After my car was damaged in a Tesco car wash it has washed its hands of my complaint

I took my car for a spin at the local Tesco superstore's automated car wash, trusting in its ability to give my vehicle a good clean without causing any damage. Alas, I was wrong.

The experience left me with a nasty surprise - the tail spoiler and brake light of my car were ripped off during the wash cycle. Not only that, but staff at Tesco have acknowledged that this is not an isolated incident, with many drivers complaining about their vehicles being damaged in similar circumstances. One man even shared his own story of how a cleaning arm fell off mid-cycle, resulting in significant damage.

Tesco's standard response to these complaints has been to send out identical letters from its solicitors, claiming that no defects were found with the car wash and that drivers are responsible for any damage caused unless it was due to a machine fault. However, Tesco maintains that this is not a blanket policy, but rather a case-by-case basis.

But what's most frustrating is that Tesco has refused to provide me with the maintenance report from the company that contracts to maintain its car washes, citing "company policy". This report could potentially shed some light on the issue and whether there was any fault with the machine.

Now I'm faced with a choice - claim through my insurer or take the legal route. If I decide to go down this path, I'll need to send a letter before action specifying the amount of damages I seek, and give Tesco 14 days to respond. If that doesn't work, I can collate evidence and use Scotland's simple procedure to make a claim through the sheriff courts.

Tesco claims that its staff check wash cycles daily and that my car wash was found to be in good working order. But as one of the many drivers who has been affected by this problem, it's hard to believe their denials. Ultimately, it comes down to me to prove that Tesco is at fault for the damage caused to my vehicle.

I'll be taking a close look at the maintenance report and sending a formal complaint to Tesco, in the hope of resolving this matter and getting compensation for the damage done to my car.

I feel so bad for you, dude! This automated car wash thing is literally supposed to make life easier, but it's ended up causing more problems than a traffic jam on a Monday morning . Tesco needs to take responsibility and figure out what went wrong with their machine . It's not fair that they're trying to shift the blame onto you and your insurance company . You're right, that maintenance report could be super helpful in figuring out what happened. Maybe it's time for Tesco to upgrade their car wash technology or at least come clean about how many other drivers have had similar issues . Fingers crossed they take you seriously and help you get the compensation you deserve !

I feel you bro! I've had similar experiences with automated car washes before. It's so frustrating when they can't even get it right on their own . And now that you're trying to figure out if Tesco is at fault or not, good luck with that . Have you considered reaching out to the Consumer Protection Agency? I've heard they have some pretty solid procedures in place for dealing with these kinds of issues .

OMG - I can imagine how frustrating that experience must have been for you!!! So many people r saying the same thing about this automated car wash... it's like they're not even checking things properly before sending cars through! And now Tesco is being all dodgy about sharing the maintenance report? Not cool, Tesco. You really should be taking responsibility for your faulty machines instead of just telling people it's their fault.

I'm so mad about people having their car parts ripped off ! It's not fair that they have to deal with the hassle and cost of repairs . Tesco needs to take responsibility and make things right . They should be providing maintenance reports and being more transparent about what's going on behind the scenes . I feel for you, dude . If I were in your shoes, I'd send a strongly worded letter and demand some answers . And yeah, going through the insurance route or taking it to court is a total drag . But at least you're taking action ! Fingers crossed that you get some justice and a good compensation package .

Ugh, I'm literally so annoyed right now !!! Tesco is just leaving you hanging with their "company policy" nonsense . Like, do they really expect you to believe that? It's not like you're some crazy person making it up for attention . These automated car washes have been malfunctioning left and right, and now you're stuck paying for it . I mean, what even is the point of those ridiculous letters from their solicitors? Just trying to sweep things under the rug and get away with it . Can't they just own up to it and take responsibility for their mess? . And now you're having to choose between your insurance or taking them to court? That's just so stressful . I wish Tesco would just be honest and transparent about what happened to all these drivers .

Can you believe it? They're just gonna send those letters saying its your fault every time... 14 days is a pretty short window to respond, if they're not gonna be honest about what happened I've had issues with online shopping and customer service before, but this one takes the cake. Who's gonna review these automated car washes and make sure they're working properly? I'd love to see that maintenance report... it's gotta say something

Ugh, what's up with these automated car washes?! I had a similar experience at a mall car wash last year and it was a real mess! They said it wasn't their fault but I could've sworn that arm thingy just fell off my car like it did on your story . Tesco is just being super shady by not giving you the maintenance report, that's just ridiculous! If they're really as careful as they claim, why don't they share that info with customers who are getting messed up?! It's gotta be a machine fault or something... I'd go with claiming through your insurer, it's probably the best bet. Just imagine having to deal with all that paperwork and stress if you went down the legal route .

