Car wash issue

Amouar

Hi,

I went to wash my car today and the car wash didn't function correctly: There was no foam or water coming out of it and therefore the brushes were running on my car dry and without any liquid :mad:.

Staff was nearby and managed to stop the car wash before it does any more damage.

They fixed the car wash and after it finished washing my car, i went out and checked it together with the staff member. I found some swirls and scratches but thankfully nothing major (glad that the car was not very dirty and it was raining right before i get into the car wash, otherwise there would have been more damages).

I filled the car wash damage incident report and sent them the pictures via email. I'm now waiting to hear back from them.

I wanted to know if the same happened to anyone here? If so, did they offer to repair the damage or just offered compensation?

Atlantic Dawn

Ideally you need to get an estimate of what it will cost to fix the damage and then get them to pay for it. Might be possible to fix without a respray.

punisher5112

Get a detailer onto it. They could do a paint correction on it for you.

Jimmy Bottlehead

I had a car wash rip off a wiper years ago. Filled the report, gave them the repair bill and they paid it without issue.

Hopefully you have a similar experience, OP!

Amouar

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

I had a car wash rip off a wiper years ago. Filled the report, gave them the repair bill and they paid it without issue.

Hopefully you have a similar experience, OP!

Did they reach out to ask for a repair bill after you filled the report?

larva

Its great to see there are still first world problems!

CoBo55

Amouar wrote: »

Did they reach out to ask for a repair bill after you filled the report?

Wha? Is it office speak Friday or something?

frozenfrozen

CoBo55 wrote: »

Wha? Is it office speak Friday or something?

it's non-shorthand for "did they contact you or did you have to just send them the bill"

CoBo55

punisher5112 wrote: »

Get a detailer onto it. They could do a paint correction on it for you.

Don't do this they'll coat the car in colour filler polish and it'll look fantastic for about 3 days..

Amouar

CoBo55 wrote: »

Don't do this they'll coat the car in colour filler polish and it'll look fantastic for about 3 days..

What would you recommend?

Amouar

frozenfrozen wrote: »

it's non-shorthand for "did they contact you or did you have to just send them the bill"

I asked because they told me that they will reach out to me after I filled the form.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Amouar wrote: »

Did they reach out to ask for a repair bill after you filled the report?

After some brainstorming, I found the bottom line was a synergistic meeting with a repair firm specialising in mechanic work. We touched base and they fast tracked a repair.

The garage didn't need to think outside the box, they just demonstrated a win-win mindset with strong client focus, requested the bill and showed best practice by giving me the cash.

Short-hand: I got the repair done, they asked for the bill and give me the money.

R.O.R

Amouar wrote: »

What would you recommend?

Not listening to someone who hasn't a clue what he's talking about.

AUDI20

Amouar wrote: »

Hi,

I went to wash my car today and the car wash didn't function correctly: There was no foam or water coming out of it and therefore the brushes were running on my car dry and without any liquid :mad:.

Staff was nearby and managed to stop the car wash before it does any more damage.

They fixed the car wash and after it finished washing my car, i went out and checked it together with the staff member. I found some swirls and scratches but thankfully nothing major (glad that the car was not very dirty and it was raining right before i get into the car wash, otherwise there would have been more damages).

I filled the car wash damage incident report and sent them the pictures via email. I'm now waiting to hear back from them.

I wanted to know if the same happened to anyone here? If so, did they offer to repair the damage or just offered compensation?

What a lot of people don't realise is that these drive in car washes even when working properly still does a lot of damage to the cars paint work.

Heres Johnny

I was in a car wash recently and about to start and a guy filling up with fuel driving same car as me came running across forecourt waving his arms at me... What's going on here I thought.... He asked me if I had one of those boots that opens by swinging your leg under a sensor under the boot (the ones when your hands are full and you don't want to leave your shopping down). I told him I hadn't and he said I'll be OK then, apparently a car wash opened his boot and soaked the inside of it.

unhappys10

The issue here is going to one of those types of car washes in the first place.

CoBo55

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

After some brainstorming, I found the bottom line was a synergistic meeting with a repair firm specialising in mechanic work. We touched base and they fast tracked a repair.

The garage didn't need to think outside the box, they just demonstrated a win-win mindset with strong client focus, requested the bill and showed best practice by giving me the cash.

Short-hand: I got the repair done, they asked for the bill and give me the money.

