EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WAND) – Several people living in Effingham are mad and demanding action after they said their vehicles were damaged by the same car wash.
"I can't express the feeling of knowing that this truck is so new, and the paint is completely ruined on it,” Taylor Dammerman said.
Dammerman is one of at several people WAND talked to who said their car was damaged at the Effingham Express Car Wash on South Banker Street. Dammerman said when she left the car wash on Tuesday she noticed scratches all around her vehicle. Dammerman told WAND that she was given a damage estimate of $300.
"It is just totally and utterly scratched, top to bottom, head to toe,” she said. “I don't understand how this type of car wash can have no policies on this type of damage."
Dammerman is not alone in her complaints. Others on social media have expressed concerns too. They people say they have contacted the business via phone and social media. In an email from another person who claimed their vehicle was damaged WAND was told by the person that the manager told him they would take care of the damage, but then one month later said the business would not take care of any of the damages.
WAND’s Chris Carter went to the car wash to try and get some answers. He spoke with a man who identified himself as Trevor and said he was the manager.
“I already talked to my main boss and our equipment is specially made to not scratch and it throws debris from other vehicles down to the ground,” he said.
Trevor said it is possible the scratches were on the cars before customers entered the wash bay.
“Those could be scratches that are already there and then they get them washed and they get shown,” he said.
Trevor did say there is one way for damage to happen on their property. Trevor told WAND that customers who ask employees to use the brush on their vehicle could suffer damage by the bristles; however, it is unclear if those brushes caused the damage to the cars of those who reached out to us.
“You guys stand by the services that are being done?” Carter asked. Trevor simply said “yes”.
Trevor did give Carter the General Manager’s number. When the GM was called and asked for comment, he hung up the first time. The GM did call back several hours later and said anyone with damage thought to have happened at the car wash needs to go in and file an incident report and then have their insurance company contact the car wash. A local attorney said you should actually file your claim with the car wash and then with your provider.
