And this is why I usually never use automatic car washes
I run autocareforum.com which is a forum for the car wash industry. The wash that you went to isn't very smart, they should have a 30x microscope thing that you can really see into the scratch. If there is any rust in it, you can really see it, they show it to you right thern & there, so you both are aware that it is an old scratch. Usually the machine won't scratch a car, if it did, you wouldn't have any customers, sometimes things do happen, but for your own info, check to see if you can see any rust in the scratch, I doubt that you have missed it, but that is something that you can tell the owner when you talk to him. If you watch the wash cycle, you should be able to see when it touched the car and caused the scratch. There might have been something caught in the "brush" that caused it, the attendant, should have also, looked for that.
Wow thats bad. The first pic I saw looked like a minor scratch and I though, that could be buffed out, but the later pics show how deep it really is, plus you cant buff out if there's no paint to buff. Sorry to see this.
i assumed someone keyed my car but after seeing your freeking large photos, im now wondering if my car wash did this cause they look almost identical. i dont see how but sometimes freek things happen. my usual car wash uses the strips of fabric.




Originally Posted by CaliTouring
im sorry man but that looks like someone keyed the **** out of it. i dont see how the machine could have cause a wave like that in the paint.
-1. I traded a VW GTi for the Z which was 4 years ago, it was keyed from front fender to rear fender and the keyed line is fine, not bubbily peeled, or flaky peeled. My truck that I drive sometimes to work is also keyed and it isn't like the picture of the Zs. I got keyed from parking at a football game and the truck I bought it from my friend was keyed already, so the only enemy I have is me. From my experience, the car wash is the culprit.
you should have went inside the car wash and looked for you paint chips on the ground and snapped some photos. Thats alot of paint missing from the door, This happened when I drove my f250 in on but it completely dented the cornor of my hood, I had proof though becuase the blue fibers from the brushes was jammed under the hood and could not be pulled out.
Originally Posted by SA Z-boi
you should have went inside the car wash and looked for you paint chips on the ground and snapped some photos. Thats alot of paint missing from the door, This happened when I drove my f250 in on but it completely dented the cornor of my hood, I had proof though becuase the blue fibers from the brushes was jammed under the hood and could not be pulled out.
Originally Posted by joshuaadude
damn dude, that sucks. now i know to never to go an automatic car wash. i hope you get things worked out man.
Their is no point getting on this guy for going through the car wash. He already feels bad enough and will never enter one of those scratch machines again. I cringe when I see people who use those foaming brushes on their cars in those self serve car wash bays. I would spend your time looking for a good body shop that can match your paint. Be prepared to spend a few extra bucks for some good quality work. Even if you can get the owner of the car wash shop to pony up 50% of your repair costs then you are better position than you are today.
Hope you get your ride back to looking it's very best... keep us posted.
Hope you get your ride back to looking it's very best... keep us posted.
I might cut off a finger before I would ever take my ride to a Autowash (unless it's touchless, but those don't really clean anything). I wouldn't even take my 1995 N/A 3000gt through a autowash.
Handwash FTW
Handwash FTW
Sorry to hear about your car wash issue. It doesn't sound like the owner is too interested in getting back to you, and if he does, unfortunately he will probably only point out the "not responsible" signs.
For everyone who is recommending a touchless wash -- are you referring to the small building with the automated/robotic wash arm, that is usually associated with gas stations? If so, what do you do about drying your car afterwards? Obviously, the blower doesn't get the car completely dry. If you drive home with a (somewhat) wet car, do you not end up with water spots?
For everyone who is recommending a touchless wash -- are you referring to the small building with the automated/robotic wash arm, that is usually associated with gas stations? If so, what do you do about drying your car afterwards? Obviously, the blower doesn't get the car completely dry. If you drive home with a (somewhat) wet car, do you not end up with water spots?


