I drive a 1999 Suburban (5.7). Not really much of a question, just wanted to share my story with someone. Who better than you guys?

I was feeling particularly lazy today and didn't feel like washing my truck myself, so I drove to the local car wash. My truck comes out of the wash, and the attendant gets into it. To get from the wash exit to the parking spaces where they vacuum/dry the cars, they have to make a U-turn, go straight, stop, and make a 90 degree turn in reverse. As I am sure all of you know, these guys aren't exactly easy on the cars they drive. They're hard on the gas, brakes, and gear changes.

So, the truck comes out of the wash, and the attendant gets in. He puts the pedal down making the u-turn (the tires squealed a bit) and is flying. He hits the brakes hard, and SLAMS my truck from drive into reverse. I mean he slammed it. He was not even close to being stopped. At all. The entire truck lurched forward hard and I heard the terrible grinding/thumping noise from where I was standing, 30 feet away. I then started running toward my truck, but not in time for him to floor it in reverse, slam on the brakes, and SLAM IT in the same fashion into park. I couldn't believe what just happened. The guy who drove the truck jumped out and disappeared before I could get to him, but the manager (the only one around who spoke English) watched what had happened just as I did. When I got into my truck and started it, as soon as I put it into drive, the truck JUMPED forward, stopped hard, jumped again and again, stopped and I almost hit another parked car. I put it into reverse to go back into the space and it jumped even worse. When I got out, the manager was already on his way over. He knew the deal. Put me on the phone with his boss (that owns several car washes in the area) and at first he was being unreasonable saying that I could just have just messed it up prior and blamed them. I told him then I would be bringing the police to the scene if he continued to be unreasonable. Then I told him that I had the tranny fluid and filter changed 5 days prior and the mechanic knows there was nothing wrong with the transmission. Turns out he knew the mechanic. After those two events, his tune changed and he became reasonable. The truck was not driveable, so (through my refusal to lay down and give him ANYTHING) he agreed to pay for a tow to the shop and, of course, all damages incurred by his employee's excessive carelessness.

As we talked, I pointed out to him the attendant that had screwed my truck. We watched treat a few more cars in a similar fashion, namely, a BMW 5 series, another Suburban, a Mercedes C300, a Pathfinder, and an Altima. Pretty sure that guy got fired shortly after. The owner was livid with that guy. Rightly so.

I almost attacked that goddamn guy who shredded my tranny. I was incensed. I realized I had to keep my cool though and keep the upper hand. I have babied my truck and at 118K there is not a single thing wrong with it. That ended today.

Anyone have any similar stories?

 

i dod that with my truck being rushes and mad..it shifted like you said...and high RPM into 2nd and 3rd... i ended up having to unplug the battery for a while and plugin it back up....... it was stupid on my part..lol

 

What a story...hopefully your truck will get fixed at not cost to you...
That is always my biggest concern when having someone else drive my vehicle...
I stay away from full service car washes (and do it yourself ones for different reasons) and quickie lubes...

 

That is terrible. Hope you get a new tranny at their expense.

I hate when anyone has to touch/drive my vehicle. I always wash it myself and do all the maintenance whenever I can.

 

Better collect evidence: date, time, manager, receipt for car wash, driver, damages, estimates, pictures, towing, etc. These establishments should have liability insurance. Check with your auto and home ins. if any thing is covered. Get evrything in writing. Don't rely on promises.
The owner WILL turn it over to his insurance co. if he has any. You may have to sue. It's tough I know. Forget about car washers and even dealers. Once the car is taken in the back of dealerships you don't know who is driving it or what they are doing. They let some jerk change the oil in your $35000 ride that doesn't know how to wipe his a@@. Just sold Malibu with 100,000 on it and it never saw the inside of a dealership. Just changed the oil and checked the fluids and filters. The only one I will let change my oil is when I can see what they are doing. Mostly I do it my self and I am 75.

 

Thanks for the advice, and I collected all of those except pictures, as there was nothing to really take a picture of.