# Tesco Hand Car Wash



## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Ye gods these guys are incompetent. Now take their method of cleaning a car, jet wash the car down to loosen any dirt or grit, so far so good
Then use a pressure sprayer to coat the car in what i assume is an apc, okay so far.
So next step is to use a washmit to clean the car, havent rinsed the apc off yet, use the same washmit dipped in a bucket once to clean windows, bodywork and wheels.
Then spray more apc on it and finally rinse it off. For a tenner.
God alone knows what their waxing and polishing(in that order apparently, DW is wrong who knew?) is like but i know i dont want to give it a try.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

A tenner....., is it the chaps from 'Waves'?


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Yes, yes it is, is it that obvious? :lol:

They do a wash and shine for £18 it seems and if there washing technique and driving skills are anything to go buy, it will be a horrendous job.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

muzzer42 said:


> Yes, yes it is, is it that obvious? :lol:


Not for a tenner, no, unless you drive a hugggge car.....

To be fair, I use them at Royston near where I live, and at Ashford at the back of Heathrow. Never had a problem with either sites.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

neilos said:


> Not for a tenner, no, unless you drive a hugggge car.....
> 
> To be fair, I use them at Royston near where I live, and at Ashford at the back of Heathrow. Never had a problem with either sites.


That could be for a big car, i could only see the sign saying a tenner where i was parked, not what it was for. Still wouldn't use them though.
Royston you say? Just down the road from me then :wave:


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## ITSonlyREECE (Jun 10, 2012)

I don't think i'd ever want to hand over the keys to my car to them. The blokes who worked at a Tesco near my old place of work use to whack their own CD in customers cars and have it blaring out so loud that you could hear the speakers start to struggle.

Fair enough I think the majority of us have some tunes playing when we're cleaning our own cars/vans, but I don't think id be able to keep my cool if I found out some cleaning attendants were pushing my speakers to the very limit while giving my car a dodgy clean.


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## Warriors2013 (Aug 10, 2013)

I went to a work related incident two weeks ago at my local Audi dealers & as I was walking through the valeting bay, there were two lads washing a lovely '13 plate RS4 in black. The lower half of the car was minging and one of the lads made short work of removing said mud/dirt with his wash mitt, which he then proceeded to throw on the floor, jet wash one side, turn over and drop back onto the floor into all the crap he'd just jet washed off, then jet wash the "dirty" side! He then picked it up off the floor and carried on washing the rest of the car! Mortified!

That goes to show it's not just the cheap & cheerful who can ruin your cars paintwork boys & girls.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

muzzer42 said:


> Royston you say? Just down the road from me then :wave:


You're gonna say now that it was the Royston Tesco.....:lol: :wave:

They only clean mine when I'm pushed for time, but I have noticed that they've managed to strip my car of C2 with their TFR....


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

neilos said:


> You're gonna say now that it was the Royston Tesco.....:lol: :wave:
> 
> They only clean mine when I'm pushed for time, but I have noticed that they've managed to strip my car of C2 with their TFR....


Nope, t'was Baldock Tesco, haven't been to Royston for 20 years although i have driven past it a few times.
:driver:


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

I can't see what the all the fuss is about i don't think or imagine anybody on our forum would ever hand over their vehicle to these "scratch & go" companies although the vast majority of folk out there are naive, What give us the right to judge.
I for one don't place any importance or concern myself on these companies as i'm never going to call on their services.:lol::lol::lol::lol:


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

suspal said:


> I can't see what the all the fuss is about i don't think or imagine anybody on our forum would ever hand over their vehicle to these "scratch & go" companies


I do...:lol: but, there is only two I trust. Don't use them all the time though, but they've got to know me, and the car. They tend to take more time over my car. Apart from their pesky TFR.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Makes me laugh when mum goes to sainsbury's and the generic east european types there come up to you
'Wash your car sir?'
'No thanks, i don't want her car scratching'
'No scratch, no scratch'
Then uses a sponge he just dropped on the floor to wash another car. About an hour later i had a quick gander at the car he washed, scratched right along one flank, fortunately the owner saw it too and was rather.................annoyed to say the least, so much so the security guards had to come out.


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## richardr (Oct 21, 2013)

I was washing our car a couple of weeks ago and a neighbor stopped to ask if i could look at some building work (im in the trade) 

They said they take their car to the valeters, so im thinking £50- £60 they pay









Nope £12 and they recon it comes back the mutts nuts :doublesho

And they paid to have the "special" coating put on it by the dealer 


Ahh ignorance is bliss so they say


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## Pookini (Jan 19, 2011)

I remember washing my car a week after it had been machined, it looked incredible, i went to tesco.
They came upto me and asked me if i wanted it washed.
I looked at them, looked at my gleaming car, laughed, asked them if they were blind and walked off!


