# Lesson Learned - "Do Not Wash"



## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

I'm a mild mannered man, not easily wound up or upset..... However, after asking nicely for the local BMW dealership not to wash my car post service, putting it in big red letters on the job sheet, and asking if I need to put anything in the car to notify the technicians.... They washed it!!!

F*****g fuming. Made a suitable level of noise in the dealership without going OTT, to be offered a 15% discount off my next service...... I obviously didn't accept this and finally accepted a £100 discount. Still not happy and await a call from the dealer principal. 

My lesson? Make up really big, very noticeable mirror hanger, notices to leave on the seats, and anything else I can think of!

Thanks BMW dealership.


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## GP Punto (May 29, 2007)

Had this on two out of the last three services, including one where they washed the car but not the wheels.

The excuse was that their 'professional' valeters couldnt read English.

Told them last time, before I handed over the keys, that if they washed the car then I would not be paying for the service, and asked that this was recorded on the work sheet.

They didnt wash the car.


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## -Stuart W- (Dec 28, 2007)

I had my car serviced at BMW this week and was surprised how easy it was - it's one of those occasions that brings us detailers out in a cold sweat just thinking about it 

Did the usual of making the request at the time of booking, placed "do not wash" sign on the cars dash and reiterated my request to the service department.

The service adviser was very pleasant about it, said it had been marked on the job sheet and then proceeded to pull out his own laminated "do not wash" sign to place in the car (I said I'd already done one but another couldn't do any harm 

Still slightly anxious while the car is being serviced. Once finished the service adviser comes over to let me know the car is ready and proudly states "and it's not been washed sir". He takes me over to the car and waits with me while I check for door dings, alloy kerbing etc. Everything was reassuringly dirty :thumb:

I actually wondered if dealers had become aware of detailing and were actively trying to cater for our needs.

Anyway thumbs up for Berry BMW West Drayton :thumb:


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Must say, never had an issue at my BMW dealership - always get asked what I’d like to do :thumb:


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## gargreen7 (Apr 12, 2009)

You cant get the valeters in my place to wash cars anyway. You all need to go there.


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## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

GP Punto said:


> The excuse was that their 'professional' valeters couldnt read English.


Talk about passing the book. I bet the service techs could read English. So why did they even hand the car/keys over to the valeters?


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## LSpec (Apr 7, 2013)

I totally understand.. but I need to say that here is the only place where people is happy about get a dirty car after car serviced lol.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have my do not wash signs written in five different languages and stuck on every window, on the dashboard, on the seats and under the window wipers. You must think I'm paranoid :lol:


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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

Good tactics there guys, thank you. More signs and an "I will not pay clause" next time. 

I didn't mention above that they didn't have time to check the three warranty issues I'd ask be looked at, despite them having the car from 8am to 6pm..... That didn't help.


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## -Stuart W- (Dec 28, 2007)

I go with the BMW fast lane option to reduce the amount of time the car is with the dealer. If it's sat in the parking bays with the masses then more chance for door dings etc.

Went in 7.45 and on the road 9.15 (basic oil and filter service) :car:


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

A few of these,laminated and strategically placed may help :thumb:










Or even bigger here -


http://imgur.com/nTCHUpN


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## -Stuart W- (Dec 28, 2007)

Soul boy 68 said:


> I have my do not wash signs written in five different languages and stuck on every window, on the dashboard, on the seats and under the window wipers. You must think I'm paranoid :lol:


I've heard that there has been a mass influx of mandarin speaking valeters flooding dealerships...:detailer:


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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

Bristle Hound said:


> A few of these,laminated and strategically placed may help :thumb:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Perfect! Thanks for taking the time to dig these out BH :thumb:


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## sshooie (May 15, 2007)

I would bet a shiny pound the DP will never call you back. You will have to chase and chase again.

I hate dealerships.


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## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

Surely if your car goes in to the dealers spotlessly clean then there would be no need for the dealership to wash it?
Car gets a wash before going in, I tell them when it’s booked in, they write it on the key tag, I leave a note in the car, it doesn’t get washed. 


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

GP Punto said:


> The excuse was that their 'professional' valeters couldnt read English.


That was the excuse i was given from a service advisor from my local Mercedes dealership. Her attitude was 'well, it'll be alright, won't it?' Wasn't until I pointed out that the car has about 11 coats of sealant on it, think she realised she screwed up.

