Told them NOT TO WASH the car

Jimbo10

Jimbo10

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Car went into Audi today for A/C issues. Told them not to wash the car (on the paperwork I signed the service advisor circled 'No' under "Wash vehicle?") He also wrote on the page Do Not Wash.

Collect the car. Get in the drivers seat to find one of those paper things hanging from the rear view mirror:

Vacuumed - TICK
Washed - TICK

I inspect the vehicle and to my utter disbelief...4-5 marks on the bodywork.
Went back in to see the guy and I was visibly irritated. Kept my cool with him as it wasn't his fault. He admitted liability and said that it shouldn't have been washed and that they'll sort it out.

What am I supposed to do now? It's going back in next week to have an aircon part replaced and the guy said they would do smart repairs on the scratches when the car is back with them. All this happened at the end of the day when the dealership was closing.

Never been in this situation before so any advice would be welcome. Do I go back tomorrow and speak to the manager?

As a side note. My dash cam recorded the bloke washing the car. Clearly he wanted to test out the B&O stereo and cranked it up to full volume - so much so that the ****** thing was crackling and distorted when I played the video back on my laptop.
Am I being petty about that or should I say something?

Feel totally deflated about it all. When you take your car to Audi you expect it to be looked after and treated professionally. Apparently I'm extremely naive.
 

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I would get them to pay for a full detail..with you choosing were it goes...i would except nothing else...they have admitted fault so can't see a problem
 
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@Jimbo10 - Feeling your pain buddy
I would be asking for a Pro Detailer to fix the mess the Dealer inflicted
Please don't let the Dealer try & fix their mess, They WILL only make it worse, a lot worse
Don't forget to print some of these off before a return visit to the Dealer too
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/downloadable-do-not-wash-signs.247190/
I have 3 laminated which I always leave in my cars when they visit a Dealer
Jimbo10 said:
When you take your car to Audi you expect it to be looked after and treated professionally. Apparently I'm extremely naive.
Click to expand...
I had the same expectations as you until this happened to me recently
http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/thread...oon-black-edition.240456/page-14#post-3054226
& no your not naive my friend
 
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The sound bit was quite amusing. I am sure you camera is the result of the distortion not the sound system. Even if you spent lots on a dash cam - they aren’t designed for loud recordings!
 
Another great example of Audi customer care!

Muppets! Numpties!! and that's just been polite.
 
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As many said, as its their fault and admitted liability, you choose the detailer YOU trust and want and audi will be paying for the bill. As cheeky as you can ask for a full valet but its only fair for the detailer to 'fix' the affected area in their preference.
 
Do not let Audi sort it under any circumstance. I've been there before and it will only get worse. I would ask them to sort it with a detailer etc or at least a contribution towards one. A detailer will do the best job possible, but a word of warning Audi paint is very poor.

My S3 was in a bad state from day one. I took it from the dealer to the detailer within the hour of collection. I asked Audi not to wash it or valet it and I had to sign to say I wanted the car leaving alone etc.

Long story short it needed 2 stage machine polish etc, I was shocked but one the detailer was finished it was perfect.
 
All dealerships have self employed Pro Detailers at there beck n Call.....it will be corrected mate... sorry to see this mate
 
You forgot the extra idiot interior signage .

****** muppets .
 
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I'm a paint sprayer with over 20 yrs experience it looks like those scratches will flat and polish out I would take it to a reputable bodyshop of your choice and get them to try polishing it if not they can then quote to do the job properly
Any smart repairer who knows anything about paintwork which 99% don't!! would not be touching it because of where the damage is dont let Audi talk you into it either as that is the cheapest option for them!
 
Cheers for the replies guys.

As @jassyo06 said, I know the dealer has an independent detailer/paint guy who works at the dealership once a week (apparently he works at other dealers throughout the week)...however I have no idea how good he is, nor do I know a detailer in the North East (any recommendations will be gratefully appreciated). The car has only been detailed once and that was down south in Hertfordshire.

Decided the best course of action is to see the manager tomorrow morning and see how he handles the situation and take it from there.

I've attached a picture of the guy's business card that does the paint work at the dealership. Anyone heard of him?

IMG 1814
 
Looks like those scratches will polish out, but does your fingernail catch in any of the scratches, if it does, that could be an issue requiring more than a polish.
 
Under no circumstances do you let them touch it, they will put a Latvian numpty on it with a heavy duty bottle of T Cut.. goodbye clearcoat!! I've seen it done on mine before!!

Get it sent to a detailer of choice, it's good that they admitted liability. My dealer I use for service knows better than to wash my car now, but I always put a sign in and tell them.
 
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But yeah seriously I wouldn't be letting the dealer or their guy touch it again... Get it sorted wherever/however and agree for them to foot the bill :)
 
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Wash your car first (inside and out) before taking it to the dealer for any work. Then write big notes on A4 paper that says "NO CAR WASH", and use tape to stick them on the dashboard, in the rear center console, and in the trunk to be safe. Been doing this for the last 10 years.

