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

Car owners who use Tesco's automated car washes are being left feeling damaged - both physically and financially.

A visit to the local superstore resulted in significant damage to my vehicle, with the tail spoiler and brake light ripped off during an automated cycle. Despite the inconvenience and cost of repairs estimated at £750, I've been met with resistance from Tesco's management.

According to staff, car washes frequently experience issues that can result in damages like mine. The repair bill is substantial, but Tesco has refused to accept liability, relying on a maintenance report produced by its contracted service company which claims the car wash was functioning properly at the time of my visit.

In fact, numerous complaints from drivers have been documented, with Tesco responding uniformly with an identically worded letter from their solicitors stating no defects were found and absolving the company of any liability. The disclaimer displayed at entrance to the car wash also shields Tesco from responsibility unless caused by a machine fault.

This policy raises questions about Tesco's approach to handling damage claims, as they claim these are assessed on a case-by-case basis. However, staff reportedly verify wash cycles daily and found my car to be in good working order before the incident occurred.

As a result, I'm left with the option of pursuing compensation through my insurer or taking legal action against Tesco. If opting for the latter, I'll need to send a letter stating the amount of damages sought within 14 days, allowing Tesco time to respond.

If that fails, I can gather evidence and details of the damage, as well as proof of car wash payment and repair quotes, to file a claim through Scotland's "simple procedure" or the equivalent process in England and Wales.

I feel for you mate - it's a right proper mess! Tesco's got you cornered with that disclaimer at the entrance to their automated car washes. It's like they're trying to sweep all the damage under the rug, isn't it? I've heard of companies playing it dodgy when it comes to customer complaints, but this takes the biscuit! £750 is a small fortune for someone who just wants a clean car.

I reckon Tesco needs to take responsibility and sort out their maintenance reports. It's not like they're saying it's your fault, it's just that their machine did something wrong. You've got every right to be annoyed and now you're left with the hassle of sorting out compensation through your insurer or taking them to court.

I'd recommend getting all the evidence together and filing a claim through Scotland's "simple procedure" - it sounds like the way to go, mate. Fingers crossed you get what you're owed and that Tesco sorts their act out!

I'm telling you, it's like they're trying to set people up . First, their automated car washes are causing all this damage, but then they deny any responsibility? It's suspicious, right? And those letters from their solicitors are just scripted nonsense. Anyone who's read them knows they're just trying to cover their own tracks.

I've got a friend whose car was damaged at one of these car washes too, and they were given the same runaround as you. No explanation, no help, just a dismissive letter saying Tesco's not liable. It's like they're trying to hide something. I'm starting to think it's all part of some big experiment... to see how many people will give up and just accept the damage

Dude, I'm telling you, Tesco is up to something . They're trying to cover their tracks with this dodgy maintenance report thingy. It's like they expect us to just take their word for it? And what's with the identical letter from their solicitors? That sounds fishy to me . I mean, I've heard of companies having a "standard" response, but this is just lazy .

And have you seen those car washes? They're like something out of a sci-fi movie . I'm not surprised they malfunction. But Tesco's reaction is what's got me wondering... are they trying to avoid taking responsibility for their own mistakes? Maybe they knew the car wash was faulty and didn't want to fix it .

Anyway, I feel bad for you, mate. You're stuck with a massive repair bill and no way to get compensation from Tesco . You might wanna dig deeper into this and see if there's more to the story than meets the eye .

seriously tesco should be more transparent about their maintenance reports... can't just slap a disclaimer on the entrance and expect people not to get hurt if they're not going to take responsibility for their own machines, then they shouldn't try to pass it off as our fault

Ugh, what a rip off ! Tesco needs to take responsibility for their faulty automated car washes! I've heard from friends who have had similar experiences with these machines, and it's just not right that they're leaving people with massive repair bills . The fact that they're not accepting liability is just infuriating . I mean, how can you expect customers to trust a company if they won't stand behind their products? This whole thing stinks like a pile of trash . Can't they just own up to the problem and make it right? #JusticeForCarWashVictims #TescoNeedsToStepUp #AutomatedCarWashesNeedAPass

Ugh, sorry to hear that ! I mean, Tesco's automated car washes are convenient and all, but it seems like they're not doing enough to ensure everything runs smoothly . I've heard of those maintenance reports being a bit dodgy, but £750 is still a pretty penny to foot the bill for their mistake .

I think it's reasonable that you're considering pursuing compensation or taking them to court . As a customer, you have every right to expect a safe and hassle-free experience when using their services. I'd love to see some changes in how they handle these kinds of incidents, like implementing better quality control measures or just being more transparent about what might go wrong .

Anyway, I hope your insurance covers the cost of repairs, or if not, you're able to get a good lawyer on your side to fight for you . And who knows, maybe this will prompt Tesco to take car wash safety seriously and make some improvements !

ugh i had a similar experience at tesco a few yrs ago my car got smashed at their carwash too i mean what kind of company just ignores their customers like that?? they shouldnt be able to just say their maintenance report is the only thing that matters when its obvious the machine is the problem 750 quid is a fortune but if u r not covered by ur insurance then good luck getting tesco to pay u back

Umm... who needs to wash their car when you're gonna get it ripped apart anyway? I mean, isn't that just part of the 'entertainment' experience at Tesco? And £750 is just a drop in the bucket for a giant like Tesco. Plus, can't they see the damage was clearly caused by their own faulty machine? It's not like the staff actually did anything wrong...

