A B.C. driver got a lot more than he bargained for when he visited a car wash, and the company had to pay for the damage that was incurred.
According to a BC Civil Resolution Tribunal dispute, the applicant claimed that his vehicle was damaged while using a car wash owned by Nationwide Self Storage and Auto Wash Limited Partnership.
He claimed $1,607.35 for repairs and $850 for loss of vehicle rental income.
In response, Nationwide said that the applicant’s vehicle already had pre-existing damage and that it wasn’t responsible for further damage the car wash caused.
The applicant owns a 2016 Toyota RAV4, and he rents it out through Turo.
“He currently has Turo’s All-Star Host status,” the tribunal noted.
On Jan. 1, 2025, the applicant drove his car through the car wash. Midway through, the bumper was partially pulled off by a wheel-cleaning machine.
There was video evidence of the incident.
Contrary to what Nationwide stated, the applicant claimed that his vehicle did not have pre-existing damage. He shared photos taken in December 2024 and emails from ICBC as evidence to support his claim.
Nationwide said that the applicant’s bumper was protruding before he entered the car wash.
This was the main challenge for the tribunal: trying to figure out whether or not there was pre-existing damage, and whether that damage forgave any negligence on the part of Nationwide.
After examining the photos, the tribunal said that while it did see a small gap between the bumper and where it attaches to the rest of the vehicle, it did not amount to “protruding.”
Nationwide said that it washed many vehicles with the same make and model as the applicant’s without any damage. However, Nationwide provided no supporting evidence.
Both parties agreed that the applicant had no control over the vehicle after it entered the car wash, so the applicant did not contribute to any damage incurred.
In the end, the tribunal found that the B.C. car wash was responsible for the damage, and it was ordered to pay the applicant $2,032.35 in damages.