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Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 22nd 06, 07:24 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

I recently took my 2000 Beetle 1.8t to an automatic, conveyor type car
wash and it tore out my engine splash guard and damaged the side guards
as well. The car wash says that according to the "International Car Wash
Association" VW Beetle's are one of the cars on their damage alert list.
They said the splash guards are usually either damaged from road hazards
or are installed improperly after oil changes and are then damaged by
the car wash conveyor as a result. Because of this, they will not
reinburse customers if they are damaged not matter what. Now, I know my
splash guards were in good condition prior to going through the car
wash. I had just had my oil changed at the VW service 2 weeks earlier
and I have confirmation from them that my splash guards were in good
condition and they know how to reinstall them and I know I haven't hit
any road hazards. Has this happened to anyone else? Does VW have any
warnings about these car washes? If the car wash's know these cars are a
problem shouldn't they either ban the cars or inspect the cars or have
Beetle owners sign a waiver after informing them of the hazard? After
ths happened I observed how cars go through the car wsh and the conveyor
is about 5 inches high. The 2000 Beetle clearance at the belly pan
(engine splash guard) is about 3-4 inches. When cars come to the end
they roll backwards if there is no one there to jump in the car to drive
it out. I think this is what happened to my car and it caught the belly
pan from the back and ripped it off the sides.

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  #2  
Old April 22nd 06, 10:57 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

I'm not sure what the point is . Its unfortunate, but If I knew I had 3
inches of clearance , I,d be careful about what car wash I drive in. My Geo
storm taught me some very hard lessons about clearance , It actually got
stuck in a pot hole once,by the belly pans and required a wrecker. The city
paid me for two tires and wheels, and a wrecker bill. I lost 350 bucks on
that one, but I got tires and wheels. I lost my splash guards in a car wash.
Now the right one sits in my garage. You should be happy, they didn't rip
your oil pan out of it. And just because they said they wont reimburse you
no matter what, doesn't mean they wont when they get court papers from your
attorney. One of my rules of life is nobody pays you until they actually
have to go through the court room door in 15 minutes, Then they settle.
Because they wanted to see if you will actually show up or not. And see if
you haven't accidentally died either.
> wrote in message
...
>I recently took my 2000 Beetle 1.8t to an automatic, conveyor type car
> wash and it tore out my engine splash guard and damaged the side guards
> as well. The car wash says that according to the "International Car Wash
> Association" VW Beetle's are one of the cars on their damage alert list.
> They said the splash guards are usually either damaged from road hazards
> or are installed improperly after oil changes and are then damaged by
> the car wash conveyor as a result. Because of this, they will not
> reinburse customers if they are damaged not matter what. Now, I know my
> splash guards were in good condition prior to going through the car
> wash. I had just had my oil changed at the VW service 2 weeks earlier
> and I have confirmation from them that my splash guards were in good
> condition and they know how to reinstall them and I know I haven't hit
> any road hazards. Has this happened to anyone else? Does VW have any
> warnings about these car washes? If the car wash's know these cars are a
> problem shouldn't they either ban the cars or inspect the cars or have
> Beetle owners sign a waiver after informing them of the hazard? After
> ths happened I observed how cars go through the car wsh and the conveyor
> is about 5 inches high. The 2000 Beetle clearance at the belly pan
> (engine splash guard) is about 3-4 inches. When cars come to the end
> they roll backwards if there is no one there to jump in the car to drive
> it out. I think this is what happened to my car and it caught the belly
> pan from the back and ripped it off the sides.
>



  #3  
Old April 23rd 06, 01:07 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

Just chalk it up to a lesson learned and move on. If you are trying to get a
payment for damages from the car wash company, that effort will cost you
more in attorney fees than any award you might get. Next time, wash the car
yourself. For a car the size of a Beetle, it should not take very long - and
the car will look better than anything any car wash can do.


  #4  
Old April 23rd 06, 02:53 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

My point is, seeing if anyone else has had this problem and to alert
Beetle owners of the so-called Beetle "issue" at car washes. If they
know that VW Beetles cause a problem, then why even allow them in the
car wash or at least inspect the car before running it through. I had
know idea the car has that little ground clearance at the engine guard.
It has about 6 1/2" at the front bumper. I checked the "International
Car Wash Association" website and I can't find any vehical damage alert
on Beetles like they said. The car wash should know what cars can and
can't go through their wash safely. Our family has been going to this
car wash for over 40 years. They do a great job of cleaning the outside
and inside for only $5.99. They have a special solution that cleans the
wheels better than I ever can. We have never had a problem with them. I
have brought my Beetle there probably 50 times with no problem. I think
this time, it was just them letting the car roll backwards because no
one was their to drive it out. I have talked to several people, since
this happened, that have had their cars damaged at this car wash and
they were very good at getting the car fixed. What is perplexing is
their blanket denile on my Beetle!

