Earl Weiss
Well-known member
Ditto. don't give out your insurance info to numb nuts with BS claims.
Car Wash Forum
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Customer claims pressure removed some paint from his bumper
- Thread starter acbruno
- Start date
Ditto. don't give out your insurance info to numb nuts with BS claims.
MJ & Earl - interesting viewpoint. I haven't had any issues by going to my insurance company, but do know I don't do it right away. I do as others do and work through the different angles of discussion with the customer. When there seems no path to resolution, then I go to the insurance. I've had to do this less than 5 times over the past 7yrs, so usually I'm able to resolve the situation myself. But when they are insistent, then out comes the claim hotline. The times they've contacted the insurance, a claims adjuster was sent out, luckily in the instances they sent out a former auto body repair person. He was able to explain to the customer how the equipment was unable to do such damage.
Anyway - just a suggestion. People want to blame us for a lot of things. I agree that there had to be some type of catalyst that caused/started the paint removal, such as an imperfection or rock chip. I don't see how straight pressure from the hose would have done that, unless you stood there for a long time, very close, and held it in one spot.
Anyway - just a suggestion. People want to blame us for a lot of things. I agree that there had to be some type of catalyst that caused/started the paint removal, such as an imperfection or rock chip. I don't see how straight pressure from the hose would have done that, unless you stood there for a long time, very close, and held it in one spot.
After 30 years of self serve washing I have experienced a number of paint complaints. All the problems were from repainted or repaired vehicles. It is a paint prep or quality issue. I have use at your own risk statements on the foam brushes.
1. Customer claimed foam brush created short scratches all over one color on his two tone paint job. Of course the other color had no scratches. It was clearly a poor paint job and paint crazing was the problem. Supposedly, the customer only observed the problem after washing. Of course he didn't consider that it just started and he noticed it once the dirty car was washed. The next move was to threaten me with his wife saying she would tell everyone at the hospital where she worked. His explanation on why not the other color, " that color is a soft paint". I started taking the policy if they threaten you about ruining your business if you don't fix it. Then that is extortion, call the police.
2. Customer complained high pressure took the decal around the rear window of his volvo off. Of course the vehicle was over 10 years old and you could see the decal was loose and cracking from UV exposure. He was a professor at local college, he also threatened to ruin my business if I would not repair it. 2 weeks later I saw in the local paper that he made a police report that is was vandalized in a parking lot. I should have called the police and reported him for insurance fraud. I think we all know high pressure can remove paint striping etc. if the edges of the decal are lifted any amount.
3-10. More of the same. Poor paint job and they want you to fix it. I won't notify my insurance because those guys will settle it and jack up my (our) rates. If I know we are at fault. something breaks, etc. We fix it. Poor paint job their problem. We all wash thousands of cars per year. If it was a pressure problem we would be damaging alot of vehicles.
1. Customer claimed foam brush created short scratches all over one color on his two tone paint job. Of course the other color had no scratches. It was clearly a poor paint job and paint crazing was the problem. Supposedly, the customer only observed the problem after washing. Of course he didn't consider that it just started and he noticed it once the dirty car was washed. The next move was to threaten me with his wife saying she would tell everyone at the hospital where she worked. His explanation on why not the other color, " that color is a soft paint". I started taking the policy if they threaten you about ruining your business if you don't fix it. Then that is extortion, call the police.
2. Customer complained high pressure took the decal around the rear window of his volvo off. Of course the vehicle was over 10 years old and you could see the decal was loose and cracking from UV exposure. He was a professor at local college, he also threatened to ruin my business if I would not repair it. 2 weeks later I saw in the local paper that he made a police report that is was vandalized in a parking lot. I should have called the police and reported him for insurance fraud. I think we all know high pressure can remove paint striping etc. if the edges of the decal are lifted any amount.
3-10. More of the same. Poor paint job and they want you to fix it. I won't notify my insurance because those guys will settle it and jack up my (our) rates. If I know we are at fault. something breaks, etc. We fix it. Poor paint job their problem. We all wash thousands of cars per year. If it was a pressure problem we would be damaging alot of vehicles.
It looks like something has sat on the surface of the paint and softened it. The shape, location, and size make me lean this way...car in front of him tiny brake fluid leak could make a little splash of fluid looking just like that. That would be all she wrote for the paint. At that point a garden hose would strip it.
I always wonder about the people who go right to the "i'm telling all my friends" tactic. I have had friends that do this and I don't listen to a word they say. I knew they were complaining to complain. Something is always wrong and it is NEVER their fault. Maybe 30 years around a carwash has made me grumpy, but if their "friends" are anything at all like them....I don't want them. Ill be very diplomatic with customer's concerns and typically bend over backwards if I am at fault. However "i'm telling all my friends sounds like a threat" and I don't deal well with those.
I always wonder about the people who go right to the "i'm telling all my friends" tactic. I have had friends that do this and I don't listen to a word they say. I knew they were complaining to complain. Something is always wrong and it is NEVER their fault. Maybe 30 years around a carwash has made me grumpy, but if their "friends" are anything at all like them....I don't want them. Ill be very diplomatic with customer's concerns and typically bend over backwards if I am at fault. However "i'm telling all my friends sounds like a threat" and I don't deal well with those.
carwashireland
Active member
I recently had a customer with a similar problem. It went to court and the customer won the case with me having to pay for the respray and damage. The judgblamed my vague disclaimer and said if my disclaimer specified that "Anyone using the wash with defective paint must not use the wash" then I would have won the case! I would suggest having a very detailed disclaimer on site just to keep you protected. I can mail you one in wor
d if you like!
Leighton
d if you like!
Leighton
rph9168
Carwashguy
That judge is out of line. If you had to have a declaimer for everything possible problem - real or unreal - you would need more wall space in your wash. I have found that you cannot always count on small claims courts to be consistent with their rulings. They often base their decisions on personal biases or emotions instead of the law. The best way to present your side is as logically and simply as possible to have the best shot at winning but even then it is a bit of a crapshoot.
