bloody car wash...advice please.

[westycoopers]

i know i have been bad but my car was really dirty and couldnt be bothered washing it.
so i decided to pull into a arc car wash(for the first and last time)
it has runners that pull you through the machine.
when i have got home i have noticed that the railings on the runners have rubbed through the paint on my wheel and left a missive thick black scratch all the way round my front wheel half way up the spokes,
i am running 215/35 zr 18 inch tyres so the rail has come half way up the wheel and it looks crap.

do i have any grounds to go back to the car wash and get him to pay for a refurb,
or will he accept no responsibility for the damage, ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!

Any advice would be much appreciated guys

[Posts001]

Was there any sign to say "enter at your own risk", cause if there wasn't I think that you have grounds to get him to pay for the Refurb

[westycoopers]

didnt see a sign saying that, so might go down and have a polite word,
he was quite a big fella

[dlpruk]

I think ARC washes are the best of the bunch, FWIW.

You might have a case for compensation if, like my local, you drive onto the rollers under the guidance of an operative who gave left/right signals so that you could centre the OS front on the roller as this might infer they were taking responsibility for your alignment. Otherwise I doubt it, I'm afraid.

[James]

i know my local car wash has a big disclaimer outside saying WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE TO CARS, INJURIES OR DEATH WHILE USING THIS CAR WASH

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by James (original)

i know my local car wash has a big disclaimer outside saying WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE TO CARS, INJURIES OR DEATH WHILE USING THIS CAR WASH

To disclaim responsibility for death of injury through negligence is a denial of your statutary rights and is likely to render the notice invalid

Tigger.

PS: Why not make the whole process a lot fairer by stating "This car wash is very likely to damage your car. Do not use it if you have any pride in your car" ?

[Mosposco]

Can't see you having much hope of compensation, but you could try contacting the company's head office and see what they have to say....

[Lawrothegreat]

As Tigger says, a business cannot operate outside of the law just because they place a sign on a wall declaring no responsibility. A car wash business does owe a duty of care to its customers to ensure its machinery does not cause harm.

I have seen car washers stating they will not take large alloy wheels / low profile tyres. Revisit the site, if there are clear signs to say that your car is not suitable, and the business has taken reasonable steps to alert you, then sadly you probably don't have a case. If there are not clear signs then there is no reason why you should assume the wash facility would damage your car and it could be a case for a small claims court?

BTW I have no legal training, so just a personal opinion.

Good luck

[mini33]

I'm sorry to say this & dont mean to be rude but this may teach you not to use Car washes (its envitable that it ill damage your car in som way) -as said above if your mini is your pride & joy DONT USE A CAR WASH

I hate the things & they should be banned

Dont you have a hand wash mob near you in the supermarkets or a like

Ok got that off my chest

Go back & double check what is displayed BEFORE YOU do anything - most places so have some form of disclamier

Hope you get it sorted

Good luck

[Lawrothegreat]

Quote: Originally Posted by mini33 (original)

I'm sorry to say this & dont mean to be rude but this may teach you not to use Car washes (its envitable that it ill damage your car in som way) -as said above if your mini is your pride & joy DONT USE A CAR WASH

I hate the things & they should be banned

Dont you have a hand wash mob near you in the supermarkets or a like

Ok got that off my chest

Go back & double check what is displayed BEFORE YOU do anything - most places so have some form of disclamier

Hope you get it sorted

Good luck

Car washers are absolutely fine most of the time and are unlikely to cause damage, but they do carry a risk (as does hand washing if you're not careful). The only way to be really sure is to wash the car yourself always using a new sponge.

[mini33]

I always do it myself or get my very good friends who own a car wash company do it for me when i am working & not get the chance to do it myself. I would never use a car wash or these supermarket people do mine.

Blimey thats expensive & a bit extreme using a new sponge each time - anyway thought sponges where out & these hand mit things where the new sponges??!!

Anyway the above was just my opnion on the matter in question

[ViscountCharles]

For goodness' sake, don't use a sponge - those things are made to inflict scratches on your car!

Use a lambswool or microfibre noodle mit, and two buckets - one with the shampoo in it, a second one for rinsing the washmitt out after doing each panel of the car.

Frankly I'd steer clear of all the automatic car washes, and any handwashers staffed by eastern Europeans with sponges and dirty chamois leathers.

[westycoopers]

i was just being lazy,
i work for a car dealer and usually get the valeter to do it when hes not busy,
but hadnt cleaned it for a while so just went trough it.
never been in one before and dont think i will again,

cheers guys anyway i will visit the site tonight and have a good read.

[BRG/Blk Cooper S]

Quote: Originally Posted by ViscountCharles (original)

For goodness' sake, don't use a sponge - those things are made to inflict scratches on your car!

Use a lambswool or microfibre noodle mit, and two buckets - one with the shampoo in it, a second one for rinsing the washmitt out after doing each panel of the car.

Frankly I'd steer clear of all the automatic car washes, and any handwashers staffed by eastern Europeans with sponges and dirty chamois leathers.

What he said..
I think you'd have trouble claiming compensation from the carwash as you've left the scene..
Worth a try though..

I never let anyone else clean my car - sometimes it gets pretty dirty but I'd rather that than have the paint damaged by a machine or a frustrated underpaid worker with no respect for my car, bucket of dirty water and a sponge that has been dropped on the ground 10 times today thus far..

That said the high end products are so good and durable these days that as long as you've protected the car properly cleaning it is a breeze - we had a spot of rain yesterday and my car now looks cleaner than before the showers.

Washing your car is good exercise, relaxing and some fresh air too - I'm self-employed and work a lot of hours......still manage to find a few hours once a week or fortnight to give the car a good clean, can't understand how people can't fit it into their schedule

I also live in the city and have to park on the street so I don't buy any of the "it's too difficult to wash my car where I live" excuses - I'd love a heated double garage with a wash bay (and a lift).....wouldn't we all - maybe with house prices going the way they are I might be able to snap up a bargain

Cheers..

[dakini]

Quote: Originally Posted by mini33 (original)

I'm sorry to say this & dont mean to be rude but this may teach you not to use Car washes (its envitable that it ill damage your car in som way) -as said above if your mini is your pride & joy DONT USE A CAR WASH

I hate the things & they should be banned

there are times though when they're really necessary. we spend most of our winter well below 0 and the heated car washes are the only way to get the salt off the car and the undercarriage. in fact, my dealer recommends regularly using one in winter.

you just can't clear your car by hand in the dead of winter unless you want an icy drive and frostbite. nor can you get the underside by yourself.