Car wash accident :(

Spaceman Spiff · 02-07-2011, 05:16 PM

Yesterday I took my car in for a wash. @ the first car wash the attendant told me the car was too low for their machine. @ the second place, I asked the attendant and he told me the car would clear the railing. Low and behold I got stuck! Then he took some pipes out from underneath the car and told me to back out, which is when the driver-side bumper got torn

The owner is trying to pin it on the car being non-stock (which is a lie) or having been in a prior accident (also not true). While we're trying to resolve it, I got a quote from a random body shop for $650. I remember an exactly similar job done in LA (on the other side of the bumper) that cost $150 so I am wondering if anyone can recommend a good body shop in the Boston area that doesn't over-charge. From what I can see the bumper support bracket is broken ($30 part) and some tabs are missing. (pics attached)

ZStig · 02-07-2011, 05:19 PM

ouch! I tried to go into a car wash with my 3.0 with aero bumper before, heard it scrape, and decided not to go in (ever again). Glad I did that

tekmoe · 02-07-2011, 05:20 PM

Wow! Sorry to hear about this. Hope everything gets sorted out for you.

For the record, I've never used a car wash before. I have hand washed every car and bike I've ever owned in my own drive way.

evoq007 · 02-07-2011, 05:23 PM

Phil at sansassio auto body. Known to do great work.

http://www.sansossioautobody.com/

He is in natick

Nikki · 02-07-2011, 05:24 PM

Ouch, that sucks!

I go to a place near my house and I was pretty apprehensive at first about my M being able to get int there but they assured me it was OK and luckily it was.

ZStig · 02-07-2011, 05:31 PM

its great that you took pics though. I'm sure this place has insurance for these type of incidents, they just don't want to pay the deductible. worst case scenario you can take them to small claims court

Jbs · 02-07-2011, 06:04 PM

lol wash it yourself!

Finnegan · 02-07-2011, 08:35 PM

Ouch! Carwash sounds like a dirty outfit to me trying to pin it on your. Clearly this can be fixed, but those guys better pay for it.

I'll add this to my list as 427 to never use a carwash.

Spaceman Spiff · 02-07-2011, 11:33 PM

Interestingly enough I never had this problem with any car wash in LA. Apparently the ones here are designed for cars with higher clearance. Looks like the guy will fight this tooth and nail so we'll probably end up in small claims court. I am in law school so it can be good practice.
Thanks for the body shop contact evoq007. I will ring them up!

Finnegan · 02-08-2011, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spiff

Interestingly enough I never had this problem with any car wash in LA. Apparently the ones here are designed for cars with higher clearance. Looks like the guy will fight this tooth and nail so we'll probably end up in small claims court. I am in law school so it can be good practice.
Thanks for the body shop contact evoq007. I will ring them up!

That's one way to turn lemons into lemonade.

pokeybritches · 02-08-2011, 01:25 AM

If the bumper is trashed, look into an M or facelift bumper! The aero bumper would be a nice upgrade, but it would reduce your ground clearance even further. Hope you get it sorted out!

ANUSTART · 02-08-2011, 09:17 AM

This is a good warning. I have thought several times of driving through the one on my way home from work. My guess is the outcome could be very similar. Good luck. That really stinks.

chickdr · 02-08-2011, 09:23 AM

This reminds me of a situation I encountered a few years ago (fortunately not my car). I was having my company car washed in one of these "chain drive" type washes and as I am watching through the window I see two cars: a lifted Jeep and a new S-class MB coming through. The Jeep comes off the track(tires too big) and the MB gets pulled right into the trailer hitch on the Jeep. I hear some screaming and it turns out the MB was being driven by a MB salesman who was out to lunch in the brand new car(not his car). He was not happy.

bhoch · 02-08-2011, 09:34 AM

Bummer - hope it gets fixed 100% back to your liking!

Eccentric · 02-08-2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spiff

Interestingly enough I never had this problem with any car wash in LA. Apparently the ones here are designed for cars with higher clearance. Looks like the guy will fight this tooth and nail so we'll probably end up in small claims court. I am in law school so it can be good practice.
Thanks for the body shop contact evoq007. I will ring them up!

Finnegan said it perfectly. Way to look on the bright side, dude

Hawkeye · 02-08-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekmoe

Wow! Sorry to hear about this. Hope everything gets sorted out for you.

