Chevron

On Monday May 01, 2023 at 6:25 pm PST, I fueled my 1998 Toyota Camry LE V6 at Chevron gas station #82 located at the corner of Warner Ave and Magnolia st in the city of Fountain Valley, CA. This gas station is operated by G&M Oil. I bought a car wash with the car wash code 49166. I was driving my vehicle into the car wash area, and while the brush system was moving along my vehicle, it broke my side mirror on the driver side. The mirror fell off its position and dangling from the electrical wire.

I immediately reported the incident to the store employee, whose name was Brandon B. He filed an incident report and told me that he was going to send the report electronically. I requested that he temporarily fix the side mirror, as it was dangling and of course I was not able to drive the car with such a dangling side mirror. He refused to help me, saying that he did not want to be liable for further damage. Fortunately, a gentleman who got line in the store at that moment offered to help me fix the side mirror with wires and red tapes.

The following day I called G&M corporate office and spoke with Mayra Mendez, a customer service. She told me that the office did not receive any incident report from the gas station #82. Either Mayra Mendez (customer service rep), or Brandon B (the store employee) must be a liar, as Brandon told me that the report had been electronically sent to corporate office. Mayra asked me to send the photo of the damage, and she told me that the company was not likely to cover for the damage to my vehicle, as it might be a pre-existing condition. If it were a pre-existing condition, how come I could drive my with such a dangling mirror. I told her that she should check the camera. I provided her with the fuel and car wash receipt. Brandon saw my car wet with dangling side mirror, and he filled the incident report form. Mayra also told me that I was supposed to put the mirrors in prior to pulling my car into the car wash. However, it was an old car, the mirrors cannot be put in. I have been in that car wash several times before without any issue, but this incident. Their washing system must be mal - functioning, yet the store employee refused to fix my broken dangling mirror caused by their mal-functioning car wash system, and the G&M Oil customer service was trying to avoid its liability.

It has been 7 days, and my car has not been fixed.

I attached the photo of the broken mirror, which was temporarily fixed by a customer, a kind gentleman who was in the store at the time of the accident. Without his help, I would not have been able to drive my car given such a dangling mirror.

My impression about this accident is a very poor customer service from both G&M Oil corporate office and store #82:

1. Store employee refused to fix the dangling mirror caused by its mal-functioning car wash system. I should have called a police, as the car was non - drivable with a dangling side mirror.

2. G&M Oil customer service department was trying to avoid its liability for the damage to its customer's vehicle caused by its malfunctioning car wash system.