You really just need to form a procedure to wash your car. Once you have a process dialed down and really don't have to think about it, you can wash and dry (key step here) in under an hour including setup and clean-up. Running your car through a brush-less wash can still induce swirls and marring because of the strong chemicals and recycled hard-water that is used in those facilities. Imagine your car being bead-blasted or sand-blasted. Same concept...no thanks. Its just not worth it. Moreover, if there are indeed illegals drying your car when you leave, they will just mar the paint worse since there is still a layer of dirt on your car. From what I've seen, they use very coarse cotton towels which can mar a clean car. I would HIGHLY suggest you not use this type of car wash. I don't even like using the DIY-washers as the detergent they use is cheap and destroys the wax protection. When I do have to use the DIY-bays, I typically only use the rinse option to remove loose debris from the paint but I really don't even like using those.

Also, routine maintenance with quick detailer on the outside and inside can severely reduce the amount of time needed to wash. So can scheduled wax sessions and ensuring your car always has a layer of wax protection on it.

 

Take some close ups of your paint under the sun then we will talk

As for why it takes so long? I use two buckets, as do most professional detailers. One has soap and the other is just clean water. I wash each panel separately from the top to bottom, dipping and rinsing the mitt after each panel. It also takes a good amount of time to clean the wheels of brake dust and degrease the wheel wells. Not to mention dry (blot dry with a waffle weave microfiber, not shlack with a dirty rag) and dress everything afterwards.

Washing a car properly is a lot easier then just spraying a car down with water, dripping some off the shelf soap from pep boys into an old bucket and doing the entire car at once dipping maybe once or twice and then hosing it off; followed by wiping it down along with any dirt that you missed with a old bath towel.

I'm not accusing you of doing the former, but it takes much longer to wash any vehicle, even as small as M coupe. That is if you're washing properly.

As for the OP, I cannot believe valeting is even a question, unless he is talking about "valeting" as in detailing.

 

I've got some swirls, but they were dealer installed. I'm still up in the air about getting the swirls buffed out professionally or doing it myself when I get a Porter Cable.

As someone implied, fast cleaning is more about preparation, products, procedure, and practice with liberal amounts of hustle. I suspect most people wander out with a vague idea of cleaning the car eventually. Mindset makes a difference.

 

u can't trust them with any car, period.

 

my valet story:

idiot 1 parks m3 on a decline facing forward. Does not engage e brake.

idiot 2 runs out pushes clutch in to start the car, car rolls backward in to the curb popping out rear valance.

many idiots run out attempting to push rear valance back in to place.

I yell at them all to get away from the car. Get restaurant owner's information.

Never again.

By the way thanks for the car washing tips and the autopia.org link. I'll check that out.

Just bought a black 08 m3 so its time to get educated.

 

I never allow any of my cars to be valet parked. In my mind its like handing a stranger the keys to your car for a spin around the block.