So - I paid

It's a mixed bag these things. When I still serviced it at my local they did it the first time, the 2nd time they couldn't be bothered...

I would rather they didnt, who know where the sponge etc they may use has been. At least I know what I have cleaned my car with. So when ever mine goes in for work I make a point of asking them to not to anything.

i got a gold card from my dealers that gives me free mots for life and a free mini valet every time my car goes in, oh and a discount on servicing

a free mini valet

OK if your car's a mini then

My local dealer have given the car a wash and vac both times it's been in. The dealer before that didn't bother.

Chris

You pay for it one way or another. Personally although it's nice to find a clean car after a service, I'd rather pay the money for the actual job, and hope a good job's been done. I used to use a good independent garage here in Swindon, and was amused to find that after sending company cars to be serviced there for years, and getting them back spotless, as soon as I sent my personal car there, it wasn't touched. I was annoyed to start with, then I realised I'd rather not have paid someone to wash my car, and actually admired their honesty.

You pay for it one way or another.

That's a fair point - although I paid up front for three years servicing I'm keen to get my moneys worth, particularly as it wasn't made clear that my car was on a variable servicing schedule and I've just had the first service after 20 months!

Lesson learnt I think.

i got a gold card from my dealers that gives me free mots for life and a free mini valet every time my car goes in, oh and a discount on servicing

Which dealer and how did you get the card?

Horners Bury, just gave it me when i bought the car, didnt expect it and didnt know what it was until about a week after i bought the car they sent me a letter reminding me of the gold card benefits!!!

Hi

Whilst service charges are generally fixed, it doesn't seem too much to ask for a quick once-over with their more efficient super-speed industrial equipment IMO (unless specifically asked not to, of course).

Given their labour charges (which I guess don't go to the garage mechanics ho hum), it can't take that long :confused:

Mo

They have to employ someone to wash cars. You have to pay for that person to be employed. The mechanics don't do it, they have better things to do.

They have to employ someone to wash cars. You have to pay for that person to be employed. The mechanics don't do it, they have better things to do.

Hmmm... are we are talking about the same thing here... I'm thinking that fixed service costs are set according to +/- minus on average and the garage overall must come out best, otherwise they would up their charges.

That said, isn't it also a question of customer satisfaction given that the bill is

The mechanics don't do it, they have better things to do.

He He I washed a customers car this morning at work. Our contract valeters only do service washes on weekdays. I had a spare 15mins so did the service wash myself.

when they did my gearbox they washed it, wish they hadn't as they didn't touch the inside and did a crap job of the outside missing big patches, it was done by a wman with a bucket and sponge and she did 2 or 3 cars with the bucket wheels and all :S

Well, each to their own. Obviously the perception of a good service on a car these days includes valeting services. Apparently, we are prepared to pay for someone to wash our cars as part of the service "experience", and if it doesn't happen, we move elsewhere. What started as a "perk" has now become an essential part of a service, and we're (apart from me) unhappy if it doesn't take place. Such are the social pressures of our modern day service-based society. Personally I'm still happy just to pay for the part of the service I can't do, and wash the car myself.

PS when my local dealer does wash cars, it's done by a nice old feller with a sponge and a pressure washer, no fancy gear.

PPS I'd go so far as to say that having one's car washed probably appeals more to those who never wash their own cars than to those of us who do it fairly regularly. It's an easy way out for those too lazy to wash their own car...

With one bucket of water = OMFG.

I use several buckets of water, and if I could get away without it I would as I have to wander up two flights of stairs to get the water.

Same reason I'd never use one of those Tesco-carpark car cleaners. I'm sure they're great but the water doesn't get changed very often either :(

Even a carwash would probably be safer