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

After leaving my mates drift slag there (too cold to get the proper kit out, bearing in mind it's a smashed up rust fest), we wasted an hour, went back and they hadn't even touched it. Maybe they was scared of the rwd or stupid lows :lol:

Anyway, we went to a local polish car wash and they used a full range of auto smart products, lambswool mitt etc etc and finished with duet

What could go wrong for £5


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

neilos said:


> I do...:lol: but, there is only two I trust. Don't use them all the time though, but they've got to know me, and the car. They tend to take more time over my car. Apart from their pesky TFR.


Fair play to you by the way i'm not tarring everyone with the same brush :thumb:


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

r:


muzzer42 said:


> Ye gods these guys are incompetent. Now take their method of cleaning a car, jet wash the car down to loosen any dirt or grit, so far so good
> Then use a pressure sprayer to coat the car in what i assume is an apc, okay so far.
> So next step is to use a washmit to clean the car, havent rinsed the apc off yet, use the same washmit dipped in a bucket once to clean windows, bodywork and wheels.
> Then spray more apc on it and finally rinse it off. For a tenner.
> God alone knows what their waxing and polishing(in that order apparently, DW is wrong who knew?) is like but i know i dont want to give it a try.


What I fail to understand is why threads like these preach to the DW membership, surely you should be standing in the Tesco car park handing out leaflets and advice to the naive, ignorant poor souls that use this type of service.


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## The Pan Man (Apr 16, 2010)

Sainsbury's Redditch last Sunday. Car washed, dried & QD on Saturday. Woman from Scratch & Go watches me park up and then asks if I want my car washed, "No thanks luv there is obviously something up with your eyes!!"


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## captandy (Nov 13, 2011)

As I work away for long periods the wife took her Mini to Tesco for a hand wash. They made a terrible job of it. It took me several hours to get the swirls out. They have no idea and they're method is very much based on the easiest way to clean a car rather than the proper way. It amazes me to se people with new high end cars handing them over for these morons to clean. 
Andy


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## BJM (Oct 30, 2005)

Think of the spare time you'd have right enough - no coming on here for hours at a time, no looking out the window 14 minutes after washing your motor properly thinking what else you could layer on it, no being out in the freezing cold winters washing the car knowing it'll be dirty by the end of the street. As someone else said, ignorance is bliss!

Unfortunately I'm not ignorant to the damage these people cause and still enjoy to an extent (nowhere near as much as I used to) detailing my main car - So I will continue to use up my free time looking out the window and fannying about on the forum!


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## r26lawrence (Jan 16, 2014)

A used to work at one of these hand car wash wasn't there very long as was very very shocked at there methods TFR and wheel acid then jet wash off then sponge out of a bucket that seen the whole day no fresh, black soapy water then blast off blade it dry and towl dry for a fiver worst place ever we never stopped all day hated every day being there knowing these brand new cars getting a right hammering and to top it off the head valiter who thought he was the best was banned from driving and an ex con for gbh but was driving your 60k car around the car park no wonder a told them to shove there car wash up there **** by the way please keep away from these cow boys 
(Handy Andy car wash birtley)


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Would not go anywhere near these scratchy hand car washes. I once voiced my disgust at how these people do a poor job at washing their customers cars and got shot down in flames for it by some ****.I know it's a living there are doing,but like with all trades or jobs there needs to be proper training and know how first. Would you let a trades man botch up your house because of poor workmanship? So the same it should be for these car hand washes, it's still a service you pay for no matter what the price you pay. Car hand washes are not trades man but you get my point!


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

If there's one thing worse than another supermarket car wash thread it's an old one revived.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

You don't have to read it if you don't want to


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## dcj (Apr 17, 2009)

r26lawrence said:


> A used to work at one of these hand car wash wasn't there very long as was very very shocked at there methods TFR and wheel acid then jet wash off then sponge out of a bucket that seen the whole day no fresh, black soapy water then blast off blade it dry and towl dry for a fiver worst place ever we never stopped all day hated every day being there knowing these brand new cars getting a right hammering and to top it off the head valiter who thought he was the best was banned from driving and an ex con for gbh but was driving your 60k car around the car park no wonder a told them to shove there car wash up there **** by the way please keep away from these cow boys
> (Handy Andy car wash birtley)


I will do thanks:thumb: Where is Birtley?


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

muzzer42 said:


> You don't have to read it if you don't want to


Tired of that well worn response too. If nobody ever questioned or criticised the content on this forum it would be a much poorer place.