For the record, I've never used a car wash before. I have hand washed every car and bike I've ever owned in my own drive way.

Then again, it has never gotten to 20 degrees below zero there either, so you can't really talk for those of us up north.

I only go to the touchless car washes without rails. Does not do the best job, but also does not hurt the car at all. Then again, I don't drink my Z in the winter so I usually don't have to worry about going to a car wash at all (mostly just with my truck, which has no issue clearing anything)

SCHMOUPE · 02-08-2011, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Then again, it has never gotten to 20 degrees below zero there either, so you can't really talk for those of us up north.

I only go to the touchless car washes without rails. Does not do the best job, but also does not hurt the car at all. Then again, I don't drink my Z in the winter so I usually don't have to worry about going to a car wash at all (mostly just with my truck, which has no issue clearing anything)

Why would anybody do that?

Burn0utsRfun · 02-08-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tekmoe

Wow! Sorry to hear about this. Hope everything gets sorted out for you.

For the record, I've never used a car wash before. I have hand washed every car and bike I've ever owned in my own drive way.

I second this, I have never used any type of car wash for any of my cars. I'm 99% sure that the dirty water that comes off of your car, gets "filtered" and comes right back out to "rinse" your car. This goes for Self Wash's as well.

gatorfast · 02-08-2011, 01:22 PM

To use or not to use a carwash is another debate. No everyone has the time/energy/amentities to be able to always wash their own cars.

OP - hope the car wash takes care of it. My front bumper barely fits over the one I take mine to.

Huz-Z · 02-08-2011, 01:23 PM

I would also be concerned with subjecting a roadster to the relatively high pressure water spray in a commercial car wash.

With hand washing, you can easily direct the water away from the roof and the roof drains.

tekmoe · 02-08-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

Then again, it has never gotten to 20 degrees below zero there either, so you can't really talk for those of us up north.

You are right. This is only makes me feel even more fortunate to live in the south!

esqu1re · 02-08-2011, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spaceman Spiff

Interestingly enough I never had this problem with any car wash in LA. Apparently the ones here are designed for cars with higher clearance. Looks like the guy will fight this tooth and nail so we'll probably end up in small claims court. I am in law school so it can be good practice.
Thanks for the body shop contact evoq007. I will ring them up!

Haha...maybe use a little "reliance" theory there? Best of luck.

