I'm extremely disappointed and frankly angry that a routine wash resulted in this level of destruction. Customers deserve safe, properly maintained equipment -- and this facility failed that basic responsibility.
This review is being submitted as a formal record of the significant property damage caused by Dolphin Tours Car Wash and the facility's failure to meet even the most basic standards of equipment maintenance and customer protection.
On December 27, 2025, during a routine wash, the automated machinery malfunctioned, causing substantial, preventable damage to my vehicle. The equipment forcibly tore the passenger-side taillight from its housing, leaving the shattered assembly on the pavement. In addition, the right side of my vehicle sustained deep, fingernail-catching cuts and scratches across multiple panels -- damage that any qualified operator would immediately recognize as the result of defective or improperly maintained brushes.
I have had the vehicle professionally detailed twice since, and the scratches remain. These are not superficial marks; they are paint-penetrating cuts that require full repainting. Professional repair estimates exceed $3,000, not including multiple corrective buffing sessions and the full taillight assembly replacement.
What elevates this matter is management's response. A business operating automated wash equipment has a legal duty of care to ensure its machinery is properly maintained, regularly inspected, and safe for consumer use. The type of damage sustained here is not consistent with normal operation -- it is consistent with negligent maintenance and foreseeable mechanical failure. Despite the severity of the incident and the clear evidence of equipment malfunction, management has taken no responsibility, offered no assistance, and provided no acknowledgment of fault.
This was not an unavoidable accident. It was a preventable failure caused by inadequate oversight and a disregard for customer property. The financial loss, the time spent mitigating the damage, and the facility's complete lack of accountability are unacceptable. read more
