Although convenient, there is a price to pay. Cheap, convenient, quality, you can only choose two of those. Brush car washes operate by spinning and smacking the dirt and grime off of your car. Depending on the volume, there is no way to isolate rocks, sand, salt, brake dust, and in general common road debris from one vehicle to the next. Would you use the same sponge to clean the dishes that you used to scrub your toilet? Don’t do the same with your car!
Car washes use intense chemicals to clean your ride. If pH-neutral soap isn’t used (it never is at a car wash) then it will remove any wax or any other added protection that you may have installed. Not only will your wax be gone, but often times these chemicals are overly aggressive. It’s like taking a bath with dawn dish soap.
There will always be missed spots. Your vehicle isn’t dried and the door jambs aren’t addressed. These rail carwashes are not engineered to wash your specific year, make, and model.
Depending on the business and the time of day. You may be in line for 10 minutes to receive a lackluster service. Why do that when you can have a professional do it?
Not only will your car not look as great due to the excessive marring from dirty brushes and harsh chemicals, but the value of your asset will go down after a while. It won’t look new anymore. Small (or large) scratches will accumulate and cause a less than desirable finish. The aggressive washing process can lead to hard water spots, leave the clear coat prone to bird drop etching, and overtime may cause the paint to fail.
