Why Can’t People Follow Directions?

Where I take my FJ they would laugh at me if I told them I don't want it washed. They specialise in 4X4s, so washing someone's vehicle is just something they don't do. A dirty vehicle is a badge of honour.

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Optimus Grime said:
It's ironic because I give one to every customer. I just didn't get mine out because I thought that it was a simple state inspection and they would do what I said. The attendant even said that he was going to stamp DO NOT WASH on my info paper to make sure it wasn't but, alas, he did not and here we are.
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i was going to print/laminate a full page sign (do not wash in bold letters) and slide it under the front windshield so they see that as well. luckily i haven't had to thus far. sometimes you have to dumb it down even further for people these days..
 
I recently took my wife's Ford Escape in for warranty work. I had JUST finished a 4-step detail/winter prep on the car, and it was in immaculate (but dirty from being driven in the rain the day before).

When dropping it off at the dealer, I looked the Service Advisor straight in the eye and said: "I do not want it washed after the work, because #1, I am very particular about my cars, and #2, **I** AM a professional detailer, and your guys are not!"

Happily, the car was just as dirty when I picked it up as when I dropped it off.
 
I feel this pain, and I think as car guys we've been in this situation at least once.

This is my list going back to when I got my license and the end of 2004, there's probably more but I don't really care to remember.

- Paint removed from the rear bumper of my first car, someone backed the car into an engine stand. The dealer had it repaired.

- On the same car, I had it in to fit a factory rear spoiler at a body shop. They lost the keys and had to have the whole ignition system replaced with two new keys and fobs. On what was supposed to be a few hundred dollar job, would have cost them $1000's to have that addressed.

- The XR6 was handed back to me with paint missing from the front bumper, noticed by me upon arriving home. The dealer again repaired it.

- I've had wheels ruined when new tyres were fitted. I was then told that I did that, so never had them repaired. Very upset over that.

- The Jaguar was in for a service, when I got it home, I noticed the hood and front quarters were covering in some sort of greasy substance, all streaky/smeary. I phoned and abused the service advisor, full Victor Meldrew style, about delivering a car back to the customer like that. He insisted I return the car, but I refused to let them touch it again, then wasted an hour getting it clean in the hot summer sun.

The thing is, people make mistakes, I get that. And in most cases, the dealer or business involved will take care of the problem. But that doesn't take into account for time and effort wasted on crap like this. Not to mention being so un-present at what you are doing to even notice the DO NOT WASH notes or cards left in the vehicle. I actually put a card and have it noted in the service requests/tasks so that the tech performing the service has it in writing in front of them.



This is the Victor Meldrew reference by the way.............................. "I'd like to speak to the manager and be quick about it"............. "does he know who's calling?".................."no he doesn't but he will shortly!"

 
DFB said:
I feel this pain, and I think as car guys we've been in this situation at least once.

This is my list going back to when I got my license and the end of 2004, there's probably more but I don't really care to remember.

- Paint removed from the rear bumper of my first car, someone backed the car into an engine stand. The dealer had it repaired.

- On the same car, I had it in to fit a factory rear spoiler at a body shop. They lost the keys and had to have the whole ignition system replaced with two new keys and fobs. On what was supposed to be a few hundred dollar job, would have cost them $1000's to have that addressed.

- The XR6 was handed back to me with paint missing from the front bumper, noticed by me upon arriving home. The dealer again repaired it.

- I've had wheels ruined when new tyres were fitted. I was then told that I did that, so never had them repaired. Very upset over that.

- The Jaguar was in for a service, when I got it home, I noticed the hood and front quarters were covering in some sort of greasy substance, all streaky/smeary. I phoned and abused the service advisor, full Victor Meldrew style, about delivering a car back to the customer like that. He insisted I return the car, but I refused to let them touch it again, then wasted an hour getting it clean in the hot summer sun.

The thing is, people make mistakes, I get that. And in most cases, the dealer or business involved will take care of the problem. But that doesn't take into account for time and effort wasted on crap like this. Not to mention being so un-present at what you are doing to even notice the DO NOT WASH notes or cards left in the vehicle. I actually put a card and have it noted in the service requests/tasks so that the tech performing the service has it in writing in front of them.



This is the Victor Meldrew reference by the way.............................. "I'd like to speak to the manager and be quick about it"............. "does he know who's calling?".................."no he doesn't but he will shortly!"

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Come on Deyon, you've put a tree in a toilet of some of your customers based off how they are too

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Of course the problem with this is that most people LOVE the fact that their car is getting washed and vacuumed while they are at the dealer. A guy I used to work with told me one time that he takes his car to the dealer for oil changes because the price was the same as going somewhere else and they give you a free car wash. I guess he left out the part where they try to sell you windshield wipers and say things to you like "did you know your rear brake pads are down to 40%?" (actually heard by me said to some poor woman by a service writer in the waiting room of the dealer while I had my car there for a recall...in between nervously running to the wash bay to look in the window to make sure they hadn't ignored the "DO NOT WASH" I had them write on the service ticket--this was before I started plastering signs on the car)
 
I guess I've been fortunate. In all the years I've been detailing my own vehicles, I think it has only been washed against my wishes once. I've been to several dealerships of multiple brands in my area and each time I ask them not to wash it the response has ranged from, "Sure, not a problem" to "Yeah, your car is way too nice...we don't want to mess it up" to "Don't blame you, all of our customers who really take care of their cars all tell us the same thing, it won't look as good as it does now if we wash it".

