Local Collision Center Advises Simple Method That Helps Prevent Cars From Corroding During Winter Weather

As salt, sand and brine coat Green Country streets, local area car washes are seeing their busiest season.

People don't believe something so small can total a car, but a local auto body shop is seeing it happen.

Marc Scott at The Collision Center of Tulsa says when road salt mixes with ice and snow it gets hot, due to a chemical reaction, creating a recipe for rust on your car. If you don't wash your car, the salt mixture builds. "It just eats away, and kind of builds and builds every year because the metal is weaker, the paint is weaker," explained Scott.

When this happens, the damage spreads and the cost of repair grows. A new paint job could cost up to $7,000, and even more to repair a corroded car frame. "If you have to get the frame replaced, some insurance companies just go ahead and total the vehicle, so it could cost you your car in the long run," Scott stated.

Brine is one of the biggest culprits of car corrosion in the winter. It's already a liquid, meaning the chemical reaction starts as soon as it hits the road. "Pretty much as soon as it hits, it actually kind of acts like an acid," said Scott.

Damage can be prevented by just rinsing off your car with a garden hose, but don't forget to clean the undercarriage. "It's better to take it through a car wash that'll spray the bottom of the vehicle off, too. It kind of gets in all the nooks and crannies and washes everything out." 

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As you may know, you don't need a detailing to wash the undercarriage. Most automated car washes, spray underneath the car.

Despite the snow, several car washes were open for most of Friday. 

2/27/2015 Related Story: Winter Weather Advisory Issued For NE Oklahoma