Big D,
Well let's agree to disagree on this one as I don't think AGE and KNOWING BETTER has anything to do with it, as I have been using the foam brushes for years, am 40 years old, and have had several new cars of various colors.
I might add however that whenever I use the foam brush I do so ONLY after running my hand through it to make sure there is no grit in it that can scratch the paint. I have never had issue with it. No swirl marks of any kind...no fine scratches in the clearcoat...nothing.
Frankly don't see how it can be any more harmful (baring it having some grit in the brush), then using a hand towel and doing the cleaning in my driveway.
Furthermore, it seems worthless, IMHO, to stop at one of the wand brush places if you DON'T use the brush. I say that because ALL of the ones near me say "NO BUCKET WASHING", and anytime I tried washing a vehicle without the brush, there is always a thin flim of grime left behind.
I only use the wand brush places if in a pinch (3 or 4 times a year tops), most of the time I wash the vehicles in my driveway.
Thanks for the info though, Big D, I will be more cautious and be on the lookout and maybe one day I will "learn" the hard way, but until then and up until this point, I haven't had any of the caveats you mention, and if I were to forego the brush I might was well forego the wand brush joints too.
TJR