DON'T WASH CAR! by Mike Phillips

I do paint correction on brand new cars from the dealer all week long! They come in with paper plates and plenty of swirls and scratches, it's sad to know the dealer does not care about the car at all.
 
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I had a guy call me on the phone yesterday after seeing one of our TV commercials on Velocity Channel, said he took his black Mustang to the dealership for a regular service.

Said the paint was in very good condition before taking it in and when he went to pick it up it looked like they used sandpaper to wash it.

Luckily the dealership has found an outside detail shop to clean up their shoddy work and he said they paid to have it fixed and turned out very good.

At this time he's not a member of this forum but I sent him the link to this thread and the link to register with the forum.


:dblthumb2:
 
I'm taking my car in for servicing this morning and I'm printing this "Don't wash car" picture right now! Thanks again Mike!
 
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I have to admit that I was a bit uncertain how much trust I had in these horror stories (and there are many of them). Until earlier this year when my vehicle was serviced. It was in grand condition although nothing special (I work with detailers rather than being on myself!). It came back covered in scores and scratches and even some through into the primer. Dealership was pretty poor and I never heard anything back from them with regards to this so I have dropped it. So Skoda may make some good cars but my experience is that their service remains with the 1980s reputation!
 
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I talked to a friend of mine and was discussing how some dealers seem resistant to the idea of not washing or detailing a car. My friend works for a large GM dealer. He said that some of the new car fees, and some of the dealer service fees (like shop fees; which isn't JUST disposing of materials apparently) have the wash and detail incorporated into them (so it's not free, you're paying for it!). He says it can become a bit of an issue, even a legal issue, if they didn't provide a service that they technically charged you for. He said that's especially true of new cars that people ask to not have detailed, as they still have some 'prep and setup' paperwork to do, but are charging you a pretty hefty 'prep and setup' fee. Though those fees are often easy to negotiate away. I never liked the prep and setup fee anyway. It's usually hundreds of dollars and you could pay a nice pro detailer to get your car ready for similar or less money!
 
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Love's Auto said:
I do paint correction on brand new cars from the dealer all week long! They come in with paper plates and plenty of swirls and scratches, it's sad to know the dealer does not care about the car at all.
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I'm sure it's a combination of three factors. 1) Perhaps some lack of care, but probably more likely, banking on most owners not caring or being aware of it and they figure it's easier and cheaper just not to worry about it. 2) Pure ignorance. They just do not know. As has been discussed in this thread. They hire some kid, hand him a rotational buffer, and give him some basic instructions and some old rags. 3) Apathetic owners. When 99 of your customers thank you for washing the car and 1 of them says you did a shoddy job, it's pretty easy to assume that 1 is just a nut job.
 
Took my car to have it serviced today and thanks to Mike it didn't get destroyed!

Dont_Wash_My_Car.jpg
 
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Romans5.8 said:
I talked to a friend of mine and was discussing how some dealers seem resistant to the idea of not washing or detailing a car. My friend works for a large GM dealer. He said that some of the new car fees, and some of the dealer service fees (like shop fees; which isn't JUST disposing of materials apparently) have the wash and detail incorporated into them (so it's not free, you're paying for it!). He says it can become a bit of an issue, even a legal issue, if they didn't provide a service that they technically charged you for. He said that's especially true of new cars that people ask to not have detailed, as they still have some 'prep and setup' paperwork to do, but are charging you a pretty hefty 'prep and setup' fee. Though those fees are often easy to negotiate away. I never liked the prep and setup fee anyway. It's usually hundreds of dollars and you could pay a nice pro detailer to get your car ready for similar or less money!
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What a load of horse manure. Once I have purchased a vehicle it's my property and if I tell a service shop not to do something and I document it and they do it any way now it's their problem and they are liable. What ever the sceanrio. After all this ain't obamacare. LOL.
 
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My brother took his car to a paint shop to have an aftermarket hood and an aftermarket front valence painted. Well I didn't think of putting a sign on the car. Lesson learned. I saw the car today in the sun and it's swirled all over the place. They completely ruined the polishing we did on it back in march. Now we have to clean up their mess.
 
