The car, the car wash and the stepladder!!

The tax man

Hi all,
My car was due it's NCT this morning so decided to get the car washed before heading to the test center. Pulled into garage forecourt(won't name for now unless mods say it's ok ) and saw an empty car wash,it's usually packed but it was early enough so I'd probably just beaten the Sunday car wash rush. I went into the shop to ask if said wash was working and was told it was. Bought ticket and preceded to car wash entrance.

Now it's one of those car washes that pulls your car through and where the attendant gives your car a quick pre wash before the machine takes over.
Had to wait at the entrance cause no one was around to do the pre wash but then the guy popped up from half way down the tunnel. Nice guy,and asked if I'd been here before which I had once,so knew how things work and to leave gears in neutral and handbrake off etc..

So cars starts it's little journey along the path to cleanliness,goes through the first stage ok then gets blasted with high powered jets of water so visibility is next to nothing at this stage. Next it's onto the brushes you get in your standard car wash. Just before the brushes I spotted something the far side of the horizontal brush but before I could get a proper look water was spraying over my screen and the brush was raising up and blocking my view. As the brush rose up and over my windscreen I was greeted with the sight of a large step ladder(the type with wheels and solid frame) in my cars path.

Sweet jesus I thought,quick look to my door and I can't open door,too close to the machine to open enough to get out...hit the horn....no horn ignition off...turn key in ignition and start blasting,car now pushing ladder along but before the bloke realised that my horn tooting wasn't me playing air drums on my steering wheel it was too late. The ladder caught the machines upright post and dug in and I could feel the track dragging the car along starting to struggle against the resistance the ladder was causing. He ran up,stopped the car wash and had to give the jammed ladder and good few tugs to release it. I had to wait till I got to the end of the wash to see the damage and had painted(excuse the pun) a picture of damage to my paint work.

To my relief it wasn't as bad as I'd thought it was going to be,could have sworn there'd be a huge mark on my front wing but the bumper took the hit but my car went into the wash undamaged and didn't come out that way. Bloke in car wash couldn't say sorry enough,I presume he'd left the ladder there and did agree that damage to paint work was caused. Went into the shop to see the manager but could only get a supervisor.(manager not in) Showed him the marks caused and explained what happened and he took my name and number and said the garage manger would phone me tomorrow.

Look at the pics below and if you were in my shoes what would you be demanding off the manager when he rings. Some of you will think I'm crying over spilt milk,yes the marks aren't very big but they shouldn't be there.

I like to look after my car.I'm not one of those people that gets scrapes and marks on a car and couldn't be arsed about them.Even after six years,these are the first major marks to my paint work,besides stone chips etc.
Others here I know have their feelings about what these washes will do to your paint work,(not including ladders:D)I'm a jet wash person myself,but they're as rare as hens teeth around my area.

Any suggestions welcome.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0142.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0143.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0144.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0147.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0150.jpg
Marks at side+under fog light are fairly deep into plastic.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0149.jpg
Picture doesn't do marks justice.

ArseBurger

You should be able to get it all fixed at a dealer.

My wife's car got caught in a wash and there was minor damage to the roof. The garage's insurance paid for a replacement roof at a dealer.

Accept no less - it's their fault, not yours.

ninty9er

The panel resprayed would be what I'd be looking for. I can't see properly, but if there was a dent I'd want it repaired or a new panel.

The tax man

ninty9er wrote: »

The panel resprayed would be what I'd be looking for. I can't see properly, but if there was a dent I'd want it repaired or a new panel.

David Bailey I ain't.:D Respray would be ok for where just the paint wore off but where the plastic surface was broken, can this be sorted in the same manner as a normal panel would be?

Better detail below...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0153.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0165.jpg

ninty9er

The tax man wrote: »

David Bailey I ain't.:D Respray would be ok for where just the paint wore off but where the plastic surface was broken, can this be sorted in the same manner as a normal panel would be?

Better detail below...

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0153.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/thetaxman2006/IMG_0165.jpg

New panel needed preferable there.

highlandseoghan

Only after seeing your post now. How did you get on with the manager. I feel that you should drop the car into a main dealer and get them to fix it perfect and tell the manager that you want your car 100% perfect and you will have to get a replacement car while your car is being repaired and the garage will also be paying for the rental car.

