Expert Advice When You Need It Most

Car damaged at car wash, dispute with car wash owner as to getting damage fixed rights under WA state law

Asked over 3 years ago - Seattle, WA

I dropped off my car this morning to get a wash and when I go to pick up the car the guy at the car wash proceed to tell me they damaged my car. They managed to ruin the racing stripes on the hood of my car and are refusing to pay for the dealer to fix the damages. The car is a lease so the dealer is the only one authorized to do work on it and now in a back and forth battle with the owner to try and recoup my costs of getting this fixed. So far the owners solution is “You can drop the car off with me and ill take it to my guy and he will fix” If anyone has any suggestions/ideas/etc it would be greatly appreciated.

Flag

Save

Share with:

Attorney answers (2)

Shalini D Gujavarty

Answered over 3 years ago.

Flag

You should threaten to take the car wash owner to small claims court - tell him that his proposed solution will not work for you, since it will violate your lease.

King County Small Claims

Mark as good answer

1 person marked this answer as good

Add comment

Ronald Lee Burdge

Reputation Level 17

Answered over 3 years ago. Lemon Law Attorney in Dayton, OH.

Flag

When you give someone your car and you are going to pay them to wash it, it's legally called a bailment. That means they have to take care of it while they have it and, generally, if they don't then they are liable to you for the reasonable cost to have repairs done to fix any damage that occurred because of their negligence. Question is, what's reasonable? If the dealer installed the stripes, then most people would think it's only reasonable to have the dealer install new ones. Insist on it. Find out what it would cost to have it done and then either talk to a local attorney about sueing them in small claims or other court. If you don't know a local Consumer Law attorney, in Seattle I'd suggest you call one of these: David A. Leen 206.325.6022 or Peter L. Maier 206.623.2800. I'm sure there are others, but these two attorneys deal with Consumer Law issues extensively.

Mark as good answer

1 person marked this answer as good

Add comment

One or more answers have been taken down.