# Had an awful experience at fuel station today...



## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

There I was sat in my Astra just killing time before my shift at the factory started when suddenly a 11 plate Vauxhall Insignia pulls up by the jet wash, driver gets out and instead of blasting the car down with water, he picks up the brush (on the floor) and starts scrubbing the body panels, doesn't use water, no shampoo, just a dry brush against a brand new dirty black car.

I winced and I think my car did too, I drove away before seeing more of the torture.

What's wrong with people? Those cars aren't cheap :wall:

I know I shouldn't care but imagine the scratches he inflicted on that car, which I'll say again....was BRAND NEW. WTF.


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## DMH-01 (Mar 29, 2011)

I know what you mean mate, a guy that we share our yard with at work had a white Range Rover sport think it was 09 or 10 plate and he got one of his workers to clean it with a hose and a stiff bristle broom :|.

Basically most of the general public just want all the dirt off the car and for it to be shiny, they don't understand the level people go to on here.


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

DMH-01 said:


> I know what you mean mate, a guy that we share our yard with at work had a white Range Rover sport think it was 09 or 10 plate and he got one of his workers to clean it with a hose and a stiff bristle broom :|.
> 
> Basically most of the general public just want all the dirt off the car and for it to be shiny, they don't understand the level people go to on here.


It was awful. Truly awful. It's common sense though, get the most of the muck off first, clean the brush (if you really really have to use it) use the shampoo, then start scrubbing - I personally would have left the brush alone, Christ knows what's lurking in those bristles.

Even my mother wouldn't have done it and she's hopeless with cleaning her care.

Absolutely disgusting.


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## ITHAQVA (Feb 20, 2011)

Things are acquired way too easy these days, they dont appreciate how lucky they are to own a new car & therefore you get what youve just witnessed. A product of todays society.


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## MuZiZZle (Apr 18, 2011)

It was probably a lease car dude


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## Mad Ad (Feb 7, 2011)

A company/lease car I bet, Its like when you see a Bentley/Aston waiting in line at the forecourt car washes £3 a wash, it's a shame some people just don't care and do thing's for the easy and fastest way out.


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## MuZiZZle (Apr 18, 2011)

Mad Ad said:


> A company/lease car I bet, Its like when you see a Bentley/Aston waiting in line at the forecourt car washes £3 a wash, it's a shame some people just don't care and do thing's for the easy and fastest way out.


This is the thing, before I knew any better, my dad bought a new XFS, and used to get it done at the £5 handwash place!!!!

:doublesho


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## Big Buffer (Jan 1, 2011)

There should be a crack unit put together on here of people who go up to these people with wash mitts on a knock a whole bunch of sense into them. I cringe whn i see such behaviour its flipping scary:speechles:speechles


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

It does make you wonder where people's common sense is!!! 

I mean don't get me wrong, I don't have an issue if other people want to go to car washes or use a bucket and sponge etc.

But, to pick up a brush off the floor, with no water or anything just makes no sense to me at all. 

As said, probably a lease/company car but why not respect it anyway??


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## MuZiZZle (Apr 18, 2011)

Things are disposable now, even cars, people just don't care.

If they had to save and save to buy things they might care!


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Most likely company car and simply cant be bothered...


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

willwad82 said:


> There should be a crack unit put together on here of people who go up to these people with wash mitts on a knock a whole bunch of sense into them. I cringe whn i see such behaviour its flipping scary:speechles:speechles


so do we use the mitt like boxing gloves :lol: put them on our hands and beat them with it :lol:

is it just me that when i see a ferrari waiting in line for the local handwash(where they use brick acid on wheels, strong tfr and a dirty sponge on the paint) that feels like stopping and offering the owner to come to my house for a free wash because you feel sorry for the poor car :lol:
im loosing it i tell ye


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## D-Dub (May 10, 2010)

I always cringe when they do a 'charity' car wash in work. 1 bucket, 1 minging sponge which is left on the floor! No thanks!


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## Leemack (Mar 6, 2009)

One consolation is that if these people were not doing this, i would be out of a job :thumb:

:buffer:


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## dooka (Aug 1, 2006)

I would of gone over and washed it for him ..