Apart from that, I've had mixed dealings with the 'do not wash' sign.

One time the dealership phoned the boss to apologise to say they've cleaned my car by mistake.

Technician lifted the bonnet and straight away said, 'oh, i know who's car this is!'

And another time the chap who collects and returns the cars grabbed the keys from the valeters and told them this is one car you DO NOT TOUCH....

My local dealership loves me....:lol:


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## Nick-ST (Mar 4, 2013)

When I have taken cars in my local Ford dealership for work they think I am absolutely barmy not wanting the free valet..... I don't even bother trying to explain why to them. My own wife barely understands after 8 years of putting up with me!


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## Cyclonetog (Jul 22, 2018)

Haha, when my Ford dealer said they'd do the work and give it a complimentary wash, I just said "there's no need for that", she marked it down, said she didn't blame me and it didn't get washed.


They didn't do the work either, but let's ignore that....


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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

garage_dweller said:


> Surely if your car goes in to the dealers spotlessly clean then there would be no need for the dealership to wash it?
> Car gets a wash before going in, I tell them when it's booked in, they write it on the key tag, I leave a note in the car, it doesn't get washed.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


In theory, yes, but when the car is booked in on a Thursday, washed Sunday, you commute 50 miles a day, work 10 hours a day minimum, travel on s***y back roads to avoid the inevitable carnage of the M1, in practice, not always an option


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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

sshooie said:


> I would bet a shiny pound the DP will never call you back. You will have to chase and chase again.
> 
> I hate dealerships.


I agree with you 100% on that! I don't remain hopeful for a happy ending :lol:


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## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

Pembroke_Boy said:


> In theory, yes, but when the car is booked in on a Thursday, washed Sunday, you commute 50 miles a day, work 10 hours a day minimum, travel on s***y back roads to avoid the inevitable carnage of the M1, in practice, not always an option


I always book mine in on a Monday and drop it off on Sunday, washed before it goes in.

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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

garage_dweller said:


> I always book mine in on a Monday and drop it off on Sunday, washed before it goes in.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Good shout that (I need to plan my services around my wash routine), I'm obviously still a major amateur at this detailing game :lol:


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## samsdetailing (Jan 18, 2018)

Pretty much why we give these away at so many car shows!










"At the owners request do not wash"


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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

samsdetailing said:


> Pretty much why we give these away at so many car shows!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice! I'd be happy to take one and report back on its success or otherwise :thumb:


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## Jack R (Dec 15, 2014)

It’s one of the reasons I tend to service my fleet myself, firstly it gets washed properly after the service and secondly I know the service and maintenance has all been completed properly and nothing missed, forgotten or done incorrectly. If it does ever go to a garage it usually goes to a friends place, so I don’t have to worry about it as he knows me well enough not to wash it.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Stu Blue 182 said:


> I've heard that there has been a mass influx of mandarin speaking valeters flooding dealerships...:detailer:


I'd better amend my signs to include manderin as well


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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

All washed and sealed by my own hand this morning, so less distressed now. Limited swirl damage from what I can see without a full inspection, so hopefully got away with minimal damage....


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Pembroke_Boy said:


> I don't remain hopeful for a happy ending :lol:


I mean, I know they washed your car and all, but surely that's a bit much for compensation... :lol::lol::lol:

With regards to washing my cars, I've had various experiences myself of the same nature. I had a VW CC that had to go onto the dealership several times over a short period of time. I made it clear the first two times that they weren't to wash it and put signs on the dash etc.

I forgot the third time and they washed it. Same guy I had been speaking to all along, but suddenly forgot "the rules". Luckily it was a used car that I hadn't gotten around to fully correcting yet, so I couldn't tell which swirls were the new ones!

Another experience was when buying a brand new car for my wife. I requested that the supplying dealer didn't wash it before we collected it and they threw a fit and didn't want to do it. They even asked "why don't you want us to wash it"?! Erm, it's my car - why can't you just take my instruction!?

In the end we bought the car elsewhere, so they lost out on selling a brand new car (in top spec), just because they refused to not wash it!

I explained that I didn't want them to wash it because they'd scratch it, but naturally they don't understand micromarring and insist they won't, to which I replied "if I get there and find scratches I'll reject the car". Suddenly they're not so sure if they can wash it without scratching... funny that.