I did forget to say things a couple times with my wife's Toyota. It got washed, and it might have picked up a few swirls. It was my fault, but ultimately the car is a physical thing. I can't get angry and let it eat me up, regardless if it was my fault or someone else, when there are far more important things to worry about. It's life. The damage was never permanent and I polished it out at some point.
 
The issue has been resolved. The service department manager is a fair main and is reimbursing me for the cost to polish out the scratches and redo my coating. I’m still pissed that I’ve got to take a day of my vacation and redo something I wasn’t hoping to have to do for another 3 years or so.

I do find it a bit funny that on my way home I got this text.

 
Two dealers I use both have an orange triangle "hat" they sit on the roof to designate a "No Wash" car.
 
Bill D said:
What are you going to write on the survey?
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I’m not sure. If I do I’d give the general manager 5 stars for how promptly he was willing to rectify the situation. The attendant on the other, who explicitly told me that he was going to stamp DO NOT WASH on the work order, is another story. I don’t want to see anyone lose their job over a mistake but it’s a mistake that should have been avoided.
 
Look, we "do not wash" people are the 1% of customers at these places. I mean what about the looks we get when we ask that they leave the plastic on our new car? That look of incredulity? I don't fault these workers for doing what 99% of customers want. I didn't go back and review the thread, but was the problem the service writer didn't actually write that on the order? Or is the problem that the mechanic etc. just did what they do for 99% of customers, which is take it to the wash bay after without looking at the work order?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Look, we "do not wash" people are the 1% of customers at these places. I mean what about the looks we get when we ask that they leave the plastic on our new car? That look of incredulity? I don't fault these workers for doing what 99% of customers want. I didn't go back and review the thread, but was the problem the service writer didn't actually write that on the order? Or is the problem that the mechanic etc. just did what they do for 99% of customers, which is take it to the wash bay after without looking at the work order?
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The attendant didn’t stamp it on the work order like he said he was going to do. This solely the fault of the attendant.
 
The Lexus dealer around here happily honored my dad’s request to not wash his car. They even sent a video of the car up on the lift undergoing its service. I found that impressive! The mechanic commented that the car was immaculate. This Lexus dealer just might get the 1% who are passionate about the appearance of their cars.
 
Uncbrs said:
They think their washes and "details" are a service we should appreciate.

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Believe it or not...a lot of people do. The wife of one of my best friends thinks it's great that her Acura gets washed every time it gets serviced. I offered to stop by with my light to show her what they are doing....she declined.
 
briarpatch said:
Believe it or not...a lot of people do. The wife of one of my best friends thinks it's great that her Acura gets washed every time it gets serviced. I offered to stop by with my light to show her what they are doing....she declined.
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Ignorance is bliss. I'm guilty at one point when I was leasing and got away from maintaining good paint. I cringe a little now thinking back.

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briarpatch said:
Believe it or not...a lot of people do. The wife of one of my best friends thinks it's great that her Acura gets washed every time it gets serviced. I offered to stop by with my light to show her what they are doing....she declined.
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It’s crazy that I’m so anal about maintaining my car now. My wife has an Acura with some scratches all because of the same thing. Before I got into detailing and proper washing and coatings, if I went to the dealership I gladly accepted the free wash because it meant that I didn’t have to wash it. I did finally polish it when I got into detailing but there are still a few light scratches on the roof that no one can see but me that are my constant reminder of my past neglectful ways. 99% of people live in the detailing Matrix and we are the very few that were offered the red pill at some point and actually took it.
 
To me it’s about pride of ownership. I just simply refuse to treat my vehicles like they are throw way appliances. I’m like this in most other areas of my life as well. It’s quickly becoming more and more of an uncommon practice in society nowadays though and I find that to be a damn shame.
 
Klasse Act said:
Come on Deyon, you've put a tree in a toilet of some of your customers based off how they are too

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Put it this way, some customers would need to go to the toilet after I put a tree somewhere it shouldn't be.
 
Bill D said:
To me it’s about pride of ownership. I just simply refuse to treat my vehicles like they are throw way appliances. I’m like this in most other areas of my life as well. It’s quickly becoming more and more of an uncommon practice in society nowadays though and I find that to be a damn shame.
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So very very true. I grew up poor and I can say, without hyperbole, that I had the worst house in my neighborhood and the worst cars. I’ve managed to do all right for myself and have a decent house and my precious Accord. Neither cars nor houses these days are cheap and I refuse to spend thousands upon thousands on something and let it go to hell. I work hard for my property and I’m gonna take care of it.

My neighborhood kills me. I regularly see a new car driving around almost weekly and they are all $50K+. They are either covered in months of dirt and grime or scratched to hell from automatic washes. It’s the same with the houses. Many of my neighbors spend thousands on fancy brick retaining walls around their flower beds and tree rings and never mow their grass. It looks ridiculous. These people pay for this great looking architecture and let it get covered in weeds and unmaintained lawns. There’s an house right behind me with weeds as tall as a two year old. And just like with their cars, when it’s time to clean things up they want to haggle with detailers and lawn care services for insanely low prices to do a ridiculous amount of work. That’s my rant for today so I’ll step away from the keyboard now.
 
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