Defending the prep gun / paint peel saga

[eda]

so i have a customer who states we peeled paint off his vehicle. i in formed him our prep gun runs at 650 psi, and factory paints should handle 1200 psi.
does anybody know where i can document my fact/position?

eda

 

[mjwalsh]

so i have a customer who states we peeled paint off his vehicle. i in formed him our prep gun runs at 650 psi, and factory paints should handle 1200 psi.
does anybody know where i can document my fact/position?

eda

Eda,

I wonder if it was on a part of the car that was plastic? I have a flashback of when I volunteered for a customer at our self service car wash to show him the bugs should come right off easily on his brand new car front bumper. I was shocked that what appeared to be a paint or vinyl covering peeled from where I sprayed. Customer volunteered to say the bumper was poorly manufacturered on his vehicle. I am not sure if he went to dealership to complain ... but he did not seek damages from me --- whew!

mike

 

[Earl Weiss]

so i have a customer who states we peeled paint off his vehicle. i in formed him our prep gun runs at 650 psi, and factory paints should handle 1200 psi.
does anybody know where i can document my fact/position?

eda

No info, but I suggest:

Run a Google search and see if there are issues with similar makes / models.

Get the VIN and run a Car Fax to see if you can determine if there was a repaint or replacement.

 

[mac]

I had a car repainted and the shop said good paint can be washed a 2,500 psi sprayer. I wouldn't try it, but they seemed comfortable with that.

 

[pitzerwm]

Save yourself a lot of stress, tell him to turn it in to his insurance company and if they determine that it is your fault, that the two insurance companies will work it out. That is what you pay for.

Why mess with "is it or is it not your fault" He won't be happy unless you pay for it, you can't win this argument.

This is what I always did, never paid for one situation.

 

[rph9168]

How old is this vehicle? If it is fairly new the paint might be on warantee. If it is an older model I would not offer to pay. If you prep every car and this is the first incidence of any damage like this they wouldn't stand a chance in small claims court. Any chance you have any of this on video? Turning it in to your insurance might have an adverse effect on you premiums so that would be a last resort.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Did a quick Google search for this issue and virtualy all blamed it on a bad repaint.

In the past I have denied claims saying the issue was not with the wash. Tire pressure monitoring systems is one. I sent printouts of the internet postings with the denial. In the case of the TPMS some mfgrs were warrantying it. .

 

[buda]

My experience as both a car wash operator and detail shop operator is that if painted "plastic" parts are "chipped" and you hit that area at the right angle a 700 psi pressure washer can peel paint off the car.

It was my car that I did this to in a detail shop and I have seen it happen in an exterior conveyor wash I owned.

If there are no chips in the paint, or peeling from the edges it is pretty difficult to "get under the paint."

Of course, after you have peeled the paint off there is no way to prove the customer's car had chips in it.

Giving it to the insurance company is the best way to handle it, as suggested.

Bud Abraham

 

[mac]

Something else I remembered might cause this. I have two GMC Savana vans bought new in 2005 and 2006. The paint is peeling off horrably. I've noticed it on other GMC and Chevy vans all over Florida. My guess is that there are thousands of these out there with bad paint from the factory.