Re: What's worse, salt or machine washing
Guy's I used to have a detailing Business.
I recommend rinsing your vehicles often to wash off the salt. Also make sure you rinse inside the wheel wells as well as the undercarriage.
Just use a regualr garden hose to rinse until the snow is gone and the roads have no more salt on them. Then you can wash the car in the spring.
This seems to keep all my cars looking great.