To this day I still get the **** taken out of me in work for having that conversation. Everyone else thinks it's brilliant having a free wash, despite having black cars (now with obvious swirling all over). 

Oh, and FWIW, I now wash our cars before they go in for servicing like others have said. Annoyingly, they still try to wash it unless you tell them not to, but the way I think about it is you've already added some insurance by getting rid of all the dirt on the car, so there's less muck for them to rub around on your paint.

Short of dropping it off covered in ONR, I doubt there's much more you can do. Maybe knock up a Word document saying that you'll not pay for the service if they wash the car, then having them sign it when you leave the car? That would focus their attention a bit, though I doubt they'll sign it.


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## GP Punto (May 29, 2007)

I dont wash the cars before they go in so that I can be certain on wther they have washed the car or not, the service person comes out to the car and takes pics on her ipad, not sure that the ipad would pick up existing swirl marks (not that there are any).

A friend is looking for a new BMW and I went with him to the dealers in Huddersfield last weekend. There was a black BM in the showroom that was covered in swirlmarks and microscratches, looked like it had been wiped down with a dry towel, I pointed it out to the salesman, shrugged his shoulders and said 'it happens'.

Maybe our standards are too high or the rest of the world doesnt care.


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## Radish293 (Mar 16, 2012)

It’s not just me that washes a car before it goes in for service. I would rather the technician doesn’t rub dirt into the paint. I refuse to have my car washed by them. Having said that, I picked up a new car from a London Main dealer and was impressed by the level of prep only thing I didn’t like was their tyre dressing.


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## garage_dweller (Apr 10, 2018)

Picked the car up tonight after a service today, they didn't wash it. Woman at service desk said 'wasn't washed as requested' but they did give the front carpets a vac, not sure what the sucked up as it was vacuumed inside yesterday then driven 2 miles to drop off 

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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

MBRuss said:


> I mean, I know they washed your car and all, but surely that's a bit much for compensation... :lol::lol::lol:
> 
> With regards to washing my cars, I've had various experiences myself of the same nature. I had a VW CC that had to go onto the dealership several times over a short period of time. I made it clear the first two times that they weren't to wash it and put signs on the dash etc.
> 
> ...


I'm the same at work. Told them about this story and they just didn't get it and just took the p**s. Unless you're in the know, they just don't know.... :lol:


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Pembroke_Boy said:


> I'm the same at work. Told them about this story and they just didn't get it and just took the p**s. Unless you're in the know, they just don't know....


My boss's new (to him, but not very old anyway) black Porsche Cayenne has very noticeable holograms down one of the A pillars, probably from a poor rotary polish at the dealers. I could offer to polish it out, but my guess is he probably hasn't even noticed it and he always takes his cars to the closest Eastern European "scratch n sniffs", as I call them, so if I polished one bit it'd probably stand out to the rest of the car.

My other colleague has a black Nissan X trail (read: soft paint) and I recently went with him when he went to a scratch n sniff during lunch. They had around 6 guys on it all at once at some points, standing on the wheels to reach the roof and casually wiping it over with the same mitts as used on numerous other cars and dropped 100 times on the floor. Same mitt for wheels as the rest of the car etc.

One of them then asks in very broken English if my colleague wants some sort of aerosol sprayed on the dash. Having no idea what it is my colleague just said yes.

When we got back in the car it stank of some sort of artificial scent and everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) was suuuuuper slippery. He has leather seats and almost ended up on my lap as we pulled out onto the road. Likewise I almost ended up on his at the following bend. Even the floor mats were slippery. We walked back in the office and could feel it on the soles of our shoes, sliding over the work carpets, and on the back of our trousers as we sat in our office chairs. Utterly gross stuff, and sprayed over every inch of his interior.

I think that gave him some insight into why I do what I do. I've had people in work comment before that after a wash it looks like I had bought a brand new car. The same can't really be said after a scratch n sniff.

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## BavarianRob (Mar 28, 2010)

BMW washed my 440i last April after I told them not to, pictures below. Written on job card and a sign in the car. They have taken to writing it in the valeters language now!

They offered a 'detail' but I politely declined and got a new tyre (£250) out of them instead.






























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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Ugh, what a mess. And from one wash too.

Most of the time they don't even get it clean, either.