  #5  
Old April 23rd 06, 07:40 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

This is what the car wash owner said in his letter to me:

"We are a member of the International Car Wash association that has a
liaison committee with the various auto manufacturers. The car wash
industry has discussed this problem with Volkswagen with no immediate
resolution. The issue is that the retainers can come loose, sometimes
the result of maintenance, sometimes that of simple road hazard issues.
In the cases I have dealt with the customer is unaware of this condition
that makes the guard hang lower than designed causing it to catch on the
conveyor that pulls your vehicle through the wash. The conveyors are
built to accommodate all types of vehicles including Beetles."

Has anyone ever heard of this "issue" with Beetles and conveyor car
washes? Does VW have any disclaimers concerning Beetles and car washes?

  #6  
Old April 23rd 06, 04:16 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

Well, all I can say is, most small cars (especially those with low ground
clearances) and the pull-thru type of car washes are a bad combo - not just
the Beetle.


  #7  
Old April 23rd 06, 06:26 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

In article >,
> wrote:
>This is what the car wash owner said in his letter to me:
>
>"We are a member of the International Car Wash association that has a
>liaison committee with the various auto manufacturers. The car wash
>industry has discussed this problem with Volkswagen with no immediate
>resolution. The issue is that the retainers can come loose, sometimes
>the result of maintenance, sometimes that of simple road hazard issues.
>In the cases I have dealt with the customer is unaware of this condition
>that makes the guard hang lower than designed causing it to catch on the
>conveyor that pulls your vehicle through the wash. The conveyors are
>built to accommodate all types of vehicles including Beetles."
>
>Has anyone ever heard of this "issue" with Beetles and conveyor car
>washes? Does VW have any disclaimers concerning Beetles and car washes?
>


Translation. Know your vehicle's condition before you enter it into a
car wash.

You as the owner are fully responsible regarding driving conditions,
maintenance, road hazard issues, all of it. You as the owner need to be
aware not only what the car looks like on the outside, inside the hood, but
also what is hanging from your car below. Go to a VW dealership and look at
a new beetle with a tape measure and figure out what is spec and what is
not spec before you attempt a drive through car wash. Folks who take hands
on approaches do not have to rely on others for their incompetance. That
noted, you won't see too many people on this news group using automatic
car washes. They don't clean as well as done by hand. Beside they also
hurt your paint in the long run.


--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...
  #8  
Old April 23rd 06, 06:31 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

In article et>,
Papa > wrote:
>Well, all I can say is, most small cars (especially those with low ground
>clearances) and the pull-thru type of car washes are a bad combo - not just
>the Beetle.
>
>


EXACTLY! Besides, they do a terrible job IMHO. They are okay for the winter
to get the salt off. However there is also a type of non-contact lasar wash
car wash that uses high pressure and a robot arm system that works well
if you need to take off the salt...

--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...
  #9  
Old April 23rd 06, 06:34 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

wrote:
...
>
> Has anyone ever heard of this "issue" with Beetles and conveyor car
> washes? Does VW have any disclaimers concerning Beetles and car
> washes?


I don't know of any. I would guess the disclaimer should come from the
car wash people.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit


  #10  
Old April 24th 06, 07:56 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled
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Posts: n/a
Default Car wash won't pay for damaged Beetle engine splash guards!

<<<"Folks who take hands on approaches do not have to rely on others for
their incompetance. That noted, you won't see too many people on this
news group using automatic car washes. They don't clean as well as done
by hand. Beside they also hurt your paint in the long run.">>>

Unfortunatly, washing my car at home is out of the question at this
time. I live in the Colorado mountains. We are on a well and the water's
high mineral content is bad on the finish. I also own a bar and have
zero time! I wash my car most of the time at a self-serve car wash. This
particular automatic car wash is completetly no touch and use Zymol
cleaners so there is no paint damage. The system they use really cleans
well but I agree, you still have to hand wash occationally, which I do
at the self serve wash. I have washed my cars there for years and have
never had a problem until now. I am not so mad at the damage, accidents
happen! But I am mad about their position concerning Beetles given that
they get great consumer reviews for their handling of compaints. Beetles
must have given them a lot of trouble! So why even allow them to go thru
if they are that bad?

 




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