Do not rely on a little checkbox and hope that the dealer lot boys would actually read it.
 
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JunkStory said:
Wash your car first (inside and out) before taking it to the dealer for any work. Then write big notes on A4 paper that says "NO CAR WASH", and use tape to stick them on the dashboard, in the rear center console, and in the trunk to be safe. Been doing this for the last 10 years.

Do not rely on a little checkbox and hope that the dealer lot boys would actually read it.
Click to expand...

I'm in two minds about washing it before or not. I think if it is really dirty (so the dealer can really do some damage) I'd wash it. But I quite like to plan it well so there are some flies, water marks etc but nothing major, as it is then easier to spot if it has been washed or not ;)
 
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azibux1 said:
I'm in two minds about washing it before or not. I think if it is really dirty (so the dealer can really do some damage) I'd wash it. But I quite like to plan it well so there are some flies, water marks etc but nothing major, as it is then easier to spot if it has been washed or not ;)
Click to expand...

Sneaky tactics, I like it ;)
 
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I think you may have been a little naive.
Numerous examples on forums of dealer stupidity.

Paint needs fixing properly.

Stereo turned up loud.....let it go imo.
 
With the stereo up loud, the most I'd do is tell the service advisor. See what he/she says and just tell them it doesn't 'seem' to have caused any damage but it is unprofessional regardless!
 
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Those lovely front panel off head units so oiks can't mess .
 
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@MikeParkin Their enhancement detail is from £325 - I'm not confident about the dealer agreeing to cover that. However I could be wrong.

Saying that. I wouldn't expect certain stuff to be done, like the cleaning wheels & arches / sealing. So maybe that would reduce the price somewhat
 
Never though of placing a sign inside the car. Great idea. Will be doing that from now on.
default_afro.gif


It takes me a full day to detail each of our cars. They undo that work in less than 30 minutes.
default_board_dash1.gif
 
jassyo06 said:
All dealerships have self employed Pro Detailers at there beck n Call.....it will be corrected mate... sorry to see this mate
Click to expand...

That may be so. But one "pro" detailer is not necessarily as good as another, so it may be best for the OP to go with one he trusts, rather than the dealership.

I just don't trust dealerships to wash my cars, VW or Audi, not even the Audi dealer I have used for 17+ years.

To the OP, as others have said, you have to push for a full corrective detail from a true Professional Detailer that you trust, or one that some of the guys on here recommend.

You trusted them the first time not to wash it, don't take a chance with them again, because if the guy they use is cr#p, he'll just inflict more damage over the rest of the car.

Hope you get it sorted.

AL
 
UPDATE:

Went to see the manager.
We looked at the car and I showed him the scratches. One of his first responses was something along the lines of "I've been here for a year and a half and we wash 40 cars a day and never had an issue".

To which I said 'Lucky me. Looks like I'm the first".
He went on to say that the scratches are unlikely to have been caused by them as they're not in a uniform manner that you would expect when scratches occur when cleaning.

I then said that the Audi paperwork clearly marks two cosmetic blemishes on the rear of the car which were already there (a technician must've done a walk round before doing any work).
These new scratches are more visible than the existing ones on the rear so why are they not marked on the technicians report? He didn't really have an answer for that.

This is all redundant because if they had not washed the car like I requested...we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
I then showed him the dash cam footage of the music blaring out the stereo which he said wasn't acceptable. Employees are told not to play music in customers cars so he thanked me for bringing that to his attention.

It's going back in for warranty work next week and he said that their paint specialist will deal with the cosmetic issues and felt like I was shoed into this resolution somewhat.
Part of me in annoyed/angry at the damage that's been caused but another part of me is embarrassed to actually demand that things are corrected the way I want them to be.

I must add. The bloke was empathetic and wants to right the wrong but part of me feels sick about it all. In all honesty I want the car to be sorted by a professional detailer there is likely to be a whole host of swirl marks inflicted on the paintwork that are currently being masked by the polish the bloke put on the car.

Where do I stand with this. Am I able to demand a professional detailer or is that unreasonable?
 
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Jimbo10 said:
UPDATE:

Went to see the manager.
We looked at the car and I showed him the scratches. One of his first responses was something along the lines of "I've been here for a year and a half and we wash 40 cars a day and never had an issue".

To which I said 'Lucky me. Looks like I'm the first".
He went on to say that the scratches are unlikely to have been caused by them as they're not in a uniform manner that you would expect when scratches occur when cleaning.

I then said that the Audi paperwork clearly marks two cosmetic blemishes on the rear of the car which were already there (a technician must've done a walk round before doing any work).
These new scratches are more visible than the existing ones on the rear so why are they not marked on the technicians report? He didn't really have an answer for that.

This is all redundant because if they had not washed the car like I requested...we wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
I then showed him the dash cam footage of the music blaring out the stereo which he said wasn't acceptable. Employees are told not to play music in customers cars so he thanked me for bringing that to his attention.

