# Maintaining New car finish **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [October 15, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maintaining-new-car-finish/5964 "2007-10-15T14:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bdolan911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bdolan911](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bdolan911)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maintaining-new-car-finish/5964/1 "2007-10-15T14:48:25Z")
Are the chemicals used in touchless laser washes safe to clear coat finishes, or do they erode it? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maintaining-new-car-finish/5964/2 "2007-10-15T23:19:27Z")
It isn’t the chemicals that erode the finish…it’s the grit! You’re blowing a high pressure spray against a dirt covered surface. Gritblasting! However, I can’t honestly say whether it’s better or worse than the old fashioned “slap the finish hard with wet fabric” type washes. As you can probably tell, I’m not a big fan of automatic car washes. Given a choice I’d go with “touch free” systems, but I think they’re all hard on the finish. ---
**Author:** ![bdolan911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5e9695/32.png) [@bdolan911](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bdolan911)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/maintaining-new-car-finish/5964/3 "2007-10-16T14:41:44Z")
Thank you for the input. I was using the automated laser wash on my old car, and it seemed great, but my instincts would not allow me to pull my brand new black 2008 Civic Si into the bay. Have a good day.