I'm sure any wax you have on the car wont survive, other than that i dont think it could harm the paint...

 

I think automatic car washes are fine, as long as they're brushless. (Brushing automatic washes will do a MUCH better job, but they will scratch your paint.)

Any automatic car wash will remove the wax over time, so just know you'll need to re-apply.

If you live in a state where they put a lot of salt on the roads in the winter, it is a very good idea to get it washed frequently to remove the salt, which would be much more damaging, I would think, than washing detergents.

 

I don't have much experience in this, so I'm hoping someone out there (any chemical engineers???) have a say.

I take my car to touchless car washes whenever I can (as an alternative to the soft brush ones), believing that brush (although soft), would still damage the paint more than touchless, is this true?

I live in a high rise condo, so I don't have anywhere I can wash my own car (which I would prefer to do), so I'm left with either paying $$$ to have my car detailed, going to touchless or softbrush regular washes...unless anyone in Miami can recommend any DIY wash bays that will allow bucket washing (hint hint)

So my question is this. The stuff the machine sprays on the car - does it harm the paint surfaces? I know sometimes these car washes can't take everything off, but I wonder how these chemicals melt away the dirt/grime, and whether they do something harmful to the car.

On another note, the attendant usually sprays something on my rims to dissolve the wheel brake dust/grime. I notice braking isn't that good after I leave the car wash until this thing burns off. Is this something I have to be concerned about?

Thanks in advance.

-Rick

Just make it a good habit to wax your car and your rims 2-3 times a year. The tire spray they use are usually diluted, so it should not have a very harmful affect on your rims unless it is not fully washed off.

As for your brakes, it is your rotors/pads that are still wet from just being washed.