However you feel about it, you can prevent premature body rot if you wash it regularly. However you feel about car washing, you can prevent premature body rot if you wash it regularly. Automated car washes may be convenient, but they strip the wax and scratch the finish. Folks who appreciate their cars always wash them by hand, and take great care to avoid damaging the finish .
Older cars have a finish that's mostly paint with a thin, glossy coat of lacquer over the paint.
And finally, some cars have a layer of protective wax that their owners apply. When you wax a car, you're adding a layer that protects either kind of finish from the damaging effects of road grime, tree sap, bird droppings, dead insects and air pollution. Whether you wax or you don't, the finish is the first line of defense against body rot, and for that reason you want to keep it intact. Once you impair the finish of the car, you invite more destructive types of corrosion to take place. To avoid damaging the finish and wax, you'll need to wash and dry your car with clean, soft all-cotton towels, or car washing mitts.