You need to go into an automatic car wash facility with the proper expectations. The "touch" washes should do a fairly decent job of cleaning a dirty car if that "touch material" is clean and enough water is used to thoroughly rinse. You also have to be willing to accept the consequences of a material slinging dirty material on your car's paint. I would never go through one of them. The "touchless" wash saves the paint but is not going to do a particularly good job of getting scummy caked on filth off your car. In my experience, these "touchless" washes for more for getting dust and fresh pollen off the car - or for getting most road salt off the car in the winter (something you should be doing after each salt event in Maryland). If you want a wash where you end up with no complaints, you have to hand wash your car. Period.
This facility itself looks decent and clean -- but the core of this place, the actual wash, is mediocre. I'm critical of most of these automatic carwashes -- as they usually have at least 1 thing not functioning (no receipt, missing a wash option, undercarriage only washes 1 side, miniscule amount of soap, etc). The automatic wash, in both bays that I have used, spits out water as the machine moves back between cycle. The issue with that really comes out when you're done with the drying cycle. That massive roaring fan that just attempted to blow the water off your car is negated by the machine simply dousing water down the side of your car. This wash also seems to fluctuate in how much soap and water they use. Each time I've gone, it seems like a different amount of product is released and a different level of water pressure is used.
From what I've experienced in touch-free washes, this location is no better and no worse than those in the area. You have to know what you're getting. If you want a clean car, hand wash it yourself. read more