car bonnet badly scratched in automated garage car wash

teflon

Folks,
Was in a garage yesterday morning and I decided to get my car washed in the machine. Have used itbefore and never had a problem other than its a bit crap.

Kids in the car were going mad and I know they like these things.

I paid and went to use it and it wasnt working so went back in and was told there is a time delay and it will open in 5 mibs. It took another 10 but as I was waiting I went around car with a tissue wiping down the cobwebs under mirrors as you do.

After the wash I went out to pop back out the wing mirrors and as I walked around front of car there it was. A deep 6-8 inch scratch across bonnet. I was livid and went around car. No other scratches. Kids were still screaming so not wanting to leave them in the car I went home and said id call them.

Wife was in work and I couldnt get back to them till 5 (happened st 10.30 am) but I did call them and report it.

Went back at 5 when wife got home and spoke to supervisor and he took pic and details and said he would be back in a few weeks and has to look at cctv and report matter. I showed him docket for wash to narrow time down.

Where do I stand? Quick quote locally is about €250 as its the bonnet.

What rights do I have? No signs up around car wash either

Thanks

corktina

If the machine damaged it, they are liable , although they may well say they aren't.

teflon

corktina wrote: »

If the machine damaged it, they are liable , although they may well say they aren't.

How do I prove liability though. I should have gone straight in but kids going mad and wasnt going to carry them all into shop

goz83

Returning hours later might have muddied your chances i'm afraid. But it shouldn't take "weeks" to get a clear answer either. I would get back onto them and tell them you don't want to wait weeks, that you want it cleared up sooner. You shouldn't need to use filthy language, or anything. Hopefully the cctv quality is good and clean. Just be sure that the cctv footage still exists. It might be washed away after 10 minutes.

teflon

So. Got a callback from these guys who say they are accepting no responsibility for what happened. No other cars were scratched after my incident. I shoukd have heard the scratch during the car wash....? They say I should not have driven away but the reason I did was explained to them.

There are no signs up in the station whatsoever.

I would have thought that if it was scratched there then they are liable?

djimi

teflon wrote: »

So. Got a callback from these guys who say they are accepting no responsibility for what happened. No other cars were scratched after my incident. I shoukd have heard the scratch during the car wash....? They say I should not have driven away but the reason I did was explained to them.

There are no signs up in the station whatsoever.

I would have thought that if it was scratched there then they are liable?

I can see where they are coming from in fairness. If you cant prove that their machine caused the damage then they are not going to assume liability. Especially in light of the fact that you drove away and came back several hours later; they will just turn around and say that the damage could have happened at any point after you leaving the garage (or before it for that matter, unless you can prove otherwise).

whiterebel

You have to notify these things straight away, surely? Otherwise they have no idea where it happened. Always get out and check the car straight after putting it through one of those washes.