car damaged at a car wash
- Thread starter streeetfighter
- Start date
I know 2 people at work who specifically went to small claims court for damages to their vehicle at the local PetroCanada wash. One had a scratched door panel and the other had a dented hood. Both were settled. If the op wants to take it in the rear that's his choice, and the owner is depending on the typical docile Canadian to quietly go away. If it were me, I'd stop at nothing to get compensation for this bs.
I haven't been through a car wash that required a human operator for at least a decade, forgot it was even a thing
One near me went to an optical bar code reader system. It failed repeatedly and miserably, so they went back to a human attendant. If there is someone physically there then at least there's a chance that the wash might be stopped, if something starts going wrong.
streeetfighter
Active member
In the winter i go touchless. When its warm enough I wash my truck at home.
The do it yourself car wash bays are much better and easier on your paint. There's some corrosive **** in the touch less soaps. In the diy places I use pre soak, high pressure soap, rinse with wax, high pressure rinse, and then the spotless rinse. The truck comes out reasonably clean as long as you've got a decent wax on there before winter. I also brin a bucket and hand wash in these places, if it's not busy they don't care.
As a teenager I used to hand wash transport trucks (wash mitt and a brush) at an indoor car wash. I wish the place was still there, you could wash and wax your car inside (if it wasn't busy) and pay $15.
As a teenager I used to hand wash transport trucks (wash mitt and a brush) at an indoor car wash. I wish the place was still there, you could wash and wax your car inside (if it wasn't busy) and pay $15.
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My last VW had studs that the rack latched onto, I was never worried. The new one uses the slightly bent pieces of metal that are held on by magic, I would expect the new one to rip off.
Fair enough. I've seen a few "rain gutter" racks that are supposed to fit my 944 but looking at the gutters I have no idea how they are held to the car and likely wouldn't trust it. My WRX had the studs in the roof and the Outlander has a factory rack built into the roof (no idea what it's attached to or how to remove it).
The warning is invalid its the idea that you wave your right to sue. If you sign a risk waver when Bunge jumping in the rope is to long or not properly attached that negligence and the waiver does not protect them.
GateKeeper
Well-known member
Unless the equipment (car wash) malfunctioned, and fell off it's tracks, or spun out of control, or went down too far, due to a bad sensor, or it slammed into your roof rack, they will not be held responsible for the damage.....
Who is to say the roof rack was not on it's way out to begin with, who's to say if you strapped something to it, went on the highway and your cargo flew off including your rack because it was faulty, or broken or stressed or what ever......
I had the misfortune of a car damaged from a car wash, but they covered the cost of a new paint job on the car, why, well because it was their equipment that fell apart, had a metal clamp that broke, and when the drying unit came down, the metal clamp scratched the car from hood to trunk, a nice long racing stripe it made the full length of the car, I could not stop the car, I honked the horn the second I saw what was going on, but this being at the end of the wash, unfortunately the attendant did not hear this.
Once out of the wash I parked, brought over the attendant, and he got the manager that was fortunately onsite, they saw the damage and saw the cause, they closed down the wash for repairs and, covered my expense for a paint job......
I was lucky as it was their equipment that failed and caused the damage, unless you can prove the same, you will more than likely not get anywhere with them covering the damage.......this is why they post the disclaimer/warning
.
Who is to say the roof rack was not on it's way out to begin with, who's to say if you strapped something to it, went on the highway and your cargo flew off including your rack because it was faulty, or broken or stressed or what ever......
I had the misfortune of a car damaged from a car wash, but they covered the cost of a new paint job on the car, why, well because it was their equipment that fell apart, had a metal clamp that broke, and when the drying unit came down, the metal clamp scratched the car from hood to trunk, a nice long racing stripe it made the full length of the car, I could not stop the car, I honked the horn the second I saw what was going on, but this being at the end of the wash, unfortunately the attendant did not hear this.
Once out of the wash I parked, brought over the attendant, and he got the manager that was fortunately onsite, they saw the damage and saw the cause, they closed down the wash for repairs and, covered my expense for a paint job......
I was lucky as it was their equipment that failed and caused the damage, unless you can prove the same, you will more than likely not get anywhere with them covering the damage.......this is why they post the disclaimer/warning
.
Their equipment did fail as the operator was the one that put the wrong code in or the brushes activated when they shouldn't have. If the car wash was operating properly the brushes wouldn't be near
GateKeeper
Well-known member
so it was operator fault, not equipment fault
The operator is an asset and I'd consider them no different than equipment for liability