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## twiggy99 (Nov 21, 2010)

> 11 plate Vauxhall Insignia


Very good chance its a company car and he CBA


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## MuZiZZle (Apr 18, 2011)

twiggy99 said:


> very good chance its a company car and he cba


99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999%


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## Serious (Mar 19, 2008)

I wish i didn't give a s..t sometimes.


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## jay_bmw (Jan 28, 2010)

could have been a courtesy/rental car where you get charged for it being dirty, hence the free valet he gave it lol.


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## HornetSting (May 26, 2010)

It is sad, and we all see it a lot, but as above and some people just see a vehicle of a way of getting from A to B.

If I did see an expensive car waiting to get washed like that, I probably would go over to the owner and say that I would do it for them, or hand them a leaflet, you cant lose, and you never know they may appreciate it when explained why they shouldnt go there. Your not likely to get your head kicked in for it, the worst they will do is probably tell you to go away. Ive never had probs giving advice, and they have generally been interested in what I have to say.


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## Superspec (Feb 25, 2011)

Get the business cards out - when they realise they've screwed the paint up they can call


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

The more the merrier personally, keeps me busy correcting them once they are privately owned.

Hence opening up the unit next to a swirl o matic.


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## robtech (Jan 17, 2011)

you have a certain type of Vauxhall driver there either like the guys on here lover there cars or total muppets .eh there the ones that cause the majoity of car accidents in the uk 

they wrench the hand brake on so it sounds like you have just run a cat over ( listen as they stop and rip the handbrake up with the button not pushed in )

and they drive like clown and theres cars are a real shed.

those drivers i always SAY WAUXALL SAYS IT ALL and yes W not a v as they cant pronounce Vauxhall properly either plus the W is for another word. .lol


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

I'm a Vauxhall fan, now have a Astra Sport Hatch, great car only thing that lets it down is the chassis. She's in good condition though.

Therefore seeing a Insignia having it's paint removed in front of me was quite a sad moment.


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## Estoril-5 (Mar 8, 2007)

you think that was awful experience....... try being one of our boys on the frontline in Afghanistan, i think that should put things into perspective


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## Chufster (Nov 21, 2010)

Estoril-5 said:


> you think that was awful experience....... try being one of our boys on the frontline in Afghanistan, i think that should put things into perspective


Yeah, those tanks are a nightmare to detail!


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

Estoril-5 said:


> you think that was awful experience....... try being one of our boys on the frontline in Afghanistan, i think that should put things into perspective


From a detailing point of view of course....

I know there's far worse things happening in the world.


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

As long as its "clean" they could not care less about swirls.


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## Pookini (Jan 19, 2011)

I see a man at least once a week using a brush on his 10 plate white M3  It's such a shame!


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

why do people worry soooo much about how a total stranger washes their car? 
the end result is what they want - a clean car end of


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## dcj (Apr 17, 2009)

-Kev- said:


> why do people worry soooo much about how a total stranger washes their car?
> the end result is what they want - a clean car end of


It does worry me though, I cant sleep at night after reading that someone I dont know is taking his/her car that I have never seen through a hand car wash that I dont know of in a town that I,ve never been to.


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## [email protected] (Apr 28, 2011)

My mother inlaw as a 10 plate on nice cars i think she paid about 14-15 grand for hers.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

dcj said:


> It does worry me though, I cant sleep at night after reading that someone I dont know is taking his/her car that I have never seen through a hand car wash that I dont know of in a town that I,ve never been to.


:lol:


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## m3vert (Sep 28, 2009)

My god there are some weird folk on here lol Its their car and why should you give a monkeys what they do with it? Unless you intend to purchase it from them but then you can ask for it cheaper since its scratched to bits!


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## Tommy2 (Mar 27, 2011)

If I had a company and my employees didn't keep the cars mint I would go nuts with them, if clients see they don't look after the cars it doesn't project a good image and subconsciously gives you a bad reputation.


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## dcj (Apr 17, 2009)

Tommy2 said:


> If I had a company and my employees didn't keep the cars mint I would go nuts with them, if clients see they don't look after the cars it doesn't project a good image and subconsciously gives you a bad reputation.