I'm sure they pushed the envelope too....

ianobrien

CoBo55 wrote: »

Don't do this they'll coat the car in colour filler polish and it'll look fantastic for about 3 days..

The poster said a detailer, not a valet. Detailing a car is NOT the same as the €150 valet. If I may venture, I think you may be mixing them up.

OP, pop over to the Detailing Forum with some pictures and people there will be able to advise if you want to go down that road.

Dravokivich

Heres Johnny wrote: »

I was in a car wash recently and about to start and a guy filling up with fuel driving same car as me came running across forecourt waving his arms at me... What's going on here I thought.... He asked me if I had one of those boots that opens by swinging your leg under a sensor under the boot (the ones when your hands are full and you don't want to leave your shopping down). I told him I hadn't and he said I'll be OK then, apparently a car wash opened his boot and soaked the inside of it.

Why didn't he lock the car?

Cork_Guest

Dravokivich wrote: »

Why didn't he lock the car?

Because that wouldn’t have stopped it. The whole point of the feature is you’re walking up to your locked car with hands full of bags so you swipe your foot under the bumper, it detects the key and opens.

Cork_Guest

ianobrien wrote: »

The poster said a detailer, not a valet. Detailing a car is NOT the same as the €150 valet. If I may venture, I think you may be mixing them up.

OP, pop over to the Detailing Forum with some pictures and people there will be able to advise if you want to go down that road.

This! *thumbs up*

Also as someone else mentioned, these car washes create swirls in your clear coat whether they’re working properly or not.

CoBo55

ianobrien wrote: »

The poster said a detailer, not a valet. Detailing a car is NOT the same as the €150 valet. If I may venture, I think you may be mixing them up.

OP, pop over to the Detailing Forum with some pictures and people there will be able to advise if you want to go down that road.

No I'm not mixing them up. I got my car detailed by a guy in New Ross, de-tarred, clayed, machine polished etc etc, got an extra €30 added to the not so small bill as it needed "extra machining" blah blah blah.... He had it the whole day and never bothered vacuuming the interior. Greatest con ever, less than a week later it looked like it had never been touched.

Cork_Guest

CoBo55 wrote: »

No I'm not mixing them up. I got my car detailed by a guy in New Ross, de-tarred, clayed, machine polished etc etc, got an extra €30 added to the not so small bill as it needed "extra machining" blah blah blah.... He had it the whole day and never bothered vacuuming the interior. Greatest con ever, less than a week later it looked like it had never been touched.

Yeah he’s conned ya, no way a proper retailer does a decontamination and machine polish, wipe down and then some form of LSP in a day!

CoBo55

Cork_Guest wrote: »

Yeah he’s conned ya, no way a proper d/etailer does a decontamination and machine polish, wipe down and then some form of LSP in a day!

FYP

ianobrien

CoBo55 wrote: »

No I'm not mixing them up. I got my car detailed by a guy in New Ross, de-tarred, clayed, machine polished etc etc, got an extra €30 added to the not so small bill as it needed "extra machining" blah blah blah.... He had it the whole day and never bothered vacuuming the interior. Greatest con ever, less than a week later it looked like it had never been touched.

On my experience, a full proper detail with paint correction takes a lot longer than a day, a LOT longer than a day....

I have seen a lot of valeting places call them details but they are far from details. Hell there a car wash place near me doing "half day details with machine polish" for €200. Geez I'd hardly have the decontamination some by then. A machine polish for me will take me at least 10 hours, depending on the damage it could be more. Then it's a sealant to be applied. Wheels/wheel arches are another couple hours, interior done fully is another couple hours. Then it's the glass, under-bonnet, boot, door shuts etc.

Feck it sure once I've spent almost 30 hours detailing a brand new vehicle before I was happy with it.

Dravokivich

Cork_Guest wrote: »

Because that wouldn’t have stopped it. The whole point of the feature is you’re walking up to your locked car with hands full of bags so you swipe your foot under the bumper, it detects the key and opens.

Thats a bit mad. You can be sitting in traffic and someone can open your boot?

colm_mcm

Dravokivich wrote: »

Thats a bit mad. You can be sitting in traffic and someone can open your boot?

Don’t think it works like that. Don’t you have to have the key fob on you?

CoBo55

ianobrien wrote: »

On my experience, a full proper detail with paint correction takes a lot longer than a day, a LOT longer than a day....

