I used to think the $12 drive-thru wash was fine until I looked at my paint in the sun last Saturday
I was washing my car at the coin op on Colfax in Denver last Saturday morning and a guy next to me pointed at my hood and asked if I ever used the brush washes. Three years of the $12 drive-thru and I never thought twice about it, but in direct sun I could finally see the whole surface was covered in these fine swirl marks and my finish looked dull gray instead of the deep blue it should be. I spent the next hour hand drying with a microfiber and a spray wax and the difference in one panel alone was honestly shocking. Now I'm wondering how much damage is actually baked in versus just sitting on top, has anyone here brought back a car after years of brush washes without a full polish?