Don't really want blatant advertising from a newcomer either.....cheap shot.


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## B17BLG (Jun 26, 2012)




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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

S63 said:


> Tired of that well worn response too. If nobody ever questioned or criticised the content on this forum it would be a much poorer place.
> 
> Don't really want blatant advertising from a newcomer either.....cheap shot.


Apologies, it was in no way meant as a cheap shot and of course it's your right to question or criticise whatever you want but then it's also someone's right to disagree with you.

It really wasn't meant as a cheap shot.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

muzzer42 said:


> Apologies, it was in no way meant as a cheap shot and of course it's your right to question or criticise whatever you want but then it's also someone's right to disagree with you.
> 
> It really wasn't meant as a cheap shot.


If you read my post again you will realise the comment wasn't aimed at you.:thumb:


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

S63 said:


> If you read my post again you will realise the comment wasn't aimed at you.:thumb:


Ahh, my goof


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

muzzer42 said:


> Ahh, my goof


No problem. If you want to disagree with me about the merits of supermarket car washes fell free to debate.


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## crf450nut (Sep 15, 2013)

S63 said:


> If there's one thing worse than another supermarket car wash thread it's an old one revived.


Looks like you have a thing about these car wash threads ? Just like my one that got removed the other day !!!


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

crf450nut said:


> Looks like you have a thing about these car wash threads ? Just like my one that got removed the other day !!!


Yes, I guess they do get my goat a bit, makes DW members look holier than though imo, not sure what you may have said to be censored.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

S63 said:


> No problem. If you want to disagree with me about the merits of supermarket car washes fell free to debate.


I see what you are saying, most people who arent into detailing will go to these people and i see why but the people i cant get are the ones with perceived expensive cars, e class mercs, 5 series etc, surely they must know this is bad for their cars.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

muzzer42 said:


> I see what you are saying, most people who arent into detailing will go to these people and i see why but the people i cant get are the ones with perceived expensive cars, e class mercs, 5 series etc, surely they must know this is bad for their cars.


Yes, we do, but, they do a job when you're pushed for time.... 

Saying that, I no longer use my local Royston Tesco Hand Car Wash, as they've not done a decent enough job for my liking....


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

I know most people don't care but I do cringe when I watch those car cleaning people in supermarket car parks. 

Watched one guy washing a big Volvo or something similar. He had a manky old mitt and what must have been a contain with about 1 litre of brown water in it. Washed the car from the bottom up. No pressure washer or hoses so guessing he then just dried it with a chamois!! 

You don't have to be a detailing guru to use some common sense and I don't see that displayed with those supermarket car washes. 

I don't blame anyone for using a car wash, even a little hidden away one where they use pressure washers and mitts (even if you don't know where the mitt has been). At least they usually from what I've seen use an ounce of logic but those supermarket car washes just scrub the sh!t out of the car!! lol


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

neilos said:


> Yes, we do, but, they do a job when you're pushed for time....
> 
> Saying that, I no longer use my local Royston Tesco Hand Car Wash, as they've not done a decent enough job for my liking....


Fair point but i know if i had an e class and was pushed for time, i would be getting someone to come to me rather than go there.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

muzzer42 said:


> I see what you are saying, most people who arent into detailing will go to these people and i see why but the people i cant get are the ones with perceived expensive cars, e class mercs, 5 series etc, surely they must know this is bad for their cars.


Sorry I thanked your post by accident...

Why would you assume if you have a 'nicer' car that you would know?

To me having a nicer car means you might be a busy person and don't care as long as the car looks clean

and 2ndly, most are probably company vehicles....


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## e32chris (Sep 21, 2011)

trouble is most people but a car to drive it, not to spend hours or even days cleaning and polishing, maybe we are the mad ones


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

Company car is a good shout, personally whilst yes i cant stand a dirty car looking after it also means come sell/trade it i can get as much back for it as possible. 

Do peeps clean their houses.other belongings with dirty water?


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## B17BLG (Jun 26, 2012)

I often find that i don't even enter conversation about cars or car cleaning with people. They tend to switch off very early on


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

asonda said:


> Sorry I thanked your post by accident...
> 
> Why would you assume if you have a 'nicer' car that you would know?
> 
> ...


Fair point but i know one company has it written into their company cars contract that any form of damage, including paintwork has to be paid for by the employee.
I realise that not everyone wants to keep their car clean but if they are successful enough to have a car like that as a company car, then is it not reasonable to assume they take pride in their overall appearance? Yet they are happy to drive a car scratched to hell.

I guess i will never understand them.


