One more reason to avoid car washes

**kartoon** · 03-27-2005, 08:56 AM

I came across this post on clubtsx:

Hey folks....I just picked up my TSX last week in crappy cold Wisconsin. By the time I got home my car was filthy and I decided that I would get a `touchless car wash`. I went to the local Shell station on highway 20 and I-94 (for those in the area) and drove in........First time through the car gets sprayed with soap and then all of the sudden the dryers come on without the car being washed off....I couldn`t even see with all the soap on the windows.....So I pull around and talked to the manager/owner who gave me another wash code.

The second time around just the back of the car gets sprayed with soap and water but the rest of the car has soap freezing to it. Again I pull around and talk to the manager and he says "okay I will manually work the washer arm for you." By then I was already getting irritated but couldn`t just leave and come back later b/c of all the soap and dirt still on the car.

So I enter the wash and I see him manually working the switches. Soap is sprayed and all seems well and then I hear a loud `THUNK` on the passenger side of the car. Seems that the electronic eye malfunctioned and the vertical wash arm crashed into the car. Worst yet it get stuck on the side view mirror. I roll the window down and yell at the guy to stop the machine. He says "no worries the arm is padded" I say "I dont give a F*&^% it should not hit the car." Anyhow he tries to dislodge the arm and then I hear a `SCRRECCH` across the door.

Well folks, put yourself in my shoes.....Brand new $30,000 car....so far And this is supposed to be a touchless wash...seems more like or a `touchful` carwash.

So long story longer......I get out.....fuming mad....I look at the damage, dent on door, 5" long scratch down to metal, dented chrome molding and possible damage to mirror. He says, "yeah we`ve been having problems with this wash today."..... So, anyway, I didn`t lose my cool (too much) but lets just say we had a short `chat` and I had a check for $1000 bucks the next day from his insurance co and the car was fixed the day after by a honda autobody shop. In case your ever in the Kenosha Area, stay away from that Shell station please.

All is good now It`s ridiculous how torn up we get over these cars, no?

Funny stuff, huh ?

**CottyGee** · 03-27-2005, 09:46 AM

In August, I bought my first ever brand new from the dealership car. I have always purchased 2-3 yr. old used cars, being a cheap bastid!

Anyway, it`s a 300C - the one with the Hemi (heh, heh).

So we take it out on a roadtrip over Labor Day weekend. It rains, the car gets roadfilm all over it. She needs a wash!

So, having not yet really become an Autopian (think I had registered, but not really learned too much) I decided to take her to the automatic car wash. Not the touchless, but a "real" automatic car wash.

All is well, and I send her in... And then the water hits the windshield. Remember when I said it rained?? Well, the car has automatic "rain sensing" wipers. And they work damned well! Because they`d been on for a couple of days with nary a wipe - and were STILL on when it went through the car wash!

Well, needless to say, the wipers started wiping, and then started FURIOUSLY wiping - full speed. Of course, the car wash machinery is oblivious. And I`m running up and down the line screaming my head off, but of course, it`s early on a Monday morning (Labor Day) and there`s not a soul in the place.

Eventually, I find someone (from outside) and drag him in. By the time we get to the window to see the car, it`s just starting the "drying" phase. The driver`s side wiper is still doing an occasional wipe, as a bead of water is blow up off the hood, but the passenger`s side is dead, dead, dead!!!

Well, fast forward - Chrysler engineers got this one right. Apparently the wiper arm was designed to slip off a rod if it encounters resistence. The dealer put it back on - no charge.

Thank GOD!!! I about went into cardiac arrest... Friggin` car had like 300 miles on it, and it`s first EVER wash. I felt like the stupidest humanoid to ever walk the face of the planet.

And THAT is why I don`t take my new car to the carwash. Ever!

**Gary Wells** · 03-27-2005, 10:12 AM

FWIW & IMHO:

I really don`t know what to say here, but I symphatize with both of you guys. I would never trust one of those types of car washes to do a car. I take both of my cars (16K mile `87 Buick Turbo-T & a 20K mile `02 vette Z06), to a hand wash only car wash, pay them $ 15 for what called a "bucket wash" where the car does not go through the racks or rack area, and then pay 1 person only $4-$5 to finish dry and mini-detail it. I do watch them like a hawk, though, because once I caught them only hosing off the car in lieu of washing it when they thought that I was not looking. I make sure that they use a brand new mitt for the washing, too, and make sure that they wash the car before the wheels & rims. I hate to say it, but some car washes are better than others, and some detailers are better than others. I definitely feel that I get my $ 20 worth out of it all. Andwhile we are on the subject of glass cleaners here, the "Gunk" brand of window cleaner sold at Wally World (Wal-Mart) is almost as good as Stoner`s but only sells for $ 1.98, compared to Stoners $ 3.49 a can. I use both, but the Gunk a little more often.

**lbls1** · 03-27-2005, 10:52 AM

I avoid them..even with the beater.

**01bluecls** · 03-27-2005, 11:34 AM

That post you had from the clubtsx, I would have gotten to do more. Any time you start fixing damage you have to repaint the car, your car suffers from further depreciation. He should have had his car appraised. The wash should have paid for the damage to be fixd AND their insurance should have coughed up extra money for the depreciation for his car taking that damage. Even though its fixed, an appraiser will notice things like repaint and deduct for the value of the car. Some states have laws where if someone hits your car then their insurance has to pay for the damages AND depreciation the car takes from the repaired damages. Just my two cents