Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if anyone else worries about car being stolen from hand car wash

17 replies

Chachabingz · 02/06/2018 21:28

OH took my car to a local supermarket hand car wash today. The plan was that he would leave the car and do some shopping.
He said when he saw how many people were working on the cars and the key box at the side he decided to stay.
They did a fantastic job but it took over an hour..,. my car was admittedly quite a state before!😬
Does anyone else worry about their car being stolen or know of it happening at a hand car wash? I would have thought if it were common they would all shut down.

OP posts:
LalaLeona · 02/06/2018 21:52

Never even occurred to me to be honest! It seems unlikely unless you're driving a supercar ferrari/lambourghini type thing perhaps?!

Original poster
Chachabingz · 02/06/2018 21:56

Nope! Sadly not! Just your average estate....There was a spate of cars being stolen from petrol stations whilst people were filling up, so I’m a bit paranoid.

OP posts:
FASH84 · 02/06/2018 21:56

I've got a banged up old suzuki, if they steal it I'll get my insurance and have to call the AA less.

CuriousaboutSamphire · 02/06/2018 22:02

It's never crossed my mind...and I would assume that they are insured and would be held liable for keeping the keys secure!

I am embarrassed to say I couldn't work out how your car could be stolen in a petrol station - I've obviously "paid at pump" for far longer than I thought Blush

reddington · 02/06/2018 22:21

I’d be more worried about the state of my paintwork to be honest.

o0o0o · 02/06/2018 22:28

It's never crossed my mind either.... I drive a very fucking expensive car and always leave my keys with them. Oh no now I'm going to panic Confused

Livedandlearned · 02/06/2018 22:30

It happened to a friend of mine, they handed her the keys to an old car. She had to point out that hers was the newer bmw.

MollyHuaCha · 02/06/2018 22:31

I have had this thought too.

At our local supermarket hand car wash, the (very pleasant) staff take your key and ask which level valeting you would like.

They don't give a receipt for the key or ask for a name.

When you return, half and hour later, they just ask you to point to your car!

I did once ask them how they remember who owns which car (because I could see that they actually did not remember).

They didn't seem to understand the question - I get the impression their command of English is restricted to the words and sentences required for the job.

They do an amazing valeting service though.

youokayhun · 02/06/2018 22:35

I don't worry about it...although when you think about it, surely you wouldn't be covered on insurance? "Yeah what happened was, I gave my car and the keys to some bloke and told him to wash it, I have no proof of this, now it's gone - can I claim?!" I feel you'd get a very swift no!!

youokayhun · 02/06/2018 22:36

I also drive a fairly expensive car! Now I think about it even more last time my other half dropped it off there and went on the train to work and I took an older car of ours down to be cleaned and swapped them over. I literally just said "I need to pick up the Porsche?" And they handed me over the keysConfused

SoyDora · 02/06/2018 22:37

Have my car cleaned like this every month and it has never occurred to me to be honest. And never happened.

findthegap · 02/06/2018 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NevermindMyMind · 02/06/2018 22:49

Nah, no one wants my car with half eaten organix rice cakes chucked in random places by DC.

Original poster
Chachabingz · 03/06/2018 06:40

@findthegap I wasn’t suggesting that they stole the cars. What I meant was it isn’t beyond the realms of possibility for someone to access the key box and help themselves. Or if a gang were to descend.
@Curious it was happening when people were leaving their keys in the car or holding them. I have keyless car entry/start and was also guilty of leaving them in the central bit when paying at pump. They were using violence to get the owner out of the way and get the keys whilst they were literally filling up.
I also wonder about the insurance implications. I doubt your insurance would cover any theft (or it would be at least be a battle) and I bet the car wash have a disclaimer somewhere.

OP posts:
reddington · 03/06/2018 07:17

They do an amazing valeting service though.

They really don’t. They’re known amongst enthusiasts as “scratch n swirl”. No one who’s in any way into car detailing would go anywhere near them and would be able to point out the paint damage that they do not to mention the excessively harsh chemicals they use.

Kochkor · 03/06/2018 07:26

Just watching a piece on car washes and modern day slavery on BBC Breakfast.

SoyDora · 03/06/2018 08:24

They really don’t. They’re known amongst enthusiasts as “scratch n swirl’

Good job I’m not an enthusiast then Smile

New posts on this thread. Refresh page