At the car wash

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Pale Rider

Legendary Member
What's your experience of drive-in car washes?

I used one years ago when away from home which rather put me off.

The wash cloths looked gritty, and the way they were used was slapdash.

More recently washing the car has become difficult, so I ventured into a car wash that's been operating for a good few years nearby.

Quite impressive.

Plenty of kit and washing chemicals, although I expect the power of the jet washer would exceed Ford's recommendation.

The wash cloths were clean, and I saw three or four domestic washing machines whirring away for them.

I got a decent job for my £6, not quite as thorough as had I done it, but I wouldn't expect that.

The man who took the money even gave me an air freshener with my change.
 
Quite impressive.

Plenty of kit and washing chemicals, although I expect the power of the jet washer would exceed Ford's recommendation.

The wash cloths were clean, and I saw three or four domestic washing machines whirring away for them.

I got a decent job for my £6, not quite as thorough as had I done it, but I wouldn't expect that.

The man who took the money even gave me an air freshener with my change.
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Thats pretty much how it is at the one local to me, except they say a qashqai is a big car so £7.50
washed, dried, windows cleaned outside, door closures cleaned, tyres dressed, and an air freshner, ...seems a fair price to me.
 

CanucksTraveller

Macho Business Donkey Wrestler
Location
Hertfordshire
More like 12 pounds near me which seems fairer given the time they have to spend on a car and how many are in the team. But the cloths are a little grotty, the hoover is asthmatic, and the workers look depressed, but despite all that they manage to do a just okay job on the very few occasions I've used them.
I tend to do it myself far more often, although sometimes I'll do the outside with a jetwash at the garage and then do the interior at home.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Used to use them when Mrs D had a motability car - we didn't own it, so didn't care. After a few goes we did find one that did a dilligent job so would go there. Now she owns her car again I do it myself.
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Zero because I always do it myself - both to appease my own OCD / allow me to use my chosen products and because I don't trust anyone else to do it.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
This has put me off lately. Some are modern slavery places of work.
There was a lot of gang involvement around Bradford area about 10 years ago, not sure if it's as bad now, firebombing each other pitch, beatings, stabbing etc. one of the owners had his brand new Porsche set alight, there's a lot of unaccountable cash going through places.
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
There was a lot of gang involvement around Bradford area about 10 years ago, not sure if it's as bad now, firebombing each other pitch, beatings, stabbing etc. one of the owners had his brand new Porsche set alight, there's a lot of unaccountable cash going through places.
I wonder about our local one; all the staff appear to be eastern European and it does make me wonder whether they'll all shipped in en-bloc off the back of a load of false promises then sardined into some grotty lashed-up HMO while being paid sub-minimum wage for their efforts..
 
OP
OP
Pale Rider

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
I wondered what the sketch was with the one I used.

Eastern European staff who seemed cheerful enough.

The guy who took my money was polite and friendly, although the interaction was very short.

If I knew it was a criminal enterprise I wouldn't use it.

Be nice to think there's some honest endeavour going on, if not much evidence of accurate tax records being kept.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Wafter is correct. They have often been associated with modern slavery. Back when I was in the job it was normal for community beat officers to gather intelligence about who is working at these businesses, and immigration regularly swoop in and sweep people away. I must stress, not all by any stretch of the imagination are dodgy in this regard, but it does go on and in sufficient numbers to keep the immigration boys busy.
 
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