Disclaimer signs.

[Earl Weiss]

Hiow many are using, thinking of using or have seen operators with disclaimers for any car over XXX years old or YYY miles on it.

Starting to get real tired of stuff like antennaes, wipers, or mirrors which seem to be 90+% more than 10 years old and in many case closer to 15 years old.

It seems like more tha a coincidence that you mess up one of these in every 5000 cars and such a large percent of those are this age.

 

[Bosborn52]

We have not responsible for vehicles over 10 years old.

Has kept some from pursing claims.

 

[borumrm]

We have not responsible for vehicles over 10 years old.

Has kept some from pursing claims.

Does that imply you ARE responsible for vehicles less than 10 years old. I don't have anything like that and my locations are touchless so for the most part we avoid claims like that but every now and then we get some try to get us to pay for some that the high pressure knocks loose from the darn car...LOL lucky they didn't hit a speed bump before going into the wash or it would have fallen off anyway.

 

[Bosborn52]

Does that imply you ARE responsible for vehicles less than 10 years old. I don't have anything like that and my locations are touchless so for the most part we avoid claims like that but every now and then we get some try to get us to pay for some that the high pressure knocks loose from the darn car...LOL lucky they didn't hit a speed bump before going into the wash or it would have fallen off anyway.

No.

That is just added to the list of the usual list like bug shields, sun visors, non factory installed equipment, etc.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Exactly what wording is used for the 10+ year old vehicle disclaimer? Any issues with the math when a customer says it's not 10 years Old?

 

[AppleExpress]

The only disclaimer i use is Not Responsible For: power antenne's, bug shields, luggage racks, loose chrome and moldings, running boards, glued on spoilers, any non factory item. Although this has hurt me recently because a chrome piece that wasnt loose got caught on a running board... Just that 1:????chance that this running board was alittle wide, and a zerk fitting on the tire scrub caught the edge of the chrome and torn it back 6" before it broke the fitting. And in order to replace it a new running board was needed. cost me $900.

 

[buda]

In addition to the signs regarding not responsible for any non-factory installed accessories nor any vehicle over 10 years old, CAREFULLY CHECK THE VEHICLE, ANTENNAS; TRIM, BUMPERS, TAIL-LIGHTS, etc.

It can be done without slowing down the lines.

And, if you are that busy that you do not want to slow down the line at all then you have to suffer some of these occasional claims. With the signs you can usually bluff those who are trying to cheat you.

Bud Abraham

 

[Earl Weiss]

ust that 1:????chance that this running board was alittle wide, and a zerk fitting on the tire scrub caught the edge of the chrome and torn it back 6" before it broke the fitting. And in order to replace it a new running board was needed. cost me $900.

Have had that issue with wheel brush zerks. Sometimes it matters if you mount a replacement bearing with the fitting up or down or even not in plce. Use a plug and put in the fitting to grease it.

 

[Earl Weiss]

It can be done without slowing down the lines.

And, if you are that busy that you do not want to slow down the line at all then you have to suffer some of these occasional claims. With the signs you can usually bluff those who are trying to cheat you.

Bud Abraham

Sorry, Bud, that dog won't hunt. First and foremost with some auto cashiers some tunnels now run unattended.

Secondly, many with auto cashiers run with a single loader. There is no way they can walk completely around and inspect a car a get good production out.

Thirdly, you won't see scratches and marks under lots of dirt, ice and snow.

So, unless you are willing to exponentialy increase labor or reduce production inspecting every vehicle for flaws is a myth.

 

[buda]

Earl

If an operator choose to save labor by operating without an attendant or with only one attendant then they are going to have to live with damage claims.

In my exterior wash with dual auto cashiers we always operated with two people because there is always something going on at an exterior conveyorized tunnel that requires attention.

You can operate with one person when there is little or no business.

Earl it is either or, but you can't have it both.

EXCEPT, if you have security cameras point on the top and sides of the vehicle as it enters the wash and you suspicion the customer is a trying to "rip you off" just tell them:

"I do not believe we caused that damage, it appears to be pre-existing, let's take a look on our security cameras and see what they show us."

Those are my solutions if they don't work for you then I am not sure what to say.

Regards
Bud A

 

[Earl Weiss]

Bud,

As with many things. It's not a question of can you do it, but how much will it cost to do it.

If you want to put out a car every 30 seconds, you would need a lot of costly labor to thoroughly inspect each one, note issues and notify the customer. it's not practical in an EE situation.

Further the issues with the 10 plus year old cars no seem to be things like the Antennae, Mirror, or wipers that appear OK but have flexed for 10 years and the wash is the straw that breaks the Camel's back.

Seems hardly a coincidence that at 4 locations running a variety of equipment it now seems 80+% of the issues are cars over 10 years old, a lot from the 1990's.

My security cameras are great have paid for themselves many times over. Recently caught a guy going backward halfway thru the tunel. He denied it and when the cops came because he and the car he hit called them the cops loved the video.

Then there was the new silver MKZ with Horizontal scratches on part of the roof only. No way a camera or even the human eye would likely detect them on a dirty car.

 

[Washmee]

Bud, you have obviously never operated a wash in a region that has to deal with snow and ice. There is no way you can see all the preexisting damage on a vehicle covered with a heavy layer of salt and snow. I don't care how many extra employees you add it just won't make any difference. The only time I get these types of claims are after heavy amounts of snow and salt. People who haven't washed their vehicle since the last time salt was thrown and pay no attention to it's appearance, are now amazed at the amount of damage they see on their nice clean car. The majority of them accept a reasonable explanation from us and let it go. And a small percentage of them try to scam us into paying for something we didn't do.

 

[Earl Weiss]

So, the disclaimer belw "INSTRUCTIONS" would now read:

CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE (WE ARE NOT) FOR:
ANTENNAS NOT LOWERED ALL THE WAY
LOOSE CHROME & MOLDINGS
NON - FACTORY INSTALLED PARTS
RUSTED OR PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED ITEMS
VEHICLES 10 YEARS OLD* OR OLDER - ANY PART
*2003


Thoughts?