Car wash rort? How do you guys define a 'polish'?

[CKL2]

Ok, I took my car to a car wash and got their $85 'Polish and detail' job which is described as:
* More Than Just Soap & Water
* Paint Work Hand Polished For A Super Shine
* Removal Of Bugs & Tar
* Rubbers & Plastics Rejuvenated
* Showroom Finish

So when I see that sort of description, for that sort of price, I am expecting a hand polish with wax to a haze, then buffed off by hand. Turns out its nothing more, as far as I can tell, than their $30 job. I still had all these little black dots of sap or traffic dirt and they did nothing that resembled what I would call a 'polish'. I asked the guy to show me what polish they used and he showed me a spray on bottle which sprayed some clear liquid that they just wipe on. No buffing of any dried haze etc. That's their 'polish'. He said, to get those stubborn black spots out, I need the next package which is the $215 'buff and polish' which they use a machine to buff. Which sounded more like a 'cut and polish' because he said it takes off a small layer of paint. I don't usually pay to get my car washed at shops, but is this normal or is this chain taking ppl for a ride?

[NeedVtec]

taking you for a ride mate, use to work for one of them carwash companies which offer hand washes etc. When a customer ask for a polish we actually polish it, not some liquid crap, proper creamy polish, applied on car, buffed out by hand. You got ripped mate.

[CKL2]

Yeh for sure that's dodgey. I had a good read of what they claim the package includes on their website and it is definitely meant to be a proper polish and buff by hand. I only used a yearly VIP pass that belongs to a relative, so she got ripped off. I tried searching for a phone number to complain and they don't even have a contact number on their website's 'contact' section. Found a number via google and the guy that picked up said 'wrong number' when I asked him if he managed the car wash. Considering walking in and talking to the manager.

[Indie]

Do it yourself.

[Cartoon]

They have no idea what they are talking about. U only "remove a small layer or paint" as they put it on old paint jobs and I mean old. All clear coat paint these days don't get cut back like that no more. I would avoid this place by the sounds of it

[dougie_504]

You can get very cheap spray-on polishes. I know because my girlfriends sister decided to buy some for me for my birthday once lol as if I was gonna put that crap on my car. It sucks. Does make it a bit shinier but so does baby oil at the end of the day. Doubt it has any protective quality.

Only thing I use it for is the underside of my bonnet because it's a bitch to polish and I never really see it.


I'd complain if I were you. Get your money back or ask for a redo of the job while you watch. And next time DIY man. You can never trust people who don't care about their job.

[1900-hustler]

lol why are you taking your car to those places in the first place?

[Zilli]

there are some products called "glaze" soits technically not a polish, rather a top coat which will give you more shine... a polish in the strctest definition of the word has small aggregate that finely remove surface contaminants...

anything in a spray bottle cannot be a polish

[CKL2]

hey all,
yeh I DO usually wash and polish myself. But as I mentioned, a relative got my wife a yearly voucher for weekly washes and monthly 'polish'. So when my wife came back the first time and showed me her car and all the little tar/sap spots still there, I knew it didn't get polished. So I decided to check it out for myself with my car.
I wouldn't take my car there cos I enjoy cleaning my car myself but I suppose my wife's car can get washed there. I got no issues with their washing, just the 'polish' package which is a rort. Its only the first couple of months of this yearly pass so I should have a chat to the manager. Maybe its come under new management and the website is old, but the website says they are meant to use Meguiar's polish clay for the polish.

[Indie]

Threaten the ****, and tell him that if your wife's car isn't spotless, there'll be trouble.

...I don't know how well that'll work, as I don't know how menacing you are in person, but hey, it's the principle.

[Bayani]

I run an amateur website that encourages people to report bullshit medical claims to the ACCC & the TGA.

If speaking with the manager fails to rectify the situation, demand a refund, stating that if they refuse, you will forced to make a formal complaint to the Government for further investigation.

Regardless of the outcome, follow through and report them for misleading claims. If it is a nationally franchised business, complain to their Head Office and the ACCC; if not complain to the Department of Fair Trading for your State.

[CKL2]

Indie: haha... yeh, I dunno how well that will go down. Bayani's advice is more like me.


I run an amateur website that encourages people to report bullshit medical claims to the ACCC & the TGA.

If speaking with the manager fails to rectify the situation, demand a refund, stating that if they refuse, you will forced to make a formal complaint to the Government for further investigation.

Regardless of the outcome, follow through and report them for misleading claims. If it is a nationally franchised business, complain to their Head Office and the ACCC; if not complain to the Department of Fair Trading for your State.

Thanks for that. They are a small chain which makes it more weird that they don't even have a phone number on the website or anywhere else. See how it goes.

[hondapop]

Indie: haha... yeh, I dunno how well that will go down. Bayani's advice is more like me.



Thanks for that. They are a small chain which makes it more weird that they don't even have a phone number on the website or anywhere else. See how it goes.

The reason they don't show/have a Ph number etc is because they DON'T want anyone calling them. They're too dodgy for that. They also figure that as the pass didn't cost you anything you'll just p**s off and not bother anymore and they've made their score. (in fact you may find that as you're not the purchaser, it will be difficult to get any satisfaction at all). Very cunning. But it does give them the opportunity (as you have discovered) to try and screw you for even more money (and another dodgy job). These are the tactics of lowlife scumbags and they are most likely to have the "heavy" associates to threaten you if you push it

Put your complaint in to Fair Trading and they'll probably tack it on to the lengthening cue, but don't expect any results real soon.