I used to wax my car every 3 months, now I just hit the touchless wash on Route 9
I bought a black Honda in 2019 and spent every Saturday morning with a bucket and paste wax because I thought swirl marks would ruin the paint. Last winter I got lazy and ran it through the touchless wash in Natick twice a month instead, and honestly the clear coat looks about the same after 5 years. Did I waste all that time, or is the car wash slowly wrecking something I can't see yet?
Man, my buddy Dave did the exact opposite and it bit him. He ran his Tacoma through the brushed wash on Route 9 for years, never waxed it once, and by year six the paint was covered in fine scratches you could only see in direct sun. The touchless ones are way gentler since nothing actually touches the car, so I doubt you did any real harm. You probably just saved yourself a hundred Saturday mornings for nothing.