The tax man

highlandseoghan wrote: »

Only after seeing your post now. How did you get on with the manager. I feel that you should drop the car into a main dealer and get them to fix it perfect and tell the manager that you want your car 100% perfect and you will have to get a replacement car while your car is being repaired and the garage will also be paying for the rental car.

Not going too well as to be expected. So I've had to call into the garage 3 times because they never ring me when they say they will. Forecourt manager took a look at the marks and said he'd need to check the camera footage to see what happened and he'd ring me the following day. Of course no call so had to ring him and he said if I give him the paint code for the car he'll get me some touch up paint,cause they're small scratches. I said no thanks,touch up paint won't repair the damage to the plastic. He said he'd have to see what someone higher up the chain thinks about it and I'd get a call back.(that was Friday) True to from they haven't rang back yet.

needhelpguy

Keep at them man, they're dragging their heels in the hopes you'll get frustrated and give up. A solicitors letter would do nicely here.

Yakult

^I would agree with that.

And do it asap. Dont let it drag out.

Jo King

Get a written estimate for the repair and send a solicitor's letter. Issue a summons to the District Court if there is no joy!

su_dios

Haha he actually offered to give you touch up paint? So probably 10eur pen from halfords? Get a quote from a bodyshop to repair and paint and you'll find it will cost a nice bit to put it right. It should never have happened. I've seen some garages display a sign in the station about things they won't cover caused by the machine wash. If its a franchise then maybe get onto the head of the franchise and let them know how they're treating you. Solicitor's letter asap!

Ronanom

Suggestion: Get out of the car next time you wash it.

Jumpy

Ronanom wrote: »

Suggestion: Get out of the car next time you wash it.

I would suggest examining how such a car wash works before you post useless comments.

Savman

Agree with all the above. Go to the biggest most expensive looking Seat garage you can find, get the repair estimate (which will be more than you might think) and let the solicitor sort it out. Garage dude sounds like a worm hoping you'll just go away.

MarkN

If that was my car I'd be demanding a full bumper respray so it was blended properly. And I would park across the entrance to their car wash until I got it.

If it's a chain of garages such as Topaz (I assume it is them as the wash you describe only seems to have been used by Statoil) I would get onto HQ or ask for the area manager of the location the garage is in.

And OP - what the hell were you thinking putting a car through something like that??!

highlandseoghan

Hi Guys.

I have to agree with some of the above comments. I have been in this position. I suggest you get a quote of any garage that you feel you want to go to dont go to where they tell you and make sure you go to a main dealer. Then contact the garage one last time and tell them the price to fix the car and give them 24 hour notice to contact you. If they dont take them to the small claims court or contact a solicitor. I also suggest you bill them for your time and the cost of all the calls you had to make to them. I also think you should name and shame the garage now. This way it lets other users to this site about bad customer service from this garage.

kwalshe

what ever happened? did u get it sorted?

timmywex

Someone else said it, but get an estimate for the damage, send a soliciotrs letter with the estimate, drop the letter to the manager so he cant claim he never got it, mention clearly that you will be going to the small claims court if not resolved correctly. Alos mention that you will report it to the gardai(no need but they wont be wanting trouble with the gards for something like this)

Oh, and make sure to write a formal complaint about the manager person if he keeps not calling you back when he says he will!

pa990

Hmmm
i can still make out your reg


from cartell:

Vehicle Description
Registration 02D????? (well.. i'm not gonna post it)
Make SEAT
Model IBIZA
Description SPORT 100BHP
Fuel Type PETROL

mickdw

Idiots in that garage. If they had treated the OP right he would had got a good body shop to do a perfect repair. Now Id say the OP will search out a main dealer who will probably replace the bumper (knowing dealers) at huge cost plus the cost of hire car. Its not as if they can get away with this.
If that guy told me he would get me some touch up paint I would have lost the head on the stop.

The tax man

pa990 wrote: »

Hmmm
i can still make out your reg

How can you make my reg out Had it well covered bar the 02d bit.

Eventually got them to admit liability and coverage of repair costs at my choice of body shop.

Seems this garage chain have area mangers and when I talked to this person things were sorted promptly.

Sorry for not updating my story.:o

alastair

The tax man wrote: »

How can you make my reg out Had it well covered bar the 02d bit.

Not that well! What you can see of the figures are enough to give it away.

The tax man

alastair wrote: »

Not that well! What you can see of the figures are enough to give it away.

*note to self*

Shall make white box bigger next time.:P