Some cars havve a paint job that you cant bring it through a mechsnical car wash or it will scrwtch the paint. I have a 2004 rx8 with the dark green stock paint job. Do i have to hand wash it? Or can i i bring it through the car wash?

 

The soft bristle brush car washes scratch cars because the bristles pick up and hold onto dirt/rocks/debri. They'll put small swirls in your paint as well.

You can run it through them but make sure it's a decent place.(Gas stations are typically junk) Alternatively just use touchless.

 

Hand wash it if you can, much better for the paint and your will clean it better. A car wash will use God knows what products and some have been even deemed to be dangerous to the clear and some will even strip the wax if you wax, therefore leaving your car unprotected.

If you hand wash be sure to use the two bucket method. Not sure if I am allowed to do this but here is a link with a lot of good info.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/forum.php

Mods if this is not allowed please remove...

 

Go with brushless car washes only and you will be fine.

 

It's not really a big car to begin with...just wash it yourself.

 

go to a touchless place is you really have to. I just hand wash.

 

From the factory, Mazdas don't have a paint any more or less prone to damage from car washes than other cars.

My guess is that if it's a 2004, it's already got tons of swirl marks and such. Unless you go through the motions of washing, claybar and buffing/polishing out all of the existing blemishes then wash it however you want.