This has changed since May and Tak sold, and despite being my car wash of choice, today was my last visit. My family has been bringing their cars here for generations, starting with my grandma in the 1970s, and we've been coming here ever since, under different ownership throughout the years of course. She trusted them as I do and did, and despite my occasional visits to other car washes for convenience, I knew that if my car needed a consistently good wash, I should go to "Main Street." Today, when I pulled in, it was a different guy pulling the cars around to the washing station - someone I've never seen - no big deal. When my car was delivered, I noticed that the rim was scratched, which was a new issue. So, when I asked what might have happened, the owner became very defensive, rattling off the daily car count and claiming they had never had a problem, blah blah blah - I respect it enough. I just wanted to figure out what could have happened. As we're talking, lo and behold, the little fella who pulled the car into the washing bay, where I suspect the damage was done, shows up and proceeds to tell me my car was already like that because he "saw it." So you're telling me, the guy responsible for vacuuming out the cars and pulling them around, also examined my rims to make sure they were or weren't scratched? Now that's service. I wonder if he studied the wear on my tires, too. I may go back to ask if it's time to replace them. He was the one who "ran" the rim into the track or realistically rubbed the rim while turning into the bay! What a guilty conscience, to have absolutely "nothing" to do with the conversation, then pop up out of nowhere as I'm talking to the owner/manager about the damage. I have low-profile tires, so the rims are more susceptible to scratching - I get it. But I know it wasn't there before.
Additionally, the owner is not very clever because he tried to compare my car and tire profile to the car next to me in the drying bay, which was a lifted, off-roading style Jeep. He asked me why the track or person, or whatever it was that scratched the rim, hadn't also scratched the Jeep rim. I tried explaining that the lifted Jeep tires, which are aftermarket, are three times as big as the stock tires on my car, but he didn't get it, or was just being indignant, or trying to gaslight me. Yeah, there's a big difference, almost a 3-4-inch difference. This has never happened before, and the only difference was the guy who drove the car into the washing bay. When I was leaving, having just tried to reason with the owner to figure out what had happened to my property, and after reassuring him that I was not mad, a few of the guys who dry and detail the cars, who have worked on my vehicles for years, started apologizing. I don't know what for, considering they supposedly didn't scratch the rim. Don't apologize for something you didn't do - cowardly. They are nice guys, though, and have never done me dirty or left my car dirty, for that matter. However, they were probably apologizing for their wonderfully articulate and rational boss, who disappeared once I went to retrieve my car as it was finished. So here I am, with a scratched rim. Aww, poor me. It sounds so petty, but I still got a clean car out of the deal. Still the best and most reliable wash in Riverside, but with poor customer service and an aggressive manager, possibly including at least one, perhaps unethical employee.
Because my car's tires are too low-profile, I'm unable to go back; I don't want this to happen again. It was a mistake, and I give the guys credit for a job well done, always, but I'm upset with the poor governance in the new owner's stewardship of an enduring establishment in Riverside. The funny thing is, the only reason I was at the car wash was because I had just gotten the scratches on the rims fixed this morning. So I wanted to end the day with a clean car - but now I have another scratched rim - incredible - my luck. And the front left, where the scratch is, was the only rim that had nothing wrong with it - not anymore. I'm just frustrated. I had just gotten my car fixed, and this happened again, literally the same day. Again, it would be my luck. Don't go there if your tires are low profile or if you're worried someone might rub the rim while driving it onto the tracks. Otherwise, go if you want a good car wash, but be cautious because the owners are known to be scammers. Just look at one of the last reviews! The business/owners couldn't even be bothered to give someone $10 back for a mistake that was their own, then asked them to leave. Why should customers or loyal patrons be inconvenienced or have to bear the burdens and costs of erroneous and careless mistakes by new ownership or a new employee? And another excellent and reliable establishment in Riverside erodes. read more