What do you think about using an automatic car wash to clean salt and grime off a 740i after the snow storms?

["Stephen Robinson" <stever@xxxxxxxxx>]

My 95 740i is coated in salt and grime from the last few weeks of snow and
mess here in Maryland.  Lots of snow, as your all know.  It's too cold to
use the hose to clean the mess off as it's frozen, so I sometimes in years
past just bring it in the garage where it's warmer than 33 degrees (putting
the 911 in the driveway for an hour) in the winter and clean it down with
warm water from a cleaning mit,  then towel it dry with old tee shirts (my
favorite lint free method).  BUT, I was thinking this morning that this
could rub into the paint alot of grit and grime, and taking it to one of
those brush free car washes may not be the worst idea.  Anyone have any
opinions on this?  Are these big automatic car washes ok to use?  The owner
said his brushless wash is harmless to my car and alot of Benz and Porsche
owners have been trusting their cars to him for years!   I just had the car
waxed 2 months ago, and hate to think that the harsh detergents they use
would really mess with the car.  
Steve Robinson 
95 740i parking in the driveway now and having to scrape off major amounts
of snow and ice for the first time ever!
88 911 safe in the garage
95 540i the new fiancee's car, safe in the garage...urghhhh

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