Got lectured by some old guy today...

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Grimm

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I went to a local self car wash today since my water hose was frozen. I figured I would wash the car and then use their rinse. Well some old guy I presume was the owner saw me washing and said "oh no, no bucket washing!" So I asked why not, and he proceeds to lecture on me "would you go to a restaurant and bring in food?" Then he said "you know how you got in here right?" inferring that if I didn't like it I could leave. I can see his point about feeling like he's been cheated out of an extra dollar from me not using his nice scratch'm'up brush, but I wasn't about to use it anyway. So not only is he not getting his extra dollar, but he probably lost the other $1.25 just because he irritated me with his babbling. I tell you, friendly customer service oriented business has just gone down the toilet....
 
Had the same thing happen ages ago. Just keep the stupid meter running and tell him to **** :D or... just spray it down with the water there and head home and QEW. If you haven't tried it or ONR you are REALLY missing out.
 
I might have to do that. I kept my hose outside thinking it would be OK. It seems to drain pretty good when it gets rolled up. But I guess it was too frozen. I got my first "your obsessed" comment from my wife when I told her I was washing it. It is nice out, only 35, but sunny. :xyxthumbs
 
Ive learned over the years at thanksgiving I pull my hoses to the garage. And while its been years since Ive gone to Coin laundry mat, I remember seeing sines that say "NO BUCKETS."
 
I would have tried to reason with him, but then if that didn't work, the ******* in me would have come out. I would ignored him and just continued to wash, whats the worst that could happen? he tells you not to come back? lol
 
Please forgive me for being blunt but it amazes me sometimes how picky people can be about their own property, like their cars, yet have little regard for other's property. It is a private business and regardless of what you think or how you feel about it, he makes the rules. If you don't like them take your business elsewhere. It is as simple as that...



It is not like this guy is being a nut job, I think you will find the same restrictions at most coin-operated car washes.
 
fact is rjstaaf, he brought the old guy business, he shouldnt complain about it just take the two or three dollars and keep your old crotchity crawdad mouth shut. because he didnt use his brush he chews him out? maybe if someone explained to him what his tools do to vehicles every day he'd open up a touchless, most old people don't understand what most in here do.
 
rjstaaf said:
Please forgive me for being blunt but it amazes me sometimes how picky people can be about their own property, like their cars, yet have little regard for other's property. It is a private business and regardless of what you think or how you feel about it, he makes the rules. If you don't like them take your business elsewhere. It is as simple as that...
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I totally understand that, but it was his attitude that rubbed me the wrong way. If he had politely said "sir, you may not have seen it but there is a sign that says no bucket washing. Please do not do it here." it would be fine. But the fact that he had to go into a lecture right away upset me. While I can see his point of view, it was just uncalled for him to go off on me like that. My point for posting was not that he's an idiot for not allowing me to bucket wash, but the fact that his attitude stinks. The best way for a business to succeed is good customer service, and he flunks big time. I'm sure he wouldn't lose sleep over it, but if I were him I would have handled the situation with a little more class.



And I think you are a little overboard with the comment about me not having regard for his property. It's not like I was just using his bay to have a cookout or paint my car. I was using his power washer, just not the soap. Sure, he's partly right, you could equate it to me bringing my own sandwich to a restaurant (which they probably don't allow), but I was still ordering a drink and dessert. I wasn't going to use his soap anyway, so it's not like I am cheating him. To me it's like taking your car to a mechanic but bringing your own parts; or doing the prep work for a paint job yourself instead of the painter.
 
Grimm said:
And I think you are a little overboard with the comment about me not having regard for his property. It's not like I was just using his bay to have a cookout or paint my car. I was using his power washer, just not the soap. Sure, he's partly right, you could equate it to me bringing my own sandwich to a restaurant (which they probably don't allow), but I was still ordering a drink and dessert. I wasn't going to use his soap anyway, so it's not like I am cheating him. To me it's like taking your car to a mechanic but bringing your own parts; or doing the prep work for a paint job yourself instead of the painter.
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I probably could have qualified that comment but, it was not directed at you but rather some of the comments that followed. Sure, he probably could have handled it better but, it is not like this is some rule that he just made up out of the blue. I think it is probably safe to say that it is pretty much common knowledge that you don't bring your own stuff to a coin-op.
 
Haha, yea, I would of asked him, "what if i took my food into a restaurant to buy a drink?" Grumpy old man.. I would of ignored him..
 
I think it would be one thing if you used the guy's service for free, but the last time I went to a coin-op, you still pay the same price no matter what you use it for: to soap up, power wash, rinse, etc. Maybe most of these places have no bucket washing policies because the people who do that spend extra time in the bay, time that takes away from other customers who possibly could have used the bay too.



I've never really seen cars wait for a coin-op as if they were gassing up at a cheap gas station. So I don't see the problem if the place is empty and there were a few other open bays. That's like me walking into a restaurant and ordering just a cup of coffee and the waitress says "No! You have to at least order some eggs and waffles. You can't order coffee by itself!"
 
BlackElantraGT said:
I've never really seen cars wait for a coin-op as if they were gassing up at a cheap gas station.
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Man, you don't live around here! There is only one coin-op that I know of, and if you go a few days after a big storm in the winter, the line is out into the street (and they have 4 or 5 bays and room for at least 100 cars in line before they get out in the street). I've never been able to use the place because that's always the time I want to go...and I'm not going to wait hours in line.
 
rjstaaf said:
I probably could have qualified that comment but, it was not directed at you but rather some of the comments that followed. Sure, he probably could have handled it better but, it is not like this is some rule that he just made up out of the blue. I think it is probably safe to say that it is pretty much common knowledge that you don't bring your own stuff to a coin-op.
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If you had bare aluminum wheels, and you went to a coin op, would you use their harsh cleaner and stain them or bring your own non-acid cleaner?



Its the same concept. And i think the fact that he was an old ******* was probably the main reason he was freaking out over a bucket. Kinda like the old guy who shakes his fist at the kid.



If he was a smart businessman he would relize he's not really losing any money but rather making it.
 
I'll drive across town to one car wash because the spot free always works, I use them twice a week sometimes more, but I wont use their brush's only the pressure soap if my truck gets dirty enough I'll go home and wash it. I do bring a small bucket with dawn and my water with a lid and soft brush for when I clean the wheels every third wash, mostly i just pressure wash. They have never complained to me but they know from looking at my truck that i wont use their crappy brush.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Man, you don't live around here! There is only one coin-op that I know of, and if you go a few days after a big storm in the winter, the line is out into the street (and they have 4 or 5 bays and room for at least 100 cars in line before they get out in the street). I've never been able to use the place because that's always the time I want to go...and I'm not going to wait hours in line.
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Boy, that is crazy! I guess here in SoCal there are plenty of choices for most people. Most people here I would say do not use coin-ops because for not much more, they can get their car washed, dried, and their windows cleaned at regular car-washes by an actual person (i.e. cheap Mexican labor). Plus, we have great weather pretty much all year round so we don't really have to worry about it being too cold out to wash our cars.
 
I agree with the fact that it's quite unreasonable. You are already paying to have the car rinsed. What difference will one dollar make? You should tell him, "Okay, I won't wash with my bucket. But I just want you to know that you will not be getting my business anymore."



So do you have any other alternative self-serve car wash places nearby?
 
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