Car Wash Messed up my CAR!!

I just bought my 08 spec b and drove it 200 miles home. About 4 days later I took it through a car wash....TERRIBLE mistake!

Not only did it curb my wheel, but it scratched my rear quarter panel.

 

The car wash company is a well known chain, so I emailed the company. The next day I received an email asking for some pix. Now I am meeting the owner tomorrow at noon.

 

I just wondered what you all thought I should say. I am 99.9% sure the car wash did the damage, I just do not have any evidence.

Has anyone experienced this and if so were you able to get it resolved?

 

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I suspect you'll be washing it by hand from now on?

 

Good luck with the claim, it may be very tough to get money from them.

Is that damage on both wheels of the same side? Probably from the auto-rolling road right?

yes how was the car taken through the car wash? i was with my friend when her G35 was put through a car wash that automatically guided her car through the was cycle.

 

she had a tough time with the owner of the wash too. sorry to hear about your car.

I think every time I go to a car wash I have seen a sign that says they are not responsible for any damage caused to the car die to the wash. It may vary from car wash to car wash. I have had wheel curb damage from car washes in previous cars. I always check the car was rail before going through it. I cheack to see if they have a plastic guard attached to their wheel guide rail.

 

If you get no money out of it, have the curb damage repaired.

 

GL

 

X

By IL state law, for example, car washes are responsible for all stock parts if they are damaged, including as a direct result of the guide system. If the was attendant guides you or drives your car into the wash, you have an easy case. They key is to complain immediately after the wash.

Sorry to hear. Ouch. I don't think you will get anything from the car wash. I believe (except for IL) once you drive in it, you are taking all responsibility for it. Again sorry to hear. I will cry for you.

Bummer!

 

Same thing happened to me. I'm going into the touchless carwash from now on.

NEVER use a drive through wash....EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER. I can't tell you how many people I know that have lost parts, gotten scratched, dented, dinged and let's not forget the SWIRLS that get grinded into your paint when those goona dry your car with the same rag they used on the previous 50 cars.

 

Your car is better off dirty. Much better off. I'm a clean car NUT and through the whole winter I only hit the laserwash touchless spray booth. Works well enough to get the salt/scum off. Car does not need to be sparkly clean in the Winter. Effort in futility.

Wow sorry for you and your car.

 

NEVER use a drive through wash....EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER. I can't tell you how many people I know that have lost parts, gotten scratched, dented, dinged and let's not forget the SWIRLS that get grinded into your paint when those goona dry your car with the same rag they used on the previous 50 cars.

 

Your car is better off dirty. Much better off. I'm a clean car NUT and through the whole winter I only hit the laserwash touchless spray booth. Works well enough to get the salt/scum off. Car does not need to be sparkly clean in the Winter. Effort in futility.

 

 

I'm the same way. My car is always clean in and out and people make fun of me for it. My car has been hand washed from the day I bought it and its only been in a touchless car was three times. First time was the second day I had it and the other two where over this winter so far.

 

Also never and I say it again never have the dealer detailer wash the car for you. I went in for a oil change and came out to a half washed car with a nice swirl mark on my hood. I raised hell about it even after I told them all not to wash the car.

no one ever washes my car except for me...I just did it two days ago in 28 degree weather

 

ok well now I have to explain why I suppose, otherwise you'll think I'm crazy...a semi was spraying a mist of diesel all over the highway and it got my car

Well the SPEC-B is such a beast that the car wash cannot handle it, Those Big Wheels are massive. LOL GL on getting it fixed.

NEVER use a drive through wash....EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER. I can't tell you how many people I know that have lost parts, gotten scratched, dented, dinged and let's not forget the SWIRLS that get grinded into your paint when those goona dry your car with the same rag they used on the previous 50 cars.

 

Your car is better off dirty. Much better off. I'm a clean car NUT and through the whole winter I only hit the laserwash touchless spray booth. Works well enough to get the salt/scum off. Car does not need to be sparkly clean in the Winter. Effort in futility.

 

 

Man I use one on my 2.5I all the time. If it was my STI HELL NO I WILL NOT DO THAT. STI would be my baby and get hand washed only. 2.5I is DD.

So sorry to see that. Sometimes when bad things happen to my material possessions I realize that I give them too much power. A scrape, a dent, a scratch. These things should not cause me so much pain. They shouldn't make me cry. It's difficult to love something that inevitably will wear out and get damaged.

I'm sorry for your misfortune. Hopefully the owner of the car wash will give some kind of retribution (perhaps free car washes for a year?) I jest.

I always wash my car by hand. Always.

Yup my 08 LGT wheels were getting curbed like crazy going through automatic carwashes where you drive into the bay, and the front driverside tire is suppose to get guided into a ramp switch. well the metal guides crub the crap out of our wheels because of low profile stock tires.

