How some dealers clean their cars

[dvtldav]

I took my car to the dealership for routine service. While I was waiting and talking to the salesman I bought my car from, a van pulls up, a guy gets out pulls out a hose & connects it to the water faucet at the dealership. Another guy pulls out another set of hoses with a wand attached and starts spraying down the new cars on the lot. Then the first guy and a woman start drying the cars. In less than 10 minutes they had washed and dried 15 cars. I realize the cars only had dust on them, and I didn't get a chance to look at them after they were done, but I can only imagine what they looked like as far as swirls are concerned. I told the salesman my goal was to keep my car looking better than when I took delivery and after seeing how they washed their cars it shouldn't be to hard. After he looked at my car sitting next to on of his, he asked why I didn't prep new cars for him & I replied, you couldn't afford me.

[yalerd]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

he asked why I didn't prep new cars for him & I replied, you couldn't afford me.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

Thats good. Production work at its best.

[3Fitty]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

This is so true. When I picked up my car (brand new), I subsequently wrote the dealership a complaint letter about the condition the car was delivered. I recall writing that it looked like someone "had fingerpainting the back window with oil".

Lexus also offers a "complimentary" wash with every service, which I respectfully decline, with every service.

[EAT HEMI]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

Lexus also offers a "complimentary" wash with every service, which I respectfully decline, with every service.

My dealer has "No Wash" in there computer!

I swear they wash cars with Steel Wool and AJAX!

[3Fitty]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

My dealer has "No Wash" in there computer!

I swear they wash cars with Steel Wool and AJAX!

Next time I'm there, I'm going to see if I can get the permanent designation.

My dealership uses hydrochloric acid and brillo pads to get that "show car shine".

[Mike Phillips]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

Isn't it strange and sad that many of the people in the *New Car* industry are the root cause of so many swirls in brand new cars by the decisions they make as to who and how the new cars are prepped and maintained.

[RaskyR1]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

My next new car will be fresh off the transport! My new TSX was all sratched up when I took delivery too. I have also seen them wash cars on the lots like this. I always ask for no wash when I go in for service too but they actually washed it one time and I had just washed, waxed, dressed tires, and cleaned windows before I brought the car in! Needless to say the car came out looking like **** and had water spots all over. I told them if they washed the car again I would go else where.

Why would you wash a car that is spotless anyway???

[Mr Mustang]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

I always decline the "wash", when I buy a new car, it better be fully wrapped, interior, exterior, wheels, etc. I'll tell them, if you take the wrapping off, put your sticker on, mount a front liscence, you get to keep the car. Thats not too much to ask?

[kty10]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

I recently took delivery of a new Honda Odyssey. I told the salesperson not to have it washed as well. I still need to give it the once over, but I'm glad I told them not to. There are some bonded contaminants on the hood and a few areas where the adhesive remains from the wrapping. I can just imagine how they'd try to remove them.

[djbisko]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

NEVER get your car washed at the dealership. NEVER!!!

[dvtldav]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

You can tell them not to wash your car before delivery, but if the car has been sitting on the lot for a while then no telloing how many times it has been washed before you looked at it, so basically the damage has already been done. I won't let the dealership wash my car now when I take it in for service. They ask why, and I tell them the people they have washing cars probably do not have the same passion about my car as I do, besides my car is clean when I take it in.

Dave

[SVT Lightning]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

NEVER get your car washed at the dealership. NEVER!!!

EXACTLY!!!!! Took my L in for an oil-change recently at the dealer. I happened to be watching thru the customer waiting room window that looks out into the shop. Lot Jockey pulls up a brand new F-250 4x4 with a beautiful color dark blue paint just outside the service bay. He proceeds to hook up a hose, grab a bucket and a long handled BRUSH. This brush looked like it had been in the shop for months. Just started scrubbing away and he started with the wheels FIRST!!!! I almost broke down in tears.......

[Sal329]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

They guy that "cleans" the cars here has a nice lil racket going on. He gets $1 per car at all the dealers around this area. It is him and one other person, a van a pressure washer and towels. He comes in early mornin atleast 1x a week and does all the cars on the lot. He sprays and his buddy dries them.
I've worked at 5 dealerships 2 out of those 5 I wouldn't mind them washing my car actually one of the dealers I worked at the guy would take care of my black mustang, washed it for me 2x a week and detail when needed I have never had a problem. They had a machine that would rinde the car with Deionized water, wash with lambwool wash mits they had 8 buckets lol 4 with soap 4 with just water.
The dealer I work for now I would not have wash my car lol but the detail dept (is off site) does some very very nice work.

[thecarguy]

Re: How some dealers clean their cars

The real root of the problem for car lot detailers , is management . Most management types at car lots are looking at the bottom line . They will hire someone with little to no experience and pay them peanuts . When that person finally gets a clue as to how a car should be detailed , he becomes too expensive for the manager to keep around . I have seen it over and over again . I have been working in the car lot industry for a long , long time and the cycle continues . They want you to run a "detail " operation for them but they don't spend the money to do it right . At one of the car lots that I used to work for , we had four "detailers " . Two of these detailers were responsible for the courtesy clean that everyone dreads . These were the lowest paid employees in the whole dealership . They were minimum wage people who worked there rears off , but had no proper training in how to safely clean a car . They would typically have to clean an average of 30 cars in an 8 hour shift , as well as be shuttle drivers to pick up and drop off customers . The other two were supposed to detail all of the lot cars , and keep them maintained that way . They were also expected to do retail work . The company would buy elcheapo products and equipment , but expect the cars on their lot to look perfect .

I know that was a bit of a rant but I put in many years as a car lot detailer and I know what goes on in those places . It is basically a crash course for how not to detail a car . For me , it was valuable experience on my way to becoming a competent detailer . I am not saying it is right , just giving you a different perspective .

Cory