No, I'm saying you shouldnt worry about washing your car every day. Just hand wash it once a week, it will take you an hour tops. In fact, I can wash, dry, and vaccum a car in 25 minutes when I'm in a hurry.
Your car will stay VERY clean if you just wash it once a week, its a daily driver if you're obsessed with always keeping it clean you will make yourself crazy. Mine gets washed once a week, and if you keep them waxed water wont spot that bad and dirt won't adhere to the paint that bad, mine looks gorgeous nearly every day too.
IMHO, it is better to drive around in a dirty car than wash it with those harsh chemicals every other day, yes. Dirt won't hurt the car, those chemicals every other day built up over the years will.
Its your car and your choice, but you're asking for our opinions and thats mine. I've seen cars 2-3-4 years old that have had excessive washing in those machines and the state of the plastic trim and rubber seals is that of cars 2-3 times as old that have been regularly hand washed or weekly automatically washed.
The problem isn't the water, its the CHEMICALS. Touchless washes have the harshest chemicals out there, how else do you think they clean the car without touching it? Those chemicals fade and break down plastic, and a LOT of the car is plastic, the emblems, the window trim, the seals in the doors and windows, all the lights, the trim around the mirrors. Wash it in a touchless wash every other day, in 2 years all that trim will be grey and peeling I promise.
I'm a little confused by the difference between various types of automatic car washes and the terminology used here. Near where I live there is one car wash that uses brushes and then attendants just dry the car, wipe the insides, etc. There is another car wash that I used with my former car that has NO brushes, that bills itself as a "hand wash", and as the car goes through the tunnel guys will use some elbow grease on washing the car, and then will also dry it by hand.
Is that second car wash a "touchless" car wash because it does not use brushes? Also, if I had to choose between going to one of these car washes above (I know, it's best if I hand wash it myself or get it done by a detailer), which would be better for the car?
Many thanks--I'm in the final stages of putting together a car care plan that fits my schedule, interests, and wallet!