My old neighbour worked for a Ford dealership and he said they just get a guy in and tell him to wash all the cars on the forecourt. I imagine most places are the same, and the guys doing it are probably just on minimum wage. They probably don't look at the car enough to notice a sign in the window. They probably just quickly whizz around the cars one at a time until they've all been wiped over.

The same guy washed all the company cars, too and my neighbour would often come home with clear "arm swipe" marks down the side of the car where the guy had wiped the door with his sponge/mitt in an arcing motion and missed all the dirt on the side skirts and even on the lower doors. You could see exactly where he'd been.

Exactly the kind of person/circumstances you don't want your car being washed by/under.

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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

BavarianRob said:


> BMW washed my 440i last April after I told them not to, pictures below. Written on job card and a sign in the car. They have taken to writing it in the valeters language now!
> 
> They offered a 'detail' but I politely declined and got a new tyre (£250) out of them instead.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Holy crap, what a mess! All that from just one dealer wash? What the hell dis they use.......?!


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## GP Punto (May 29, 2007)

Pembroke_Boy said:


> Holy crap, what a mess! All that from just one dealer wash? What the hell dis they use.......?!


I have seen them use a sweeping brush, rewetting the brush from the puddles in the ground.

Worse place I have seen so far was at Hepworth Honda in Huddersfield, all of their second hand stock had paint like sand paper, it was actually coarse when you touched it.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

A few years back, I watched a guy at Charles Hurst in Belfast placing a chamois on the ground, power washing it, then he turned it over, placed it back on the ground, washed the other side, proceeded to pick it up and chamois the car he was cleaning. 

Nuff said. 

Cooks



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## Pembroke_Boy (Aug 24, 2017)

Cookies said:


> A few years back, I watched a guy at Charles Hurst in Belfast placing a chamois on the ground, power washing it, then he turned it over, placed it back on the ground, washed the other side, proceeded to pick it up and chamois the car he was cleaning.
> 
> Nuff said.
> 
> ...


Seems again that I got away lightly with just a few swirls on the gloss pillars. Maybe they used a brand new chamois before it needed "rinsing" with grit!


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## washingitagain (Sep 11, 2018)

Both times I've had my Merc in at the dealers I've said don't wash and they haven't. You can see the wash bay as you drive to the car park. I haven't had time to see what they do other than the pressure washing but seeing AMG GTRs etc. in the queue it made me wonder if they do a good job. Surely on a £120k+ car they do a proper wash?


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

washingitagain said:


> Both times I've had my Merc in at the dealers I've said don't wash and they haven't. You can see the wash bay as you drive to the car park. I haven't had time to see what they do other than the pressure washing but seeing AMG GTRs etc. in the queue it made me wonder if they do a good job. Surely on a £120k+ car they do a proper wash?


That's a very naive assumption to make...


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## Tykebike (Mar 27, 2016)

garage_dweller said:


> I always book mine in on a Monday and drop it off on Sunday, washed before it goes in.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I must try harder to book my car in on a dry sunny Monday!


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## BertyTHeGreat (Jun 2, 2017)

Stu Blue 182 said:


> I had my car serviced at BMW this week and was surprised how easy it was - it's one of those occasions that brings us detailers out in a cold sweat just thinking about it
> 
> Did the usual of making the request at the time of booking, placed "do not wash" sign on the cars dash and reiterated my request to the service department.
> 
> ...


had a similar experience with my local ford dealer when the Focus ST went in. they had no issues ensuring it wasn't washed and ensured the job card stated it along with my own signs in the car. but out of respect i always clean my vehicle reasonable thoroughly before a workshop visit out of respect. im a HGV technician and i cant stand dirty vehicles myself so if i can give the tech at least one clean vehicle to work on that day then its all good.


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## al132 (Nov 13, 2018)

*BMW Romford cleaning*

I had a recall on my BMW and they said we will do a full health check and recall repair. 
They said they will clean the car too but I said I cleaned it on Sunday and this was Tuesday

Thought nothing of it and collected the car in the evening.

In the morning looked out the window and saw scratches on the bonnet.

So I was annoyed and went down to look at the car and found that nearly every panel was scratched.

Spoke to the dealer and they told me they use the state of the art karcher cb3 machine.
They saw the pictures and told me they will check the 196 other customers they did and also check the cameras

So I will be making a visit this week to see what they are going to do about it.

