“No signs leading up to it either.”
Most of us have had the car wash attendant try to upsell us to an undercarriage wash and waved it off. But one woman’s decision to reluctantly agree to it makes the case for it as an essential component of winter maintenance.
Ashley Esper (@ashleyesper), a Massachusetts-based content creator, posted a five-second TikTok that has racked up over 1.5 million views. The clip shows her sitting in her car, bathed in the blue glow of the car wash, with her eyes darting around pensively as if she were second-guessing the upgrade.
A text overlay on the video reads, “Was just convinced to pay an extra $4 to wash the bottom of my car and I’m not sure if that’s really necessary, but the car wash guy was so enthusiastic about it, so if he’s happy, I’m happy.”
Her caption adds, “Sucker for a good sales pitch.”
Saying yes to an upsell like this always makes us wonder whether we’ve been savvy consumers or easy marks. But it turns out Ashley may have made a smarter decision than she realized.
The comment section turned into an impromptu seminar on car corrosion, with auto enthusiasts and mechanics validating her choice.
A comment from bgood103 pithily put the affirmative case, reading, “As a car guy, it is very important in the winter to do the underbody wash. The bottom is usually the first place where rust starts because dirt and salt get trapped under there.”
In snowy states, road crews spread salt and brine to melt ice. While this allows us to drive safely in hazardous winter weather, these substances are highly corrosive. As vehicles drive through treated roads, salty slush sprays onto the undercarriage, including the frame, suspension components, brake lines, and exhaust system. According to AAA research, road de-icers cause approximately $3 billion in vehicle rust damage annually, with repairs averaging nearly $500 each.
As Brett put it, “It’s actually really important to do. The salt and brine just eats away at the bottom of your car. You should always wash it off a few times a season.”
Several commenters shared stories about neglected undercarriages or offered advice that lines up with AAA’s warnings.
“I just had the brake lines rot out of my car while at a gas station. No signs leading up to it either, definitely should have had the bottom of my car cleaned more often,” wrote The Moo Stories.
Adrian shared a story of catastrophic failure due to rust, posting, “Had my upper trail bars break and my entire rear end twist backwards because those trail bars were rusted through. Unfortunately people don’t know some of the dangers of rust.”
Another added, “My husband’s frame rusted in half because of not washing the salt off the bottom.”
These aren’t isolated incidents. AAA found that 22 million U.S. drivers experienced rust damage over a five-year period due to de-icers.
Some commenters pointed to geography as a factor.
DK said those in warmer climes can relax: “If you’re in California, ignore his advice.”
Son_of_Holland posted, “Really matters where and when. Winters where there’s salt on the road, absolutely. Otherwise I do it maybe once every 3-4 washes.”
Ashley’s home state of Massachusetts salts roads aggressively, so much so that the Commonwealth has urged people to explore alternatives in order to reduce environmental impacts, so the car wash worker was doing her a solid.
Ashley’s impulse buy turned out to be a step towards better winter car care. In northern states where road salt is a fact of life, spending $4 every few weeks during winter months could save plenty down the road on rust-related repairs that can range from $50 for minor surface rust to more than $4,000 for structural damage.
As commenter John Schlitt998 put it, “Best $4.00 you could ever spend.”
One commenter suggested that Ashley pay it forward to the car wash attendant, posting, “You should tell the manager or leave a review so the guy gets recognition for good work.”
Ashley agreed, “Yes!! Good idea… as someone who works in marketing I love leaving good reviews.”
Motor1 reached out to Ashley via an online contact form to her email. We’ll update this if she responds.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motor1.com?
– The Motor1.com Team