I have seen a lot of valeting places call them details but they are far from details. Hell there a car wash place near me doing "half day details with machine polish" for €200. Geez I'd hardly have the decontamination some by then. A machine polish for me will take me at least 10 hours, depending on the damage it could be more. Then it's a sealant to be applied. Wheels/wheel arches are another couple hours, interior done fully is another couple hours. Then it's the glass, under-bonnet, boot, door shuts etc.

Feck it sure once I've spent almost 30 hours detailing a brand new vehicle before I was happy with it.

This guy is not a valeter I think he used to be on boards he's all over FB, it's mainly boy racer stuff he posts, crappy civics, lowered golfs etc, he ain't cheap either.

Dravokivich

colm_mcm wrote: »

Don’t think it works like that. Don’t you have to have the key fob on you?

If they are in the car, it is on them. He said they can't be locked.

colm_mcm

Car knows the difference between the fob being inside and outside, it usually doesn’t work with the engine on either.

Dravokivich

colm_mcm wrote: »

Car knows the difference between the fob being inside and outside, it usually doesn’t work with the engine on either.

Ok, makes it a bit more odd, him responding to my query of why someone wouldn't lock the car then, suggesting it wouldn't make any difference.

colm_mcm

Dravokivich wrote: »

Ok, makes it a bit more odd, him responding to my query of why someone wouldn't lock the car then, suggesting it wouldn't make any difference.

He’s talking through his hat.

greasepalm

Heres Johnny wrote: »

I was in a car wash recently and about to start and a guy filling up with fuel driving same car as me came running across forecourt waving his arms at me... What's going on here I thought.... He asked me if I had one of those boots that opens by swinging your leg under a sensor under the boot (the ones when your hands are full and you don't want to leave your shopping down). I told him I hadn't and he said I'll be OK then, apparently a car wash opened his boot and soaked the inside of it.

I remember seeing a you tube video of a woman washing the inside of car and water running everywhere.Wonder how long it took her trousers to dry?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_sl_bj4z0A

punisher5112

CoBo55 wrote: »

Don't do this they'll coat the car in colour filler polish and it'll look fantastic for about 3 days..

A proper detailer.... Wtf are you on?
That's a ridiculous statement

DaveyDave

Surely a car wash malfunction can't be worse than a 30 year old barn find or a car sitting abandoned in a forest. Detailers get these things looking factory fresh, it's very impressive.

PsychoPete

ianobrien wrote: »

On my experience, a full proper detail with paint correction takes a lot longer than a day, a LOT longer than a day....

I have seen a lot of valeting places call them details but they are far from details. Hell there a car wash place near me doing "half day details with machine polish" for €200. Geez I'd hardly have the decontamination some by then. A machine polish for me will take me at least 10 hours, depending on the damage it could be more. Then it's a sealant to be applied. Wheels/wheel arches are another couple hours, interior done fully is another couple hours. Then it's the glass, under-bonnet, boot, door shuts etc.

Feck it sure once I've spent almost 30 hours detailing a brand new vehicle before I was happy with it.

You'd do a single stage polish in day

CoBo55

punisher5112 wrote: »

A proper detailer.... Wtf are you on?
That's a ridiculous statement

Detailing is only temporary, new paint is permanent. No need for the faux outrage.
If the op's paint has been damaged it needs to be replaced, not ground and polished to within an inch of its life only to look exactly the same after a few weeks. No polish can replace lacquer or paint despite what it says on the tin.

colm_mcm

CoBo55 wrote: »

Detailing is only temporary, new paint is permanent. No need for the faux outrage.
If the op's paint has been damaged it needs to be replaced, not ground and polished to within an inch of its life only to look exactly the same after a few weeks. No polish can replace lacquer or paint despite what it says on the tin.

That’s really not how it works. A repainted car is worth less too.

punisher5112

CoBo55 wrote: »

Detailing is only temporary, new paint is permanent. No need for the faux outrage.
If the op's paint has been damaged it needs to be replaced, not ground and polished to within an inch of its life only to look exactly the same after a few weeks. No polish can replace lacquer or paint despite what it says on the tin.

Oh dear lord jebus

Cork_Guest

colm_mcm wrote: »

He’s talking through his hat.

You’re right, just tested and the key needs to be less than a metre from the sensor in the boot. So doesn’t work when I’m the driving seat but does work if the keys in the boot, which obviously it wouldn’t be.

