car paint damage

kendel · 10-01-2011 4:35pm #1

hi
i got my car washed on xmas eve it was an attended hot carwash i only have my car around 6 months, i noticed after the wash that my windscreen was cracked so i stoped the car and got out to look at the damage and noticed that not only did it crack my windscreen it took BIG lumps of lacquer off the boot and the roof i was nearly sick i took pics of it when it happened and took it back to where it happened, has this happened to anyone else and what did u do about it i would like to get some insight about it PLEASE

andyseadog · 10-01-2011 4:40pm

i think its unlikely that a car wash would crack a windshield. ive seen them damaging paint but not to the extent of removing lacquer, specially on a 6 month old car.

pictures would be really helpful here.

Nonoperational · 10-01-2011 4:42pm

There must have been some issue with your paint, possibly resprayed poorly before or starting to peel. No car wash should lift lacquer.

The windscreen is very odd.

Edit: snap!

Anan1 · 10-01-2011 4:51pm

gpf101 wrote: »

There must have been some issue with your paint, possibly resprayed poorly before or starting to peel.

That's what i'd be thinking too.

kendel · 10-01-2011 4:53pm

the car is an 02 audi a4 and the piantwork was perfect before the wash as too was the windscreen

Owen · 10-01-2011 5:15pm

It's really doubtful that the carwash was the reason for the paint lifting. I'd be more inclined to think the roof and boot were resprayed in a damp environment at some point, and the friction of the brushes were enough to lift the weakened grip the lacquer would have had on it. The windscreen, who knows. With all the cold spells lately it going from cold to warm over and over again might have been enough for any sort of pressure to crack it.

How long have you owned the vehicle?

kendel · 10-01-2011 5:28pm

i bought the car 6mts ago it was not the brush wash i wouldn put any car through one of them, would it have been the pressure form the washers and the hot wash on a very cold day

Owen · 10-01-2011 5:30pm

Apologies, thought it was a brush wash. A pressure wash would definitely lift weakened/poorly applied lacquer. Some garage pressure washers are incredibly strong, and would definitely crack a weakened windscreen too. If you only own the car 6 months, it's quite possible it was painted previously by the last owner/garage who was selling it.

If you're in Cork I'd happily take a look and see if it has been repainted.

kendel · 10-01-2011 5:36pm

i am not near cork but thanks very much, would i have a good case aginst the garage insurance to get it repaired it could have been resprayed before i bought it

Henry Ford III · 10-01-2011 5:40pm

kendel wrote: »

i am not near cork but thanks very much, would i have a good case aginst the garage insurance to get it repaired it could have been resprayed before i bought it

Possibly, but I'd ask a Solicitor tbh. Ignore web advice.

p.s. Is there a disclaimer displayed at the car wash?

andyseadog · 10-01-2011 5:41pm

kendel wrote: »

i am not near cork but thanks very much, would i have a good case aginst the garage insurance to get it repaired it could have been resprayed before i bought it

have you been in touch with the garage you bought the car from?

Owen · 10-01-2011 5:42pm

Doubtful if you'd have a case, at most they might be liable for painting it again properly - just cause the car might been painted, doesn't mean it's been in an accident. If it has been repainted, HFIII's correct, only person you should talk with is a Solicitor if you don't get satisfaction speaking the the garage where you bought it.

kendel · 10-01-2011 5:47pm

there is no disclaimer anywhere in the carwash

Nonoperational · 10-01-2011 5:49pm

Similar thing happened to me on a car before. A few months after a respeay on a few panels, I washed it and it lifted the lacquer.

Had my bumpers resprayed on my currant car recently and I was a bit nervous still even though the guy who did it was 100% confident it would be fine. It was.

kendel · 10-01-2011 6:00pm

i will keep on to the garage owner where i got it washed and if no joy i will talk to a solictor and c what they say

GERMAN ROCKS · 10-01-2011 6:15pm

i doubt it should cost that much after. the insurance company would cover the windscreen once you have windscreen insurance. surely you would be able to get the panels sprayed again for around €500. Thats only if you have no luck with the garage though. Get a price first to do it yourself before going to a solicitor as it may be a waste getting him if he still cant do anything only charge you for his time

Owen · 10-01-2011 6:19pm

GERMAN ROCKS wrote: »

surely you would be able to get the panels sprayed again for around €500.

