Cheapskate washing with weep water

[ScottV]

Had another customer pull into my SS bays over the weekend, get change from the changer and then start rinsing off his car with the weep water coming out of the gun. This happens often in the winter months when the weeps are running.

When he started brushing down his car with the foam brush and still hadnt deposited any quarters, I walked into the bay and suggested that this wasnt a free wash and unless he deposited some money, he should clean his car elsewhere.

Ticked him right off, he storms over to the coinbox, drops some quarters and begins foam brushing his car in a huff. Instead of putting the brush back in the holder, he throws it on the floor, grabs the gun and rinses off the car. I figure if he throws the gun on the floor, then he and I are going to have another discussion.

Instead he slams the gun into the holder, jumps in his car and begins to leave. I walk into the bay as he is pulling out, pick up the brush and place it in the holder, wave goodbye to him as I slide the $2.75 in quarters that he forgot to take off the top of the coinbox, and put them in my pocket.

Some people!!.........

 

[phred113]

I have a strict no tipping policy. I would have run after the guy and given him his money back. Your right, some people.

 

[MEP001]

It's the weep-rinsers that got me thinking about an antifreeze purge in place of a running water weep. Just the other night a guy in a DirecTV van used a shop towel and the weep to try and wash his whole vehicle for free, at which point I shut off the weep until he left.

I'll try and have this working before next winter, at which point I'll share the list of parts and the setup, if anyone's interested.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

I get a few weep-washers too. I just casually tell them that they're washing with a recycled antifreeze solution -- which is true, it's recycled water, and I use it to prevent freezing. That usually makes them stop fast! Funny, a couple weeks ago I said that and the guy started screaming at his wife "why didnt you tell me that you @#$@%" LOL.

 

[brightshine]

I have one a little better.....I had a paying customer come in and use the triple foam gun, washed and left. The next guy comes in and sees a pile of triple foam on the dirty ground. So he proceeds to take the brush, dip it into the dirt filled triple foam and scrub his truck. We were all sitting in the office watching this on the security cameras laughing our @sses off. He eventually put some money in to wash out the new scratches. I just couldn't believe how cheap this guy was....and yes I did go out after and wash the brush out.........

 

[Randy]

ScottV, what kind of weep system do you have? Years ago before I put in a Dixmor Weepmizer the weep would just run and I?d get a few cheapsters who would wash with water. After I put in the Weepmizer it pretty much stopped the cheapsters because they have to wait for it to cycle on for a few seconds and then off it?d go.

I had a guy come in once, pulled the grate off the pit, dripped the foam brush into pit water and washed his car. Scratched it up bad.

 

[ScottV]

Randy,

I've got the I-Wash SS system with a standard weep system. When it gets below 36 deg F (or whatever I set it at), the guns and foam brushes weep constantly.

It's normally not a problem but this guys response just kind of took me by surprise. That's why I thought I would share the story.

ScottV

 

[Keith Baker]

I used to turn off the weep water when someone did this. But a couple of times I forgot to turn it back on. After wasting a lot of time and a lot of hot water thawing the lines out, I decided that wasn't the best strategy to stop them.
The Dixmor Weepmizer works well for me. At 32 degrees the water is on for 10 seconds and off for 50 seconds, at 25 degrees its 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off, at 20 degrees its always on. Most people give up if they don't get a continuous stream.
If they want to stand there when the tempurature drops into the teens dribbling water on to their car, let them.