Okay I love a clean car and love keeping it clean however with the weather of late I just haven't been able to. The car is in an okay state for many people but to me its filthy. I've got all the signs ready to put on and hang up telling them not to clean it and will be putting some stuff in the boot to clean it should they instst for whatever reason that it needs to be cleaned before going in. I will also be stopping with it to make sure nothing is done that I haven't approved they do.

So why am I still nervous that they will do something and throw a dirty sponge over the car while I'm not looking?

Because it still happens...

Yesterday I put my Jazz in to the local Honda dealer for a recall fix. I told the service chap that I didn't want it to be washed and insisted that it was written BIG on the job sheet and circled. When I collected the car later, he apologised saying that their `valeter` was so keen that he had washed the car... as if that was okay then! I was not best pleased.

I think those signs that you refered to are going to be essential the next time.

Regards

Mike.

Warn them that they wont get any more business off you if it's washed. I'd walk round and find the washer and tell him you don't want it washed as well, even keep my eye on the cars he washies to make sure he doesn't do it.

It works for me

Okay, so I couldn't sleep all night worrying so wait for a break in the weather and it finally came at 8:30 so ran down stairs set up the pressure washer BH Autowheels the wheels and AutoFinesse Citrus Power sprayed the car, pressure washed of BH Autowash foamed the car and thoroughly rinsed and sprayed with CarPro Hydro2, pressure rinsed and towel dried the car. I feel like the world has been lifted off my shoulders. Whoooooo.

I'll still be wanting it while its in though.

They'll still wash it! My local agent knows not to wash mine but when it's been in for warranty work or a different dealer, they still clean it even it it's clean!

When you take the car in ask to see the washer and explain to him/her that under no circumstances they are not to wash the car, even keep an eye on the cars they wash. I've been into the mechanic's bay to make sure work was done correctly in the past, don't stand for being pushed around by a suit!

They didn't wash it however I did watch a 'sponge monkey' walking around the cars with the filthiest of sponges I've ever seen and a grubby yellow bucket. I watched as he wiped a section of a car, then put the sponge back in the bucket to do another section and so on then pour the dirty water over the panels and wheels he'd just sponged only to come back in a couple of minutes time to wipe it with a chamois.

Scary stuff, but to many a clean car is a clean car even if it is scratched.

On the showroom floor there was a new Octavia with a large nic along the centre of one of the spokes and a Rapid Spaceback with a large chip in the tailgate (metallic blue car and you could clearly see the primer and metal underneath).

My car always goes in absolutely gleaming.... and they dare not touch it!!!

The sponge monkeys at my local Skoda garage dont even have anything this shiny in the showroom! 

I must admit I was proud of the girl when she came out looking gleaming, exactly as she did going in. Though a couple of cars that came out were down right filthy with TFR all over them. :( Maybe they don't even wash them anyhow. For a quick wash she still looks amazing.

Fortunately over here in Germany we don't have this "problem" when your pride and joy go's in for a service or whatever you are given a free voucher for the local car wash. I explained to one of the service managers that my car never go's in a car wash. I now get lovely Skoda branded cleaning products( on a shelf in the garage now ) every time I visit, which I think is really good of them:-)

Ive never had any of my cars washed after a service by any garage.