lorrainecallison

I dropped my car off at hand car wash today at 12.30 ( never normally do this - have only had it washed by someone else 3 or 4 times in the 15 months since I've had it - always like to do it myself) and then went off to work in a building less than 50 yds away. At 2.15 a police officer came to my work to tell me that my car had been taken for a spin by one of the washers and crashed into a concrete post/ metal barrier.
Fortunately/amazingly no-one else was hit or injured, neither was the driver.

I never got to see my car before it was towed away, but having seen the pictures, it appears to be a total write off
Of course he had no insurance and probably no license either

I have spoken to my insurance company who said I should go to the car cleaning company and find out whether they have insurance to cover it - don't hold out much hope as just a few Asian guys operating on garage forecourt.

Any suggestions anyone - guess I'll just have to wait and see what insurance assessors say.

Very nice police officer tho who came to tell me and took my statement - ex scooby owner himself

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

I'd be looking for a shotgun

Absolutely gutted for you the car looked mint aswell

Tony

andywiddss1

iTrader: (4)

how can they run a car wash with no insurance they must have sum sort of public insurance

Pete

Where will the cat sit now??? lol1:


Seriously fella, gutted for you..............

dan83590

Wouldn't that be theft? A 'Taken and driven away'?

Microstar

Lots of hand car washed are operated by Romanians, Albanian, Iraqis and Afghans. Usually operating on the edge of the law (i.e. no insurance of any sort, no taxes paid etc etc - that is why they are so cheap). Not all are like that, but it sounds like the one that you used was! I think the chances of getting a payout from the culprit are very slim - best leave it with the police to follow up and your insurance company. If you gave them the keys then you knew they would have to drive the car (to move it around the forecourt) then it would not be theft, but accidental damage.

LegacySTi

iTrader: (13)

can't believe ..

sorry to hear this...........

car wash and car thrash 2 totally different things..

how dare they take your car off the forcourt being there just for a wash..

as you dropped to private land for a car wash and then without your consent this was taking onto a public road then you should be pushing strongly for the accused to be charged with steeling the car as his conviction will also help your case...

lorrainecallison

Yeah it was - got a real good buy with that - still only 21k mileage.
Just seen your location - was driving down to Hereford this weekend - not any more tho

dan83590

They would have only had permission to manoeuvre the car on the forecourt!

lorrainecallison

Yes he has been charged with TWOC, dangerous driving and driving with no insurance.......apparently he was planning to go back to Mauritius tomorrow, so has been remanded in custody instead.......poor soul

Some consolation anyway

JohnD

iTrader: (5)

Pity about the driver! (being unhurt, that is!)
If nothing else, you've learnt a good lesson - NEVER, EVER leave a performance car at places like that!
Promise us all, you will never do anything like that again!
JohnD

scooby1doo1

iTrader: (7)

As they are Romanians, Albanian, Iraqis and Afghans chances of cops doing any thing are slim

ProdrivePaul

Amen to that.

You placed your trust in them and thats how they repay you

I will never ever leave my car with someone i dont know or trust.

Gutted for you!

lorrainecallison

I do sincerely promise

lorrainecallison

He was about half a mile down the road from garage - how far he would have gone I've no idea. Have been this evening to inspect the scene - looking at the damage to the concrete post and railing he must have been doing about 50 in a narrow road, built up area - straight road tho, and dry at the time so how he managed to lose it, I don't know.
I brought home half my number plate and a headlight case as a keepsake.........

winker

iTrader: (1)

I am sorry to hear about your car but why leave it with people you dont know it dosnt matter where they are from if they have your keys they will try out your car they could even get a key cut and steal it at some othertime.

I hope other members dont do anything this silly

lorrainecallison

Point taken. I always did like to learn things the hard way

wiley

iTrader: (63)

bad luck mate, i always lock the door when my car is being cleaned. plus i do the inside myself

wiley

ISLANDMAGEEZER!

Yea sorry to hear that!But i cant understand why you would do something that to me seems really silly (sorry i know comments like these are not helping in your time of loss).But especially a car wash ran by a load of (hang me for this if yous want)immigrant, handless,careless money grabbing desperados!!! We have far to many of them starting that **** over here to!Ah well hope thing go your way but as stated above when your up against forigners,the law caves in

lorrainecallison

Yes I know, I know! But I've always been a trusting sort of person, who never thinks the worst of other people..........not any more maybe.
I have left the car there once before while I was in work with no problem but had never seen seen this particular guy before. I even paid him before I left -
I'm going back tomorrow to get my frigging money back! I may sound flippant but it's just to cover up how gutted I am

555wrxra

In the eyes of the law it is theft if you did not give permission which obviously you didn't then it is theft, in which case your insurance company must pay out, if they want to claim against and insurance that the immigrant car wash company does or doesn't have that is down to them!

ask the police if the person is going to be prosecuted for theft or twoc as they call it (taking with out consent ) just because they had your key dose not mean that it is not theft! for instance if i take my dads car keys and drive his car without him knowing and crash it with no insurance i would be done for twoc!

depending who you insure with they should be understanding and sort this out with out any hassle, if they don't just get the crime reference number from the police and tell your insurance company you are going to check with a ombudsman about the claim and you will charge them for nay cost's incurred,

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS!

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Blimey

I'd PM Sticky Micky on here as he runs a car wash service and I'd take any advice as he's 100% legit and seems to know more than most one here about this sort of thing !

HTH

Shaun

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Sad to hear about this.............

Just comes to show why the world is in the place it is, it is populated by numptys who drive other peoples cars without permission!

Underworld

that car looks rili nice + best colour.... sorry to hear that... it will b sorted.
one of the reasons y i dont leave my car to be washed without me being there.. and my condoms go missing

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

From the way he acted it seems like he would most likely by MAURITANIAN, like the Polisario numptys or something!

Bikebloke

iTrader: (2)

Gutted for you mate! Hope it all come's together for you in the end.

lorrainecallison

[QUOTE=Underworld;8248205]that car looks rili nice + best colour.... sorry to hear that... it will b sorted.
one of the reasons y i dont leave my car to be washed without me being there.. and my condoms go missing



God I hadn't thought of that! If my condoms are missing then I really will go mad

T5NYW

iTrader: (4)

Sadly you will miss some lovely countryside and lanes

I just handed my pride an joy over for 2 days to be serviced and 1st MOT, how am I going to sleep now

Best of luck and theres me moaning about a door ding

Tony

Ps isn't there a seperate insurance cover so damage by un-insured drivers it doesn't affect you insurance!!

Underworld

[QUOTE=lorrainecallison;8248244]insurance people will nick it now....

Rex93

absolutely gutted for you,

I have been telling my sister for ages not to leave her car with the" car wash people" whilst she is at work, hasn't stopped her yet, perhaps when she reads this, she will think again!

When you say they are operating from a garage forecourt, is this a petrol station or car sales place? if so maybe the insurance that they have in place will cover all "operations" on site, afterall permission must have been given for them to be there.

Hope your insurance company sort you out asap