But they are taking their cars to be washed, do you think the clients first thought at any meeting would be get to the sun gun out?


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## Grizzle (Jul 12, 2006)

its a car they want clean let them carry on.


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## Method Man (Aug 28, 2009)

People have a strange attitude when it comes to company cars.

A VW dealer 'broke' my Passat a couple of weeks ago but that's another story.

Luckily for me, the firm I work for laid off a lot of people about a month ago and so they have a few surplus cars now and so I bagged one of them.

It's a 58-plate 320d BMW and hasn't been looked after at all. The interior is knackered and the exterior is filthy.

The people I work with who already have company cars couldn't understand why I was looking forward to giving it a good, careful clean up this weekend as they just bung theirs through the nearest car wash. One lad's passenger seat has a big grease stain on it where he puts his breakfast every morning.

I've done over 1,000 miles in it in less than two weeks and love it so feel some kind of mad loyalty to look after it already.

It's my opinion these days that people know the cost of everything but the *value* of nothing.


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## Tommy2 (Mar 27, 2011)

dcj said:


> But they are taking their cars to be washed, do you think the clients first thought at any meeting would be get to the sun gun out?


But if it's a half arsed job after a few months the car will start to look crap, it wouldn't be acceptable to turn up to a meeting with a crumpled suit with soup stains down the front, clients might not think anything of a slightly shabby car but a gleaming car might be the difference between making no real impression or a good first impression.

Some clients might not have an opinion on the car, maybe it doesn't interest them or maybe it says the client isn't bothered about their appearance either.


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

Tommy2 said:


> If I had a company and my employees didn't keep the cars mint I would go nuts with them, if clients see they don't look after the cars it doesn't project a good image and subconsciously gives you a bad reputation.


I had a company car for years and put it through the car wash every week, that was company policy and was expected.


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## TelTel (Aug 21, 2010)

its people like these who have a negative attitude towards car detailers due to our OCD and of course lengthly time and care we put into ours and other peoples vehicles, their view is "ah water in a bucket and an old sponge will do", ad the other one is "whats the point in spending a weekend cleaning a car when it will just get dirty again"


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## Tommy2 (Mar 27, 2011)

Why clean anything, it'll only get dirty again.


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

I am with Kev here as long as there not touching your cars I would not waste time worrying about ti.


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## Steve valentine (Aug 7, 2010)

Tommy2 said:


> Why clean anything, it'll only get dirty again.


you wipe your **** when you've been for a dump, don't you? :lol:


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## T.D.K (Mar 16, 2011)

The fact is, that car cost £17,000-£20,000. Whether he or his company bought it, it should be looked after.

Why do I care? I like cars! Black cars scratch even when your being careful, a dry brush on a dirty dry black car is like rubbing gravel into the paint.


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## Tommy2 (Mar 27, 2011)

Steve valentine said:


> you wipe your **** when you've been for a dump, don't you? :lol:


Exactly my point


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## Serious (Mar 19, 2008)

Steve valentine said:


> you wipe your **** when you've been for a dump, don't you? :lol:


One up, one down and one to polish. (Red dwarf)


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## mr.t (Oct 1, 2010)

i understand if people dont want to go the full works and time like us lot on here do with hours on end of cleaning but i hate it when they dont use common sence.EVEN if he would of gone of the car with a bucket and wash mit and shampoo and gone round quickly would of been much better that that.some people just dont have any common sence.sure he shoud of realised it isnt a great idea to do that.he might aswell have picked up dog poo from the floor and smeared it all over his car.


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## -Kev- (Oct 30, 2007)

mr.t said:


> i understand if people dont want to go the full works and time like us lot on here do with hours on end of cleaning but i hate it when they dont use common sence.EVEN if he would of gone of the car with a bucket and wash mit and shampoo and gone round quickly would of been much better that that.some people just dont have any common sence.sure he shoud of realised it isnt a great idea to do that.he might aswell have picked up dog poo from the floor and smeared it all over his car.


some people just want a CLEAN car and aren't worried like the tiny minority on here about how to acheive it, whether its a lack of 'common sense' or not


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## DrDax (Apr 16, 2009)

The average person :
1. Doesn't have a clue about cleaning cars, let alone detailing
2. Hand car wash are very popular, cheap an quick £5 for about 10min . =turnover >£30/hr per car (probably quicker) most places do two it more cars. > £60/hr 

Low quality high profit. Customer repeats weekly. 

