What to do about a broken mirror?

[easywash]

I have a PDQ G5 and the way our bays are setup our doors are 10ft but the bays are 13.5ft wide.

Ok so guy comes in with an audi A3. He drives into the bay and proceeds to drive up to within 1 ft of the left hand side of the bay. So in order to do this he's actually nearly a foot or more to the left of the exit door opening and certainly well outside of the regular drive path. You can see him actually turn his wheels and drive closer to the wall.

You can guess what happens next. The arm comes up the side of the vehicle and strikes the mirror and breaks it in several spots.

Yes, I agree we hit his mirror... that said he also parked your car right next to the wall...

What do I do... Pay to have the mirror replaced?

I offered to split his deductible with him his response was "you'll be hearing from my lawyer".

 

[DiamondWash]

Can you post the video? seems like he was doing that on purpose so the G5 would hit his vehicle.

 

[Indiana Wash]

Drivers are expected to exercise a reasonable degree of care. I agree that this driver probably had a broken mirror and was trying to get it fixed. You can either fix it or not. I have paid for a couple of things and I have told other people to get lost.

You have a video which shows him trying to get closer and closer to the wall. Why else would he do that? It is anticipated that a person driving a car can enter and exit a space as wide as a parking space without hitting other cars.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I'm not familiar with PDQ machines, but why did the machine start if the vehicle was not properly positioned?

 

[easywash]

I will add a couple of points.

This was NOT first time customer and he has used our wash many times before so he should "knows better".

The Customers stated on the phone that it was 100% my fault because the wash only tells him where to stop front to back and not and not side to side. (to me it's kind of obvious)

As a side note I've decided to place some "Botts Dots" on either side of bay parallel to the openings so there can be no confusion that it's acceptable to park right up against the wall.

If you look at the new picture you can hardly even see the car. The Audi is in the far left bay tucked right in on the right side of the bay. You can only see one headlight. The other two vehicles are well positioned.

 

[easywash]

My thought is that the customer entered the bay with a reasonable clearance from the machine as he passed the photo eyes. But as he proceeded into the bay he veered to the left positioning himself too close to the wall... this would happen after he had passed the eyes that measure the width and position of the vehicle.

He also stated the the arm "kept banging back and forth on the mirror"... In my experience the arm will either hit a ridged object like a bike rack and stop or in this case, hit the mirror and push it forward as they provide little resistance. I've never seen an arm "bang back and forth".

 

[under pressure]

Why not have guide rails on the floor?

 

[Indiana Wash]

"Sue me. You won't be getting a virgin."

Well, I am a lawyer in my spare time so, I am comfortable being sued. If I was him, I would turn it into my insurance company. His insurance company will contact you to ask for your insurance information. I told the adjuster who I spoke to that for matters so small, I would be taking care of it, not my insurance company. I was very nice to the adjuster and they sent one to my wash. I showed them what the problem was and explained that they would just have to sue me to collect the money which I would vigorously defend. They chose not to sue me over the guy's claimed $1800 in damages because it was not cost effective.

Long story short, he will probably report it to his insurance company and cause his rates to go up as happened in my case.

 

[DiamondWash]

When looking at the 2nd picture on his way out it looks as if he would have to hit the instructional sign and part of the building to leave I would love to see the video

 

[Jeff_L]

I agree with Indiana. You already offered to split the deductible with him and he refused. In my opinion I would then give him your insurance agent's contact information and let them deal with it. I wouldn't think your rates would change since you weren't negligent in this circumstance.

 

[Indiana Wash]

Since the claim is so small, I would suggest not giving him your agent's information. Your insurance company is likely to pay. If he has to give it to HIS insurance company and they have to pursue you for the claim, it is likely that his insurance company will just pay the $500, investigate and then never darken your door again.

 

[termn8tr]

He shouldn't be driving, was he impaired, if not,call the Ministry of Transportation and have him go for another drivers test. We cannot be responsible for people who can't drive or have no common sense. We have signs- We are not responsible for any damages none whatsoever. Enter at your own risk.

It has worked for us 14 yrs.

 

[raisetheprice]

"you'll be hearing from my lawyer".

Free pass to not speak to him or return his calls. This will fade away, forget about it.

 

[Ric]

I had a similar situation in my IBA recently. I arranged for a local body shop to replace the customers mirror at a cost of $212. Plus I sent the guy a few free washes. He was shocked and overjoyed at the personalized attention I gave him throughout the ordeal. He will tell many people of how well we took care of him and he will become a life long customer. That's the way I handled damage claims in my exterior tunnel also. Think of it as good public relations. It's the position I've chosen to take in my 26 years of carwash ownership.

 

[Indiana Wash]

I had a similar situation in my IBA recently. I arranged for a local body shop to replace the customers mirror at a cost of $212. Plus I sent the guy a few free washes. He was shocked and overjoyed at the personalized attention I gave him throughout the ordeal. He will tell many people of how well we took care of him and he will become a life long customer. That's the way I handled damage claims in my exterior tunnel also. Think of it as good public relations. It's the position I've chosen to take in my 26 years of carwash ownership.

He didn't tell me. Where is your wash? I have scratch on the left side of my truck that needs fixed. If I pull in like that guy, I can probably get it fixed, right?

 

[Indiana Wash]

Actually, I don't want any customers who intentionally damage their cars in my wash. I don't want them to return. I don't want them to tell their friends how smart they were to get their car fixed.

 

[Ric]

Actually, I don't want any customers who intentionally damage their cars in my wash. I don't want them to return. I don't want them to tell their friends how smart they were to get their car fixed.

Common sense and reason are required by both parties. If neither has it than it won't work... and sometimes it doesn't. I'm just saying I don't blow off every customer that has an issue. I look at each issue on an individual basis. I have no concrete policy. I try to "read" the customer. If they seem reasonable, I will work with them and may even go beyond. If they are idiots, I have been known to turn and walk.

 

[Indiana Wash]

Me too, I go out of my way to pay for any problems people have. However, in THIS CASE, it is obvious to me that the customer intentionally damaged his car. In fact, to get around the entrance wall, he would have had to have come in then turned to get closer to the wall, then turned to get back out. You can have that customer, I would not give him a thing other than directions to another wash. I guess he could just try again. The next guy may pay.

 

[Washmee]

Since the claim is so small, I would suggest not giving him your agent's information. Your insurance company is likely to pay. If he has to give it to HIS insurance company and they have to pursue you for the claim, it is likely that his insurance company will just pay the $500, investigate and then never darken your door again.

You need to know which type of liability coverage you are carrying. There are 2 types, legal liability or direct pay. If you have legal liability, your insurance company will only pay if they determine you are legally responsible for the damages. If you have direct pay, when you turn in a claim your insurance pays no matter what or why. I prefer legal liability as it lets me have more control over what gets paid.