A real estate agent’s Suburban gets her car paint damage after going through an automatic car wash in Tennessee. 

In a TikTok that’s generated over 7,600 views as of this writing, Ashley Fitch (@move.with.ash) shares how her paint was scratched at Tidal Wave Auto Spa location in Clarksville, Tennessee.

When she got out of the automatic car wash, she immediately noticed scuffing on her car.

We Have Been Loyal Customers

After seeing the damages, Fitch took her Suburban back to the Tidal Wave Auto Spa. She requested to see a manager, but the manager was out until Friday of that week. 

Fitched showed the videos and photos to an employee at the car wash, where she was told that there were “no scratches” on her car.

“ We have been loyal customers there since they opened. I have said nothing but amazing things about them,” Fitch said. “I’ve been very happy with them up until today, and so I was very disappointed to hear that response.”

Since management did not take her concerns seriously, Fitch filed a police report. An officer noted damage to both sides of her Suburban. Since then, Fitch has had to escalate the situation with her insurance company in order to fix her car. 

“ If you have a membership there, I highly recommend canceling it. Unless you want your car to look like it was washed with Brillo pads,” Fitch suggests.

Fitch told MotorBiscuit, “The eventually returned my husband’s call on Friday and said he did not see any issues, but would submit a claim. He explained that they would review footage and photos and proceed from there. Since that call, we have not heard anything further. We are extremely disappointed and frustrated with the lack of communication and follow-up.”

Is A Car Wash Liable If It Damages A Person’s Vehicle? 

It depends on whether or not the car wash was negligent in treating the vehicle or exercising care. 

As Legal Clarity states, “Negligence involves failing to exercise reasonable care, such as improperly maintaining equipment or not following operational procedures. To hold the car wash responsible, you must prove their negligence directly caused the damage.”

It also depends on whether or not a car owner signs a waiver before getting their car cleaned.  

Fitch did mention that she had a membership with the car wash company. That increases the likelihood that she signed a waiver, which can limit liability for damages. Typically, car washes will have its customers sign waivers in order to ensure they don’t face later insurance or legal claims. This will usually include language that can shield the business from negligence cases or general damage claims. 

She did share how she filed a claim with her insurance and filed a police report, both of which are extremely important steps in taking legal action against a car wash. 

Ultimately, if Fitch did not sign any restricting waivers and has reasonable proof of negligent damage to her vehicle, she could have a legal claim against the company.

How Does The Car Wash Damage Your Car?

Car washes are common culprits when it comes to small aesthetic scratches, especially because they can damage your car’s clear coat. 

Typically, cars have a paint color finish and a clear, polyurethane coat on top. The polyurethane coat is incredibly thin, which means it’s susceptible to scratches from even minor abrasions. 

Visual degradation usually occurs due to the rolling brushes on the conveyor belt. These brushes have an incredibly surprising amount of grit considering they’re used on vehicles that have delicate top clear coats. The friction on these conveyer belt cloth strips can cause wear and tear, while dirt molecules left from other vehicles can add uneven abrasion. 

As San Antonio Auto Detailing describes, “the trapped dirt on those brushes acts like sandpaper to your car’s finish.” 

Dirt can actually end up stuck inside your car’s paint, leading to significant wear-and-tear to your vehicle’s protective layers and creating deeper scratches. 

Automatic car washes also sometimes retain dirt molecules inside the pressurized water that they spray on vehicles. Recycled water, which some automatic car washes use to clean vehicles, can contain mineral deposits and small dirt molecules that also act as sandpaper. 

Coupled with acidic, extreme chemical detergents, these automatic car washes easily break down a vehicle’s paint layers, creating many small scratches in just one wash. 

How Much Does It Cost To Fix The Car Paint?

There are generally two types of scratches to look out for when getting a car wash. The first type is fine or minor scratches only dig into the vehicle’s clear coat. The second type is moderate scratches that go through the top coat and scratch the base.

Based on Fitch’s video and the comments she received, the automatic car wash she went to unfortunately did dig into her car’s underlying base paint finish. That means she will need to spend a significant amount of time and money fixing the automatic wash’s scratches. 

“You need a full paint correction and ceramic coating and only hand wash from then on. Expect to spend around $2000 or more for your car for a full paint correction and ceramic coating,” one TikTok commenter added.

Generally, the commenter’s assessment in saying that it will cost more than $2000 is correct. To fix a clear coat on a car, it can cost upward of $1500. Paint correction can cost $150–$3,000 depending on how much a car owner fixes. 

What’s The Best Way To Wash A Car That’s Safe And Reliable? 

Commenters recommended seeking a full detail when trying to clean a vehicle or maintain its exterior. 

“As a professional detailer this is exactly why we don’t recommend taking your vehicles to the car wash. I know it is more cost effective than a professional detail service, but it’ll cost you more in the long run,” one viewer shared.

Professional detailing services can cost $50–$100 for the vehicle’s exterior. A full detail will typically cost $150–$300.  

The other way to clean a vehicle is to simply wash it at home. 

Similarly, car owners should only dry their vehicles with a soft microfiber towel. That way, it remains polished without visible streaks or abrasive scuffs.

We’ve contacted Fitch and Tidal Wave Management LLC via phone call.

@move.with.ash Went through the car wash this morning, and the photo behind me is my suburban afterwards ? What would you do? ?‍? #carwash #chevy #detailer #suburban #paint ♬ original sound – move with ash