beeRandon

I'm taking my IS350 for service since i've reached my 5,000 miles. They asked if I wanted them to wash my car also. Do you guys recommend them wash it? I've heard a few bad things that has happened to some when they got theirs washed.

caveman

if you are very particular about your paint and swirls, i would decline. if you dont really care and don't have time to wash your own car, might as well have the dealer wash it.

i usually decline the wash since i'd prefer to hand wash the car myself and the take the proper steps to reduce swirls.

beeRandon

Thanks so much. I declined as well. I tend to wash my car once every 2 weeks because of bugs now that get on my front.

corradoMR2

DECLINE. You made the right choice.

WiLz

Do not let the dealer wash your car, especially if it's black.
If your car is silver, and you don't care that much about the paint, and you absolutely have no time to wash it yourself, then MAYBE you can think about letting the dealer wash it. Otherwise, you're just asking for swirls.

hoosier1

Glad you declined the car wash. If you care about your paint finish and always hand wash your IS, the answer should be no dealership car wash. But, if you routinely run your IS through an automatic car wash, having the dealership wash your car will likely just add to the accumulating damage to the car finish.

Some people I know take advantage of the monthly free car washes along with coffee and breakfast at the dealership. It's considered part of the Lexus "experience." These folks never hand wash their cars, and that's their decision, as some people feel that it's just a car. Perhaps they are the smart ones, as the value of a new car tanks when you drive off the lot. I just take too much pride in maintaining my vehicles.

Pralix

I have an Obsidian and I declined the dealer wash at the first service this past Saturday. I took it to my regular detail shop who did a handwash for $20. Much better outcome.

Fizzboy7

Like everyone else, I've always had bad luck with this and avoided dealers washes. But as an experiment, I tested out Longo after they had my car for a few weeks to see how they'd do. I sat with my advisor and went over how it's a well-known fact most dealer washes are bad and cause scratches. He said I can do things to see to it that doesn't happen to your car. And sure enough, the last two washes there have been extremely good. No scratches and all water spots weregone-even in the door jams and on the wheels. I think what they have are different levels of washes, depending on what you are there for or if it's a new car delivery. Now I'm not recommending people have their cars washed at dealerships. But if you go out of your way to talk to your advisor about it and make it clear what your expectations are, they may be able to step it up a notch like they did for me.

shreddog

Just got my car back from the dealer and they washed the car even though I asked them not to.

Pretty upset about, but what am I going to do now. I see some light scratches on my hood.

So annoying...I think I am going to make a poster size print of "DO NOT WASH" to put in both the front windhield and the rear window so there is no mistaking my intentions.

shreddog

Just heard back from my service advisor after i complained about some light scratches on my hood and he offered me a free detail. I'm a little skeptical. He said he understands and that he doesn't know why they washed it when he clearly noted no car wash and that the detail team is not the same as the car wash team so they will be more careful. What do you think? Would you trust them? Kudos to my service manager from trying to make it right.

yycdave

Where do the scratches come from?

I assumed they had some touchless wash they used...are they hand-washing with dirty rags?

jay631987

I for one will not let anyone touch my car...I would try to get something else in exchange...like a free next scheduled service...same cost...

zmcgovern4

iTrader: (2)

^I am a professional detailer specializing in paint correction & premium paint coatings. I spend a great deal of time fixing dealership "detailer" mistakes. Most of the time, the dealership detailer employees are using high powered rotary machines that simply are not the best tool for this type of fine detailing. These machines can be very dangerous when used by an untrained or improperly trained individual like most dealership detailers.

It is my personal opinion that you should politely refuse the "free detail" and instead request that they cover the cost of a detail by a facility of your choice.

I am an author for the Detailed Image Ask-A-Pro Blog and I recently wrote an article about a Club Lexus Member who had their vehicle washed by their dealership despite requesting no one touch it to numerous people. You can read the article here: The Real Cost of a “Cheap” Car Wash. Unfortunately this type of scenario is not uncommon. It only takes one bad car wash to cause substantial damage.



The vast majority of swirls and scratches come from improper washing and drying. A combination of poor technique and poor quality products lead to a swirled finish sooner than you might think.

This article (How to Properly Wash & Dry a Car) goes over the proper 3 bucket wash method with grit guards that will help to minimize wash induced marring and leave your finish in good condition.

Even if your dealership uses a touchless wash, they are most likely drying it by hand. Touchless washes rely on harsh chemicals to remove most of the dirt from the surface, but they certainly do not remove ALL of the dirt. When someone then rubs a poor quality towel (or even a high quality microfiber towel) on the surface, the remaining dirt particles act as abrasives that leave fine scratches all over your finish. I have actually witnessed my own Lexus dealership washing vehicles with car wash 'brooms'/brushes that they set on the ground after scrubbing each section... yes, on the ground. They are picking up dirt and debris and then rubbing it back on the car.




It is a great idea to print out signs to place on your dash and in your window that read something along the lines of "PLEASE DO NOT WASH CAR". I personally leave 4 of them in my vehicle when I have to visit the dealership. Another great option is a hanger such as the Detailed Image Rear View Mirror Tag.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I printed this on thicker photo paper to hang from the mirror but haven't tried it yet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...S/3f227ed2.jpg

zabone

iTrader: (2)

I printed something similar and attached suction cups to it so I can just hang it on the driver window.