Do not be an idiot (like me!) and use the foam brush at a manual car-wash.

[Aquineas]

TL;DR
When you take your car to a manual car wash, do not use the built-in foam brush. It will definitely leave scratches on your clear-coat, especially with Siberian Ice. Siberian Ice seems to really show scratches in the clear-coat.

(More detail)
I was busy for a few days and hadn't yet washed my car from my trip to Virginia, and for some stupid reason I used the manual foam brush at a car wash, and I now have scratches all over my gorgeous Siberian Ice finish. Normally what I do is I will hold the car-wash sprayer in one hand and use my own car-wash sponge. I was in a bit of a hurry this time and there was some stubborn stuff that wasn't coming out. I sure regret it now. I think my birthday present to myself this fall might be a professional paint correction.

 

[Paul S]

There is a good chance a good detail job will remove the light scratches

 

[Husky]

Ouch! Yeah, besides the plastic brushes being bad, people use them to clean the sand and dirt off of their wheels, so they may be loaded up with abrasive material.
Hope the paint correction works for you.

 

[joschneider]

I know how you feel. Sucks

 

[cyrus799]

I usually wash my car myself with a MATCC car wash mop. It is made of soft brush bristles to safely clean painted surfaces without scratching them.

 

[sethsquire]

Sounds like a good opportunity to buy a DA and a few other supplies and learn how to polish!

 

[[NOBODY]]

TL;DR
When you take your car to a manual car wash, do not use the built-in foam brush. It will definitely leave scratches on your clear-coat, especially with Siberian Ice. Siberian Ice seems to really show scratches in the clear-coat.

(More detail)
I was busy for a few days and hadn't yet washed my car from my trip to Virginia, and for some stupid reason I used the manual foam brush at a car wash, and I now have scratches all over my gorgeous Siberian Ice finish. Normally what I do is I will hold the car-wash sprayer in one hand and use my own car-wash sponge. I was in a bit of a hurry this time and there was some stubborn stuff that wasn't coming out. I sure regret it now. I think my birthday present to myself this fall might be a professional paint correction.

Oh yeah, I did this also, a two step paint correction fixed it. Do not despair, just find a good detailer.

 

[G-297752]

TL;DR
When you take your car to a manual car wash, do not use the built-in foam brush. It will definitely leave scratches on your clear-coat, especially with Siberian Ice. Siberian Ice seems to really show scratches in the clear-coat.

(More detail)
I was busy for a few days and hadn't yet washed my car from my trip to Virginia, and for some stupid reason I used the manual foam brush at a car wash, and I now have scratches all over my gorgeous Siberian Ice finish. Normally what I do is I will hold the car-wash sprayer in one hand and use my own car-wash sponge. I was in a bit of a hurry this time and there was some stubborn stuff that wasn't coming out. I sure regret it now. I think my birthday present to myself this fall might be a professional paint correction.

Did you have foam coming out of the brush or are you like most muppets trying to save a $ and then blame it on the equipment

 

[G-44524]

Did you have foam coming out of the brush or are you like most muppets trying to save a $ and then blame it on the equipment

No doubt no foam coming out and he had stubborn dirt so no doubt using it like a scrubbing brush...... as a carwash owner this is the Bain of my life

 

[FirstTurbo]

I convince the dirt to fall off with this pole micro thingy in 2 lifts. One to Remove Granular's/ Rinse/ 2nd to wash stains. Never a car wash . tcht tcht tcht

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[fitaholic365]

TL;DR
When you take your car to a manual car wash, do not use the built-in foam brush. It will definitely leave scratches on your clear-coat, especially with Siberian Ice. Siberian Ice seems to really show scratches in the clear-coat.

(More detail)
I was busy for a few days and hadn't yet washed my car from my trip to Virginia, and for some stupid reason I used the manual foam brush at a car wash, and I now have scratches all over my gorgeous Siberian Ice finish. Normally what I do is I will hold the car-wash sprayer in one hand and use my own car-wash sponge. I was in a bit of a hurry this time and there was some stubborn stuff that wasn't coming out. I sure regret it now. I think my birthday present to myself this fall might be a professional paint correction.

You might consider trying Meguiars rubbing compound on a small area first. It won't harm the paint. Rub lightly with a non abrasive cloth. Then immediately after, buff lightly with a microfiber cloth.

 

[jjsC6]

Because of water restrictions a few months ago, I washed both the Genesis and our Expedition a few times with a DIY wash brush. No scratches/swirl marks at all on either. I think you just got unlucky. My car then was Himalayan Gray.

I do keep my vehicles very well waxed, but I doubt that makes much difference if a brush is going to scratch your car. In fact, I'm a believer that most scratch marks from washing a car are in the wax, not the paint. Cleaner wax with an orbital buffer always gets swirls marks out.

 

[Volfy]

Problem with public car wash is you never know what was the last car that washed there. If it was 4x4 that just came back from a mud bath... yeah, good luck.