Dealer put my car through an automatic car wash
03-18-2005, 01:02 PM
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My Ride: 535d Sport in Carbon Black / high gloss shadow line and beige leather / dark poplar with professional nav, bluetooth phone prep, CD changer, bi-xenon adaptive headlamps, servotronic steering, folding mirrors, heated comfort seats, TV, extended voice control and Logic 7 hifi.
My car was back at the dealer today for a couple of minor snagging items (one dead pixel on the display, TA volume issue, non-coded Aux In). As the car is only hand washed and polished, and knowing they have a rotating brush (petrol station style) car wash at the dealership that I do not want the car going through I did the following:
1) Told the salesman when I bought the car that I never wanted it going through the carwash
2) Put a large type note on the end of the single sheet of A4 that I left on the drivers seat confiming the work that was to be done, with the words "Please do NOT put the car through the car wash
3) Put an A4 sheet, folded in half, with the same message on twice (facing into the car, and out of the windscreen) on the dash above the instrument binnacle - so if you're driving the car, or walking towards the car, you see the message...
Car comes back today, looking very clean.... I ask the driver if it's been through the car wash - probably he says.... as I then add "as I explicitly requested that it wasn't".... "oh, maybe they didn't then"... hmmm.
Come darkness and I see the car under the halogen security light - COVERED in circular scratches from the car wash brushes. Helpfully the dealership has left both my notes requesting no car wash in the car as, what is now, evidence.
As you can imagine I'm a lilttle annoyed that they've taken my pristine ?45K car and, as far as I'm concerned *uggered the paintwork.
If it were you, how would you approach getting this resolved. I have this very bad feeling that although it's probably going to be easy to get them to agree to do *something* their chances of getting it back to perfection are, well, slim. My only hope is that it had a double layer of high quality wax (Swissol for those that know it), so maybe, just maybe, the "scratches" are just in that...
Arse!
Clive
1) Told the salesman when I bought the car that I never wanted it going through the carwash
2) Put a large type note on the end of the single sheet of A4 that I left on the drivers seat confiming the work that was to be done, with the words "Please do NOT put the car through the car wash
3) Put an A4 sheet, folded in half, with the same message on twice (facing into the car, and out of the windscreen) on the dash above the instrument binnacle - so if you're driving the car, or walking towards the car, you see the message...
Car comes back today, looking very clean.... I ask the driver if it's been through the car wash - probably he says.... as I then add "as I explicitly requested that it wasn't".... "oh, maybe they didn't then"... hmmm.
Come darkness and I see the car under the halogen security light - COVERED in circular scratches from the car wash brushes. Helpfully the dealership has left both my notes requesting no car wash in the car as, what is now, evidence.
As you can imagine I'm a lilttle annoyed that they've taken my pristine ?45K car and, as far as I'm concerned *uggered the paintwork.
If it were you, how would you approach getting this resolved. I have this very bad feeling that although it's probably going to be easy to get them to agree to do *something* their chances of getting it back to perfection are, well, slim. My only hope is that it had a double layer of high quality wax (Swissol for those that know it), so maybe, just maybe, the "scratches" are just in that...
Arse!
Clive
03-18-2005, 01:30 PM
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My Ride: E60 535d sport saloon M57 Titanium silver nav-pro, bluetooth, media pack, de-chromed, eletric sun roof, auto dim int, folding ext mirrors, auto dim int mirror, sport seats, alum cube interior trim, headlamp washers, bi Xenon, M-sport suspention, M steering wheel, M Aerodynamic bodystyling, M styling wheels, Black leather, Anthacite heading
I would be so gutted that happend to me ; I would put manager through the car wash a few time 
03-18-2005, 01:47 PM
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My Ride: Collected Sept 2009 - BMW E90 M3, Silverstone II, Novillo Black leather, 19" M Double-Spoke alloys, High Beam Assist, Electronic Damper Control, Voice Control, PDC, USB, DAB, High Gloss Shadowline, Sliding armrest, Trim Finishing in aluminium grey.
Originally Posted by clived' date='Mar 18 2005, 11:02 PM
If it were you, how would you approach getting this resolved. I have this very bad feeling that although it's probably going to be easy to get them to agree to do *something* their chances of getting it back to perfection are, well, slim. My only hope is that it had a double layer of high quality wax (Swissol for those that know it), so maybe, just maybe, the "scratches" are just in that...
