[TJZ67201]

Originally Posted by M240SLC

The guys at Chicago Auto Pros are boss! They do great work.

Have you used them back when you were in the area? I'm getting a full PPF, tints, and ceramic coat next week at their Lombard location

Gonna be without my baby for a whole week!

[LivingInSalt]

Originally Posted by XC3LLR8

As soon as the sun comes out I'll take pics of both my car and my wife's car, which has seen almost nothing but automatic car washes for the last two years. The fact I've seen no swirls or scratches on her car is one of the reasons I finally went through with mine. Granted her car is white and mine is Brooklyn Grey Metallic. I likely would not use an automatic car wash if I had black or dark purple.

Suggesting people that use automatic car washes don't care about their paint is ignorant. I could just as easily find a group of people that say if you care about your car you won't track it. And another group that says if you care about your car you will not drive it more than # miles per year. You can even find groups that say if you care about your kids you won't drive anything but a Suburban. Making claims on what people do and do not care about is ridiculous.

I watched the Chicago Auto Pro's video several months ago when I first started considering this. My takeaway from the video is 1) don't own a black car, 2) do proper research on the car wash you want to use (mine is modern w/modern brushes and turns away anyone with lots of mud cacked on their vehicle), and 3) don't inspect the car's paint from a few inches away with a special spotlight, unless it's a dedicated weekend show car.

Why does the color of the car matter? If they mar your paint they mar your paint. If they don't, they don't.

[XC3LLR8]

Originally Posted by LivingInSalt

Why does the color of the car matter? If they mar your paint they mar your paint. If they don't, they don't.

I think you already know the answer, but I'll entertain you.

As a general rule, what people can't see doesn't bother them.

See "Pro #2: Practical Maintenance"

https://carroar.com/black-vs-white-cars/

[M240SLC]

Originally Posted by TJZ67201

Have you used them back when you were in the area? I'm getting a full PPF, tints, and ceramic coat next week at their Lombard location

Gonna be without my baby for a whole week!

Yup. Had my 2018 IS300 F Sport detailed by them right before I went to the Lexus dealer in Westmont to work a trade deal towards an RX350 F Sport. The car looked showroom ready, and there's no doubt that presenting it like that gave them "we could easily flip this...give them a good offer on it" vibes. It might take a few days, but you won't regret the quality of work they do.

[KJ10]

Originally Posted by LivingInSalt

Why does the color of the car matter? If they mar your paint they mar your paint. If they don't, they don't.

I think its pretty standard consensus that darker color paint (black, purple, dark blue, etc.) shows imperfections much more than lighter colors. Not to say they won't have the same imperfections but on lighter colors they much harder to see so not as big of deal for most people, especially on a car they drive everyday.

[vicxxz]

Never use the ones with brushes - please! - but the touchless (high pressure) washes are great

[XC3LLR8]

Originally Posted by vicxxz

Never use the ones with brushes - please! - but the touchless (high pressure) washes are great

So far I've had more "damage" from high pressure washes. Two different cars, this one and a previous STi, were left with numerous hard water spots from touchless car washes. And then trying to remove the hard water spots from my passenger mirror with Chemical Guys hard water stain remover ended up in etching the mirror, even though the product said it was safe on glass.

My conclusion from this is the higher-end automatic car washes likely have a better rinse cycle with soft water filters.

[vicxxz]

Originally Posted by XC3LLR8

So far I've had more "damage" from high pressure washes. Two different cars, this one and a previous STi, were left with numerous hard water spots from touchless car washes. And then trying to remove the hard water spots from my passenger mirror with Chemical Guys hard water stain remover ended up in etching the mirror, even though the product said it was safe on glass.

My conclusion from this is the higher-end automatic car washes likely have a better rinse cycle with soft water filters.

I use a touchless carwash that has an option for ceramic-coated cars only, and the cycle includes "spot-free rinse water" - works like a charm

[XC3LLR8]

Originally Posted by vicxxz

I use a touchless carwash that has an option for ceramic-coated cars only, and the cycle includes "spot-free rinse water" - works like a charm

I'd love to see a quality touchless car wash like that in my area. Around me it's either new/modern/expensive automatic car washes, or crappy touchless/manual ones that keep dripping water on the roof after the wash is over and you're trying to dry it off.

[OriginalFake]

Originally Posted by vicxxz

I use a touchless carwash that has an option for ceramic-coated cars only, and the cycle includes "spot-free rinse water" - works like a charm

Do you know the name of it? I don't think we have anything like that around here but I'll keep an eye out.

[vicxxz]

Originally Posted by OriginalFake

Do you know the name of it? I don't think we have anything like that around here but I'll keep an eye out.

Magic Mist Auto Wash, in Lockport New York

https://magicmistautowash.com/

[RockCrusher]

Just a update of sorts...

Took a road trip in my car last June. Drove approx. 1500 miles to Colorado Springs and back (to AR). Car got dirty mainly from bugs.

At home I visited a local DIY car wash and set the wand to "soap" and got the car good and soapy. The real bad spots I got the wand nozzle closer and the bug mess came away pretty quick.

