Esso Car Wash Tried to Eat my BRZ

[stateless]

I was using an automatic touchless car wash and while the car was under the dryer with 5 seconds still on the timer and the dryer still running, the door came down and dented and scraped up the roof. I've used the same car wash many times with the BRZ and at 0 on the timer it just keeps running the dryer with the door open (I don't know for how long because I've never stuck around to find out), so it was strange to have it come down with time on the clock.

Luckily there was a witness behind me, so I took down their information.

I then went in to the store and there were two attendants working. Neither one would give me a contact number for information, or the phone number or name for their manager. They claimed to not know the phone number for their manager and to even not know their manager's name, which is bullshit. After refusing to give me any information, they handed me an Esso Extra pamphlet (which has no contact information of any kind) and said to look at that for information.

They also have cameras in the car wash (I have seen them, and they showed one of the recordings to my father previously when he had exited the car wash too quickly and the dryer had been canceled). Asking about them, the attendants claimed there were no cameras and there never were.

So we called the cops and they came out, but they said because it was private property it is a civil matter and thus they couldn't force them to provide any information. The cops said the only recourse was insurance or a lawyer, but felt that Esso would play the disclaimer card since on the entrance is a sign with tiny fine print on the bottom saying "not responsible for vehicle damage". Of course, the preceding part of that sign is describing how the wash pressure can damage antennas and spoilers, not how malfunctioning doors might crush the roof. It's lucky there was a car under the door at the time and not a person...

I sent an email describing the incident to Esso yesterday and if I don't get a response I'm going to call their customer service line (I'm sick right now and have literally no voice, so I'd have to wait a few days to do it). My insurance company doubts they will pay for anything, which I think is pretty poor of Esso if that happens.

About a month ago someone already did a hit and run on the back bumper with a trailer hitch, puncturing it, so my six month old car is starting to look like a beater.

[chenshuo]

this is why i wash my car by hand, myself, when the weather is warm. in the winter i goto those manual car wash place, put in a couple of coins and hose down myself.

[GTB/ZR-1]

Pain & suffering on top of that!

That's awful & I feel for you. I've decided to treat my FR-S as a daily, and not baby it too much--so the occasional carwash will need to do. I'd be livid...

[stateless]

Originally Posted by chenshuo

this is why i wash my car by hand, myself, when the weather is warm. in the winter i goto those manual car wash place, put in a couple of coins and hose down myself.

The car wash itself is touchless and in winter it's often too cold to use manual wash bays. Not everyone has access to space to wash it themselves (wish I did). The amount of salt on the road and frequent thaws and freezes in this climate makes frequent washing a requirement.

[Jidonsu]

That sucks dude. Keep us posted.

[raul]

Automatic car washes screw your paint up. Never do it. Try learning how to wash your car the rinseless way. Once you have it down, it takes you 20-30min to do the exterior.

[kludger]

Wow that sucks, must be frustrating to no end...

Hope your insurance comes through either way and makes your car back to new, as you said I bet Esso's lawyers will try to use the disclaimer against you...

[Chauntalei]

Originally Posted by raul

Automatic car washes screw your paint up. Never do it. Try learning how to wash your car the rinseless way. Once you have it down, it takes you 20-30min to do the exterior.

You're missing the point. The automatic car wash itself was touchless. This was caused by the actual gate that comes down to lock the car wash, falling onto the roof of his car while he was driving through the dryer phase.

[chulooz]

Among the many reasons some people NEVER go to the auto carwash... its like a death sentence to the paint.

touchless isnt bad if she's really dirty.

[stateless]

Originally Posted by raul

Automatic car washes screw your paint up. Never do it. Try learning how to wash your car the rinseless way. Once you have it down, it takes you 20-30min to do the exterior.

They've never hurt my paint before, in many years of usage (touchless only of course). I'm not sure what part would hurt it or is different than manually washing it with a spray gun.

I don't know how it is when someone washes a car in Florida (I'm guessing it's likely a matter of wiping away some dried water spots), but in Canada in mid-winter, there is thick dried mud and salt caked over every inch of the car on a regular basis. It looks like each car has been driven through a monster truck rally. Anything other than a proper wash is likely to scratch the paint. Also, I'm not sure the rinseless can be used in -4F (and even if it could, who would want to do it).

[Sportsguy83]

Look for paintless dent removal specialists in your area (as long as the scrap in the paint is not big), then touch up paint it.

[raul]

Originally Posted by Chauntalei

You're missing the point. The automatic car wash itself was touchless. This was caused by the actual gate that comes down to lock the car wash, falling onto the roof of his car while he was driving through the dryer phase.

The touchless car wash design relies on heavier soaps and water pressure to wash your car. The pressurized water will push and drag the dirt particles down on your car, causing swirls and a bunch of tiny scratches on your paint. Letting milder soap soak and using microfiber towels is a better method because you don't drag the dirt all the way to the floor, you actually pick most of it up on your towel instead.

[djdnz]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

Look for paintless dent removal specialists in your area (as long as the scrap in the paint is not big), then touch up paint it.

Touch up paint is going to look terrible. I'm not sure a PDR could get this back to 95%, but if he could then you MIGHT be able to buff it out. In the end though, if it were my car I'd end up getting the roof resprayed unfortunately. Sucks!

[stateless]

Most likely the entire roof panel will be replaced, it's just a matter of who will pay. My insurance deductible is very low, but I shouldn't have to pay anything for something like this. The inconvenience and lack of accountability pisses me off the most.