Car wash chipped my paint...

[Stealth22]

So usually, I never have a problem with the Co-op touchless car washes. They're not perfect by any means, but they do a decent enough job.

Today, my car was dirty, I had a wash code that hadn't been used yet, and there was a brief period with only one car in the line up as I was passing the gas station, so I decided to wash the car. The water pressure sounded a little high, but I didn't think much of it.

When I got home and parked, I closed my door and noticed dry water stains all over the car. I hadn't seen that happen often before, and was a little miffed about it, but whatever, its just dry water. Car was probably going to get dirty again anyhow. It was clean enough.

Then I saw it. A small chip in the paint on the left side of the front fender, just ahead of the driver's door. I know for sure that it wasn't there before. I would have definitely noticed that. I saw it as soon as I closed my driver's door, right after seeing the dry water stains. I'm really picky about my car, so needless to say, I was pissed.

Right away I called the gas station, and politely asked for the manager. I was told that she wasn't in today, but the lady who answered was the supervisor. I explained what happened and why I thought it was the car wash that caused it. If I had hit something, I would have DEFINITELY heard it, and this didn't leave a streak as if I hit something while in motion. This is a circle-ish chip with jagged edges...something that could be caused by a touchless wash with high water pressure.

I remember seeing a sign that said something like "operator not responsible for damage to vehicles", but over the years, Co-op has been pretty good about complaints. The duty supervisor was nice enough about it, and explained that she could take down my name, number, and vehicle info, and that she would leave a note for the manager to call me tomorrow.

At this point, I just want them to pay for the paint to get touched up, thats all I'm looking for. Shit happens, I'm not going to hold it against them.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? Any ideas on what I can expect? And while I'm here, any recommendations on where to take my car, assuming Co-op agrees to pay the bill? :(

I thought about taking it to Subaru Calgary, but there's gotta be a better choice than the stealership.

Thanks in advance.

/rant

[Tik-Tok]

Water alone wouldn't have chipped your paint. It was probably damaged before you entered the wash, and the water just blasted off the loose paint.

They aren't going to pay for anything except give you another car wash.

How big is the chip? Like a couple mm, or a cm?

[JEFFRIX]

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee296/jeffrix14/think-of-the-children.jpg

[J-hop]

Pretty sure suby has a bad rep for paint flaking, I thought their was a recent thread about someone's brand new wrx having paint issues.

I don't know what you expect to come of this, how can you prove it was the touchless wash that caused this and not just everyday Calgary winter road debris?

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
Water alone wouldn't have chipped your paint. It was probably damaged before you entered the wash, and the water just blasted off the loose paint.

They aren't going to pay for anything except give you another car wash.

How big is the chip? Like a couple mm, or a cm?
Its around a cm or so, I'd say. Here's a crappy cellphone pic.

http://i43.tinypic.com/72absi.png

I suppose the water alone might not have done it, but I noticed it as soon as I was out of the car. If the paint was indeed loose, it looked completely normal this morning.

If road debris had caused it, wouldn't it be more of a "streak", as if something had hit it in motion?

[GTS4tw]

Coles notes: Something chipped my car, I washed my car today, carwash must have chipped my car....

Theres a whole section missing in there?? Proof

[swak]

I'd say that's a manufacturer issue over carwash. You enter at your own risk, and not saying your an idiot but their defense can be "you didn't see it as you had a dirty car". Possibility.. You have nothing on co-op dude...

If you're still under warranty I'd go bitch to subaru, now co-op, its just merely by coincidence that it flaked on their property... Could have happened with the self wash wands too or whatever.

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by GTS4tw
Coles notes: Something chipped my car, I washed my car today, carwash must have chipped my car....

Theres a whole section missing in there?? Proof
You expect me to have a camera mounted on the side of my car 24/7? :rolleyes:

I was at a fast food place nearby not 5 minutes before driving to Co-op. When I got in the car, the paint was fine. Just sayin.

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by swak
I'd say that's a manufacturer issue over carwash. You enter at your own risk, and not saying your an idiot but their defense can be "you didn't see it as you had a dirty car". Possibility.. You have nothing on co-op dude...

If you're still under warranty I'd go bitch to subaru, now co-op, its just merely by coincidence that it flaked on their property... Could have happened with the self wash wands too or whatever.
If it is a manfacturer issue, that's going to be a tough fight in itself. :(

But the car is pretty new, so to answer your question, yeah, its still under warranty.

[Maybelater]

That sucks! I wouldn't expect much from CO-OP though. It is just going to dismissed as a coincidence.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Stealth22

You expect me to have a camera mounted on the side of my car 24/7? :rolleyes:

I was at a fast food place nearby not 5 minutes before driving to Co-op. When I got in the car, the paint was fine. Just sayin.

Im saying even if it was the carwash you will be SOL because you have no proof. Had something in the carwash hit your car then you would have heard it and brought it to their attention immediately. If the pressure washers alone took off your paint but didnt do the same thing to all the other vehicles that went through the same wash that day then I would say its a typical subaru . :poosie:

[bart]

Originally posted by J-hop
Pretty sure suby has a bad rep for paint flaking, I thought their was a recent thread about someone's brand new wrx having paint issues.

this, i just read a bunch of threads about jap cars having poor paint, so there you go mystery solved

that is not from a chip, chips are only millimetres in size, that thing is centimetres, cleary the paint wasnt sticking correctly in that spot

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Stealth22

wahh wahh wahhh


You are making a lot of stupid assumptions to come up with the conclusion that a touchless wash chipped your paint...

[CompletelyNumb]

Originally posted by bart
that is not from a chip, chips are only millimetres in size, that thing is centimetres, cleary the paint wasnt sticking correctly in that spot

:werd:

[Cooked Rice]

A automatic car wash won't really do that unless the paint wasn't properly adhering to the car to start with. Same thing would probably have happened if you used a self serve wand wash. You could bring it up with the Subaru dealer, but that's about it. And next time wash your car by yourself in the wand wash. Automatic car washes do a crap job imo.

