Wow, there's no way I would use an automatic car wash again. I ran my new 500 through three automated car washes when it was "newer" (2015 with 29000 miles already).
When the dealer washed my car, there were new swirl marks / minute scratches in the paint. I'm not sure if they're not using a touchless, or if they simply dry with dirty towels, but I'm going to have to request NO WASH next time I go to the dealer.
When I took it to a "touchless" car wash, it doesn't get the hatch clean AT ALL. As you may know, Fiat 500s get very dirty on the back. Road Grime was the same as before the car wash - except it had wax over it now! :bang:
Additionally, the wide wheels and narrow track don't align very well to a lot of car wash equipment. I ended up with "road rash" on my wheels
from the guides that take the car through the wash!
Also, I've installed vinyl graphics, and these tend not to hold up well to the extreme high pressures used by touchless washes.
Finally, I just don't trust "touchless" washes to actually be "touchless". The girlfriend and I took her 2015 Nissan Note through a "Laser Touchless" wash, and the spray bar slammed into her front bumper and dragged along the front of her car for 2 feet before stopping. The counter jockey inside the store refused to even call a manager and threatened to have us thrown out of the store for causing a scene.
Not sure what I would do if I lived in a drought area. Buy bottled water and wash the car with that, maybe (you think I'm joking?)