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My dealer changed their policy. Now, they only wash cars if the owner requests it. I guess I'm not the only one who complained.
 
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Here in Los Angeles they actually stopped washing cars due to water conservation. I remember taking my SUV to get it serviced and the only thing they would do is hose it with water and not dry it. So my car looked all ashy from all the water marks!
 
Most dealers incorporate washing and quick detail in the dealer prep fee so you are paying for it whether you want it or not. They rarely get requests to "not" touch the paint, and keep in mind they still have to pay the new car prep person whether they do it or not, so unless you are adamantly apposed to them touching your car, and you make that clear... they most certainly are.
 
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I was offered a "free detail" on both vehicles I purchased from the dealer in the last 3 years,but I kindly refused, I try not to let them place there dealer stickers on my car. R they gonna pay me to advertise for the dealership?!
 
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I've now bought two cars from this same dealership. One was a special order from the factory. They delivered it to me covered in plastic from the factory just as I asked.

The second car affirmed my reasoning why. It was a white 2014 mustang they already had on the lot and had already detailed. Actually; JUST detailed. I literally walked up on the lot and was watching the "detail guy" in his blue jean overalls scrub tar off of a quarter panel with a grimy/lily rag, scrubbing hard. This rag look like it had been used to clean up oil spots. So I have my work cut out for me.

I DID however point out the damage to the car (it IS damage) to the sales manager. The heavy swirls and scratches throughout the interior and exterior. The deal was too good to pass up so I bought it anyway but after some Insistence I got them to drop the dealer prep fee (You want me to PAY for someone to damage my new car?) and knock a few hundred bucks more off of what I already had it down. I said if they wanted me to buy it in this condition; they could either pay a reputable dealer to correct it or just "pay me" by reducing the cost by about what a professional would charge. They chose the latter.

Didn't argue about it either. I think the dealership is aware of it. They just also know 99% of customers don't care and bubba scrubbing the car with a shop rag will be more than adequate for most and far cheaper than the hours of work it would've taken a real detailer.

They have complimented me on my Black focus when I've brought it in for service though! Including once actually saying "I see why you wanted to prep it yourself this car is gorgeous!"

They know. They just also know that most people don't know!
 
My friend just picked up his brand new Subaru STI... I think he said it's a limited edition (1000 made) car called "Rally Blue" - it has the traditional gold wheels, carbon fiber trim, and some other highlights.

Here is the car... It had some wash induced marring right from the dealer (his pics - no pics of marring).

aha5a4eg.jpg


OT, but the crazy thing is he now has 2 new STIs:

u9abyqut.jpg
 
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I could have sworn there was a sign that you hung on your rear view mirror that said "do not wash" that was sold on autogeek. I just went looking for it but couldnt find it.
 
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There are some nice ones out there, but Autogeek does not appear to sell them. Given the shape and appearance of the ones out there, it would be something fairly straight forward for AG to do -- that or some nice laminated signs.
 
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swanicyouth said:
OT, but the crazy thing is he now has 2 new STIs:

u9abyqut.jpg
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I could be wrong but is your buddy missing an PA emissions/ inspection sticker? I only see one on the blue STI. Last year a friend of mine got pulled over in his 2013 Jeep because it was missing both stickers - something the dealership failed to install, he didn't notice until the PA State Trooper who pulled him over pointed it out, and ticketed him for it.
 
Angus said:
I could be wrong but is your buddy missing an PA emissions/ inspection sticker? I only see one on the blue STI. Last year a friend of mine got pulled over in his 2013 Jeep because it was missing both stickers - something the dealership failed to install, he didn't notice until the PA State Trooper who pulled him over pointed it out, and ticketed him for it.
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Funny you said that - I said the same thing. He bought the car in some God forsaken place in rural PA where they had the exact one he wanted - but emissions aren't required there.

He told me the salesman told him it was exempt because it was a new car for a year or so.

I dunno. When I was doing SI/EI every new car where I lived needed stickers.
 
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