Arse!
Clive
Arse!
Clive
[snapback]103486[/snapback]
I know how u must feel. On a previous E46 bought new in 2002, I collected it one morning from the garage and drove to the office - about 10 minutes away - and parked at the back end of the company car park to keep other cars away. I went out at lunchtime and noticed two longish scratch marks on the roof above the rear passanger door. Two parallel scratches about 9 inches apart and about 12 inches long. One was fairly bad and the other would just about rub out with compound.
I went straight back to the dealer and complained that it happened on their premises before I collected. Possibly someone put a brief case on the roof and dragged it as they pulled it off. Although he didn't admit culpability, he said he'd repair the scratch (I didn't want a respray) and pay for 50% of having the car Permagard'ed. At the time it was expensive'ish at about ?400. The E46 was saphire black and the pemagard really made the paint stand out, espacially when it was washed.
When I traded the E46 in 2004 for the E60, it still looked like new. The dealer at the time had an outside contractor who buffed and applied the polish and it is recommended that it is applied at delivery time. Although it didn't necessarily get rid of the swirls, it did help to protect against the everyday run of the mill stuff and gave a feelgood factor when washed.
I would hazard a guess that your dealer may deal with someone flogging a similiar product so all I could suggest is to blame the dealer with an appropriate amount of venom and insist that he does something (pays for the permagard) to help quell your deep dissatisfaction with the shoddy service not usually assocoated with a BMW dealership. (or more associated with a lockup like Arthur Daly).
03-18-2005, 02:07 PM
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clived,
swirl marks in paint are no big deal for a pro detailer to remove and your dealer should pay for a pro car detailer to come and remove them.
i know a few people who've used this guy, checkout the gallery on his site, as you will see E60s are not new to him. he is expensive but if you can get the dealer to pay.....
http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/auto-detail...ar.html?carID=7
swirl marks in paint are no big deal for a pro detailer to remove and your dealer should pay for a pro car detailer to come and remove them.
i know a few people who've used this guy, checkout the gallery on his site, as you will see E60s are not new to him. he is expensive but if you can get the dealer to pay.....
http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/auto-detail...ar.html?carID=7
03-18-2005, 02:32 PM
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Originally Posted by northernmonkey' date='Mar 18 2005, 05:07 PM
clived,
swirl marks in paint are no big deal for a pro detailer to remove and your dealer should pay for a pro car detailer to come and remove them.
i know a few people who've used this guy, checkout the gallery on his site, as you will see E60s are not new to him. he is expensive but if you can get the dealer to pay.....
http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/auto-detail...ar.html?carID=7
swirl marks in paint are no big deal for a pro detailer to remove and your dealer should pay for a pro car detailer to come and remove them.
i know a few people who've used this guy, checkout the gallery on his site, as you will see E60s are not new to him. he is expensive but if you can get the dealer to pay.....
http://www.miracledetail.co.uk/auto-detail...ar.html?carID=7
[snapback]103521[/snapback]
03-18-2005, 02:40 PM
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My Ride: MY05 545i Jet Black with Auburn interior. SMG, Logic7, Sport Package, Comfort Seats, Navigation.
You are lucky that they only put your car through the machine wash.
My dealer washed my car with stale water from a bucket!!! Needless to say, my car looked like carnival under the sun. I complained to my SA, but hey, what can he do?
2 weeks later, I received a check for $XXXX (can't mention it as per my agreement) to compensate for my lost time (SMG replacement at 1,500 miles, 14 days at the dealer) and the swirl marks. It shut me up really quick.
My dealer washed my car with stale water from a bucket!!! Needless to say, my car looked like carnival under the sun. I complained to my SA, but hey, what can he do?
2 weeks later, I received a check for $XXXX (can't mention it as per my agreement) to compensate for my lost time (SMG replacement at 1,500 miles, 14 days at the dealer) and the swirl marks. It shut me up really quick.