Ugh , this is insane! Tesco needs to step up their game when it comes to maintenance on those automated car washes. 750 quid for some damaged parts? That's not okay, fam . I'm surprised they're not taking responsibility for the damage or at least offering some form of compensation. It's like they want drivers to just deal with the hassle and cost themselves . And what's up with this "maintenance report" thing? Sounds like a bunch of corporate jargon to me . Can't they just be honest about when something goes wrong?

Umm this is crazy ... like how are they not taking responsibility for their automated car washes? £750 is a lot of money! I feel bad for you ... did they even apologize or offer any kind of compensation? And what's with the disclaimer at the entrance? It's so convenient to just sign it and move on, but if something goes wrong, who do you turn to? ... Tesco's not being very helpful in this situation. I guess we'll have to see how it all plays out ... maybe they'll make some changes to their car wash system.

ugh, what kind of company doesn't take responsibility for their own machines?? they're basically saying its the customer's fault that something went wrong. newsflash, tesco: just because you have a disclaimer at the entrance doesn't mean people are going to follow it and if your maintenance report is not accurate then why are they still using it? this whole thing stinks

You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending – C.S. Lewis

I'm getting so frustrated with Tesco's automated car washes ! They just don't seem to care about their customers' property anymore. I've had issues with the car wash myself, but thankfully it wasn't as bad as this guy's problem - £750 is a lot of cash . The fact that they're trying to shift the blame onto their maintenance report and not accepting liability is just unacceptable . It's like they're expecting customers to just "deal with it" or pay for repairs themselves. I mean, what if you have comprehensive insurance? Shouldn't Tesco be covering those costs?

I'm telling you, automated car washes are just not worth it! I've heard of people getting damaged cars before, but £750 is steep even for me . Tesco's excuse that they're not liable because their maintenance report says the machine was fine at the time doesn't cut it in my book. It sounds like a bunch of corporate mumbo-jumbo to me .

I mean, who writes these disclaimers? "Use at your own risk" or something like that? And what's with the wordy letters from their solicitors? Can't they just be honest and say sorry for the inconvenience?

This is why I always park my car in a secure spot when I'm shopping, not because I don't trust Tesco, but because common sense says so . Anyway, I hope you get your money back or something, but personally, I'll stick to washing my car by hand like grandma used to do .

just got done with one of those Tesco automated car washes and I'm still fuming about it... £750 is a big chunk of change! not to mention all the inconvenience, stress and hassle that comes with dealing with their "customer-friendly" but really unfair policies . stats are crazy though - did you know that 1 in 5 customers who have used Tesco's car washes have reported damage? 42% of those damages were caused by machine faults ( source: tesco.com ) and yet they're still not taking responsibility . I'm thinking of joining the ranks of "Tesco Car Wash Victims" . has anyone else had a similar experience?

I don’t usually comment but... I think Tesco needs to rethink their approach on damages from automated car washes . £750 is a pretty steep price tag for a mistake that could've been avoided with better quality control . The fact that they're using the same maintenance report for every complaint kinda raises some suspicions - shouldn't it be more personal and case-by-case? I get that accidents can happen, but the response from Tesco's management seems pretty robotic (no pun intended ). It'd be nice if they took a more sympathetic approach to customers who've been left feeling damaged .

Omg I'm so sorry to hear about your experience with Tesco's automated car washes ! It's absolutely ridiculous that they're not taking responsibility for the damage done to your vehicle . £750 is a huge repair bill, and you should be compensated for the inconvenience and stress it caused . The fact that their maintenance report is being used as an excuse is super shady . Have you considered reaching out to your local consumer protection agency or maybe even the BBC Watchdog? They might be able to help you get some answers . You deserve better than a big chain like Tesco not having your back !

Ugh, automated car washes are just a recipe for disaster . I mean, who thought it was a good idea to leave people's cars to machines that can literally rip off parts? Tesco's policy is super shady too... like, if they're not going to take responsibility for their own faulty equipment, then why should customers be expected to foot the bill . And don't even get me started on the paperwork and hassle of trying to get compensation through the insurer or court system . Just a hassle all around, if you ask me .

OMG u gotta believe me when i say tesco is literally taking advantage of ppl !! they're like 'we dont take responsibility' just cuz they got some fancy report from their contractors saying it was fine . but what about all the ppl who've had issues like this?!?! its not just u, i mean have u seen the comments on their socials? ppl are LITERALLY losing their minds over this

and dont even get me started on that disclaimer they display at entrance . like, whats wrong with them?! do they think we're all just stupid or something? i mean, come on tesco! take responsibility for ur mistakes and fix it!

anywayz, i feel u . its so frustrating when companies just dont care about their customers' problems. ur gonna have to do some serious legwork if u wanna get compensated but idk how many ppl are willing to go through all that drama