 

I dont go through any of those car washes anymore

I agree with you E-Tank. its hard to love something that will be out on the road getting beat and deteriorated. The attendant did guide me and it was an automatic roll through. I had to reschedule the meeting with the owner. I went and got an estimate ($950) and I will not rest until I get what I deserve. I have always washed my car by hand, it was just the cold weather that made me try the car wash. I will stick to washing it by hand. For the record I would only use brush-less car washes and use it on cars with small wheels and lots of rubber. Hopefully the owner of the wash will be reasonable, for I do not want to have to fight this any further.

Besides staying with touchless, you also have to stay away from the ones with guide rails (the things that look like bathroom grab bars for the handicapped, but mounted way too low). I'm not talking about the ones that pull the car through either.

UPDATE:

 

I went to my collision shop and got an estimate of over $900 to fix the scratches in the paint and a new wheel.

 

I then went to the car wash and looked at their car wash system. They only had guide rails on the driver side and the damaged wheel was on the passenger. I had to agree with the guy that his wash did not damage the wheel

 

He did agree to the paint and is issuing me a check for $511.

 

I am very sure that the dealership that reflashed my ECM did it when they ran it through the dealership car wash. I am debating whether or not to try getting the dealer to fix the damage. I know its just going to be a battle and I really would hate to ruin our relationship.

 

It sucks that I, a buyer of a lightly used 2008 car has to deal with this kind of crap.

Never will run my spec B through a car wash and will always tell the dealer to not wash it.

 

Hope you guys can learn from my misfortune and too tell the dealer to not wash your car...unless its by hand which I highly doubt.

I'm confused. I thought you said you took it through a well known car wash, now youre saying stuff happend when the dealer took it through a car wash? I'd make sure the dealer even uses an actual car wash. Some places just use a big bucket and a soft tipped broom

UPDATE:

 

I went to my collision shop and got an estimate of over $900 to fix the scratches in the paint and a new wheel.

 

I then went to the car wash and looked at their car wash system. They only had guide rails on the driver side and the damaged wheel was on the passenger. I had to agree with the guy that his wash did not damage the wheel

 

He did agree to the paint and is issuing me a check for $511.

 

I am very sure that the dealership that reflashed my ECM did it when they ran it through the dealership car wash. I am debating whether or not to try getting the dealer to fix the damage. I know its just going to be a battle and I really would hate to ruin our relationship.

 

It sucks that I, a buyer of a lightly used 2008 car has to deal with this kind of crap.

Never will run my spec B through a car wash and will always tell the dealer to not wash it.

 

Hope you guys can learn from my misfortune and too tell the dealer to not wash your car...unless its by hand which I highly doubt.

 

Holy shi**! The car wash is giving you $500!? That is epic. And after he proved his wash didn't damage your wheel? What did you say to this guy? Are you "made" or something?

Holy shi**! The car wash is giving you $500!? That is epic. And after he proved his wash didn't damage your wheel? What did you say to this guy? Are you "made" or something?

 

That was for the paint, which he agreed was his wash's fault.

yup, I've never used a non touchless car wash. don't know what could be caught in the brushes... I can't wait for it to warm up here to put some TLC into the paint!

I had photos the dealer sent me before I bought it (about 4 weeks ago) and I was able to zoom in real close and show the guy there were no scratches. I brought my lap top down to the meeting.

 

I really cannot say for sure what all happened. All I know is that I somehow, by the grace of God was able to get the car wash company to pay for the damages. I can say that I never will take any car I car about through an automated car wash (especially track guided washes that use brushes). And being the winter, they have been throwing sand down on all the roads.

 

Think of all that sand stuck in the brushes.

 

I could have saved myself $10 and went straight to sandpaper!

Oh and as for the curbed wheel:

 

The car wash could not have done it.

 

That leads to two...well three other possibilities.

1) I curbed it <--Which I didn't

2) The window tint place curbed it

3) The dealer curbed it when they washed it or when the tech test drove it.

 

I recently took my car in to have the ECM re-flashed to remove some throttle hesitation.

 

Either way I am just going to be grateful for what I have. Who knows, Maybe Ill find a spare set of spec b wheels and I can have a summer and winter set.

that's good you got money back for the paint at least

 

as for the wheels, it really done'st look that bad and lets be honest, don't lose sleep over a couple of scratches on your wheels. sure it sucks it's brand new and we all like to look after our personal belongings with extra care but let's not lose perspective. personally i wouldn't even fix it, but i suppose i have a lower affinity for my car than some. for me, it's just a mode of transportation, over the years, there will be wear and tear but it's all from good times and me putting miles on the car and it getting me through life reliably and safely with some fun.

 

so, congrats on the car and enjoy it