Those damned high pressure sprays are to blame. Existing dirt on body + heavy stream of pressurized water = scratches.

That is why Zaino car wash was invented. Use a cotton cloth to apply it and you will not get any scratches.

or any specific car wash soap ( not dawn or another dish washer soap ) + microfiber cloth/wool mitt + hose water/non pressurized water = no scratches.

pressurized water coz scratches too !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! didn't know that

Of course. All the loose grit and other particles that stick to your paint being blasted by high pressure stream of water, doesn't seem too safe if you think about it.

It's asking to mar the paint consequently.

man did you try this plastic cover that cover the whole car to protect it from diffrent stuff ?? check out the thread about this . i have submitted a site where they provide this kind of service

While the 3M protection film is what I would have turned to immediately after purschasing the vehicle, it's really pointless and hopeless to coat it with protection with the existing minor rock chips already present on the vehicle.

Many members have done it before, however, and the results are astonishing.

you mean for the new car you don't need it ?? am thinking of using it on my new mercedes ?

it is mainly used on the front of the car to protect the sometimes expensive fog lights and headlights as well as the front bumper and hood from rock chips. works well but some of the older ones don't work as well and may lead to "orange peel" search it to find out info about it. The new 3m and i think it was called Llumar are good quality...

so it protect from swir ,scratches and any other stuff i mean will it keep your car shining !!

Actually, I meant my 2-year old car won't be needing it because it's already too late to add protection.

‘Touch less’ carwash:
Hand washing is MUCH preferred, don’t use an automated car wash period, touch less or not, there are a variety of reasons: You should never, under any circumstances use a car wash that requires you to let another person drive your vehicle onto the ramps or into the wash, notice the disclaimer

“No responsibility for damage to customer’s vehicle.”

Local by-laws require car washes to re-claim or recycle water. This means they have two choices.
a) They can collect the water in tanks and pay to truck it away to a recycling centre.

b) They can filter and then recycle the water (dependant on how often the filters are cleaned/changed) will effect how much dirt content there is.

Recycled meaning re-use the same water, which may include any road dirt/grit that is not filtered out is used to high-pressure (1,000PSI) wash your vehicle (somewhat similar to sandblasting) the final rinse is usually twice-filtered re-cycled water, this is to give the appearance of a clean surface on the vehicle.
•To remove snow/sand/road dirt and grit without agitation (brushes etc) requires the use of very strong chemical cleaners.
•Probably the most important is that this type of automatic car wash use high-pressure water and strong alkaline detergent to clean vehicles that will strip the wax/polish
•You will also need to renew the vehicles sealant / wax to ensure the paint surface protection on a regular basis to counteract the effects of the harsh detergents.
•Also be aware of those that use ‘wheel guides’ as they will cause scratches / etching to the wheel surfaces, as many wash facilities will not accommodate either the tire width or the clearance, thus causing sidewall damage
•Vehicle with lower than ‘standard’ suspension (Corvette C6 and other sports cars) should also be aware the wheel guides could cause body damage
•As an alternative in colder winter months I would suggest using a waterless vehicle cleaning product Protect All’s Quick Easy Wash (QEW)
•If you get a chance, attend a car wash / wax vendors symposiums where they give demonstrations of the different soap products that these type of facilities use. You'll come away a convert to never using them again, on any vehicle.

Good advise. I will print it and show it to my wife who insists that car washes are ok. Later, JOE