It's going back in for warranty work next week and he said that their paint specialist will deal with the cosmetic issues and felt like I was shoed into this resolution somewhat.
Part of me in annoyed/angry at the damage that's been caused but another part of me is embarrassed to actually demand that things are corrected the way I want them to be.

I must add. The bloke was empathetic and wants to right the wrong but part of me feels sick about it all. In all honesty I want the car to be sorted by a professional detailer there is likely to be a whole host of swirl marks inflicted on the paintwork that are currently being masked by the polish the bloke put on the car.

Where do I stand with this. Am I able to demand a professional detailer or is that unreasonable?
Click to expand...

Perhaps requesting a full corrective detail is a bit too much to ask. But a good detailer will assess how deep the new scratches are, and polish around them to minimise how prominent they look. Kind of tricking the eye. Or they may even polish out. I cant tell how deep they are from pics.

I had similar with VW once, when our Golf got scratched in their car park. They fobbed me off, said their paint specialist would sort. But I didn't trust them, and had to bite-the-bullet and cough up for a localised correction from the detailer I trust.

AL
 
Jimbo10 said:
we wash 40 cars a day and never had an issue".
Click to expand...

So roughly 5 cars an hour based on a 9 hour shift minus an hour for lunch! So 60 mins for 5 cars = 12 mins per car! I spend longer than that just on my alloys lol.

The last time I took my car to Audi I got the girl who was booking me in to come outside and check all the alloys and paint to see that there was no damage. I had already taken a video of the car in their car park on my phone! I asked her to put a note on their system not to wash it and I also left a do not wash sign stuck on the steering wheel.

As for the radio being loud, as others have said it's not professional and gives the impression a boy racer/yob has been working on your car.
 
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And now the sun has come out I can see an abundance of swirls. Passers by most probably heard the sound of my heart breaking when I noticed them.

What a mess eh. If only the car washer could've doe his job properly and read the paperwork not to clean the car.
Feel so overdramatic but I'm borderline devastated
 
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Jimbo10 said:
And now the sun has come out I can see an abundance of swirls. Passers by most probably heard the sound of my heart breaking when I noticed them.

What a mess eh. If only the car washer could've doe his job properly and read the paperwork not to clean the car.
Feel so overdramatic but I'm borderline devastated
Click to expand...

I appreciate your disappointment and frustration but, if you are unhappy with the prospect of your Audi dealer trying to fix the problem, is the most pragmatic approach to get a detailer you are comfortable with to assess the car and give you an estimate of the cost.

You then need to make an honest assessment of the paint condition before Audi's bucket and sponge got to work (you mentioned a couple of pre-existing marks) and then determine a fair contribution to ask your Audi dealer to make. They will have to pay something for the work they have agreed to do and so they may be an alternative solution that works better for everyone.

Clearly you a genuinely disappointed and trying your best to be reasonable but I suspect that dealers also have to deal with many less honest customers who jump at any chance to have disproportionate recompense for any mistakes that can be blamed on the dealer.
 
Got to say this but you'll polish these scratches out yourself without a detailer or DA polisher...l do it all the time
 
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jassyo06 said:
Got to say this but you'll polish these scratches out yourself without a detailer or DA polisher...l do it all the time
Click to expand...

True, I've been quite successful before now.. 90 seconds with super resin polish, job done and risk free.
 
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I feel for you buddy. On two separate occasions on two different cars the dealer washed my car. This is after them writing on the paperwork in big letters "No Wash".

This happened a third time on my last car. Thankfully now though the dealer has a new system in place where in order for the cleaning people to get the keys for the car they has to look on a clipboard list with all the cars registrations that want washing. If it's not on the list "it doesn't get wash". Their new system seems to work as mines not been washed since.

Hope you get it sorted.
 
Let their man try flatting and polishing the marks out but under no circumstances let him do a smart repair on it even if he gets them out 99% it's better than a "smart repair" then hit them for a free service or something as compensation
 
MikegS3 said:
Let their man try flatting and polishing the marks out but under no circumstances let him do a smart repair on it even if he gets them out 99% it's better than a "smart repair" then hit them for a free service or something as compensation
Click to expand...
What's the difference between a smart repair and polishing them out?

Whilst it would be nice for them to offer some sort of goodwill gesture, I'm not sure they will do so.
I have a service in hand, already paid for so can't see what they could offer as a 'sorry we swirled your car and scratched it'
 
A smart repair is where they will only spray a a bit of the panel flat and polish involves no paint at all have a look on YouTube there's probably plenty on there so you can understand a bit more about what they will do to your car
 
Jimbo10 said:
I have a service in hand, already paid for so can't see what they could offer as a 'sorry we swirled your car and scratched it'
Click to expand...
Free Audi goodies :D Maybe some Audi logo puddle lights or something
 
Super resin polish will fill loads of them in but thats not what you want to hear,you need them to get it back to what it was before
 
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