By reading this I take it is a common thing for them then 
Glad I don't use them.


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## steeve (Feb 28, 2011)

I always ask the dealer not to wash my car and have a nice plastic notice I hang on the mirror. However I took my new S3 in for a thousand mile oil change, the car was spotless when it went in.

When I went to collect it they had done a safety check, including testing front wipers and washers, rear wipers and washer and headlight washers. They even measured the tyre tread depths. The car was just a few week old!
It was in a right mess, I was furious.


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## TeddyRuxpin (Mar 7, 2016)

Well... if they should/have to check those things... and it says don't wash... yeah, it's gonna look pretty bad!


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## Fireball411 (Jul 31, 2016)

washingitagain said:


> Both times I've had my Merc in at the dealers I've said don't wash and they haven't. You can see the wash bay as you drive to the car park. I haven't had time to see what they do other than the pressure washing but seeing AMG GTRs etc. in the queue it made me wonder if they do a good job. Surely on a £120k+ car they do a proper wash?


i have worked at a merc delaer and their car wash was automatic supermarket type ones with the big side and top rollers

they took all the cars in inc the gts and amgs


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## Slick 77 (Jun 19, 2007)

al132 said:


> I had a recall on my BMW and they said we will do a full health check and recall repair.
> They said they will clean the car too but I said I cleaned it on Sunday and this was Tuesday
> 
> Thought nothing of it and collected the car in the evening.
> ...


I have made that mistake, taken a clean car for service and assumed they wont wash it but they did, so I always tell them when booking in and leave notices.

That looks really bad on your car, not sure if the BMW garage will do anything though as sounds like they dont see it as an issue


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## minotaur uk (Dec 13, 2018)

I spoke to a Skoda dealer recently and they said they have changed over to some Polish guys who wash cars, they did have a dedicated guys on site that washed them. As I work near the dealership I went past recently and saw one guy go from car to car with a single bucket and sponge :wall::wall::wall::wall:


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## MBRuss (Apr 29, 2011)

Unfortunately, the majority of people think using "Polish guys" means a good quality wash.

Your average Joe thinks it's a good thing to have ten Eastern Europeans all clambering over the car at once, as well. *Sigh*


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## GP Punto (May 29, 2007)

Instead of having a notice hanging from the rear view mirror I am going to try an A4 piece of paper stuck to the outside bodywork with blutak, written in fountain pen washable ink - PLEASE DO NOT WASH THIS CAR.


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## pxr5 (Feb 13, 2012)

Put a sign in the car and when you hand over the keys warn the dealer that if the car is washed you will be sending them a bill for a full detail from a pro - and get that clearly stated on the paperwork. Also make sure you walk round the car before and after the work is done. 'Tis what I do. They must think I'm a total knob, but I don't care.


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## Jasonjo (Jan 2, 2019)

pxr5 said:


> Put a sign in the car and when you hand over the keys warn the dealer that if the car is washed you will be sending them a bill for a full detail from a pro - and get that clearly stated on the paperwork. Also make sure you walk round the car before and after the work is done. 'Tis what I do. They must think I'm a total knob, but I don't care.


Another nob here, think dealers must hate it 

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## RICH2508 (Jan 14, 2007)

I had a company Vauxhall a few years ago and it went in for a service with a note not to wash, they didn’t clean it but the front panel was covered in fine scratches where the mechanic must have leant over into the engine bay. They denied it and even said why are you worried, it’s a company car. No point in asking for money off etc as I wasn’t paying the bill, but I knew I would be getting the quality survey soon after, so I gave them 0/5 in every section. I then got a call from the Service Manager Asking if I would retract my comments as it had impacted their end of month bonus&#55357;&#56833;


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## JamesR1 (Apr 24, 2008)

I had to send my Scirocco in for a recall the other week. Did the usual of requesting its not washed and leaving a big sign in the car. 

I went one step further and made their service manager sign my T&C's that stating if any attempt to valet, clean or wash the vehicle is made then they are liable for 30 hours of my time and all materials and consumables to machine polish the car and re-ceramic coat.. etc....

They signed the agreement much the same way i had to sign to authorize their work and hey presto it was left well alone.. 

Remember agreements can work both ways. i guess if they had refused to sign it then i would have been left looking a plonker, but as they wanted the work as it was a simple recall and easy for them to book the work from VW they obliged.


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