Way back, when I was in Drivers Ed, I was taught how important maintaining the auto was in extending it's useful life and in giving me trouble free service. The size of the gaps in the spark plugs and their adjustment took up much discussion time in the classroom and in the shop. I learned how to change those plugs and was cautioned as to how important it was to perform that task on a regular basis. It was also impressed upon me how important it was to change the oil and filter on a timely schedule.

Luckily for me, I got to a financial spot in my life that I could afford to have others perform those routine life saving auto tasks instead of doing them myself. I can still recall the terror that ran through my body when I realized that I forgot to have one of those routine services performed at the appropriate time interval.

From the moment I realized that I had neglected my responsibility, I could notice a marked degradation in the performance of my trusty vehicle. "It just doesn't feel right", I would remark to anyone who would listen. My fear would amplify if I was told by the auto dealer that I would have to wait a week or more for an appointment. Visions of my car sputtering to a stop at some inappropriate time, immediately came to mind. Somehow I just knew that I would 'pay' for my mistreatment of the car's maintenance.

My recent experiences with my late model cars have really stood me on my ear. My current auto has over 80,000 miles on the odometer and I have not come anywhere near performing the type of service I had too on my older cars. They seem to require a lot less TLC and I have experienced a strange phenomenon.

All I have to do now-a-days, is to bring my car to one of those 'super duper' car washes and as soon as I drive away I can notice how much better the car rides. It shifts more smoothly and even take the bumps better. The engine purrs like it was new and it takes the turns like a sports car. In the spring and fall when I do the washing myself, the results are even better. Nobody ever told me how good it was for the car maintenance to have it washed. How Come?