Ugh I feel so bad 4 u gotta say i had a pretty rough experience with an automated car wash too like 2 yrs ago but luckily it was just a scratch anyway idk if ur gonna go thru with the insurance or the legal route but one thing is for sure, tesco needs to step up their game especially when it comes to maintenance reports idk why they're being so secretive about it. I mean, if it's not a big deal then maybe just release the report and be done with it just saying...

just another instance of companies prioritizing profits over customer safety. tesco's response is laughable, they're essentially saying its not their fault if you get damaged by a machine that was supposed to be in good working order... meanwhile drivers are left to pick up the pieces and deal with the hassle and expense of getting their car fixed.

Ugh dont blame tesco they just got sued by some greedy ppl who cant even check their cars before washin lol 14 days is all u need to prove ur case so why be all dramatic about it dude? also whats with the maintenance report? tesco can just give u that and save themselves some cash. and btw if u really think its not a blanket policy then why r they sendin out same letters to everyone?

I've heard from a few people in the community who use those automated car washes and they all have horror stories like yours it's just common sense that if a machine is malfunctioning, someone should be held accountable... Tesco seems like they're dodging responsibility by sending out generic letters instead of taking concrete action to fix the issue

come on tesco can't you guys take responsibility for your automated car washes? i mean it's not like we're just random people who took our cars there willy nilly, we trusted in your machinery and it messed up badly! the fact that staff are saying "it's not an isolated incident" but can't be bothered to look into what went wrong is really annoying. and now you're trying to send us letters saying its our fault? no way! just provide me with the maintenance report so i can figure out if it was your machine's fault or something else. this whole thing is getting old

I feel so bad for you! This is just awful, Tesco's car wash should know better, especially with all these complaints coming in. Not being able to get that maintenance report from them is just frustrating, like they're hiding something. You deserve to know what went wrong and get fixed.

I feel you, mate! Been there, done that with those automated car washes . Never trust 'em completely, you know? They're only as good as their maintenance record . It's Tesco's responsibility to ensure these machines are working properly, not the customers . I mean, sending out generic letters saying it's our fault if we get damaged is just a bummer . You gotta keep pushing for that maintenance report and some concrete answers . Can't believe they're stonewalling you like this... Good luck with the claim process!

Ugh, what a bummer! I feel so bad for you, dude. Been there, done that with those automated car washes. You gotta stand up for yourself, tho. Don't let Tesco brush it off like that. Those staff members saying the damage is your fault? Not buying it, man. They should be on the line for this mess.

And oh my gosh, Scotland's simple procedure sounds like a lifesaver! Collating evidence and making a claim through the sheriff courts... I hope you get that maintenance report from Tesco ASAP and nail them with some solid proof. Your car is worth more than that stress, bruv.

I feel so bad for you, dude! Automated car washes can be super convenient, but they just aren't designed with human sanity in mind, you know? I've heard of these things happening before, and it's crazy that Tesco is trying to shift the blame onto the driver. Like, come on! If their machines are that faulty, shouldn't they take responsibility for it? The fact that they're refusing to give you the maintenance report just makes me think they have something to hide...

tesco needs to step up their game on these automated car washes!!! i mean how hard is it to make sure theyre functioning properly before letting customers use them?! i cant believe they're sending out generic letters telling people its there fault if something goes wrong... that's just not right! and yeah the fact that they wont give you the maintenance report is ridiculous, like what are they hiding?!

OMG I'm soooo sorry you had that nasty experience with the Tesco car wash!!! I've heard of this issue before and it's just not fair! I mean, who wants their car washed by a machine that can basically rip off parts? Not me, that's for sure! And now you're stuck dealing with all this stress and paperwork... ouch!

I feel so bad for you, dude. It's like Tesco is just ignoring all these complaints and not taking responsibility for their faulty machines. And the fact that they won't give you the maintenance report? That's just ridiculous! You need to send in that complaint and get some answers, ASAP!

You're doing the right thing by considering your insurance option, though. If that doesn't work out, taking it to court can be a hassle, but you gotta stand up for yourself, right? I'm sending all my positive vibes your way, and hoping this whole ordeal gets resolved quickly!

omg what a mess tesco's got themselves into lol they're literally trying to wash their hands of the problem and send out generic letters to blame people but seriously, who lets a car wash go rogue? and now you're stuck with a nasty surprise and a stack of bills like, how much did that tail spoiler cost anyway? 500 quid? anyway, good luck trying to get compensation, dude you might just need it