“What the [bleep] is the point?”
Most of us want to be perceived as someone who takes care of our vehicles—especially to our mechanic. Having a well oiled machine that runs smoothly and looks clean is something many take pride in.
Keeping up with routine maintenance is essential for keeping your car in pristine shape. However, one mechanic has an issue with customers doing one common thing before bringing their car in for service.
In a TikTok with more than 192,200 views as of this writing, Lorenzo Sanchez (@oildudes) reveals something that grinds his gears when trying to do his job.
The mechanic points to a clean Hyundai on the lift and wonders why people feel the need to get a car wash before service.
“What the [expletive] is the point of people going to get their car washed and getting tire shine all over their tires. Before they come in here to get an oil change and tire rotation?” Sanchez wonders.
The mechanic believes it’s not necessary to go to a car wash before you get work done. He especially dislikes when customers get the tire shine as it becomes more challenging to do his job.
“Bro, nuts are too slippery,” Sanchez captions the post
He tosses a lug nut into the air to demonstrate how slippery it is.
“Bro this is so slick. I can’t even hardly grip these nuts,” he says.
While Sanchez may have a point, people in the comment section pointed out that first impressions matter.
“They want you to see they care about their car, so you respect it more. Not all mechanics, but if your car is rough it gets treated rough,” one opined.
Another suggested it was a matter of courtesy. “I usually get a car wash cause I figured you’d rather not have mud or dirt in the shop lol,” they wrote.
“It’s like washing your hair before a haircut. You wanna look presentable so they take care of you well,” said another.
Mechanics chimed in saying they actually prefer when the customer washes the car, just without the tire shine.
“Car wash is actually preferred. The tire shine though… no,” one shared.
“I love when someone actually washes the car BUT leave the tire shine at the car wash please,” a second agreed.
Keeping your car clean helps preserve the exterior paint and resale value. As a general rule of thumb, it’s best to wash your car once every two to three weeks. This can be done as DIY projects, at the dealership, by detailers, or at a quick car wash center.
Many believe it’s a good idea to wash your car before taking it to a mechanic. According to Easy Car Care, a clean car makes the mechanic’s job easier in most cases.
Making sure the interior is clean is generally appreciated by mechanics because they don’t have to deal with the trash, smells, and mysterious substances you find in some vehicles. It can also be helpful to remove any personal items and clutter from the passenger compartments and trunk. This can help mechanics do their jobs more efficiently.
If you’re having body work done, it’s ideal to have a clean exterior to help identify dents, scratches, rush, or other damage.
But cleaning your car before you take it to the shop can actually make diagnosing some repairs more difficult. For example, if you have a fluid leak, it may be harder to locate the source if you’ve just had the undercarriage cleaned.
So while it’s respectful and sometimes helpful to bring a clean car to the shop, don’t go overboard—and skip the tire shine until your next wash.
Motor1 has contacted Sanchez via TikTok direct message and commented on the post. This post will be updated if he replies.
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