I dropped my car off for a full valet at Wash and Shine, Cheetham Hill Road yesterday, leaving the car in their care whilst I headed into Manchester to do some shopping.
Upon collecting the car I paid, got in, put her into reverse and the parking sensors went bananas as if there was an object immediately behind the car. I got out to check if there was anything behind me or something stuck to one of the parking sensors, to find the third sensor along missing and just a hole in the rear bumper.
This damage was not present when I dropped her off at Wash and Shine. One of the valeters has obviously pushed too hard on it and popped it off it's clip. It has fallen into the bumper leaving a hole. It remains plugged in, causing the shrill tone when reversing as it is rattling round inside the rear bumper.
I immediately complained to the supervisor who looked at the damage and called one of the valeters over. He looked panicked and stammered that it was already like that when the car came in. Obviously it wasn't so I pressed the matter but the supervisor said he could not do anything as his boss was not there. He asked me to call back the day after and speak to his boss Mohammed. He wouldn't even refund the cost of the valet.
On my way home I called into my local garage and we got the car up on the ramp. Just as I had guessed, the parking sensor had been pressed against with such force that it had been forced off it's mounting clip and had fallen down inside the rear bumper. We couldn't get at it unfortunately, so the car now has to be booked in tomorrow so they can remove the entire rear bumper, fish it out and refit the parking sensor. This will cost me at least £25 for an hours labour, maybe more.
I called Mohammed this morning who at first told me it was impossible that the damage occurred whilst the car was in their care. I protested obviously, so he told me he would check the cameras. I think maybe he was trying to call my bluff but I told him I was happy with this as this would obviously show that the car was undamaged when it arrived.
He called me back a few hours later and told me that he had studied the footage and could clearly see that no damage had been caused by any of his staff. He invited me to come and look at the footage. I was skeptical that he could see this as effectively each solenoid is the size of a five pence piece! He also stated that the damage could not have been caused by his staff otherwise why would only one of the four parking sensors have been forced into the bumper? What a totally illogical and ridiculous comment.
I reaffirmed to him that my car was undamaged when I dropped it off with at this premises and was damaged when I collected it. I proposed that if he and his business had integrity then they would foot the bill for the repair which is going to cost me £25. He refused and continued to deny that the damage could have been caused by his valeting team and we ended the call.
As I reflected however I suddenly realised that if I did indeed look at the video footage it would prove my claim. If he could see the parking sensors on the video, it would clearly show the car arriving undamaged. I called him back and stated this and said I would come down tomorrow to look at the footage with him. He then informed me that none of the cameras could see the rear of the car! On this basis then I questioned how he could possibly have confirmed by studying such footage, that the damage was not done by one of his valeters?! He stammered a ridiciulous reply about not seeing anyones eyes catch on what might be a point of damage! After pressing him further he simply refused to admit any liability and suggested I take it to my dealer to have it repaired under warranty. In the end I put the phone down in disgust.
I am really angry and think his attitude and that of his staff disgusting. It is so obvious that a simple accident had occurred whilst the car has was being washed. One of the valeters has pressed too hard on one of the parking sensors and pushed it into the bumper leaving the hole.
Any business or business owner with an ounce of common sense and integrity would simply agree to reimburse the cost of putting the damage right. It is only £25 for crying out loud. It is however £25 worth of damage that was caused as a result of me leaving the car in their care. This is clearly not a business or a man of integrity. He also effectively lied to me by telling me he could see that no damage occured from studying the video footage, but when pressed admitted that none of the cameras even had sight of the rear of the car.
I certainly will not be using Wash and Shine in Manchester ever again and will be sure to warn my colleagues and friends of this incident.
Alfa drivers of Manchester - BEWARE...
Upon collecting the car I paid, got in, put her into reverse and the parking sensors went bananas as if there was an object immediately behind the car. I got out to check if there was anything behind me or something stuck to one of the parking sensors, to find the third sensor along missing and just a hole in the rear bumper.
This damage was not present when I dropped her off at Wash and Shine. One of the valeters has obviously pushed too hard on it and popped it off it's clip. It has fallen into the bumper leaving a hole. It remains plugged in, causing the shrill tone when reversing as it is rattling round inside the rear bumper.
I immediately complained to the supervisor who looked at the damage and called one of the valeters over. He looked panicked and stammered that it was already like that when the car came in. Obviously it wasn't so I pressed the matter but the supervisor said he could not do anything as his boss was not there. He asked me to call back the day after and speak to his boss Mohammed. He wouldn't even refund the cost of the valet.
On my way home I called into my local garage and we got the car up on the ramp. Just as I had guessed, the parking sensor had been pressed against with such force that it had been forced off it's mounting clip and had fallen down inside the rear bumper. We couldn't get at it unfortunately, so the car now has to be booked in tomorrow so they can remove the entire rear bumper, fish it out and refit the parking sensor. This will cost me at least £25 for an hours labour, maybe more.
I called Mohammed this morning who at first told me it was impossible that the damage occurred whilst the car was in their care. I protested obviously, so he told me he would check the cameras. I think maybe he was trying to call my bluff but I told him I was happy with this as this would obviously show that the car was undamaged when it arrived.
He called me back a few hours later and told me that he had studied the footage and could clearly see that no damage had been caused by any of his staff. He invited me to come and look at the footage. I was skeptical that he could see this as effectively each solenoid is the size of a five pence piece! He also stated that the damage could not have been caused by his staff otherwise why would only one of the four parking sensors have been forced into the bumper? What a totally illogical and ridiculous comment.
I reaffirmed to him that my car was undamaged when I dropped it off with at this premises and was damaged when I collected it. I proposed that if he and his business had integrity then they would foot the bill for the repair which is going to cost me £25. He refused and continued to deny that the damage could have been caused by his valeting team and we ended the call.
As I reflected however I suddenly realised that if I did indeed look at the video footage it would prove my claim. If he could see the parking sensors on the video, it would clearly show the car arriving undamaged. I called him back and stated this and said I would come down tomorrow to look at the footage with him. He then informed me that none of the cameras could see the rear of the car! On this basis then I questioned how he could possibly have confirmed by studying such footage, that the damage was not done by one of his valeters?! He stammered a ridiciulous reply about not seeing anyones eyes catch on what might be a point of damage! After pressing him further he simply refused to admit any liability and suggested I take it to my dealer to have it repaired under warranty. In the end I put the phone down in disgust.
I am really angry and think his attitude and that of his staff disgusting. It is so obvious that a simple accident had occurred whilst the car has was being washed. One of the valeters has pressed too hard on one of the parking sensors and pushed it into the bumper leaving the hole.
Any business or business owner with an ounce of common sense and integrity would simply agree to reimburse the cost of putting the damage right. It is only £25 for crying out loud. It is however £25 worth of damage that was caused as a result of me leaving the car in their care. This is clearly not a business or a man of integrity. He also effectively lied to me by telling me he could see that no damage occured from studying the video footage, but when pressed admitted that none of the cameras even had sight of the rear of the car.
I certainly will not be using Wash and Shine in Manchester ever again and will be sure to warn my colleagues and friends of this incident.
Alfa drivers of Manchester - BEWARE...