02-07-2011, 05:16 PM	#1
Spaceman Spiff Captain 86 Rep 847 Posts Drives: R8, 996 C2, Z4MR (sold) Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: SF Bay iTrader: (1)	Car wash accident :( Yesterday I took my car in for a wash. @ the first car wash the attendant told me the car was too low for their machine. @ the second place, I asked the attendant and he told me the car would clear the railing. Low and behold I got stuck! Then he took some pipes out from underneath the car and told me to back out, which is when the driver-side bumper got torn The owner is trying to pin it on the car being non-stock (which is a lie) or having been in a prior accident (also not true). While we're trying to resolve it, I got a quote from a random body shop for $650. I remember an exactly similar job done in LA (on the other side of the bumper) that cost $150 so I am wondering if anyone can recommend a good body shop in the Boston area that doesn't over-charge. From what I can see the bumper support bracket is broken ($30 part) and some tabs are missing. (pics attached) Attached Images
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02-07-2011, 05:19 PM	#2
ZStig instagram 997turbotom 279 Rep 7,377 Posts Drives: Interlagos Z4MR Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delray Beach, FL iTrader: (4)	ouch! I tried to go into a car wash with my 3.0 with aero bumper before, heard it scrape, and decided not to go in (ever again). Glad I did that __________________
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02-07-2011, 05:20 PM	#3
tekmoe Captain 55 Rep 844 Posts Drives: ///M Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	Wow! Sorry to hear about this. Hope everything gets sorted out for you. For the record, I've never used a car wash before. I have hand washed every car and bike I've ever owned in my own drive way.
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02-07-2011, 05:23 PM	#4
evoq007 First Lieutenant 71 Rep 370 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (6)	Phil at sansassio auto body. Known to do great work. http://www.sansossioautobody.com/ He is in natick
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02-07-2011, 05:24 PM	#5
Nikki Major General 990 Rep 6,381 Posts Drives: Sepang Z4MC Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: LA iTrader: (9)	Ouch, that sucks! I go to a place near my house and I was pretty apprehensive at first about my M being able to get int there but they assured me it was OK and luckily it was. __________________ Nikki
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02-07-2011, 05:31 PM	#6
ZStig instagram 997turbotom 279 Rep 7,377 Posts Drives: Interlagos Z4MR Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delray Beach, FL iTrader: (4)	its great that you took pics though. I'm sure this place has insurance for these type of incidents, they just don't want to pay the deductible. worst case scenario you can take them to small claims court __________________
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02-07-2011, 06:04 PM	#7
Jbs The Photographer 76 Rep 628 Posts Drives: 07 Z4MC BSM/Black extended Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	lol wash it yourself! __________________ John Batte Photography / Flickr / Facebook 2007 ///M Coupe BSM/Black Extended/Loaded \| RPi GT Exhaust w/custom gloss black tips \| KW V3 \| Michelin PSS 245/265 \| Pinnacle F1 Tint 35% \| ZHP Shift Knob
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02-07-2011, 08:35 PM	#8
Finnegan Dog Listener 703 Rep 7,850 Posts Drives: Z4M/. Z3M, E36/46 M3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Teaching the dog to slalom iTrader: (22)	Ouch! Carwash sounds like a dirty outfit to me trying to pin it on your. Clearly this can be fixed, but those guys better pay for it. I'll add this to my list as 427 to never use a carwash.
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02-07-2011, 11:33 PM	#9
Spaceman Spiff Captain 86 Rep 847 Posts Drives: R8, 996 C2, Z4MR (sold) Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: SF Bay iTrader: (1)	Interestingly enough I never had this problem with any car wash in LA. Apparently the ones here are designed for cars with higher clearance. Looks like the guy will fight this tooth and nail so we'll probably end up in small claims court. I am in law school so it can be good practice. Thanks for the body shop contact evoq007. I will ring them up!
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02-08-2011, 01:25 AM	#11
pokeybritches Colonel 479 Rep 2,782 Posts Drives: ESS/G-Power Z4M, VF Z4, 996tt Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (12) Garage List 2006 BMW Z4M [10.00] 2006 BMW Z4M [8.50] 2003 BMW Z4 3.0i [9.00]	If the bumper is trashed, look into an M or facelift bumper! The aero bumper would be a nice upgrade, but it would reduce your ground clearance even further. Hope you get it sorted out!
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02-08-2011, 09:17 AM	#12
ANUSTART Captain 35 Rep 956 Posts Drives: Z4 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: IL iTrader: (0)	This is a good warning. I have thought several times of driving through the one on my way home from work. My guess is the outcome could be very similar. Good luck. That really stinks.
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02-08-2011, 09:23 AM	#13
chickdr Lieutenant Colonel 140 Rep 1,991 Posts Drives: 2006 M Roadster Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buford, GA iTrader: (0)	This reminds me of a situation I encountered a few years ago (fortunately not my car). I was having my company car washed in one of these "chain drive" type washes and as I am watching through the window I see two cars: a lifted Jeep and a new S-class MB coming through. The Jeep comes off the track(tires too big) and the MB gets pulled right into the trailer hitch on the Jeep. I hear some screaming and it turns out the MB was being driven by a MB salesman who was out to lunch in the brand new car(not his car). He was not happy.
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02-08-2011, 09:34 AM	#14
bhoch SSGT USMC - '78 - '86 13 Rep 487 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0si Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Liberty Hill, Tx iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 BMW Z4 [7.33]	Bummer - hope it gets fixed 100% back to your liking! __________________ Thanks, Bill 2007 3.0si Roadster Black/Red, sport, Piano Black F14 Forgestar's
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02-08-2011, 01:22 PM	#19
gatorfast Major General 4998 Rep 6,863 Posts Drives: 718 Cayman Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoFla iTrader: (4)	To use or not to use a carwash is another debate. No everyone has the time/energy/amentities to be able to always wash their own cars. OP - hope the car wash takes care of it. My front bumper barely fits over the one I take mine to.
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02-08-2011, 01:23 PM	#20
Huz-Z Brigadier General 851 Rep 4,057 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0si, 328 XDrive, X5 35i Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	I would also be concerned with subjecting a roadster to the relatively high pressure water spray in a commercial car wash. With hand washing, you can easily direct the water away from the roof and the roof drains. __________________ Huz-Z BMW Z4 3.0si Roadster. Montego Blue Metallic. Premium and Sport Package.
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