Cork_Guest

CoBo55 wrote: »

FYP

Let me ask then, how much did you pay for your 1 day proper detail? If it was any less for a full decontamination, machine polish and lap than €500 then it’s not a proper detail from a professional detailer.

Truckermal

colm_mcm wrote: »

Don’t think it works like that. Don’t you have to have the key fob on you?

Yes on my A6 the Car must be locked and you must have the key on you for the Boot to open by kicking underneath!

Unless he had the Car locked and the key in the Boot maybe.

extra-ordinary_

Truckermal wrote: »

Yes on my A6 the Car must be locked and you must have the key on you for the Boot to open by kicking underneath!

Unless he had the Car locked and the key in the Boot maybe.

Don't think you can lock the boot with the key in it.

CoBo55

CoBo55 wrote: »

Detailing is only temporary, new paint is permanent. No need for the faux outrage.
If the op's paint has been damaged it needs to be replaced, not ground and polished to within an inch of its life only to look exactly the same after a few weeks. No polish can replace lacquer or paint despite what it says on the tin.

If you brought the car with swirl marks into a paint shop they wouldn't go near repainting it. They would sand the whole roof out with 2000 grit and polish the clear coat afterwards.

Essentially the exact same as a detailer most likely would , except they would probably use different grades of polish as it's less abrasive than sand paper and if they go through the clear sanding it they can't repaint it like a paint shop can.

The only reason it would need to be repainted is if the clear coat has been penetrated which is unlikely.

You really don't have a clue what you are talking about tbh

Cork_Guest

CoBo55 wrote: »

Detailing is only temporary, new paint is permanent. No need for the faux outrage.
If the op's paint has been damaged it needs to be replaced, not ground and polished to within an inch of its life only to look exactly the same after a few weeks. No polish can replace lacquer or paint despite what it says on the tin.

Nope!

CoBo55

Cork_Guest wrote: »

Let me ask then, how much did you pay for your 1 day proper detail? If it was any less for a full decontamination, machine polish and lap than €500 then it’s not a proper detail from a professional detailer.

Oh right, so the more the customer pays the more "professional" the detailer...


Op, don't let the garage fob you off with a visit to one of these snake oil merchants, get a proper body shop to fix your paintwork not just cover over the marks with ceramic this or diamond that, it's a con, simple as:mad:

PsychoPete

CoBo55 wrote: »

Oh right, so the more the customer pays the more "professional" the detailer...


Op, don't let the garage fob you off with a visit to one of these snake oil merchants, get a proper body shop to fix your paintwork not just cover over the marks with ceramic this or diamond that, it's a con, simple as:mad:

Thats funny because detailers fix a lot of awful polishing done by bodyshops

Heres Johnny

Truckermal wrote: »

Yes on my A6 the Car must be locked and you must have the key on you for the Boot to open by kicking underneath!

Unless he had the Car locked and the key in the Boot maybe.

It was Audi A6 that it affected. I didn't ask him how it happened as I don't have that option anyway.

AUDI20

AUDI20 wrote: »

What a lot of people don't realise is that these drive in car washes even when working properly still does a lot of damage to the cars paint work.

No the newer ones are perfectly fine, these days you'd do more damage at home even with a very sot brush.

MetzgerMeister

CoBo55 wrote: »

Don't do this they'll coat the car in colour filler polish and it'll look fantastic for about 3 days..

...if after 3 days you go back to an automatic car wash.

CoBo55 wrote: »

Detailing is only temporary, new paint is permanent. No need for the faux outrage.
If the op's paint has been damaged it needs to be replaced, not ground and polished to within an inch of its life only to look exactly the same after a few weeks. No polish can replace lacquer or paint despite what it says on the tin.

Detailing is temporary if you get your car detailed and then go back to automatic car washes or places that use a brush or using a brush yourself. You're reintroducing the damage that the detailer has polished out.

CoBo55 wrote: »

Oh right, so the more the customer pays the more "professional" the detailer...

No, the more you pay the longer a detailer works on your car meaning a more in-depth job is done.

AUDI20

Deleted User wrote: »

No the newer ones are perfectly fine, these days you'd do more damage at home even with a very sot brush.

Totally disagree, you can bring your car to one so. I definitely won't be using one.
I will be sticking to my 2 Bucket wash method at home which is the safest way of washing your car.