03-19-2005, 01:44 AM
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Originally Posted by clived' date='Mar 18 2005, 11:02 PM
My car was back at the dealer today for a couple of minor snagging items (one dead pixel on the display, TA volume issue, non-coded Aux In). As the car is only hand washed and polished, and knowing they have a rotating brush (petrol station style) car wash at the dealership that I do not want the car going through I did the following:
1) Told the salesman when I bought the car that I never wanted it going through the carwash
2) Put a large type note on the end of the single sheet of A4 that I left on the drivers seat confiming the work that was to be done, with the words "Please do NOT put the car through the car wash
3) Put an A4 sheet, folded in half, with the same message on twice (facing into the car, and out of the windscreen) on the dash above the instrument binnacle - so if you're driving the car, or walking towards the car, you see the message...
Car comes back today, looking very clean.... I ask the driver if it's been through the car wash - probably he says.... as I then add "as I explicitly requested that it wasn't".... "oh, maybe they didn't then"... hmmm.
Come darkness and I see the car under the halogen security light - COVERED in circular scratches from the car wash brushes. Helpfully the dealership has left both my notes requesting no car wash in the car as, what is now, evidence.
As you can imagine I'm a lilttle annoyed that they've taken my pristine ?45K car and, as far as I'm concerned *uggered the paintwork.
If it were you, how would you approach getting this resolved. I have this very bad feeling that although it's probably going to be easy to get them to agree to do *something* their chances of getting it back to perfection are, well, slim. My only hope is that it had a double layer of high quality wax (Swissol for those that know it), so maybe, just maybe, the "scratches" are just in that...
Arse!
Clive
1) Told the salesman when I bought the car that I never wanted it going through the carwash
2) Put a large type note on the end of the single sheet of A4 that I left on the drivers seat confiming the work that was to be done, with the words "Please do NOT put the car through the car wash
3) Put an A4 sheet, folded in half, with the same message on twice (facing into the car, and out of the windscreen) on the dash above the instrument binnacle - so if you're driving the car, or walking towards the car, you see the message...
Car comes back today, looking very clean.... I ask the driver if it's been through the car wash - probably he says.... as I then add "as I explicitly requested that it wasn't".... "oh, maybe they didn't then"... hmmm.
Come darkness and I see the car under the halogen security light - COVERED in circular scratches from the car wash brushes. Helpfully the dealership has left both my notes requesting no car wash in the car as, what is now, evidence.
As you can imagine I'm a lilttle annoyed that they've taken my pristine ?45K car and, as far as I'm concerned *uggered the paintwork.
If it were you, how would you approach getting this resolved. I have this very bad feeling that although it's probably going to be easy to get them to agree to do *something* their chances of getting it back to perfection are, well, slim. My only hope is that it had a double layer of high quality wax (Swissol for those that know it), so maybe, just maybe, the "scratches" are just in that...
Arse!
Clive
[snapback]103486[/snapback]
If BMW would know one of their dealers tend to clean customers cars in such an paint-ruiner they'ld get so mad....
03-19-2005, 10:06 AM
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My Ride: 535d Sport in Carbon Black / high gloss shadow line and beige leather / dark poplar with professional nav, bluetooth phone prep, CD changer, bi-xenon adaptive headlamps, servotronic steering, folding mirrors, heated comfort seats, TV, extended voice control and Logic 7 hifi.
Well, they are coming to take a look on Monday morning. Next task will be persuading them that they might as well let my "guy" do it, as when they try, and don't get it perfect, they'll be paying for him to do it anyway....
03-20-2005, 06:46 AM
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Clive,
Give 'em hell. This is one reason I try to avoid car going back to dealer at all costs.
By the way I was at my local dealers last week looking at the new E90 and saw the night security guy turn up for work. The security man's cabin is in the new car compound and I was amused to see him place his holdall on the roof of adjacent new 1 series whilst he unlocked the cabin and then pull of his holdall. If he did this every night I would expect that the new car would have a very scratched roof.
Mark-Yorkshire
Give 'em hell. This is one reason I try to avoid car going back to dealer at all costs.
By the way I was at my local dealers last week looking at the new E90 and saw the night security guy turn up for work. The security man's cabin is in the new car compound and I was amused to see him place his holdall on the roof of adjacent new 1 series whilst he unlocked the cabin and then pull of his holdall. If he did this every night I would expect that the new car would have a very scratched roof.
Mark-Yorkshire