Then switched to rinse and after rinsing the car revisited any remaining bug mess. Most of these came away.

Then during the no spot rinse cycle I managed to remove the couple of remaining spots of bug mess.

Did not use the brush. Did not bucket wash the car as some do in these stalls.

[XC3LLR8]

Originally Posted by mvalentini

Let's see pictures of your paint in direct sunlight... Pictures in the shade will look great on a car. It's hard to keep arguing an automatic touch carwash won't cause scratches or marring of the paint, it does!

Direct sunlight.

I'm sure there's some scratches to be discovered, especially if I use a bright light and slowly move my head back and forth from about 8 inches away, but seriously?

[Brooklyn M240i]

I have a 2020 X3 30i in Dark Graphite Metallic and I took through a Petro-Canada Touch-less Carwash and it caused some swirls to the paint and the piano black exterior trim. I would never even imagine thinking of taking my 2023.BG M240i in a carwash even if it's touch-less. Now I only wash both by hand.

[Hap]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn M240i

I have a 2020 X3 30i in Dark Graphite Metallic and I took through a Petro-Canada Touch-less Carwash and it caused some swirls to the paint and the piano black exterior trim. I would never even imagine thinking of taking my 2023.BG M240i in a carwash even if it's touch-less. Now I only wash both by hand.

How do swirls appear with touchless? Am I not understanding touchless ?

[XC3LLR8]

Originally Posted by Hap

How do swirls appear with touchless? Am I not understanding touchless ?

They don't. He got swirls from his drying process, either after this wash or prior washes.

I had swirl marks on my glossy black trim as well, and that was prior to me ever going through a tunnel car wash. Both the sun and me have to be at the correct angle, and there can be almost no dust visible to see the swirls (which is rare on glossy black), so I'm not too concerned.

To this day the biggest scuff on my glossy black is from someone at the dealership doing pre-delivery prep and scuffed it with the sole of their shoe. I never said anything and life goes on...

[damato22]

Personally, I have used the automatic car wash on my BG quite a few times with no issues at all. I know it's riskier and obviously creates some swirls, but for a common guy like myself without the tools/time/dedication to wash it myself, the auto car wash gets the job done for me just fine. Yes there are minor swirls, but you can barely see them unless you are really searching for them, and no it doesn't bother me at all. If my paint was black, maybe a different story.

[Hap]

Originally Posted by damato22

Personally, I have used the automatic car wash on my BG quite a few times with no issues at all. I know it's riskier and obviously creates some swirls, but for a common guy like myself without the tools/time/dedication to wash it myself, the auto car wash gets the job done for me just fine. Yes there are minor swirls, but you can barely see them unless you are really searching for them, and no it doesn't bother me at all. If my paint was black, maybe a different story.

This is response is the one of the most common-sense things so far. We want our cars to look nice. Minor swirls are part of owning a car that you drive. At the end of the road hardly no one keeps their car forever and the minor cosmetic things on the car are expected and priced into its value. Black is another level, I get that after owning one. I am hoping the Thundernight won't be as bad as black in the end.

Hap

[IndyRed128i]

I use an automatic car wash every few weeks.

If it as good as a hand wash-NO!

But it’s convenient, and as long as you get your car waxed once a year, your paint will be fine. Hell, you get more damage to your paint from rock chips, and unless you plan on having this be a collector car, it doesn’t really even matter.

JMO

[Fredcohiba]

My BMW dealer uses an automatic tunnel wash system with spinning brushes and every car goes through it at least once. Cars sitting on the lot waiting to be sold, even more. So my new X3 has seen it!
I am however apprehensive to take it to my usual automatic wash place. I will hold off as long as possible. But this is Wisconsin and in winter it is salt vs. automatic equipment. Automatic will eventually win. Until then however, it’s hand wash by me…. Just had ceramic coating applied.
I have had black company cars (all Nissans) for the last 17 years and used these automatic washes with brushes and saw no effect. Nissan clear coat vs. BMW - which is better? I don’t know.
I am a bit OCD about the appearance of my car so the first time I go through the automatic wash, I will be sweating even though it’ll be freezing cold.

[German1967]

Car wash discussions are always highly emotional 😂
I hand wash my 992 Cabrio which has PPF and Ceramic Coating. So I can’t really screw it up with a No Rinse one bucket method that takes me 15minutes to complete. I had a 2020 Z4 M40 before that I took all the time through a car wash (albeit not old style bristles but “cloth”).
It’s a car, not a baby.

[XC3LLR8]

Originally Posted by Fredcohiba

I have had black company cars (all Nissans) for the last 17 years and used these automatic washes with brushes and saw no effect. Nissan clear coat vs. BMW - which is better? I don’t know.
I am a bit OCD about the appearance of my car so the first time I go through the automatic wash, I will be sweating even though it’ll be freezing cold.

I'm with you - I was sweating my first time as well!

And Nissan vs. BMW clearcoat? I'd bet $ BMW has a much thicker clearcoat!