500's a crazy low price - this isn't a wing mirror being painted, it's a roof, it's got to be 200% perfect which means a lot of time in the spray booth. Don't forget that this isn't just painting, this is stripping what's there too as it's a poor paint job which will take an age and a half. A more realistic figure is somewhere around about 350 for the bootlid and 400 for the roof.

kendel · 10-01-2011 6:34pm

paying for it myself would be a last resort fingerscrossed it will be covered in the garages ins i was thinking of it costing around 2k+ atleast

Gregsor · 10-01-2011 7:09pm

Where are you based Kendel?
Might post up in your region on Boards to see if anyone else on here uses the same garage and you might be lucky to find another customer falling to damage by the same system.
I have seen window rubber mould burned off by a pressure washer set too high and hot in a garage,never heard of a cracked windscreen from one though.

TomMc · 10-01-2011 7:12pm

A power washer at home is more than capable of stripping a bad paint job. One that is resprayed in a back-street garage, rather than oven baked in a proper environment (bodyshop). The dampness can play havoc with same or indeed sometimes when there is no primer applied underneath the colour coat (rush job). The paint doesn't bond properly. Or nothing like as strong as factory paint, which will not peel or flake off when using a power washer.

The garage (car wash station) may have a case to answer for if they damaged your windscreen, but they are not at fault for a dodgy respray. Even if the force they may have used, has highlighted the problem sooner rather than later. Sorry for your troubles.

kendel · 10-01-2011 7:31pm

i am in portlaoise and got it washed there too, when i got it washed it was -10 and the water temp was 30 degrees cauz he owner showed me the compressors and he was working on one of them when i went back after i noticed the damage

DickyC · 10-01-2011 7:48pm

kendel wrote: »

paying for it myself would be a last resort fingerscrossed it will be covered in the garages ins i was thinking of it costing around 2k+ atleast

I would agree with an estimate of around 700 euro for the paint work. But to be honest if it was repainted before, a power washer should not remove it unless it was badly prepared previously for paintwork. Another reason could be the nozzle was held too close to the paintwork. Trying to prove this would be very difficult imo.
If it was repainted I would say you would have some job trying to claim from the garage. By that I mean normally a repair can be feather edged but this sounds like it has to go back to bare metal. A time consuming job if it's to be done right. As for the screen, any small chip on a cold day would weaken it, pressure washers should be avoided.
Maybe best to seek legal advice on this one, Hope you have some luck.

Bogger77 · 10-01-2011 7:58pm

kendel wrote: »

i am in portlaoise and got it washed there too, when i got it washed it was -10 and the water temp was 30 degrees cauz he owner showed me the compressors and he was working on one of them when i went back after i noticed the damage

you got a car washed at -10degs?
I'm not surprised something glass went, I live about 30miles from P'laoise and my car's heaters were hot enough to produce a small amount of steam when de-icing car at minus 9. (just letting car warm up with a/c set to clear windows)

There's at least a 40 degree heat difference between window glass temp and water temp hitting it. That's enough to shatter glass while washing up dishes, it sounds like it did the same to your window screen. You had -9 outside layer of glass, being hit with +30deg heat, while inside of car was a different temp again.

kendel · 10-01-2011 8:35pm

does anyone know how long it takes someone from an insurance company to call out to ascess a claim

Stheno · 10-01-2011 9:00pm

Couple of days usually is this your own insurance company? If it is just ring them and an assessor will then get in touch with you to arrange a visit.

If it's only in relation to the windscreen and you have windscreen cover they might just send out the repair guys that happened to me.

car paint damage

Comments