In fact, automatic car washes and cleaning bays are one of the most common culprits of minor damage on a car or truck's clear coat or paintwork. While many automatic car washes are clean and safe, even minor issues at these kinds of facilities can result in scratches and abrasions in your vehicle's finishes.

Do modern car washes scratch paint?

Sadly, the answer is potentially yes. While some types of car washes are worse than others, any time you wash your car—even if you are carefully hand washing it—you are essentially applying an abrasive and/or harsh chemicals to the paint finish and the risk of swirls and scratches in the finish is always there.

Are touchless car washes bad for paint?

Are Touchless Car Washes Bad for Paint? Not all touchless car washes are bad for your vehicle's paint, but some use brushes that are not properly maintained. ... In addition to potential scratches, some touchless car washes use harsh acids that can eat away at your car's paint.