Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To complain or is this normal?

21 replies

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 10:08

Genuinely need to know how to proceed.

Car was valeted yesterday. I have never had that done before so have no idea if this is normal. The seats are still wet. I left 2 damp traps and a rice bag type dehumidifier on the dash board overnight but they havent made a blind bit of difference. We have been sitting on plastic bags. I have rolled all the windows down but it has been raining on and off so cant guarantee they will stay down. I messaged the guy who came yesterday and told him the seats were soaking and could he come back and dry them out. He said the vac machine can only suck out so much moisture and that he usually supplies plastic sheeting but forgot to bring them yesterday. I'm not really concerned about the sheets but more about how long my car is going to be wet for! It is cold and wet here so little chance of it drying quickly. The man has advised windows open and air con on when driving which i cant do as air con is broken. I have told him this. So far no response.

But is he right? I this normal and is there really nothing more he can do?

OP posts:

NewNameNotTheSame · 28/10/2015 10:16

Pretty standard for them to be a bit damp, but they shouldnt be soaked. He should have given you covers and told you to have your windows open as much as possible. Can you leave the car heaters running for a bit? If you're not happy then just take it back, they start stinking if damp for too long

Original poster

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 10:22

The whole heater/air con system is broken so unfortunately i cant do that. I couldnt risk it anyway as parked on street. The car would be stolen in seconds.

OP posts:

blankblink · 28/10/2015 14:49

I've never had one valeted but have old cars and think in the cooler weather condensation can be an issue, (have had frost inside the windscreen!) and the seats have felt decidedly damp. I have put a dehumidifier in it for a few hours.
Is there anywhere secure that you could do that, friend or rellie's drive maybe?

wasonthelist · 28/10/2015 15:08

The car would be stolen in seconds. How? Presumably you have the key. Factory-fitted immobilisers have been mandatory on all new cars since 1998.

quietbatperson · 28/10/2015 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 16:07

Is there anywhere secure that you could do that, friend or rellie's drive maybe

No, nowhere i could leave it. I have had the windows down all day and thankfully it hasnt rained so hopefully that will have made a difference. The guy got back to me and says all he can do is give me plastic seat covers and that it will take 2-3 days to dry out. He says this is normal. I really cant imagine people are happy to drive around in wet cars for 3 days after valeting?

The car would be stolen in seconds. How? Presumably you have the key. Factory-fitted immobilisers have been mandatory on all new cars since 1998.

I dont know how your car works but mine requires the key to be in the ignition for the heaters to work.

OP posts:

WMittens · 28/10/2015 16:29

wasonthelist
How? Presumably you have the key. Factory-fitted immobilisers have been mandatory on all new cars since 1998.

Well, if it's a BMW of the last few years, they plug a laptop into the OBD port, program a new (blank) key to match the target car's ECU, then use it to start the car.

www.clifford.co.uk/BMW_OBD_Theft.html

ValiantMouse · 28/10/2015 17:24

Can you run an extension lead to it and give the seats a ggood blasting with a hair dryer? If you can't do that, lay some dry towels on the seats to absorb some of the moisture. Change as needed.

Original poster

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 17:37

Good idea valiant. I'll stick some towels out in it tonight and give it a blast with the hair dryer tomorrow morning.

OP posts:

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 28/10/2015 17:43

It doesn't usually take anywhere near three days, but they do usually tell you to drive home with the heaters on and that means its dry within a few minutes.

Seats are only usually that wet if they are fabric and it's been a while since they were cleaned, too.

Did you tell him your heater didn't work before he valeted? I think he probably should have offered to skip cleaning the seats, if you did. It'll take an age for them to dry out in a cold car with no heating.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 28/10/2015 17:53

It's a pain in the arse, but I'd get a stack of dry towels, or better still, big microfibre clothes if you have them, and then lay them on the seats individually with plastic on top and sit on them to wring the water out a bit. I think that would be more effective than just covering them up

Original poster

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 17:58

No i didnt even think about the heaters not working. Tbh i assumed there would be a dampness to the seats that would dry out overnight not as much moisture as there is. I've checked and it does seem to have reduced slightly this evening. He came to the house to do it so there was no driving home with heaters on. He didnt mention anything either about expecting it to take 2-3 days or how to help it along.

