Tuesday I'm bringing my truck into my dealership for it's first oil change.

As part of their effort to keep the customer happy they wash your vehicle when you bring it in for service.

After they bring it to their indoor wash bay, there is an 18 year old kid there to wash the vehicle. He uses one of those telescoping brush things and rubs it all over to wash and then sprays it down.

Naturally the brush is not changed after every vehicle he does. I doubt it is even sprayed off in between vehicles.

My truck is a mess. It's coated with a thick layer of road salt and road grime. While I would like it washed, I don't know if I should take the chance of any scratches. Or maybe it wouldn't be that big of a deal since there must be some precautions taken as I doubt the dealership would like unhappy customers complaining about their vehicles being scratched.

Let the dealership do it, or politely decline and go to a do it yourself wand wash??

 

When I bring in my vehicles for service I always refuse the vehicle wash. I also make sure they write it down on my paperwork. I've heard of many horror stories and I'm not willing to take a chance.

 

With owning an SVT vehicle, Ford offers a "complimentary wash" at each service. Ive always turned it down. Being in FL, its not a big deal to wash my truck any day of the year, but even if I was up north (like you in VT), I would put on the waders and Gortex Parka if I had to, and go do it myself. All you're going to get from the dealership is a scratched up paint surface.

 

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Under no circumstances NEVER let the dealer wash your vehicle. 99 times out of 100 they will scratch up the paint and put scratches in it. Maybe not deep enough to see but if you don’t like swirls then you won’t like what you get after they get done…

I too have an SVT Lightning that is “suppose” to get the complimentary wash after service. The only time I took it to the dealer was for a safety inspection and I took it there in the condition it is always in which is clean and SHINNY.

They told me they would inspect it and then wash it. I was like WTF they had just complimented me on how it looks like a show truck and for some odd reason figured they would wash it…

Anyway I politely told them NO! and, as usual, stayed with the truck until they were done. I don’t let me vehicle out of site anytime I take it to a dealer. I don’t plan on having much service done to mine at a dealership unless I can’t do it. Oil changes, tire rotation etc I do myself.

Oh, and don’t let them put that STUPID plastic number thing on the roof or hood. They did that once to a Mustang I had, it to was clean, and this stupid plastic thing had some kind of soft material under it which contacted the paint. Needless to say it must have had some dirt on it and then some moron later dragged it across the roof when removing it and put a nice scratch in the roof, freaking morons sometimes…

IF I ever have to leave a vehicle for service work, where I can not stay with it I drag the service manager out to do a complete exterior and interior inspection, much like they do when you rent a car. I have him/her note on the service paperwork there are NO scratches, dents or blemishes on the exterior. I then have them take a nice look at the interior and have him/her note there is NO spots on the seats, carpets, dash etc, that there is NO oil and grease on anything and that basically it is perfect. I then have them note this as well on the service paperwork and sign their name to that fact.

This way there is NO argument if damage is done to the exterior or interior. It may be **** but if dealers can NOT do their jobs correctly by returning a vehicle in as good or better shape then received it is just something you have to do to protect you very expensive investment…

 

OK, I guess that solves that question. No thank you on the wash.

I normally do my own oil changes also, but I don't have a garage and its too cold and snowy out. Yeah, I know I'm a candya$$.

Plus I mentioned the poor throttle response and the service manager said they would re-flash it. , hopefully.

 

Here's another vote for 'no'.

To date, I've never seen a lot attendant that would get anywhere near my standards on washing my vehicles.

RP

 

HELL NO ! They won't give a rat's *** about anything but being done with it.

 

Unless you know your dealer well....and your comfortable...why not get a wash

Our local dealers all do hand washes.

 

My dealer just did a wash and wax on mine as part of the dealer prep on a new vehicle. I went to the back of the garage to talk to the guy doing the work. The truck had some dirt on it in spots and the guy was just waxing over the dirt. I about had a heart attack.

Ron

 

I don't know how it is everywhere else, but our dealers up here have younger kids washing the vehicles. Now, I don't know about you but I'm guessing that those kids are making minimum wage and could care less about the paint on my truck. Their only concern is probably to get it washed as fast as possible, especially if the customer is waiting.

I won't take the chance.

 

Listen to this crap...I had to take my truck in due to the 3rd brake light was leaking water inside the truck. Well, my truck is the True Blue in color and was MINT Brand NEW when I brought it in!! They they replaced the gasket on the 3rd brake light which stopped the water from coming in, but after wards ran the truck through there car wash with the brushes! HOLY CRAP! After it came out and guys dried it, there was white lines all over the place!! They wern't scraches since you could not feel it with your finger nail, so I got the maneger and had them take a look at what the wash did to my truck! He appologized to me and right right to the body shop to buff the places out that had fine marks on it! Man, I was so mad, and I can still see the marks after he got done buffing it!! What should I do now??

 

Listen to this crap...I had to take my truck in due to the 3rd brake light was leaking water inside the truck. Well, my truck is the True Blue in color and was MINT Brand NEW when I brought it in!! They they replaced the gasket on the 3rd brake light which stopped the water from coming in, but after wards ran the truck through there car wash with the brushes! HOLY CRAP! After it came out and guys dried it, there was white lines all over the place!! They wern't scraches since you could not feel it with your finger nail, so I got the maneger and had them take a look at what the wash did to my truck! He appologized to me and right right to the body shop to buff the places out that had fine marks on it! Man, I was so mad, and I can still see the marks after he got done buffing it!! What should I do now??

 

Listen to this crap...I had to take my truck in due to the 3rd brake light was leaking water inside the truck. Well, my truck is the True Blue in color and was MINT Brand NEW when I brought it in!! They they replaced the gasket on the 3rd brake light which stopped the water from coming in, but after wards ran the truck through there car wash with the brushes! HOLY CRAP! After it came out and guys dried it, there was white lines all over the place!! They wern't scraches since you could not feel it with your finger nail, so I got the maneger and had them take a look at what the wash did to my truck! He appologized to me and right right to the body shop to buff the places out that had fine marks on it! Man, I was so mad, and I can still see the marks after he got done buffing it!! What should I do now??

 

Listen to this crap...I had to take my truck in due to the 3rd brake light was leaking water inside the truck. Well, my truck is the True Blue in color and was MINT Brand NEW when I brought it in!! They they replaced the gasket on the 3rd brake light which stopped the water from coming in, but after wards ran the truck through there car wash with the brushes! HOLY CRAP! After it came out and guys dried it, there was white lines all over the place!! They wern't scraches since you could not feel it with your finger nail, so I got the maneger and had them take a look at what the wash did to my truck! He appologized to me and right right to the body shop to buff the places out that had fine marks on it! Man, I was so mad, and I can still see the marks after he got done buffing it!! What should I do now??

 

Pictures...

I'm pretty darn sure they'll come out.

RP