I got caught off guard, don't let this happen to YOU! Doggone it, I KNEW better! I read it a hundred times on NAM, yet I still got zapped, and I am more than a little annoyed .

Had an SES light lit, so I motored over to my dealership to get the codes pulled and get all better... Well there was nothing wrong with the car (phony loose gas cap code they see it all the time etc), BUT when the service manager came out to tell me this, he says smilingly, "they'll bring it right out, they are just washing it real quick for you". Oopsie, I had NO idea they would do that "courtesy" for a customer who was just whizzing thru the drive-thru service bay etc - my lower jaw hit the floor %^&$#@!

Well, they did a shyte job of drying the MCS, for one thing, which I addressed right in the lot, and then I drive home.

I'm in my driveway, QD in hand, and you guessed it, Right on the freaking bonnet, THREE lonnng, straight, deep scratches that were deffffinitely "new" thanks to the dealer's courtesy car wash. These puppies are about 18" long, they run front to back, and they are parallel, about 6" apart - it's a disaster.

Typing this is making me angry all over again!

A pox on the car that was washed before me that yielded up some giant particle to the washing towels! I am perfectly capable of scratching up the paint on my OWN dang it!

Thanks for letting me vent, I should have seen it coming I know. It was my first trip back to the dealer's since new and for such a minor little 10-minute thing, I did not expect this little treat...

Oh well, beware those dealer car washes, I know I'm preaching to the choir on this. I'm calling them TODAY to see what they offer to make me a happy customer again,

Tatt

 

"Courtesy" wash got mine too. Just say NO!

 

Yep. I got the "courtesy wash" scratches all over mine too. Probably a good 6-8 hours of work will be necessary to get it back to decent condition.

Next time there will be a large posterboard on the dash saying, "Do NOT wash this car!"

 

Tatt, I think you need to go back to the dealer and have them buff out the scratches with a professional detailer. I don't think you should go thru the hassle of doing it yourself. Mistake #1 was for you to leave the dealership without making them commit to fix the problem.

If your fingernail doesn't "catch" the scratches then you'll be fine. Get a bottle of 3M Perfect-it swirl mark remove and preferably work them out by hand. I swear by this product. It is sold in 2 variants: Dark and light colored cars.

But then again, make the dealer pay for their imcompetence!

I always tell my service advisor to NEVER wash my car even if it is filthy dirty by the time it enters his service dept.

 

Yep, me and the wife have recently become Zaino converts. While dropping off the car at the dealer this past weekend in preparation for a weeklong road trip, we were discussing washing and waxing the car before we leave. The gofer/valet cheerfully told us that they will gladly wash the car for us. This was met by a resounding, simultanious "Nooooooooo!!!!" from both of us. Just picture one of the Dr. Evil's henchmen infront of a slow moving steam roller from an Austin Powers movie and you will get an idea what is sound it like.

 

Tattman23 have you thought about bringin it back and complaining or is it too late


What's the worst thing they could do tell you to go fly a kite Give it a try see what they say, it couldn't hurt and you might get surprised (a good surprise)

 

That is my plan yes. You are absolutely correct about leaving the dealer's. I didn't take a good enough look WHEN I WAS THERE, so for that I am kicking meself hard.

I got some pretty good stuff to combat the shallow scratches. The fingernail test actually DOES catch in the new ones, a little bit. That's why I haven't treated them myself and will let the dealer set it right - you'd know if you looked at 'em, they're not the kind you get from using cheapo MF towels.

That's been my mantra too - they caught me by surprse, first dealer visit and all that, plus it was a quickie, not even an appointment. I made a rookie mistake - Never Again.

Thanks for condolences. Something good CAN come of this. Also, everything about my dealer has been super, so it's a bit of a shocker.

Tatt

 

That is what I will be doing, it's not too late. They're good guys over there and I totally expect they will fix me up real nice with no fuss.

 

C4 hypothetical question: I presume I'd use the 3M for DARK colors, on a chili red car?

 

Yes Dark Colors include Black and Red paints. The 3M part number is 051131. It is a very good product and much prefer it to Meguiar's "Scratch X". Retails for around $8-$10 at your nearest autoparts store.

It can be applied both by hand and machine. I would start with this product and if the scratches don't improve, go a step higher on the agressiviness scale.

It almost sounds like the dealer idiots used sandpaper to wash the car

Let us know what they tell you.

 

Next time you have a printer handy, rip off some 8.5x11 signs for the front and back windows:
Keep a few copies in your glove box, just in case you should have an unplanned trip to the dealer and put them in both windows before you leave.

 

Now this is a creative idea!!

Having a black MINI, I always tell the service department, NO WASH! In fact, I check, double-check, and TRIPLE-check, just to make sure they know how serious I am about their carwash guy leaving her alone.

When she was in two weeks ago, her keytag had written on it NO WASH, and it was handwritten very obviously on the work order, too. I'm happy to report that she remained unwashed, thus unscathed.

However, the fellow who drove her around for pick-up failed to remove the plastic cover on the driver's seat, as well as the paper floorcover. Oh well, at least that showed me they had protected her somewhat.


Clover

 

I am so sorry, I can only feel your pain. Not that these words will make you feel better.

On a + note, lesson learned and you get to test out some new products.

I would try one of the two products, got some bad cat nail scratches off my bonnet.

Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Professional series #9 (swirl remover) and follow up with #26 (Yellow wax)

or

Meguiar's Deep Crystal 3 step system, #1 Cleaner and #2 Polish and of course #3 wax. This is currently my favorite, a lot of work, but it is deeper that Meguiar's NTX.

Anyway, I hope it can be covered.

Cheers.

