New York Is One of America’s Hardest Places for Keeping Cars Clean

You can wash your car in New York and feel proud of it for about five minutes. Then come the birds, road dust, food wrappers, and whatever else the state decides to throw at it. A new survey says New York is one of the hardest places in the country to keep a car clean.

New York Earns a High Filth Score

Panda Hub surveyed over 1,000 drivers from 44 of the largest metro areas in the United States. The company used the answers to create what it calls a “Filth Index.” New York received a score of 46. That was higher than the scores for Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

New York Ranks Near the Top Nationwide

New York City ranked among the top three cities for damage caused by the environment. Denver and Chicago were the other two cities near the top. Several things can make life hard on a car in New York. Dirt collects on the outside and the birds leave unwanted surprises.

New York Cars Often Smell Like Fast Food

The inside of a New York car may not stay fresh for long either. The Big Apple ranked among the top three cities where vehicles are most likely to smell like fast food. It tied with Seattle and Cincinnati.

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Dirty Cars Can Become Very Frustrating

The survey found that over 5% of drivers have thought about moving to another city partly because of what their current city is doing to their vehicle. Most New Yorkers probably won't pack up and move because their car is dirty but it still can be frustrating.