I don't use car-washes often but, let's face it, my car isn't exactly in concours condition. The last couple of times I have used one, I have parked to one side and gone into the shop to pay for the ticket, only to find some b*gger has parked their car at the entrance to the car-wash prior to buying a ticket.

This strikes me as pretty rude and against the unwritten rules of basic courtesy. So, what does everyone else do?

It made me so cross, I thought I might hide in the back of their car and strangle them while the car was covered in foam [joke]!

If the rules are unwritten then maybe they only exist in your head.

It’s cut throat in the world of vehicular maintenance

I don’t use a ticket based car wash so couldn’t comment, however is it any different from someone parking at the air pump and walking to get a token / change. I don’t see it as bad form particularly . Perhaps if you’re macro analysising. 2019 Svr and 2019 R35 GTR

HughN wrote:

I don't use car-washes often but, let's face it, my car isn't exactly in concours condition. The last couple of times I have used one, I have parked to one side and gone into the shop to pay for the ticket, only to find some b*gger has parked their car at the entrance to the car-wash prior to buying a ticket.

This strikes me as pretty rude and against the unwritten rules of basic courtesy. So, what does everyone else do?

It made me so cross, I thought I might hide in the back of their car and strangle them while the car was covered in foam [joke]!

Not sure I find it rude, then I do drive an Audi inbetween the RRS

Surely, if everyone needs a token then putting your car in front of the wash simply means you're in the queue and getting a token. If everyone does that then you have a natural queue with no jumping... 2017my RRS 2.0 SD4 HSE, Firenze red, black and panaroof

As far as I am aware i’ve never put my car through that sort of car wash as they tend to be of the rotating brush type which I think are not good for your car, no matter which stage of its life it is at! The local garden centre opened a “hand wash” car wash that was very good and until they increased their prices to £18 for an SUV I used then every fortnight. When I had the car treated with GTechniq system last October I found that detailing company also offered a drive in / 1st come first served hand wash for £15 for an SUV using Autoglym shampoo unless you opt for the more expensive brands they also have. It takes about 45 minutes for them to wash the car and dry it but there is rarely a queue and as they are near the town centre if there is one you can leave the car and go shopping. I also phone ahead to find out how busy they are, but as they are a little off the beaten track in a small industrial estate, that is rare. I often stay and wait as the local super car owners often have their cars in the polishing bays so I can revert to being a school boy looking at cars I will never ever be able to afford! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I recently got a professional valeting company to see to my wife's Disco. The young lad did a brilliant job but I wasn't happy when I found him trying to jump start the car - I'd given him the key but not the immobiliser fob and when he found it wouldn't start he got his jump-leads out.

Mind you, her previous Disco took a bit of cleaning...