This is the way.

I think my E Class has been properly hand washed maybe 5 times in the 16 years we’ve had it, the rest of the time it’s been through the brushes. The paint still looks really good to me and to pretty much everybody who sets their eyes on it. Whatever damage is on the car wasn’t done by the car washes.

As you said, it’s not showroom condition, neither is it gonna win any contests if I bring it to a show, but I’m just not really seeing what everybody’s on about when they say automated car washes “destroy the paint”. The car doesn’t look any better or worse than my own, which I hand wash on a monthly basis in the summer.

Z4 looks pretty dope though tbf.

I don’t think there’s any Z car from BMW that’s ugly or even less than “very attractive” in the looks department.