Automated car washes seem to offer exactly what busy drivers want: a clean car in about 10 minutes without lifting a finger, with no appointment needed and minimal human interaction.
A professional luxury-brand detailer behind a viral TikTok says that convenience may come with a hidden cost that negatively impacts your car’s resale value.
Creator APEX (@apexdetailin) makes his case that repeated trips through commercial washes can gradually wear away the very finish owners are trying to protect. Along the way, he mixes widely accepted detailing advice about swirl marks and paint care with broader claims that commercial car washes routinely reuse dirty rags, rush through vehicles, and quietly chip away at their value.
"Over time your paint fades, swirl marks build up and your car's resale value drops—and you paid for all of it,” warns one of the slides in the clip that's been viewed more than 7,400 times.
Do Car Washes Damage Vehicles?
