Do you let the dealer wash your car?

[CHB100]

I never let them wash my car. I don't trust them as it is and always leave a 'Do Not Wash' sign in the car so that it can't be misunderstood. I also ask them to write it on the job card and the key tags too just for good measure.

I think I am the only one who does this here, but I always put my car in dirty (bodywork noticeable and wheels) and that way for sure I know if it has been washed or not as it would be obvious if I returned and it was gleaming!

Whereas like a lot of people here, if I put it in detailed and shiny then there's nothing to say that they won't have washed that too as they have been known to wash even clean cars that go in and how would you know?

I would know brother! And reckon you and others would, especially the tyre gunk they use!

[Booth11]

I never let them wash my car. I don't trust them as it is and always leave a 'Do Not Wash' sign in the car so that it can't be misunderstood. I also ask them to write it on the job card and the key tags too just for good measure.

I think I am the only one who does this here, but I always put my car in dirty (bodywork noticeable and wheels) and that way for sure I know if it has been washed or not as it would be obvious if I returned and it was gleaming!

Whereas like a lot of people here, if I put it in detailed and shiny then there's nothing to say that they won't have washed that too as they have been known to wash even clean cars that go in and how would you know?

I've put cars in dirty before but would rather take it in clean so I can see any damage that may have occurred. 

I definitely know if my car had been cleaned by someone else.  My mk6 got cleaned by a bodyshop once after having some paint on the bumper, despite being asked not to.  As I walked up to the car I could tell instantly it had been washed.  I took it home and removed all the water spots that had resulted and then got the swirl torch out. It got DA polished after that. That was the only time it had ever been cleaned by any one other than me. 

Same happened with my mk7 when it had work done after a hit and run.  Due to damage and not being safe to drive, I had to leave it unexpectedly at the bodyshop. It was filthy when I left it so I gave them permission to wash it as they couldn't repair without doing so, but I did ask them to do minimum necessary.  However on collection, when all fixed I could tell they'd waxed the whole car (miscommunication on their part with staff) as there was wax residue all over it.  Again it got sorted at home.

Trust me if you are a keen detailer, you can tell if other hands have been on your car.

[SRGTD]

I never let them wash my car. I don't trust them as it is and always leave a 'Do Not Wash' sign in the car so that it can't be misunderstood. I also ask them to write it on the job card and the key tags too just for good measure.

I think I am the only one who does this here, but I always put my car in dirty (bodywork noticeable and wheels) and that way for sure I know if it has been washed or not as it would be obvious if I returned and it was gleaming!

Whereas like a lot of people here, if I put it in detailed and shiny then there's nothing to say that they won't have washed that too as they have been known to wash even clean cars that go in and how would you know?

I would know brother! And reckon you and others would, especially the tyre gunk they use!

I would also know; there would be lots of tell-tale signs;
- bits that have been missed.
- water still around the door openings and various water traps like the upper and lower front grilles, inside the hatch handle and wheel bolt holes.
- water marks.
- induced swirls that would be visible if the sun was shining.

[Daz Auto]

Providing the weather is not wet, it will be easy to tell if the car has been washed at the dealers. They don't spend time drying the cars. This happened at my last service. The car was covered in water spots and didn't look as clean as it was before they washed it.

It was raining the last time we collected the A3 from Audi. It had been given a detail the day before and I'm fairly certain there were fewer swirl marks on the car. Though I cannot be sure.

I have noticed that Audi ask if it is ok to wash the car and VW don't.

I'm going to have to get a couple of DO NOT WASH THIS VEHICLE hangers and maybe print some signs. Though I was telling some friends about this and they were looking at me like I was nuts. Oh well

[gadgie]

Kudos to my local dealer (Ipswich VW). My GTI has just been in for service, and noticing it was clean, the agent asked me if I would prefer it not to be washed. And it wasn't, which I appreciated as I've had dealers inflict swirl marks before on previous cars.

[ajmoir36]

No

[I wanted a GTi]

No

The only answer needed in this thread.

[GTI_Ant]

Some of us live in flats and can't walk fifty yards to and from a communal car park with buckets of water etc.  Dealer has done mine a few times and it looks just fine (it was GardX protected when new which might make a difference).  I can't see any swirl marks under visible light, however I haven't had it inspected under a UV lamp, which might show something up in the lacquer layer, but so what.  If somebody actually scratches it I will be annoyed, but that hasn't happened yet.

[SRGTD]

Some of us live in flats and can't walk fifty yards to and from a communal car park with buckets of water etc.  Dealer has done mine a few times and it looks just fine (it was GardX protected when new which might make a difference).  I can't see any swirl marks under visible light, however I haven't had it inspected under a UV lamp, which might show something up in the lacquer layer, but so what.  If somebody actually scratches it I will be annoyed, but that hasn't happened yet.

Silver is one of the most forgiving colours IMO; never really looks dirty unless it's really dirty and it's good at hiding swirls, so a good colour choice if you don't have the facilities to be able to regularly wash your car at home.

[brettblade]

Like a couple of others in this thread, mine wasn't even prepared (by request) by the dealership.  Transport wraps removed for an inspection, and then delivered to me in need of a clean.  No one else has so much as jet washed the paint since the factory.