[rage2]

If anything those co op washes don't have enough pressure compared to big bucket. That's definately a warranty issue with shitty paint.

[jsn]

Subarus are known for shitty paint. Like mentioned, I'd try bringing it to the dealer. I really doubt they'd do anything for you though.

[kfon]

subby's are known for crappy metal.. they're like paper. But ive never seen paint peel off like that. if that panel was repainted previously for whatever reason. bring it back to the bodyshop and say paint started to peel on its own due to poor workmanship. you should have a lifetime warrenty for any body work. thats IF it was a repainted body panel. I doubt the car wash will compensate for something like that.

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by rage2
If anything those co op washes don't have enough pressure compared to big bucket. That's definately a warranty issue with shitty paint.
Thanks, all. I stand corrected. :closed:

[M.alex]

LOL

Just LOL

[benyl]

Looks to me like that part was repainted and the paint didn't cure properly.

That isn't a "chip"

[streethondas]

Originally posted by Stealth22

Thanks, all. I stand corrected. :closed:

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2010/3/6/129123868341052195.jpg

[revelations]

Originally posted by Stealth22

Its around a cm or so, I'd say. Here's a crappy cellphone pic.

http://i43.tinypic.com/72absi.png




Hmm.... so according to OP, if I had a vehicle with paint issues from the factory, I could take to any touchless car wash in town, watch the paint flake off and them file a complaint against the wash bay owners? Sweet !!

Wonder if under-paint-rust bubbles will come off easily with a tire brush .... :nut:

[Xtrema]

Honda has the same shit paint. A tiny chip turned into a big flake off when I used pressure washer.

[Stealth22]

Alright people, I already said "I stand corrected." No need to jump on someone who asks for help on a topic he knows nothing about. To be expected on Beyond, though. :rolleyes:


Originally posted by Xtrema
Honda has the same shit paint. A tiny chip turned into a big flake off when I used pressure washer.
^ Thanks to posters like this guy who actually gave informative replies. :thumbsup:

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by Stealth22

Thanks, all. I stand corrected. :closed:
Really? lol..

Either way, good luck. Seems like the way CO-OP dealt with you was reasonable and appropriate. Would be very interesting if they do end up paying for it :thumbsup:

[heavyD]

Any 2008+ Subaru has incredibly thin and soft paint that chips very easily and lot of people have reported rust bubbling in certain areas on one year old cars. If it's under warranty take it up with a dealership as that's a paint defect.

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by Disoblige

Really? lol..

Either way, good luck. Seems like the way CO-OP dealt with you was reasonable and appropriate. Would be very interesting if they do end up paying for it :thumbsup:

Originally posted by heavyD
Any 2008+ Subaru has incredibly thin and soft paint that chips very easily and lot of people have reported rust bubbling in certain areas on one year old cars. If it's under warranty take it up with a dealership as that's a paint defect.
The co-op manager called asking for a picture, and said I'd have to do an incident report with them to get the ball rolling, and that since it has to go through head office, could take a couple of weeks.

After I hung up the phone, I made a service appointment at the dealer. I'll get the ball rolling with Co-op, and if Subaru covers it, I'll withdraw it.

[zipdoa]

http://www.nissanparts.cc/catalog/nissan/MITS%20PAINT%20PEN%20LG.jpg

[Eleanor]

^ Mitsubishi doesn't sell world rally blue touch up pens... for some reason....

:poosie:

[Scat E46]

"sounds like higher pressure than normal"

How the hell do you know?

People like you I just face palm. This is why retail business sucks - dealing with idiots such as yourself. I feel sorry for that gas station.

Get home all pissed off and have to call right away and need to speak with management and you haven't even thought it over.


So you have admit to being wrong and can see that it's your vehicle - yet your still pursuing co-op? :facepalm:

[captain134]

It seems you do not "stand corrected" because you are still going after CO-OP for no reason. You should not be dealing with both companies in hopes that one will come through for you. You need to go to Subaru and call that CO-OP manager back and apologize for your mistake.

[FraserB]

Should be pretty easy for Beyond CSI to give the gas bar a heads up? Not too many CO-OP stations in town with a car wash who would have had a complaint like this one in the last few days.

:poosie:

[Stealth22]

Originally posted by captain134
It seems you do not "stand corrected" because you are still going after CO-OP for no reason. You should not be dealing with both companies in hopes that one will come through for you. You need to go to Subaru and call that CO-OP manager back and apologize for your mistake.
I'm not "going after CO-OP for no reason". Just because someone who I've never met told me its a paint defect from a crappy cellphone picture doesn't mean its a 100% defect.

Paint defect or not, the paint was still taken off by the pressure washer. I'm not paying for the repair out of my pocket when I didn't cause it. CO-OP has the photos of the damage, but I'm waiting on the incident report before showing the vehicle to Subaru. I'm not bitching at CO-OP; in fact, they are pretty decent people to deal with.

Get your facts straight.

:closed:

[schocker]

Originally posted by Stealth22

I'm not "going after CO-OP for no reason". Just because someone who I've never met told me its a paint defect from a crappy cellphone picture doesn't mean its a 100% defect.

Paint defect or not, the paint was still taken off by the pressure washer. I'm not paying for the repair out of my pocket when I didn't cause it. CO-OP has the photos of the damage, but I'm waiting on the incident report before showing the vehicle to Subaru. I'm not bitching at CO-OP; in fact, they are pretty decent people to deal with.

Get your facts straight.

:closed:
http://i.imgur.com/6GaOI.png

[rage2]

:closed: requested by OP.