little resale value down the line, but not much.
The reason to get your car detailed—or even washed, for that matter—is the same reason you comb your hair or wear a clean shirt: to look good.
Websites of car washes and detailers often claim their work protects your ride’s resale value. Many cite surveys from Kelley Blue Book, the University of Texas at Arlington, and the Journal of Consumer Psychology, insisting buyers were willing to pay up to 10 percent more for a clean car versus a dirty one. We tried to track down these three studies but couldn’t find them on the organizations’ websites.
Even if cleaning up a car just before selling or trading it in boosts the selling price, that’s a one-time cost, not a reason to get the vehicle detailed or even washed regularly.
Similar claims about corrosion prevention hold up no better. Rust used to be one of the main reasons cars got junked, but automakers now build corrosion protection into body panels and undercarriages or, increasingly, use high-strength plastics or other materials that don’t rust. Today, vehicle exteriors can outlast the engine and other systems.
On the other hand, a good detailing job can do more for the appearance of your vehicle than a new wardrobe and new haircut can do for you. Plus, cleaning your car’s carpet and upholstery can reduce or eliminate odors and, by removing dust and mites, reduce the discomfort of any allergy sufferers who might ride in it.