Detailing / correction 
High cost but high quality. Perhaps 6 months before repeat customer. 4-8hrs work, £200-550 

Average person just wants a quick n cheap job..

Option one = more work for all detailers  
Detailed cars end up at hand wash so eventually have to go to detailers. 

Therefore, more hand car washes , more work for detailers




Sent via Galaxy tab. GB Overcome experience 2.0.x


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## Big Buffer (Jan 1, 2011)

I think its more the brush off the floor thing that has every1s attention not the car being washed. Yeah people use sponges with a drop of washing up liquid straight on it, lather it up and rinse. Job done clean car. But a brush any1 would think its gonna be damaged surely,








Maybe not


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## OldskoolRS (May 5, 2011)

Method Man said:


> People have a strange attitude when it comes to company cars.
> 
> A VW dealer 'broke' my Passat a couple of weeks ago but that's another story.
> 
> ...


I understand not wanting to drive around in a minging company car; I always keep mine clean particularly on the inside even if I don't wash the outside much in winter. However, if your firm is getting rid of people, you'll feel a bit of mug having nicely detailed that BMW for them to hand back to the lease company if you go next...



Tommy2 said:


> But if it's a half arsed job after a few months the car will start to look crap, it wouldn't be acceptable to turn up to a meeting with a crumpled suit with soup stains down the front, clients might not think anything of a slightly shabby car but a gleaming car might be the difference between making no real impression or a good first impression.
> 
> Some clients might not have an opinion on the car, maybe it doesn't interest them or maybe it says the client isn't bothered about their appearance either.


As I'm not in sales (I'm an Engineer) so maybe my clients view things differently, but my CC is rarely parked anywhere near where the client could see it: Many sites I visit put the 'contractors' car park miles away from the building as if we are some kind of contamination.  Hence I've never gone with my company's arguement against certain makes or car choice as it might not create the 'right impression' (for example we can't have a Jaguar X type even if the lease price is less than an equivalent Ford/Vauxhall).

However I do think it matters that _I_ turn up looking smart, clean shaven, etc as the client does see me and they may not feel confident having a scruffy unshaven Engineer fixing their expensive equipment.

I think that we need to remember that we are the minority and the majority of car owners/drivers aren't as obsessed with clean cars as we are, though I would cringe at the OP's dry brush cleaning example, it's not my car at the end of the day...


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## RSnutter (Dec 4, 2005)

OldskoolRS said:


> I understand not wanting to drive around in a minging company car; I always keep mine clean particularly on the inside even if I don't wash the outside much in winter. However, if your firm is getting rid of people, you'll feel a bit of mug having nicely detailed that BMW for them to hand back to the lease company if you go next...
> 
> As I'm not in sales (I'm an Engineer) so maybe my clients view things differently, but my CC is rarely parked anywhere near where the client could see it: Many sites I visit put the 'contractors' car park miles away from the building as if we are some kind of contamination.  Hence I've never gone with my company's arguement against certain makes or car choice as it might not create the 'right impression' (for example we can't have a Jaguar X type even if the lease price is less than an equivalent Ford/Vauxhall).
> 
> ...


I'm nearly exactly the same, my company van (I chose a Caddy, but think i may change toa car next time) is always spotless on the inside. Thats what i care about the most as thats where i am. I try and keep the outside clean, but being a van is got a load of scratches and dents as people just don't care when they park next to it. Plus with the mileage i do, you'd nearly have to wash it every day to keep it 'mint'.

At the end of the day a company car is pretty much a tool to get a job done, so most people don't care about it much.

I save my car cleaning love for the toy :driver:


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## t&biskits (May 14, 2011)

people just haven`t got a clue or care, bloke at work wash`s the bird crap off his newish mazda with a churn brush & watering can!!!!!!!!:wall:


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