Damages How In Tarnation?!

Pitter

Pitter
Contributor
:
2020 CX-5 Signature Azul Metalico
...did they do this??? I'm suspecting the damned carwash again which you've told me a hundred times to stop using and now finally I am convniced!

The first damage is to the hood flange over the grill. All I can think of is they were using a polisher and the cord got hooked into the slot, then they puld hard to remove it. I don't think the hose could get caught in that space. Also I'm quite sure I didn't do it by catching a tough vine in it and backing away on a narrow road with projecting vegetation. I'm very chary on roads like that about vegitation scratching the paint. And I certainly would remember that. Nor can I imagine how it could happen in a public parking lot like at a shopping center.

About the second damage I have no idea. It's on the sill of the rear door behind the driver. It looks like somebody gave it a good whack (creased the metal) and the something had a sharp not blunt edge. I know I've never dropped anything hard on the sill. It is a real stretch but I carry a small machete on the floor of the back seat to clear occasional fallen branches from my dirt road. Angry or just idiot carwash employee?
 

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...did they do this??? I'm suspecting the damned carwash again which you've told me a hundred times to stop using and now finally I am convniced!

The first damage is to the hood flange over the grill. All I can think of is they were using a polisher and the cord got hooked into the slot, then they puld hard to remove it. I don't think the hose could get caught in that space. Also I'm quite sure I didn't do it by catching a tough vine in it and backing away on a narrow road with projecting vegetation. I'm very chary on roads like that about vegitation scratching the paint. And I certainly would remember that. Nor can I imagine how it could happen in a public parking lot like at a shopping center.

About the second damage I have no idea. It's on the sill of the rear door behind the driver. It looks like somebody gave it a good whack (creased the metal) and the something had a sharp not blunt edge. I know I've never dropped anything hard on the sill. It is a real stretch but I carry a small machete on the floor of the back seat to clear occasional fallen branches from my dirt road. Angry or just idiot carwash employee?
I hate to say it but these damages look intentional more than accidental. The sill requires access to the vehicle which puts the car wash as a leading candidate. Bending that pointed bit of body panel would take a lot of force. It is also curious that the damage was done in places you would not likely notice before driving off while inflicting some pretty costly damage if you want it back to looking like new.

If you brought prior issues to the attention of management and/or failed to adequately tip, whatever that is locally, that would further point to an angry employee.

Given your pain, "I told you so" would be over the top.
 
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I'm thinking you're absolutely right. I don' get the motive though. I always give a good tip. I'm wondering if it's an effort to sabotage the business. Or not enough tip or just don"t like gringos. I think I will take the owner aside, out of view of the workers and show him the damages. I'll tell him I can't prove it was done there but maybe he's had other complaints and would like to know.
 
Regarding the sill the only other entity that had access to the open was the dealership. Those employees, mechanics are well paid by Colombian standards so seems very unlikely the culpret was there. And the car was no where near the dealership when the valance was bent.
 
Lastly the car was at the carwash one week ago. I washed it myself today and saw that damage.
 
Followup: repair for each is $400.000 Colombian pesos or US $106 so $212 US total. This is at Mazda's Collision Center. Lesser bodywork shops abound and would be far cheaper but quality would be "you get what you pay for". The pain is I will have to rent a car for three days while they do it. Car rental is NOT cheap in Colombia.
 
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