 

Thanks u guys for the chuckles. I have come up with a few um "creative" ideas on my own as well . With respect for site guidelines, I won't go into detail on those in this forum.

Before this disaster, I was already a tenured counselor at Camp NoWasheeWashee, believe me. What happened to me was sort of like going through the drive thru at a burger joint, and unexpectedly receiving "full service" (huge ) complete with a waiter, etc. so in the heat of the moment I failed to take certain precautions. My biggest concern was whether or not they would be able to "fit me in", since no appointment was required (per the service manager) and (also per the service manager) it would only take 10-15 minutes in and out.

I don't even know if other dealerships have this same quickie "drive thru" lane to augment their more traditional Service Area where the lifts and such are located. I haven't seen enough other dealers, to know. Can't say I didn't LEARN from this experience though.

Thanks for the product recommendations 'Dog. I already gots lots of good stuff for those times when my left arm just reflexively starts making polishing motions and I have to go out to the garage, pick up an applicator and go Swirl-Hunting, trust me on that. This forum has kept me on the straight narrow path, where products, techniques, and the benefit of other's "trial and error" are concerned.

My appreciation is epic in scale,
Tatt

 

I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming (I wasn't). I "chose" my dealership well, apparently . (actually they were just the closest one ha).

They gonna fix me up all better, and as an added nicety they even told me they'd seen "Much Worse, Believe Me" after I stood there and swore to them that I'm not usually such a nutball, etc etc.

So friends, all is well - as soon as I can get back over there, the scratches that I been losing sleep over will be addressed. No appointment necessary.

The downside?? Well, I was all revved up for a "discussion" like at the Dodge dealers, and what a let-down I felt when I was treated with speed and respect. Adam in service (who works way too hard by the way) just rocks, and I'd recommend Patrick MINI in Schaumburg, IL to anyone.

Oh, and Kevin McConnell, you still da MAN!

Thanks you guys,
Tatt

 

Tatt,

When I first got my MCS in July '02, I had already waited a month (I know, I was lucky) when it arrived...but that was a month stuck without a car, and bumming rides from everyone to work and back all the time :(

I knew before my MA did that my MCS was being driven off the truck. I asked if he could just leave all the wrappings on, and I would take it off his hands after the inspection...no washing necessary.

Needless to say, he tried to go the extra mile, and while I was taking delivery of the vehicle, he had some henchmen wash my car to "surprise [his] customer."

I was furious at seeing dealer-installed swirls all over the roof once the wax started losing its grip.

Each service appt. I've had, I've been adamant about getting my car back, unwashed. Each time, save one, the car has gotten washed anyway. While talking to Tradd about my car on visit #6 (it was supposedly being brought around for me), I watched some guys start washing it. ** One of them dropped his wash towel on the dirty ground, picked it up, and kept scrubbing my car **. I think Tradd noticed I was having a stroke, because he turned around and looked as if someone had eaten his cat. He ran and fended them off, but I was incoherent with rage.

I still don't know how to get this fixed up, other than doing it myself, because not a single person at Sterling MINI knows a THING about car detailing. I'm furious, and shouldn't have to feel this way. I mean, 6 out of 7 visits gets a much-refused car wash after the MA reads my file, you know, the one with a large, red DO NOT WASH!!! message on it? Shame on them.

<soapboxff>

 

I would like to totally **** when it comes to keeping the car clean but after driving for a year or more I always get tiny little chips in the hood regardless. How can you remedy that?

 

crying, then touch-up paint and more waxing. The MINIs are just not aerodynamic enough to divert inbound pebbles around the car.

 

I always request that they DO NOT WASH the car - when in for service. However, with my previous car (BMW) - the Mexican lot attendents couldn't read the english words they wrote on the service tag (hanging from the rear mirror) - and they washed it away.

It only takes one time with a dirty shammy to sratch the finish... epsecially if the car is a dark finish.

On time, this happen so bad, the had to "wet sand" the sratches out. To my amazement, they got them out... even the deep ones.

Good luck!

 

I always tape a 3"x5" notecard to the middle of my steering wheel that says DO NOT WASH. So far it's worked every time.

Tattman, glad they're fixing you up!

 

CapsFan your post rings true with many around these parts I am quite sure - it's a heartbreaker to read about negative experiences with dealers, (especially the ones that are needlessly so) when I'm enjoying one who seems to somewhat CARE about their customers.

On the plus side your baseball team is earning increased respect, eh?

Regarding the diversity of those "crews", I'm making multi-lingual "Please do not wash" signs now. So far I've got "no lavese por favor", but I'm working on Polish, Russian, Romanian, German, French and Italian too .

Think they'd understand "oo-day ot-nay ash-way"??

Thanks, ChrisNL too.

Tatt
edit: here's another one auf Deutsch: "Bitte waschen Sie dieses Auto nicht!"
edit2: Russian: "Пожалуйста не вымойте этот автомобиль" (don't ask).
edit3: ParlayvouFrancais?: "S'il vous plaît ne pas laver cette voiture" (to SAY the French one properly, you have to be a female with a husky-yet-sexy voice from 40 years of smoking those crazy French cigs)

 

 

This thread has been lurking in my mind for a while... I decided to put words into action!

Check out my sign!

 

That is beautiful, man :smile:. If Latke/Andy Kaufman were around, he might help us with "please do not wash" in Latvian! (or is it Latka-ese?)...

I want the windshield-sized static sticker of that one - just add a little clear square box for my city-decal (which after mandatory insurance, is the biggest rip-off I know)...

Dealing with dealer "washes" is definitely an ongoing issue for many -

Oo-day Ot-nay Osh-way (Ease-play),
Tatt

 

Very cute! Some of the text is just little squares for me (under the German) - is that the Spanish version that I am missing a font for or something?