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Carwash damage?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by chartquist, Jun 3, 2010.

  1. chartquist

    chartquist New Member

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    Has anyone experienced damage from the tire guide rail in a carwash? Last night after going though a long tunnel-style automatic carwash, I noticed a 8" - 10" perfectly straight gouge in the plastic front left fender just in front of the tire. I suspect that the fender hangs low enough and far enough out to the side that it contacted the guide rail before the tire touched it. I haven't gone back to the carwash yet to see if there's any recourse to get the damage fixed, but I'm pretty sure it was at my own risk. Total bummer.
     
  2. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Oh yeah...very common. One of the many reason automatic carwashes are bad for your car...
     
  3. scottwyden

    scottwyden new jersey photographer

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    Now I have to go check mine.. just went through the car wash last night!
     
  4. Joe166

    Joe166 New Member

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    When I used to use Car Washes I found them to be fairly responsive to complaints, but time is of the essence. You have to get them while they are fresh. Otherwise, you have much more to prove...not only that their equipment could have caused the damage, but that some intervening cause was not involved.
     
  5. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Assuming one of their employees drove it onto the track (and not you), you're not necessarily out of luck.

    I would go back, ask to speak to the manager, drive the car to the entrance to the track, and examine with him if the track is high enough to have done the damage. If so, they should step up and pay for the repair--if not, ask to speak to the owner.

    I had a wheel damaged at a car wash a few years ago., which I noticed as I was entering the car at the car wash. The manager said it was impossible, the track has a protective vinyl liner, blah, blah, blah. The owner happened to be on site, and when he saw the damage, he immediately apologized. He tried to convince me to have it repaired at their expense, but I refused and he finally agreed to replace the wheel (cost them $700 w/ labor).
     
  6. chartquist

    chartquist New Member

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    It was the style of carwash where you never get out of the car (still a long tunnel though and not the gas-station style where the equipment moves around the car). An attendant guides you into the beginning of the wash. I think it actually happened sometime during the wash itself, not when entering the channel in the beginning. I never touched the steering wheel after the car started being propelled by the wash mechansim. I'm thinking that the narrowness of the Prius tires also could have been a contributing factor, allowing for somewhat of a zig-zag within the tire channel. Regardless, I'm kinda heartbroken.
     
  7. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Everything can be fixed...not to worry...
     
  8. eglmainz

    eglmainz New Member

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    I assume that you mean "If so, they should step up, and if the manager refuses, ask for the owner, and if not, then the damage could have happened elsewhere."
     
  9. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Here's the reality.

    I just came from owning a 1993 automobile.

    I suppose a nice "benefit" was that the finish was old enough ( I bought it used ) that I had little hesitation about using an automatic car wash. A drive-through car wash cleaned it, and it already had swirl marks and scratches from 17 years of use.

    On my new vehicle? There is no way I'm using a drive through car wash. I don't care how safe, touchless, brushless it reportedly is, I don't care if Scarlett Johansson hand dries the vehicle dressed in her Iron Man cat suit...if you care about your cars finish...tire rails or otherwise..it's too much of a risk.

    However, I might buy back my used car if a car wash hires Scarlett...
     
  10. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    You know what happens when you assume? ;)

    I meant exactly what I said--which part of it are you taking issue with?
     
  11. eglmainz

    eglmainz New Member

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    I just found the statement that indicated that if the damage lined up to the machine, ask for the manager and make him pay it, if not, get the owner....

    Sounds as though you are saying if the damage lined up to the machine ask for the manager (and make him pay), and if (the damage does not line up), then ask for the owner to pay for it.

    I think you meant that if the damage was their, and manager did not pay ask for owner, instead of how I read it that if they are responsible they pay, and if not responsible, get the owner to pay.

    Just semantics. Now that I've reread it several times, I guess it could be read either way. (I just must interact with a bunch of folks always seeking blame, so I read it to mean either way, get them to pay).
     
  12. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Comments in bold below

     
  13. chartquist

    chartquist New Member

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    UPDATE: I went back to the carwash after lunch and we did another run to verify. The gouge was 100% caused by the carwash. About 30 feet into the carwash, the car encounters the typical spinning brush to clean the tires. The first thing the car hits before the brush is a plastic "bumper" of sorts. This bumper is intended to hit the tire, but the Gen III Prius fenders are so low and outward of the tire for aerodynamics that the fender actually hits first. This brush bumper pressed hard enough against the car to bend the fender inward and cause the gouges. Photos of the damage attached.

    I filled out an incident report at the carwash (it's a Boomerang Carwash franchise- they have many locations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee) and the manager told me that I'll receive a call from his District Manager within 48 hours. We shall see...

    So, moral of the story is to beware of automatic car washes because our beloved Priuses have fragile front wings!
     

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  14. SW03ES

    SW03ES Senior Member

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    Ouch...

    What do you pay for that carwash by the way? Call a mobile detailing outfit and see what they would charge you to come to your home or place of business and wash the car.

    Here its not much more...
     
  15. chartquist

    chartquist New Member

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    $6 for the basic wash. It's actually a very nice carwash with free vacuums too, except for the part where it eats Prius fenders.
     
  16. scottwyden

    scottwyden new jersey photographer

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    i just double checked mine and it's ok. sorry that yours got all fugged up.. hope it gets taken care of!
     
  17. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    So close--it almost missed!

    Since this is a multiple location car wash company, I'm sure they'll handle it.
     
  18. Felt

    Felt Senior Member

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    I routinely use the self-wash with the high pressure hose, soap, rinse and non-streak spray.

    Once I ran it through an auto wash with the rotating drums and when the overhead roller got to the rear ... it buffeted the spoiler so badly that I thought it would tear it off. Never again!!
     
  19. chartquist

    chartquist New Member

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    Another update: The carwash has offered to reimburse me for the damage and asked for three estimates. A body shop will have to remove the bumper cover, repair the gouges, and repaint/clearcoat. Got the estimates yesterday, and they are all close, in the $600 range. The carwash should have a check for me within a few days.
     
  20. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    Glad to hear they stepped up.