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## B17BLG (Jun 26, 2012)

muzzer42 said:


> Fair point but i know one company has it written into their company cars contract that any form of damage, including paintwork has to be paid for by the employee.
> I realise that not everyone wants to keep their car clean but if they are successful enough to have a car like that as a company car, then is it not reasonable to assume they take pride in their overall appearance? Yet they are happy to drive a car scratched to hell.
> 
> I guess i will never understand them.


I don't think swirl marks come under damaged paint work for companies tbh


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## m1pui (Jul 24, 2009)

muzzer42 said:


> I see what you are saying, most people who arent into detailing will go to these people and i see why but the people i cant get are the ones with perceived expensive cars, e class mercs, 5 series etc, surely they must know this is bad for their cars.


Having a nicer car just means you can afford or want something a bit nicer/bigger than the "lesser" alternatives.

You don't buy an Insignia/S-Class instead of a Corsa/A-Class, because you care about cleaning cars.

My dad had several Jag XJ's in my younger days. It used to go through a auto-carwash every Sunday and I can't recall him ever washing them by hand.

I've never had properly "expensive" cars. Things from a Ka/Smart ForTwo to a Lexus RX and most of them have seen a mixture of washing myself and taken to a carwash/handwash if I simply haven't had the time.

Since I've gotten more familiar with rinseless products, it's less of an occurrence to take it to a handwash, but I wouldn't rule it out if needs be.


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## m1pui (Jul 24, 2009)

B17BLG said:


> I don't think swirl marks come under damaged paint work for companies tbh


More like it doesn't come under damage for anyone outside of detailing world. I don't class it as damage TBH.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

B17BLG said:


> I don't think swirl marks come under damaged paint work for companies tbh


Fair point but scratches definitely do and the tesco i visited the guys must have been inflicting scratches, not swirls.

I guess it's each to their own, i've always washed my own cars even when busy, even when i had a snotter. Okay i might have only had the one bucket of water and a dodgy sponge so was in reality i suppose i was no better off but then i was driving a £200 car. I suppose it comes down to do you like your car or is it just another tool.


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

B17BLG said:


> I often find that i don't even enter conversation about cars or car cleaning with people. They tend to switch off very early on


What was it you were saying :lol::lol:


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

Kiashuma said:


> What was it you were saying :lol::lol:


:lol:


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Strange as this may sound. Yes, the e250 goes to the Tesco Hand Car Wash when I'm pushed for time, but, that's only because I've not got the time, and one of the rules of the company is, your car WILL be clean. I treat the e-class as if it was my own, and I can assure you, there isn't a scratch on it.

This is the strange bit. I will never put my "R" plate Micra through a hand car wash...


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

muzzer42 said:


> I see what you are saying, most people who arent into detailing will go to these people and i see why but the people i cant get are the ones with perceived expensive cars, e class mercs, 5 series etc, surely they must know this is bad for their cars.


Those aren't really expensive cars, having spent many years driving the wealthy you do get a perspective of their priorities in life, my last boss was probably the exception to the rule and my OCD on his fleet of cars most probably got to him as well but his mates, uber rich mates would be driving around in supercars that saw nothing other than shrilly auto washes....driving the cars was far more important than looking at them, if the residue in their cars dropped due to poor condition they cared not a jot.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

I guess it comes down to what your car means to you, mine represents a substantial investment for me so i treat it accordingly to recoup as much back as i can, if you have money coming out your ears then it's just a tool and you don't give a hoot about it.


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

muzzer42 said:


> I guess it comes down to what your car means to you, mine represents a substantial investment for me so i treat it accordingly to recoup as much back as i can, if you have money coming out your ears then it's just a tool and you don't give a hoot about it.


Which is why the Micra will probably never go to a hand car wash, even if it is an "R" plate old jalopy. Mind you, it only takes half an hour to clean it anyway....:lol:

The e250 however is a work tool, and as much as I hate using them, I have to...

It's still officially the cleanest car on the fleet though, according to one of our peeps...


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## JwilliamsM (Dec 20, 2011)

Ive banned my parents and my girlfriend from ever going to these types of places. 
I say to my mates if you care about looking after your car (which zero of them do) dont go to these places they use awfully strong products and have awful techniques and will ruin the appearence of your car. 
Luckily my mates are so uninterested in cars they dont even clean them haha!


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

neilos said:


> Which is why the Micra will probably never go to a hand car wash, even if it is an "R" plate old jalopy. Mind you, it only takes half an hour to clean it anyway....:lol:
> 
> The e250 however is a work tool, and as much as I hate using them, I have to...
> 
> It's still officially the cleanest car on the fleet though, according to one of our peeps...


Go on show the old Micra some love.
As you say they take no time to clean at all!


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