I have a load of microfibre cloths here so will get DC to bed and go out and give it a go.

OP posts:

unlucky83 · 28/10/2015 18:42

Sorry not really relevant to this - but you can't get through winter without heating can you?
Don't think it is an MOT fail but if it is really icy you will have a nightmare getting and keeping the ice off your windows if it turns really cold...
(DP had his fixed on his car cos he works early shift (so cold start) and the windows were icing up as he drove - even with deicer/almost neat windscreen wash and one of those (pretty useless we found) plug in fan heaters- although he might be being overly cautious - he got a £60 fine previously on another car for not clearing his screen enough - lucky to not get points )
And yy to leaky old cars and scraping the ice off the inside - that was one of the reasons I got rid of my old car, no garage/easy access on street so could never get it dried out inside - bad enough scraping the outside windows in the freezing cold - insides as well was a step beyond bearable...

Original poster

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 18:49

Yes you are right unlucky it stopped working during the summer. Initially just the aircon but now nothing works. I've been meaning to take it in to get fixed and never got round to it. Kicking myself now. Will give the mechanic a call tomorrow and get it booked in. Any idea how much it is likely to cost?

OP posts:

42andcounting · 28/10/2015 18:52

Bit random but how about trying a couple of hot water bottles on the seats? It helped when our 2yo threw a pint of water over our memory foam mattress....

unlucky83 · 28/10/2015 19:33

Sorry I can't remember at all - it was a common fault on that car (Fiesta) and they replaced a sensor or something -so don't think a major repair _i guess it depends on what the problem is.
Without wanting to make you worry - your car isn't a Zafira from 2005 onwards is it?
There was a report a few days ago about them going up in flames and apparently that was linked to heating/air con...but overheating... but I guess if something is faulty ....
just found a link www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34603927

wasonthelist · 28/10/2015 20:03

The car would be stolen in seconds. How? Presumably you have the key. Factory-fitted immobilisers have been mandatory on all new cars since 1998.

I dont know how your car works but mine requires the key to be in the ignition for the heaters to work.

Op clearly stated that her heater doesn't work at all - suggestion was to leave the windows open, to which she replied the car would be stolen in seconds - which I seriously doubt. Anyhoo - not a problem. Even more O/T I cannot imagine being able to drive any car for very long that didn't have a functioning heater/blower, not because it's too cold yet, but just cos every one I've ever had mists up if there's no airflow - I am amazed it's possible.

Passmethecrisps · 28/10/2015 20:09

I had my car valeted maybe last year or so round about this time. The seats are leather but the carpets did get quite wet and ended up a bit foosty as I couldn't get them dry quickly enough

Original poster

SurlyCue · 28/10/2015 20:54

No unlucky thankfully it isnt a zafira. Its a seat toledo.

Will try a hot water bottle too. Thanks.

Op clearly stated that her heater doesn't work at all - suggestion was to leave the windows open, to which she replied the car would be stolen in seconds - which I seriously doubt.

No. You have mixed up the order of posts.

This is what was posted

"Today 10:16 NewNameNotTheSame

Pretty standard for them to be a bit damp, but they shouldnt be soaked. He should have given you covers and told you to have your windows open as much as possible. Can you leave the car heaters running for a bit? If you're not happy then just take it back, they start stinking if damp for too long"

To which i immediately responded

"Today 10:22 SurlyCue

The whole heater/air con system is broken so unfortunately i cant do that. I couldnt risk it anyway as parked on street. The car would be stolen in seconds."

OP posts:

anotherbloomingusername · 28/10/2015 21:14

I bought a car with fabric seats that had just been valeted. They did take days to dry, even with the heating on full blast for every journey. Sitting on towels did help soak up some moisture too.

wasonthelist · 29/10/2015 09:58

Sorry OP got it now - is there a "I was being dense" emoticon? Hope it dries out soon.

Flip